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Home Front: Culture Wars
Clinton has meltdown in BBC interview
2004-06-20
by Chris Hastings and Charles Laurence, London Sunday Telegraph.
EFL.
Bill Clinton loses his temper with David Dimbleby during a BBC television interview to be broadcast this week when he is repeatedly quizzed about his affair with Monica Lewinsky.
Almost reason enough to upgrade the cable service so you get BBC America.
The former American president, famed for his uncontrolled priapism amiable disposition, becomes visibly angry and rattled, particularly when Dimbleby asks him whether his publicly declared contrition over the affair is genuine. His outrage at the line of questioning during the 50-minute interview, to be broadcast on Panorama on Tuesday night, lasts several minutes. It is the first time that the former President has been seen to lose his temper publicly over the issue of his sexual liaisons with Ms Lewinsky. The President initially responds to Dimbleby’s questions by launching a general attack on media intrusion.
"I’d have gotten away with it, too, if it wasn’t for those meddling kids!"
When the broadcaster persists with the question of whether the politician was truly penitent, Clinton directs his anger towards Dimbleby.
"Insolent lackey! How dare you ask penetrating questions in an interview! Don’t you know who I am?"
. . . One BBC executive who has seen the interview, which took place in a New York hotel last Wednesday, said: "He is visibly angry with Dimbleby’s line of questioning and some of that anger gets directed at Dimbleby himself. As outbursts go, it is not just some flash that is over in an instant. It is something substantial and sustained. It is memorable television which will give the public a different insight into the President’s character. It will leave them wondering whether he is as contrite as he says he is about past events."
I’m not surprised Clinton isn’t contrite, I’m surprised he lost his composure and let it out. I’m also surprised it was Auntie Beeb that set him off.
Posted by:Mike

#15  I've seen Panorama on BeebUSA a couple times - there are still occasional days when they're mainlining Changing rooms or What Not To Wear. But to me it's all worth it for just one all-day Blackadder or Keeping Up Appearances marathon...

Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski   2004-06-20 8:01:14 PM  

#14  Do they show Panorama on BBC America? Back in the days when I had a TV, BBC America was the 24x7 "Changing Rooms" channel.
Posted by: Classical_Liberal   2004-06-20 6:51:53 PM  

#13  William Jefferson Blythe Clinton: Attention-Whore
Posted by: eLarson   2004-06-20 1:34:33 PM  

#12  Well....(chuckle), two heads are better than one....
Posted by: Halfass Pete   2004-06-20 12:47:43 PM  

#11  Hah-hah, Frank - good one. :-p

(No; I would guess it "splints" itself)

#9 Zpaz: LOL. Far more innocent.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2004-06-20 12:22:00 PM  

#10  Barb - should I apply a splint?
Posted by: Frank G   2004-06-20 12:09:02 PM  

#9  It just reminded of a legend passed on by a med student friend: A group of students were dissecting a cadaver. The cadaver had an erection. A male student took a scalpel and sliced the offending member down the center splitting it in two. The female student stood mesmerized for several minutes. Finally, the male asked her if anything was wrong. She thought for a minute more, then asked, "Where's the bone?"

Obviously that was a story from more innocent days.

Epiglottitis. Another look-up!
Posted by: Zpaz   2004-06-20 11:47:52 AM  

#8  Zpaz - Naah, just part of the training.

It's fairly rare, usually painful (though in Clinton's case probably not, but his "priapism" is more of the hound-dog-in-constant-heat variety, rather than a medical condition), and we were taught about its existence along with other serious-but-rare conditions I've never seen, such as epiglottitis.

I don't think it's life-threatening, but it's quite painful and, if untreated, could probably lead to impotence - not sure. And no, I've no idea how it's treated; probably drugs of some kind. (They probably said more back when I took the class, but I didn't store more info than I needed to recognize the problem & know the patient would need transport; it doesn't affect me personally, after all. Sorry.)
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2004-06-20 11:27:07 AM  

#7  Barbara, was that on-the-job training? Do tell.
Posted by: Zpaz   2004-06-20 11:14:46 AM  

#6  Wait till someone (er, not me) asks him about poor Juanita Broaddrick.
Posted by: someone   2004-06-20 10:57:07 AM  

#5  I smell a set-up. This is Clinton going for attention. He's like the class clown in grade 3, the kid who would do anything to be noticed. Just the way he intruded his "wounded feelings" into Reagan Week, he'll do anything to get people to think about him and buy his book. Best strategy - ignore him.
Posted by: Patrick   2004-06-20 10:56:32 AM  

#4  Zpaz - not for me. Interesting the things learned in EMT training. :-p
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2004-06-20 10:54:57 AM  

#3  Priapism. That was a look-up.
Posted by: Zpaz   2004-06-20 10:14:28 AM  

#2  Clinton was probably pissed because he thought he was in friendly territory. Had it been FOX asking these questions, he probably would have handled them easily.
Posted by: Laurence of the Rats   2004-06-20 9:39:30 AM  

#1  If only Clinton punched out the BBC dweeb. That would have been must see TV.
Posted by: ed   2004-06-20 9:19:45 AM  

00:00