I met Bill Clinton today!

[Urban Warrior]

Pretty cool story. I was at the Westchester Mall in White Plains NY and there was a ton of people looking at him inside Neiman Marcus but nobody went up to him... I walked by him but figured I would leave him alone... Well a few minutes latter I was getting off the escalator and he was directly in front of me taking a photo and started to walk away (damm he walks fast) had at least 10 secret service guy's with... I walked right up him and my first words were "Mr.Clinton is it true your a panerai fan" Think it kind of threw him off cause he kept walking and replied "yeah I got one" a few seconds past and than he stopped to face me, extended his hand, I told him it was nice to meet him and showed him my 111. He actually grabbed my wrist and said nice, started to walk away and yelled back Panerai's are great. Not everyday you get to talk to a former President...

 

[johnnynorman3]

That's awesome.

 

[Charles Rogers]

Blah, blah, blah, clinton, blah, blah. I told him it was nice to meet him and showed him my 111. Blah, blah, blah, President...

I am more jealous of your watch. Just kidding about the quote though, that truely is an honor.

 

[linux_pro]

I would have been too enamored to speak possibly. What an honor and privilege to meet any President, especially one as debonair as Mr. Clinton.

 

[marc37]

 What an honor and privilege to meet any President, especially one as debonair as Mr. Clinton.

You've got to be joking. This is the same man that cheated on his wife. He is not a good man, he is a scumbag and a lying scoundrel.

Wake up everyone and realise this person for what he is.

 

[gorgekko]

I would have been too enamored to speak possibly. What an honor and privilege to meet any President, especially one as debonair as Mr. Clinton.

Bill Clinton could be described as many things but debonair would be the last word I would use. Hell, during his Donna Karan phase I would have used "stylish" but not debonair.

 

[SylvesterPennoyer]

You may have inadvertently insulted him by referring to him as "Mr. Clinton" instead of "Mr. President" or "President Clinton". My understanding is that that is the proper address even for ex-presidents. Then again, I agree with the above poster that the man is not deserving of such respect.

 

[Alias]

You've got to be joking. This is the same man that cheated on his wife. He is not a good man, he is a scumbag and a lying scoundrel.

Wake up everyone and realise this person for what he is.

I find it hilarious that people would criticize Clinton for doing this yet many other men do the same without suffering such scrutiny

 

[linux_pro]

You've got to be joking. This is the same man that cheated on his wife. He is not a good man, he is a scumbag and a lying scoundrel.

While I may disagree with some of his policies, I respect him greatly as a person and as a former President. I give that respect to all Presidents, regardless of my personal politics. Remember that you are speaking about a President, and have some respect for the man and the Office when you open your mouth. He has earned it, whether or not you think so. You are a citizen of the Republic, he was its leader. Until you have attained that same office, you are in no position to remark on the personal character of those who have, period.

Previous to the Nixon era, it was strictly taboo to discuss the personal affairs of Presidents and leaders, and the media had a very strong policy about maintaining the type of respectful discretion when discussing the President sadly absent from our current generation.

The list of Presidents who committed adultery in office is staggering. I believe it was Roosevelt who once gave a speech at Harvard in which he commented on the girth of his manhood and his voracious appetite for "loose" women. Needless to say, the audience was shocked, but they quickly disregarded the comments as allowable eccentricity unrelated to the overall respectable character of the gentleman. And you can be certain that not one man in that audience would have had the audacity to stand up and challenge the character of a gentleman whose station in life greatly exceeded his own. Proper etiquette still prevailed in that day - and honor, a virtue long since expired in our culture.

In times past, gentleman were treated with the dignity they deserved. It is very unbecoming to anonymously judge the character of a public figure. It is called character assassination, and it is a despicable lowly thing. Especially when it occurs with the popular support of a jeering crowd of cowardly fools. Clinton's tarnished reputation, and the unopposed foolish behaviour of those who defame him, is a sad indicator of the decline of our Republic's strength and honor, as well as a convincing indictment of the character of our American public - a burly crowd of simple-minded peasants it seems.

Once again, have respect for the President, and keep your comments about his personal life to yourself. You are in no way in a proper social position to criticize the man, unless of course, you are either of the Bushes, and you will notice that neither of them would ever dare make a public statement like you made.

 

[linux_pro]

On that note, wouldn't it be great to have a chat with President George HW Bush? I am sure he has some very interesting tales about his experiences as a WWII fighter pilot.

 

[marc37]

Until you have attained that same office, you are in no position to remark on the personal character of those who have, period.

What foolish nonsense. l don't have to acheive high office to realise that Clinton has the morals of an alleycat. He is unfaithful and dishonest. He is NOT to be trusted or taken at his word. Shame on Clinton.

 

[linux_pro]

Oh wait, I see you are not an American. I guess the same rules would not apply then. However, I think it's silly to dismiss Clinton as a cheap womanizer.

 

[Andrew V.]

That's awesome, Urban Warrior.

 

[Alexander Kabbaz]

Whatever your beliefs, the Office deserves respect. The only acceptable address for a former President is "Mr. President". Actually, in government, the salutation for any former official is the use of the highest title they have attained. Hence, if a former President takes a temporary ambassadorial role, his subsequent title is "Mr. President".

But ... whoa. Neiman-Marcus? I've seen many, many clips of President Clinton shopping. The are all either in Wal-Mart or K-Mart.

Oh ... the campaign is over. Sorry, time-warp.

 

[GreyFlannelMan]

I met President George H.W. Bush back in 1988 when I interned with his campaign.  Wasn't able to have any real conversation due to venue and my having been awestruck, but he was the nicest public figure I've ever had the privilege of meeting.

By the way, to remain germane to the issue of this forum,  the President was wearing an unremarkable charcoal grey two button suit with a white shirt, straight collar and red tie.