Friday, September 03, 2004
Bill
President Bill Clinton has been hospitalized at Columbia-Presbyterian in NYC for bypass heart surgery. Mrs. Clinton, looking calm and gracious, made the annoucement at a state fair where she had expected to meet her husband. He'd experienced chest pains the previous evening, went to the local hospital, where tests were inconclusive. At a routine followup this morning, the President's doctors decided he needed further testing. According to reports on cable news, the operation will be a quadruple bypass. Both Hillary and Chelsea Clinton are on their way to the hospital to be with the President Clinton.
Except for Bobby Kennedy after the death of his brother, the connection I feel to Bill Clinton is like no other I've felt toward a politician, an honorable profession, in my view, too little honored. Perhaps that special feeling arises from the extraordinary and largely undeserved demonization he experienced as president, comparable to that of Lincoln. In case anyone is tempted to mention Nixon, he wasn't demonized; he earned his inquity. I suspect that Bill Clinton's many virtues have only begun to be appreciated, even while his demonization by those who consider him their enermy continues apace.
Mr. Clinton's prospects for a successful surgery are probably excellent. However, the procedure is a painful and debilitating one. Selfishly, I have to admit that my fourth of fifth thought, after hearing the lamentable news, was regret that it is unlikely he will be well enough soon enough to campaign for John Kerry.
To all the Clintons, Hillary, and Chelsea, and Bill, the thoughts of millions are with you, and the news that President Clinton's surgery is over and successful will be greeted around the world with happy relief.
President Clinton, we wish you a minimum of pain and a speedy recovery. Your absence from this world of ours is not an option; we still need you too much.
Except for Bobby Kennedy after the death of his brother, the connection I feel to Bill Clinton is like no other I've felt toward a politician, an honorable profession, in my view, too little honored. Perhaps that special feeling arises from the extraordinary and largely undeserved demonization he experienced as president, comparable to that of Lincoln. In case anyone is tempted to mention Nixon, he wasn't demonized; he earned his inquity. I suspect that Bill Clinton's many virtues have only begun to be appreciated, even while his demonization by those who consider him their enermy continues apace.
Mr. Clinton's prospects for a successful surgery are probably excellent. However, the procedure is a painful and debilitating one. Selfishly, I have to admit that my fourth of fifth thought, after hearing the lamentable news, was regret that it is unlikely he will be well enough soon enough to campaign for John Kerry.
To all the Clintons, Hillary, and Chelsea, and Bill, the thoughts of millions are with you, and the news that President Clinton's surgery is over and successful will be greeted around the world with happy relief.
President Clinton, we wish you a minimum of pain and a speedy recovery. Your absence from this world of ours is not an option; we still need you too much.
