5-year-olds ask ex-presidents the darndest things

Art Linkletter knew the dangers of talking with children in public. But ex-President Bill Clinton didn't -- or forgot -- for a minute Wednesday during one of his campaign stops in Kingstree, S.C. And he paid the price.

B. Clinton is not running for office, of course. But he's been traipsing all over the state this week attacking Sen. Barack Obama and campaigning for his wife, Hillary. She's been campaigning for herself out west and in New Jersey in the Feb. 5 states and, perhaps not accidentally, not investing too much of herself in the Palmetto State, where she trails Obama in polls for Saturday's Democratic primary.

But she has, not accidentally, maintained a prominent presence in the media all across the state by having her daughter Chelsea and her husband visit community after community, with the ex-president launching steady attacks on Obama. So there he was, the former head of the free world, in front of another audience of 400...

in another community center. And the ex-president chose to call on little McKenna Chance, who is 5. She looked so innocent.

"What do you do when you get married?" the girl asked.

Dead silence. Then nervous laughter.

Crowd members were thinking about some things. So was Clinton. Rarely is the loquacious politician stumped -- and maybe a little embarrassed. And speechless, as he paced the stage to gain a few seconds.

When in doubt, change the subject. Use misdirection. Clinton looked at the back of the room where the press corps, including The Times' Peter Nicholas, was assembled, listening intently. Clinton tilted his head and smiled.

"Look at that," he told the crowd. "See all the press people back there? They put me through the wringer this morning, and everything I said is about to pale compared to what I'm now facing."

Clinton was referring to a testy exchange he had with reporters in Charleston that morning. He grew angry when pressed about backlash over his continuing criticisms of Obama.

But Clinton collected himself for his answer to little McKenna. No mention of the soap operas from his administration in the 1990s: the women, the investigations, the dress, the wagging finger and denials, the subsequent admissions.

Instead, he described marriage as idyllic if your spouse becomes your best friend and you have children together. He said that he and his wife, the senator, had achieved both.

"In my case," Clinton said, "I got an extra boost, which is that until I became president, my wife also made more money than I did every year of my marriage. But finally I became the breadwinner in the family. I like that."

Then he looked back at McKenna: "That was great! Good for you," he said.

-- Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[Daniel Walker]

Why is former President Bill Clinton given free reign to claim legitimacy as a candidate for First Lady, or man, of the United States of America?  If any one of the male candidates for President had a wife who was as sexually promiscuous in the workplace as Bill Clinton was as governor of Arkansas and President of the United States
she would be considered a slut unworthy of consideration for any official office; let alone co-occupying The White House as First Lady. Give ME a break! 

And all this talk  that Obama "..is not truthful";  from the man who  "..was impeached by the House of Representatives" a few years ago for ".. allegations of perjury and obstruction of justice regarding the affair (with Paula Jones) and lying under oath in a civil lawsuit."   Surely America is not so desperate for "change" that we need the likes of William Jefferson Clinton back in the White House for another four to eight years.  Please, give ME a break!

[K.Winn]

Speak on it Mr. Walker..you said everything..nothing more to add!!

[Wallace]

Geez, I have to admit, I didn't even know Bill Clinton was married. Who's his wife?

[Mark C. Eades]

While Bill Clinton's antics on the campaign trail are making him look increasingly more like a liability than an asset, it seems legitimate to seriously consider Hillary Clinton's obvious dependence on him as an indicator of her own ability to independently fill the role she seeks. We seem increasingly to be getting a "package deal" with this campaign: not a candidate with her spouse in a supporting role, but co-candidates who seem likely to function as co-presidents if elected (one wonders how her vice-president would feel in a No. 3 role utterly in the shadow of the president's spouse). Rather than a clearly-delineated picture of the candidate's individual record of achievement, we are getting an increasingly blurred story about their shared achievements. How many of us for a job interview would take our spouses along and attempt to gain favor on the basis of combined achievements? Democrats should seriously consider the effect that a Clinton co-candidacy might have on their hopes for November.

[M. P. Goel]

It is NOT correct to say things against Hillary Clinton for what Bill Clinton did.
Every one is answerable to the deeds they do.
Mrs. Clinton desired to keep things to herself. May be it was due to her concern
for their daghter who may continue to have the love of her mother and father.
History is a witness to many such events in the life of several leaders who wre responsible to have done great deeds otherwise.
Such things must be taken with a pinch of salt and let go.
TO DAY US NEEDS HILLARY - A LADY AT HEART.

[Jenna]

Yes, calling Bill Clinton a slut will get me to vote for Obama, tell me more Daniel.