Hillary Clinton likens White House to prison

Not that it's going to diminish her ambition to live there again, but Hillary Clinton says she views the White House as something of a prison.

She also thinks that when she gets there, she'll have to have some kind of national contest to decide what to call her husband because First Lady wouldn't be appropriate.

This and other minutiae Clinton shared with Tyra Banks during a Monday taping of her syndicated TV show that will be broadcast nationally Friday.

"Do you ever get lonely?" Banks asked the New York senator. "Do you ever sit in your room by yourself sometimes and just feel alone?"....

"I don't feel lonely," Clinton said. "But I do feel sometimes isolated. Because when you are in these positions that I have been in, it can be very isolating. It is one of the reasons I put on the dark glasses and the baseball cap and go out of the White House. President Harry Truman once said that the White House was like the crown jewel of the American penal system because you can feel confined."

"And kind of jails," Banks added.

"Yeah," Clinton replied. "Because you feel so set off and really isolated."

Banks also wanted to know what Clinton's husband would be called if she won. "He will always be Mr. President," Clinton said. "But now we need to do a nationwide contest for a name."

"Like a reality show," Banks suggested.

"Like a reality show," Clinton agreed. "This is good, because think about it; here are some of the things that have been suggested like First Mate. His Scottish friends say 'First Laddie,' but we need ideas.  I'll just keep calling him Bill."

Banks didn't get around to asking policy questions, but she was curious about something that so many of us have also long wondered about -- which reality show Clinton might like to be on someday -- "Dancing with the Stars," "American Idol" or "America's Next Top Model."

"In my dreams," Clinton said, "I would be on 'America's Next Top Model,' but in reality I would have to chose my limited talents and of them, dancing is better than singing. You do not want me to sing."

"What type of dancing do you do?  Do you do hip-hop?  Can you do the Soulja Boy or the Spongebob dance?"

"I have heard of those," Clinton said. "I think that is a variation of what I did like 30, 40 years ago."

"My mother says the same thing."

Finally, Clinton announced her decision: "I think it would have to be 'Dancing with the Stars,' " she said, "especially if I could have one of those really good partners."

-- Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[Patrick Curry]

It may be somewhat premature for Mrs. Clinton to speculate what life will be like for her "when" she becomes president, don't you think?

[jbelbute]

I've got an idea, lets just let her go to prison so we can get someone electable the nomination

[Patrick Curry]

I have no objection to a woman President of the United States. I merely object to Hillary Clinton becoming the first woman president. She is uniquely unqualified for the job. She has no scuples, ethics or morals. She has no respect for our military. Her husband is an unconvicted felon and a proven sex pervert. President Hillary Clinton would be an unmitigated disaster for our country.

[w]

Bwaahahaha!

What to call Bill...........

you KNOW tht he is salivating at the thought of having access to a whole new round of interns. Thats why he's campaigning so hard. He wants to get his freak on again!

[Nathan]

"i love hillary clinton but im scared for her because there could be some bad people who dont want hillary to be president because they are sexists or maybe just because they dont like what she has to say but i really would like her to become the first female president"

Is your name monkeywrench? I ask because you are a tool.

Now your blindsexist love for Clinton aside, I'll say I don't like what she has to say, nor do I like what any radical socialist has to say. She will fail, not because she's a woman, but because she is downright INSANE.

Sooner or later, she will find herself in an interview with someone that still has their spine. They will ask the tough questions that she doesn't want to answer, and her deer-in-headlights reaction will make the illegal driver's license screwup pale iin comparison.

But go back into your bubble, keep shining up that sexism card so you can play it if/when she fails, afterall, there's no possible reason she could fail other than the fact she's a woman...

[ruth]

wow! reading some of these posts really makes me sick. the ad hominem attacks on both the Clintons are unnecessary and small-minded.

there are several excellent reasons for not voting for Hillary, but her ankles are not even in the top 100, ok?

it still amazes me that after seeing the true and lasting harm the Bush policies have done to this country, some people can still hate the Clintons for--uh, what was it again? him having affairs and her putting up with it?

we're pretty much all from dysfunctional families, people. maybe it's time to look at what the candidates STAND FOR instead? just a thought.

[melanie]

Seriously, if he gets to be called Mr. President for the rest of his life and she gets to be Mrs. President, wouldn't they have to be called Mr. and Mrs, President, like, forever?

[Fred Livingston]

Many firsts come to mind:
First Moron
First Crook
First Impeached
First Fool
...................

[Dianne]

Don't worry about naming Bill. He won't be first laddie.

[nate]

Clintons are scum, no two ways around it, if people vote for her, they deserve what they get. lying scum that will say and do anything to get more power. This country does not need this dysfuntional family taking our hard earned dollars to give to other dysfuntional familes. I'll take any republican candidate over her or obama osoma anyday.

[Robert]

How about Mr. Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court? Because if Hillary gets elected, you can bet she will nominate him first.

[lori]

I'm so tired of all the anti-Hillary comments. It doesn't matter what she says or does or doesn't do. Someone feels the need to jump on her for it. I truly believe that the primary reason she gets criticized so often is because she is a strong, outspoken, assertive woman.

Any time that a woman has tried to break down barriers and be the first at something, she has been criticized. Hilllary Clinton is making history. Deal with it.

[Rob]

Poor Hillary. She's willing to go to jail to save us from ourselves.

[Dan Reily]

If she would be a prisoner in the WHITE HOUSE Let drag the poor bird to ftly free.not at the bank of the Potomac! Let's see if she can swim or can fly. where she is for her full term. Doubt if Mrs.OLD ROCKS can fly !She may prove me wrong ! Im Sure she may want to go back to W.H.. haveing wished to return for something she forgot.. Maybe sheforgot a couple of lamps she forgot to take !(OR THROW !) Dosn't this Great Nation desevere better? Looking at our present country maybe we don't!? Old tired and desgusted.?Thank God my own time is short. My worry is for my fifteen grand children ! Nearly a hundred yrs as a citerzin of this Great Country makes me proud but extermly apprehensive for my large family I am about to leave behind ! W.J.R.

[Andy Axewell]

If, as Harry Truman suggested, the White House was the crown jewel of America's prison system then the current occupants are in the right place. G.W. Bush and Dick Cheney are responsible for an illegal and immoral war and the death of thousands of innocent human beings and should be in prison for crimes against humanity. As for Hilary, well I have no idea why anyone would want the job much less live a life under constant eye of the public is beyond me, but I think she has what it takes to bring this country back to greatness once again.

[whydidijustwastemytime]

I can't believe I wasted my valuable time reading this "humanizing" piece on Mrs. Clinton. I'm not convinced to vote for her based upon this look-at-my-feminine-side, pointless conversation.

[kww]

Well this is no different then when candidates have appeared on MTV...however I wonder if Bill was anywhere around...haha...Tyra would have been molested backstage if he had...Billy the man-ho would have at the very least had a feast with his eyes...

[Gloria]

It's disappointing that a candidate would stoop to appearing on fluff shows in her quest for voters. The interview offers no information of any use in determining her ability to run the country.

But in response to ruth: you don't delineate the policies that have caused "lasting harm." It has been documented that unemployment stayed lower during Bush's presidency than during Clinton's presidency. The stock market hit phenomenal highs. And productivity remained at high, stable levels. Only in the last month have any numbers gone down -- and they've gone down just a little. Everyone with some economic/financial education knows that those numbers will not go up indefinitely or even remain high indefinitely. The market runs in cycles. Eventually, it takes a downturn to correct for businesses or industries that are supported by too much debt, etc.

As for the war, well, it comes down to winning with honor and keeping our word or cutting off our allies and throwing them to the wolves. It will be a slaughter much like Cambodia. Interestingly, the generation responsible for that has never uttered one word of regret for all those innocent lives lost.

This election is about personal responsibility: finding and electing a candidate who will lead us back to being a people of honor and discipline and commitment to our foundational principles. I guess the question is whether we have more people who want that or more who are looking for a big government nanny to take care of us because we can't take care of ourselves any more.

[xiu]

Why would these people have HRC entertain such trivia questions and not ask her to answer some serious questions? Ask her about the upcoming trial in LA, for example. Precisely what are her plans on the important and key issues that she keeps harping on about that needs to change and her assertion she is going to change them? How is she going to implement her plans if she has any? As ignorant as she has shown in many instances, her outright lies and false claims (too many to name but widely known), I can't believe that there are people who still believe anything she says. The woman is indeed quite insane.

[Jack Hughes]

The White House a prison? Well, I guess if you count Bill's communal visits!

[Michael]

Maybe we should call Bill Clinton what he is: the last competent president we've had. But apparently most of the posters here believe that lying about sex is morally equivalent to lying to get us into a war that has killed and maimed thousands of Americans and tens of thousands of Iraquis and will end up costing our kids a trillion dollars.

[Debbie]

I think every American should do everything they can to make sure that Hillary Clinton does not have to go back to the White House, which she desrcibes as a prison. Let's send her and Bill to a real prison.

Oh and for Bill, I like the title, First Felon

[the only educated L.A. Times reader?]

To all of you mindless people commenting on the nature of questions asked....it was the Tyra Banks show....what on earth did you expect. If you would like some politically natured questions you should try tuning into the debates! Oh wait, if you actually had taken some time to do so, you wouldnt be here insulting the Clintons. Especially President Clinton, he did after all pull us back from an impossible recession that Bush Sr. dug us into.

We need another Clinton, a stronger, female, rational Clinton to pull us out of ANOTHER hole Bush Jr (yup you guessed it!) threw us into. Take an economics class or two!

I have nothing against Edwards or Obama, I just feel Hillary has much more experience and knowledge that both other candidates lack.

[Helen P. from Pennsylvania]

I am always amazed at how people could be so judgemental about someone they do not really know but can make accusations that frankly are disgusting.
How many of you know that Hillary after graduating from law school worked for childrens causes. She worked to protect abused and battered chidren, worked to insure that children with disabilities would be allowed in the public school system. They were not years ago. My daughter was one that benifitted from this last one and I will be forever grateful. As the governor's wife she worked on childrens health care and women's rights. In the senate she has worked with the republicans on committee and will do well to get things done when and if elected.
One question of all the these people who are so brutal in their remarks, are any of you making sure one of your parents have a home with you? Hillary's mom lives with her. How many of us do the same for our parents? And what about Bill? He is doing great work in getting people together for the common good of others that are less fortunate. It is called giving and he has gotten together many people who have given and continue to give but does he get any respect for this? No way! Insults, disgusting names, and rude comments. How many good works have ;you done lately?

[frank]

From reading all these great posts against Hillary Clinton and that good for nothing sociopath hubsand of hers, I really applaud all of you for your great post's, god save us all when she get's in to be president, Heres a hint, Think Anti-Christ, and the possible end to the United States. If the woman of this country are so lame and stupid to believe everything that comes out of that phony woman's mouth, then we are all living on borrowed time. I have never liked the clinton's from the very first day I laid eye's on them, they are just plain evil. and malicious people.