The Big Dog

This has been such a great couple of days, not only for Laura Ling and Euna Lee, and their families, but also for everyone like me, whose heart gave a little leap when Bill Clinton appeared on the world stage for the first time in a long time.

Remember the Clinton years? Eight years of peace and prosperity? More kids went to college, more police on the streets = safer streets, more poor people moving up into the middle class, the middle class strengthened ... oh yeah, and the rich seemed to be pretty happy at how much richer they got despite their tax rates!

In my small way I was part of the Clinton agenda, working close to both Bill and Hillary, from a fabulous East Wing office. I am so proud of all we accomplished, and seeing President Clinton on the North Korea trip brought it all back in a flash. How wonderful to see him greeted like a head of state, even if it was a rogue state. How interesting to see him sitting properly, but stiffly, next to the crackpot Kim Jong Il. No smiles or happy handshake there! Just do what you gotta do and get out. The minimum dipolmatic courtesy, as was appropriate.

Then to see him with Vice President Gore was even further delight. I LOVE those two men, respect their dedication to strengthening their country and making people's lives better. Al Gore was the best Vice President of my lifetime. Now he's the best former VP of my lifetime.

The desperate Republican attacks on this effective diplomacy are pathetic. John Bolton? Give me a break! The worst person we've ever sent to the UN. The best, perfect response to his criticisms came from Hillary Clinton herself, when Fareed Zakaria, interviewing her, got only as far as "John Bolton ..." when Hillary burst into helpless laughter. Just the right touch, as the ridiculous attacks by rightwingnuts ARE truly laughable.

Remember the 2008 campaign, when the Right tried to frighten us all by threatening that if we elected Hillary, we'd get Bill? Well, some of us thought that would be just fine, thank you very much, and now we can see it happening, just this once, and it's FABULOUS.

Hooray for the Big Dog!