Babs Wins Interview.
Although the Drudge Report claimed last week that ABC’s Diane Sawyer had won the first interview with author Sen. Clinton (D.-N.Y.), it was later revealed that Sawyer’s ABC colleague, Barbara Walters, will conduct the interview instead. The interview will air at 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 8th. Walters said, "I am proud to be given the opportunity to go behind the headlines and behind the scenes of this extraordinary woman’s public and private life." Initial reports had indicated that Hillary was miffed at Walters for her interview with "that woman," Monica Lewinsky, but this wasn’t the case. Hillary was interviewed by Walters prior to the publication of It Takes a Village in 1996 and was pleased by the experience, said spokeswoman Karen Dunn. ABC News says that there will be no ground rules on what can be asked during the interview, and the interview will go up against "60 Minutes," where Hillary’s husband does commentaries. However, in rerun season, chances are the former president will not be on the show anyway.
Book Looks.
Hillary isn’t giving too many hints as to what is in her new book, Living History, thanks to an agreement with her publisher. But that hasn’t stopped other prominent Clintonistas from guessing what tidbits she will provide. Michael McCurry, former press secretary for President Clinton, says Hillary’s book is likely to cover three areas: political, policy and personal. "The book has to advance the political argument that she’s making for the future of the country," said McCurry. He says it will need to discuss her usual policy positions, and have "just enough juicy personal stuff" to entice regular Americans to buy it. "My guess is that she will deliver on all three," he said. Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D.-Ill.) a senior political adviser in the Clinton White House, said the book will help Hillary’s political prospects. "She’s had two years to make an imprint and for her colleagues to take a measure of her and make a judgment on their own," he said. "I don’t think it will distract from her being a senator." And if Living History doesn’t provide enough juicy details, Sydney Blumenthal’s memoirs will apparently contain its share of interesting stories, like when Hillary told her husband at his second inauguration, as he waved to the crowds, that "they’re going to screw you on the Paula Jones case," and that she complained to the author that she had to suppress her professional life for Bill’s.
Hillary the Tax Slayer.
The recent $350 billion tax-cut bill passed by the Senate included two initiatives by Hillary which are meant to spur upstate New York economic development. One measure could increase the size of an area already designated as a "Renewal Community," and would allow tax breaks for businesses that invest in these communities. The other provision would provide immediate tax incentives for quicker development of high-speed Internet access known as "broadband" in rural areas. According to Hill, her bills "would make it possible for renewal communities to drastically increase their areas, which I hope will encourage them to be more aggressive in seeking out potential investments and developments in the area. This makes such sense, and it provides very generous tax incentives. It would not only help companies come into underserved areas, but also put New Yorkers back to work." Sen. Clinton also said she would work to ensure that both measures remain in the tax cut bill as the House and Senate go to conference to negotiate differences between their two versions. The House bill does not include either provision.
Blame Bush.
It’s that time of year again, when senior classes start to graduate, and when commencement ceremonies need prestigious speakers. And once again, Hillary is in demand as a commencement speaker. She recently told graduates at Pace University’s Westchester campus that America must continue to make sacrifices to ensure a better future. "It is what in large measure brings this class here today: families who sacrifice so that their children can have better opportunities, people who do a good day’s work in order to build something, to make their job mean something, people who start businesses in order to employ and create profit that can be recycled back into the society. People who understand that if we don’t keep the future in mind, we impoverish the present and we dishonor our past." However, Hillary continued by saying that "We are moving away from that understanding" of sacrifice by imposing on today’s graduates substantial environmental, educational and economic concerns in a world where America must learn to balance military might with the ability to get along with others. It doesn’t take a genius to see that what Hillary is really saying is that the sacrifices that American families have made will go for naught, thanks to the environmental, educational and economic policies of the Bush Administration.
