On Friday's Good Morning America, ABC reporter Dan Harris relayed the news that Bill Clinton and Al Gore are now very rich men. But he couldn't do it without mangling a fact or two. Harris began:
"Think about it, when Bill Clinton and Al Gore both left the White House, they both had some serious financial problems. Now they both have some serious cash. President Clinton left power in 2001 dogged by legal bills. But last year, he made more than $10 million in paid speeches, according to new federal filings released by his wife’s presidential campaign."
When Bill Clinton left the White House, his wife had already agreed to an $8 million book advance. If the Clinton marriage means their assets are held in common, it couldn't accurately be said Clinton "had some serious financial problems" with the legal bills. Harris also ignored the Clintons had a multi-million-dollar legal defense fund to defray costs. Listen to NBC's Andrea Mitchell touting Bill's big $12 million book deal in August 2001:
"The deal is so big, Clinton will be able to pay off his lawyers, still owed almost $4 million, after raising more than $8 million in a legal defense fund. And he’ll even have money left over for the mortgages on his two luxury homes -- the $2.8 million Washington mansion and the $1.7 million house in Chappaqua."
By Mitchell's numbers, Hillary's book bonanza alone would have finished off the legal costs and pretty much eliminated the mortgages on their "luxury homes."
Without explaining how Gore was having serious financial problems in early 2001 -- assume it's presidential campaign debts -- Harris then went on to hail how Al Gore is filthy rich, and not only that, he's "enjoying behing right" about the future:
"However it's Bill Clinton’s former number two, Al Gore, who is really raking it in. After his failed presidential run, a bearded an embattled Gore signed on as an advisor with a then obscure internet company called Google. He went on to join the board of Apple and start his own profitable cable company and asset management firm. And now, according to a new article in Fast Company magazine, Al Gore is worth at least $100 million."
Ellen McGirth (Fast Company): "I think he feels that he's doing things that are innovative and transformational in sectors which he thinks are badly in need of change. I think he’s enjoying being right."
—Tim Graham is Director of Media Analysis at the Media Research Center
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Bill's and Al's story of raga
June 16, 2007 - 23:20 ET by Mica the MagnificentBill's and Al's story of raga-muffin to riches reminds me of that old liberal saying:
"We must re-distribute the wealth!"
C'mon Bill and Al!
Write those checks to the less fortunate, the poor, the hungry, the lazy, the uneducated, the institutionalized, the doped-up, the third generation welfare mamas.
You know - your supporters.
C'mon, boys! Let's have some 're-distribution' so you're not seen as that evil, evil word you taught us to fear:
"RICH!"
"And here you can see refrigerator after refrigerator that has warmed up. No ice in the ice-maker, no freeze in the freezer. Global warming has affected modern appliances! - - -First to hit the cutting room floor while editing "An Inconvenient Truth"
Oh, I can hear those violins
June 17, 2007 - 00:32 ET by UnsaneOh, I can hear those violins now! Tell me, how much do presidents get a year in "retirement"? I know they always have a Secret Service detail to protect them (the one who turned that down was Nixon, surprise, surprise, who put together a private security detail for himself).
Point being is that the Clintons are far from destitute.
MAKE WAY FOR THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS!!! THE 1999, 2003, 2005, AND 2007 NBA CHAMPIONS!!!!
$183,500 as of 2007 + some
June 17, 2007 - 02:49 ET by sarcasmo$183,500 as of 2007 + some other expenses, according to the much-maligned (why trust a Hayek-influenced homeschooler with new, successful-albeit-imperfect ideas?) Wikipedia. And apparently, lifetime SS protection may have become 10 years post-Clinton, but maybe-not post 9/11. (At least this is one of the things the US Secret Service is relatively-good at, which I certainly can't say for all their activities...)
JMR
On Friday's Good Morning Amer
June 17, 2007 - 03:44 ET by GalvanicOn Friday's Good Morning America, ABC reporter Dan Harris relayed the news that Bill Clinton and Al Gore are now very rich men. But he couldn't do it without mangling a fact or two. Harris began: Think about it, when Bill Clinton and Al Gore both left the White House, they both had some serious financial problems.
How did Al Gore ever have any financial problems? He was born into wealth, and that wealth continued to grow during his Vice Presidency.
As for Clinton, he had some legal bills to cover thanks to his own misconduct, but he had thousands of citizens donating to his defense fund. I remember one guy on Social Security sending in $100 to to the man who everyone knew would sign a post-WH book deal for $ millions.
President Clinton left power in 2001 dogged by legal bills. But last year, he made more than $10 million in paid speeches, according to new federal filings released by his wife’s presidential campaign.
And everyone knew he would.
When Bill Clinton left the White House, his wife had already agreed to an $8 million book advance. If the Clinton marriage means their assets are held in common, it couldn't accurately be said Clinton "had some serious financial problems" with the legal bills. Harris also ignored the Clintons had a multi-million-dollar legal defense fund to defray costs. Listen to NBC's Andrea Mitchell touting Bill's big $12 million book deal in August 2001:
By Mitchell's numbers, Hillary's book bonanza alone would have finished off the legal costs and pretty much eliminated the mortgages on their "luxury homes."
And Terry McAuliffe actually secured the mortgage on the Clinton home in Chappaqua; the Clintons didn't have to lay out a dime to purchase it. Then, to top it all off, they built a guest home on the property to house the Secret Service detail assigned to watch the house and protect the ex-President in residence, and CHARGED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT (in other words, the TAXPAYERS) A RENT EQUAL TO THEIR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS. In essence, they got the home in Chappaqua for free!
A couple of days ago I read
June 17, 2007 - 06:30 ET by motherbeltA couple of days ago I read that their net worth is something over $50 million. The next time Hill has a press conference, I hope someone asks her if she thinks they pay their "fair share" of taxes (ditto Al Gore). And didn't Bill once "complain" that President Bush had given him a tax cut he "didn't need"?
Hillary complains about CEOs
June 17, 2007 - 07:06 ET by sembyHillary complains about CEOs making too much money, isn't $250,000 a lot for one speech? Hypocrits beyond belief, make you so sick you want to peuc!
A long time ago, I read som
June 17, 2007 - 07:56 ET by motherbeltPeople with a lot of money get that way because they are so good WITH money...as in how not to spend it.
I work retail sales, and recently had a young woman, fishing through her wallet, ask ME if I had 25 cents to make up the rest of her total...this while holding 3 $50 bills alongside her wallet......
Was that why Clinton sold all
June 17, 2007 - 09:11 ET by ahusserWas that why Clinton sold all those pardons, because he was in serious financial trouble? The Sopranos were in the WH for 8 years. I hope and pray we don't repeat that mistake.
"A mind is a terrible thing." - A comic I forgot the name of.
Speech Money
June 17, 2007 - 10:30 ET by pbthinkerIt seems to me, I remember when both President Reagan and President Bush retired, they also did speeches for which they received good chunks of money. At that time, however, the media were attacking them for the money they made on them. What a difference having a (D) or an (R) after your name makes.
Never argue with an idiot. They'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.
Reagan was attacked at the ti
June 17, 2007 - 15:54 ET by Del DolemonteReagan was attacked at the time, and rightly so, I believe, because he took a $2 million speaking fee for 2 20-minute speeches. But believe it or not, the one who started the whole recent saga was none other than Gerald Ford!
Jeff Jacoby, one of the rare sane voices at the Boston Glob, offers this on ex-Presidential paydays:
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2007/02/28/ex_presidents_big_payday/
sad
June 17, 2007 - 12:35 ET by bulbasaurABC is just doing its bit to lend the aura of reality to the Clinton Mythology.
There's more coming as Hillary's coronation nears.
"..and then, boys and girls, Mrs. Clinton approached the Bosnian refugees whom she had freed from slavery and said to them: 'I have travelled far to meet you. Come, dine in my tent. My servants will refresh you with sumptuous food and drink!'"