American Morning
Bill Clinton: International man of history
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/08/06/clinton.kimjongil.gi.art.jpg caption="This file photo taken on August 4, 2009 and released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il (R) posing with former US president Bill Clinton (L) in Pyongyang."]
Politico.com
A controversy-prone ex-president rides to the rescue to defuse a crisis provoked by an erratic dictatorship on the Korean Peninsula. Most people breathe a sigh of relief, but there are skeptics who wonder if the breakthrough was won through appeasement.
Not only has Bill Clinton seen this movie before, he’s starred in it — though in a different role than the one he’s playing this week with his burst of globe-trotting diplomacy in North Korea.
The 42nd president’s success in forging a behind-the-scenes deal for the release of two American journalists in exchange for Clinton’s surprise appearance in Pyongyang may signal a new chapter in one of the United States’s most vexing and dangerous relationships. Or it may turn out to be another false start with an isolated and paranoid regime.
In either event, however, this week marks a curious full circle in the life of Bill Clinton, who until this week was an elder statesman
who seemed without a clear identity or useful role in Barack Obama’s presidency. A Clinton adviser said the former president is ready and eager for more Obama assignments.
History, it turns out, is full of inside jokes.
About this Show
Welcome to the American Morning blog where you can get daily news updates from American Morning's reporters and producers. Join us for "the most news in the morning," weekdays from 6-9 a.m. ET, only on CNN.
On Twitter
THE U.S. needs to embrace good strong DIPLOMACY which was not practiced at ALL by BUSH ADMINISTRATION which managed to ALIENATE the ENTIRE WORLD even ALL the U.S.ALLIES . BILL CLINTON has taken the RIGHT STEPS in that direction as well as the NEW SOS HRC... AS a FORMER SOS MYSELF , I have found PRESIDENT OBAMA has been an EXCELLENT POTUS in HIS first 200 DAYS . HE has already done a GREAT DEAL of WORK restoring a POSITIVE IMAGE of AMERICA around the WORLD .
The shock and awe of diplomacy, if only the former administration understood the power diplomacy, not going to war for fun.
Bill was the perfect person to send. He will say anything, and can lie about anything to get the job done..
Lets not forget the fact that President Obama was in control here. He is the one calling the shots. Sending "Bill" on this mission had been worked out, behind the scenes, well before he was sent. I personally think that sending him was the best choice and that more is in the future. As far as Hillary is concerned, for me, that is a non arguement.
She has publicialy condemned N. Korea and is pushing for sactions.
Well done Bill! And kudos to Barack and Hillary as well.
How is it that CNN doesn't understand why this had to be done by Bill and not Hillary? It needed to be done by a non-governmental official. What was Hillary supposed to do say she was going on vacation and just happened to be heading to scenic North Korea? It was handled perfectly given the constraints. Yes there is some question about how much and where former President Clinton can assist President Obama but this was one case where there should be no controversy. Beyond blatantly sexist remarks by Limbaugh and disguised sexism from some in the corporate media, there is no question around this country and the rest of the world about the major role skillfully handled by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
When did CNN become Fox lite? It sure seems to have embraced that role lately.