Bill Clinton took the White House press corps on an unexpected journey back in time on Friday afternoon with an impromptu trip to the briefing room podium, where he held forth for half an hour, obviously loving every minute.
The former president didn’t rise to the bait when he was asked whether he enjoyed coming in and offering advice more than running the country. Clinton, like his fellow Democratic President Barack Obama, grappled with crushing losses to Republicans in mid-term congressional elections two years into his presidency.
The two Democratic presidents called the surprise news conference after an Oval Office meeting to discuss Obama’s deal with Republicans, which extends tax cuts for middle-income earners and the wealthiest Americans and includes an extension of unemployment benefits and a cut in payroll taxes. Obama has been lambasted by some congressional Democrats for reaching an agreement that they say concedes far too much to the rival party.
“I had a quite a good time governing,” Clinton said, but then allowed: “I am happy to be here, I suppose, when the bullets that are fired are unlikely to hit me, unless they are just ricocheting.”
Clinton, who famously “triangulated” toward the center after the Democrats’ 1994 congressional election losses, gave a ringing endorsement to Obama’s compromise tax deal. While he was at it, he also shouted out for several of the current Democratic president’s achievements, including financial regulatory overhaul, student loan changes and the healthcare reform plan — although Clinton said he could think of “four or five” ways to improve it.
Basically all White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs had to do was turn up … and they followed by the thousands.
