Peter Jennings, Bill Clinton, John Kerry, and the international community

The Peter Jennings' interview with Bill Clinton seems to be generating a lot of buzz. While I did find the "you don't want to go there Peter" amusing, there's something else that Clinton said in the same breath that caught my attention.

Jennings was challenging Clinton on his moral authority, saying he ranked second to last behind Nixon. Here in part is what Clinton said.

"...And, yes, I failed once. And I sure paid for it. And I'm sorry. I'm sorry for the American people, and I'm sorry for the embarrassment they performed. But they ought to think about the way the rest of the world reacted to it. When I, when I got a standing ovation at the United Nations from the whole world, the American networks were showing my grand jury testimony. Those were decisions you made, not me. I personally believe that the standing ovation I got from the whole world at the United Nations, which was unprecedented for an American President, showed not only support for me, but opposition to the madness that had taken hold of American politics."

The rest of the transcript.

Maybe I wouldn't have thought too much of it if Clinton didn't remind me of something Kerry said earlier this year:

MR. RUSSERT: Let me see if I can clean up a comment that you made in March that created an awful lot of controversy and stir. "I have met more leaders who can't go out and say it publicly but, boy, they look at you and say, `You gotta win this, you gotta beat this guy, we need a new policy'--things like that. So there is enormous energy out there. Tell them, wherever they can find an American abroad, they can contribute."
The Washington Times added this: "Although Mr. Kerry indicated that he had met in person with foreign leaders who privately endorsed him, he has made no official trips abroad in the past two years. Within the United States, he has had the chance to meet with only one foreign leader since the beginning of last year, according to a review of his travel schedule."
Specifically, which foreign leaders have you met with who told you that you should beat George Bush?

SEN. KERRY: Tim, first of all, that is an inaccurate assessment of how I might or where I might be able to meet or talk to a foreign leader, number one.

MR. RUSSERT: But you have talked to foreign leaders who told you...

SEN. KERRY: Number--Tim, what I said is true. I mean, you can go to New York City and you can be in a restaurant and you can meet a foreign leader. There are plenty of places to meet people without traveling abroad. Number two, I'm under no obligation--I would be stupid if I were to sit here and start saying, "Well, so-and-so told me this," because they have dealings with this administration. This administration doesn't talk about its private conversations, and nor will I. I invite you, I invite The Washington Times editorial, go to European, go to foreign capitals, travel in the world. Talk to any American businessman who has been abroad, talk to any of our colleagues who've traveled abroad, and the conversations they've had. Never has the United States of America been held in as low a regard internationally--and polls have shown this--as we are today. We're not trusted and this administration is not liked.

MR. RUSSERT: So you stand by your statement, you met with foreign leaders who told you...

SEN. KERRY: I stand by my statement.

The rest of the transcript.

Gosh. Where to begin. I think I can speak for most of America when I say I'm concerned about the amount of "closed door meetings" that Bush is involved with and the lack of time Bush has been available to the folks.

Obviously, Kerry is not one of those people.

I think the privacy Bush has had while in office are not preferable, but certainly understandable. Kerry, on the other hand, basically told Russert, "Bush can have secret meetings involving the security of the United States. So in return, it's only fair that I can meet with anonymous foreign leaders in private who are cheering for me to beat Bush."

Maybe I'm taking his words out of context, but in light of what Kerry said here, how could anyone think they'd be getting a more open and accountable administration under Kerry? It's completely absurd!

In regard to Clinton, I'll say this: As President, your obligation was to the American people. To invoke support by referring people to the UN's ovation is flat out wrong. American demands a level of accountability in its leaders that foreign leaders don't even begin to understand. I think you gravely mistook international support with international defiance to a much higher code of ethics that has been ingrained in American politics.

To both Kerry and Clinton, I'll say this: Congratulations, you just won a foreign popularity contest because foreign leaders who possess a tacit defiance to the United States feel more comfortable in confiding in you.