Why? Because, after all, we had a president from 1993-2001 who had a temper so volcanic that he clearly cannot control it -- and yet, we heard nary a word until he was safely out of office.
Advertisement
Here are just a few of Bill Clintons post-presidency temper "hits," courtesy of YouTube:
His tantrum directed at Chris Wallace
Lashing out on the abortion question
Telling the press "shame on you"
There are many more examples, of course -- you can look it up yourself.
Obviously, President Clinton didn't suddenly develop a temper on the day he left The White House. He's always been prone to volcanic eruptions, as most anyone who's worked for him knows.
The press had to have known, too. He was yelling at hecklers way back in 1992. Yet there was precious little reporting about it -- back, of course, when Clinton was the most liberal alternative on a national ticket. Now that McCain has become the most conservative alternative on a national ticket, temperament stories are front and center.
Let's be honest -- being prone to temper fits isn't a fabulous trait. But if it wasn't worth reporting on when Bill Clinton was president, what's changed? Especially when John McCain has demonstrated that he has infinitely more self-control in a range of areas than Clinton ever did . . .
Join the conversation as a VIP Member