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If Sumner Redstone had anything to say about it, Bill Clinton would be running in the upcoming presidential election.
At the National Breast Cancer Coalition fundraiser held April 16 on the back lawn of Sumner and Paula Redstone’s Spanish modern Beverly Hills estate, the studio exec introduced his old presidential pal to a Hollywood Power Crowd including Brad Grey, Michael Milken, Les Moonves, Eli Broad, Brooke Shields, Barbara Davis, Sharon Stone, her father Joe Stone and Imitation of Christ designer Tara Subkoff.
“I think most of you will agree, or should agree, that he (Clinton) will go down in history as one of the greatest presidents of the United States,” Redstone told his guests. "And if I can change the law, if he could run again, he would certainly be elected the next president of the United States.”
During the burst of applause, Clinton stepped up to the mike, while his friends, Barbra Streisand and NBCC founder Fran Visco, huddled together to fight the evening chill. He thanked Redstone for hosting the event in his beautiful home, joking that it “makes the White House look like public housing.”
Looking trim with snow-white hair, Clinton also joked about his age. “Joe Stone, Sharon’s dad, told me tonight that I look tired and I said, 'Well, I ought to. I’ve got three jobs.' I’ve got to finish the book about what we can do as private citizens to advance public good, and I’ve got my foundation work. And somehow I got involved in another presidential campaign, something I never thought I would be doing. So I’m tired. I’m not a kid anymore.”
Clinton thanked Streisand for her presence, recounting her close friendship with with his mother Virginia Clinton Kelley, who died of breast cancer in ’94. “My mother met Barbra at the inaugural. They walked off together, talking and channeling each other. And she called my mother once a week for a solid year until she died and I will never forget it.”
When Clinton heard about Elizabeth Edwards' reaction to her breast cancer diagnosis, it reminded him of his mother. “I was cheering when Elizabeth announced her plans. She has what my mother had, breast cancer that spread to the bone. And my mother spent the last weekend of her life at Barbra Streisand’s show in Las Vegas. I tried to call her on New Year’s Eve but couldn’t reach her. On New Year’s Day, she was pulling slots. Finally, on the night she died, she called me and said, “I’m sorry. But I’m having a good time, I’m having fun.” We had a normal conversation just like the ones we had every week all year long and 3 ½ hours later, she died in her sleep. We should all be so brave and so lucky."
Clinton congratulated the guests who had contributed $1,000 to attend the prestigious two-hour cocktail party, personally catered by Wolfgang Puck, saying, “You’ve joined an important movement tonight,” a movement he became involved with when he aided the BBCC initiatives during his first term and later when he formed the NBCC Virginia Clinton Kelley Fund in his mother’s memory.
But Clinton also took time to give advice to voters. “There is one fact to remember in this election. All the candidates will be promising health care reform. We spend more than any another country, 34% of our health care budget, on administration costs. That’s $300 billion dollars. You could insure every person in America for $100 billion, spend another $100 billion on research and give the other $100 [billion] to General Motors so it won’t go broke making cars.”
Maybe Sumner should get to work changing that stupid law.
Photo Credits: NBCC founder Fran Visco, Sumner Redstone, Paula Redstone, Bill Clinton and Barbra Streisand did a little fundraising at Sumner's estate. But just wait until Bill starts campaigning for Hillary!
Alec Berliner/Berliner Images
To Helen S.:
Bush is our modern day Nero... while Iraq burns, Louisiana & Mississippi drowns, Darfur starves..etc., etc..... Aaah, those old days of ancient Rome....
Posted by: Frankie R. | April 19, 2007 at 04:10 PM
Good God, even by the most charitable interpretation of Clinton's presidency, what historical achievements does he imagine are the support for this claim?
Let's try this:
Economy,
A budget surplus, record economic growth,
20 Million Jobs created in the 90s (some of these may have happened under G HW Bush)
Foreign Policy
The closest we've come to a Mideast peace solution
Peace in Ireland
Successful prosecution of Bosnian conflict
Homeland security
Elevated FEMA and Richard Clarke to cabinet-level importance
Foiled the Millenium Plot to blow up LAX
What has any other president in the latter half of the 20th century done?
Posted by: Orion Pritchard | April 18, 2007 at 11:03 PM
BILL come back to the Oval Office...America needs you badly...end the Bush nightmare please!!!
Posted by: Frankie R. | April 18, 2007 at 10:04 AM
Clinton was our modern day Nero. He played around while the war fires smoldered.
Posted by: Helen S | April 18, 2007 at 08:30 AM
BILL CLINTON WAS OUOR MODERN DAY NERO. HE PLAYED AROUND WHILE THE WAR FIRES WERE SMOLDERING.
Posted by: Helen S | April 18, 2007 at 08:28 AM
"A good leader is not someone who wins wars, but who avoids them."
So, I guess by that definition, Tom, Neville Chamberlain was the best prime minister Great Britain ever had. He avoided war with a dedication second to none. And millions of his own countrymen and others around the world lost their lives unnecessarily because of it. Go Neville! You were such a good leader.
Posted by: kcom | April 18, 2007 at 08:05 AM
Odd how everyone tells us we would all elect Clinton again when the guy never got 50% of the popular vote, something both Al Gore and George Bush did accomplish. Lots of Americans were too smart to be fooled by Clinton's phoniness. It is always funny to see silly reporters tell us he is handsome and so smart. Grow up weirdos!!
Posted by: Karen | April 18, 2007 at 08:00 AM
"A good leader is not someone who wins wars, but who avoids them."
You said "avoid" when what you meant is "ignore."
Posted by: Mgmax | April 18, 2007 at 07:59 AM
What, Marc Rich couldn't put in an appearance? Such ingratitude.
Posted by: Menlo Bob | April 18, 2007 at 06:25 AM
No matter what anyone may think of Clinton but I always think he speaks best and makes a lot of sense. I always look forward to hear / read his speeches. My other favourite is Mandela. I wish these great souls made some impact on stupids who rule this world during their life time.
Posted by: Anis Mohiuddin | April 18, 2007 at 06:14 AM
To Mike G:
A good leader is not someone who wins wars, but who avoids them.
A good leader works for the benefit of his country.
Bill Clinton has stabilized up the almost broke US.
Is it ok, that democrats have to fix all the mess republicans make?
Reagan made out of under 1 Trillion $ 3.5 $ debts.
23% rising per year, Bush I 18% per year, Clinton 4% (almost as good as L B Johnson)
Now Bush II is big spending again. As long as the rest of the world is willing to pay for american consume, it's ok... If I was an american, I had not a good conscience to live from other people's money.
See this charts: http://www.sgipt.org/politpsy/finanz/schuldp/usa/usa0.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._public_debt
Posted by: Tom | April 18, 2007 at 06:00 AM
“I think most of you will agree, or should agree, that he (Clinton) will go down in history as one of the greatest presidents of the United States,”
Good God, even by the most charitable interpretation of Clinton's presidency, what historical achievements does he imagine are the support for this claim?
Posted by: Mike G | April 18, 2007 at 04:57 AM
Great reporting! If only more people would talk about our national health budget scandal. We are almost the richest country in the world but also rank with the ones with the poorest health records.
Posted by: nickica | April 17, 2007 at 02:41 PM
great column, are you are PR agent or a gossip writer, or is there a difference? Did you ever serve under Clinton (or over?).
GW
Posted by: Billie's Inturns (crookedusetpecker) | April 17, 2007 at 12:16 PM