The Time I Met Hillary

I met Hillary once back in the first Clinton term during her ill-fated campaign to fix our healthcare system. By the way, I never viewed that as a huge failure just because it didn't work out. It's even more clear now that healthcare is one of the biggest problems we've got. Most people I know have good health insurance as long as they stay in good health. If they get sick? Well, that's a different story.

It's clearly a two Americas deal with one group getting some of the best care in the world while others are sick with worry. It keeps costing more and people fear they could lose their coverage if they have it to begin with. I certainly didn't blame Hillary for using her clout as First Lady to try and do something. That wasn't a blunder - it was a noble effort.

Naturally, she was ridiculed for it, but that's part of the game. In fact, Hillary has been ridiculed a lot. She is one of those people who have been defined to such an extent by the media machine and the Republicans that you can't help buying into it on some level - no matter what your political leanings are. You can't help thinking of her in negative terms. It's analogous to the perception that Republicans are better at foreign policy. We've heard it over and over again so we believe it. Meanwhile, if that is their specialty I'd hate to see what the world would look like if they were horrendous at it.

Hillary might be a typical politician changing with the breeze, but people who work with her in the Senate like her more than her reputation would suggest. It's actually very impressive how many give her high marks for her ability. Having said that, I'm not pulling for her to win the nomination. I really think America needs to move on from having a Clinton or a Bush anywhere near our political system - especially the Bushes.

If you read the history of the Bush family and what they've done to - excuse me, I meant "for" - America, then it's time for us to try some other group. There's got to be other criminal organizations - excuse me, I meant "large families" - out there who will perform better than this. Let's just say to the Bushes, "Thanks. I know you'd love to continue helping run this country, but trust me, you've done enough." No to Jeb. No to the twins, and no to any of the others in the next Bush generation waiting in the wings. Please. Enough.

Having so much written about someone, makes it valuable to meet them and make your own opinion. For example, it was useful to meet Dan Quayle and realize he really was an idiot. His own Secret Service agents were making fun of him.

When I met Hillary, I was in the back hall of a downtown hotel working as a banquet waiter. Hillary's bus caravan rolled through town and she stopped in to give a speech. We shook hands and to me, she seemed motherly and nice. Frankly, she seemed sort of hip - like good company on a long airplane flight. Her image as an ice queen should be tempered with the motherly vibe because it is there.

This next part is going to sound crazy because you've heard so much hate speech about her, but Hillary was huggable. I really liked her in person. I'm not saying I was attracted to her sexually or anything. She does have a huge bottom, but so does Dick Cheney. That reminds me: This might sound shocking but up close Tipper Gore is sexy. I've met Tipper, too, and I bet there was a time when she was a stone cold fox.

My take on Hillary is that she can be sweet and warm. It's there along with the colder elements of her personality. You know who likes her? John McCain. I've also personally heard Al Gore flirting with her. You read that here first. After one encounter with Bill, Hillary, Al, and Tipper, I got the distinct impression that Hillary was really attracted to Al, especially in the noble character department, and especially compared to her hound dog husband.

Now, Bill Clinton being a sex machine? That is 100% reality - there's no right wing conspiracy involved there. I've personally seen him flirt with at least three different waitresses. Once he almost caused a collision of people walking in our hall so he could stop and wave at a voluptuous waitress he glanced at. Bill Clinton? He comes as advertised.

After we shook hands, Hillary went in and delivered her speech. What stood out to me in person was her life force. She's got brains for sure, although she's not as smart as Bill. Bill is scary smart. I've overheard things he said that were truly incredible.

Once a person showed Bill a single picture of this one rally from God knows when. You know how many rallies these people attend, right? Bill stared at it for a moment then spoke for 5 minutes about the event as if it had happened moments before. Bill Clinton is brilliant. Brains for days and an ego to go along with it. Nobody disputes that, but Hillary might have him on one level: Life force.

I have met a lot of powerful people at the hotel, and Hillary's life force is right up there. If the Republican Party thinks they are going to wear her down, they can forget about that right now. She's got more life force than they do.

I stayed in the room for most of the speech but one of our wise-ass banquet captains remained in the back hall. He never came in the room at all, and didn't hear a single word of her impassioned talk. Yet, when Hillary came back out, he looked at her - all charm - and said, "That was a wonderful speech." Hillary smiled warmly and thanked him, so I had witnessed something significant. Not only had I met Bill Clinton's wife - a woman who became so famous that she goes by one name - but I actually heard a man being dishonest with her. All and all, that was quite a glimpse of history.