Why Did So Many People Hate Bill Clinton? An Exchange Among Conservatives

[one...two...tree 2,762]

If you didn't live here during the clinton years you don't remember the hate.

People are so emotional and irrational when it comes to the Clintons - you would have thought their last name was Goebbels or Goering for the amount of hate!

The same can be said about Bush, except there actually have been Hitler comparisons with him.

You don't remember the Clinton bumper stickers where the 'C' was the hammer and sickle? The level of brutality was the pretty bad.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

I still hate the Clintons, and I can't stand McCain either. I hate politicians, for the most part.

[Ban Hammer 13,346]

I still hate the Clintons, and I can't stand McCain either. I hate politicians, for the most part.

it's a sad election year. we have a choice between a dino, a rino, and a noob.

[AnewKINDofFEELIN 0]

I still hate the Clintons, and I can't stand McCain either. I hate politicians, for the most part.

You pretty much summed up my thoughts there.

[Mags 112]

Who hated Bill? Everyone loved Bill.

Everyone is Europe loved Bill, including the UK. We were Bill-Mad, he was great!

[Texanadian 10]

Bill Clinton and Homer Simpson are probably the world's most popular people.

Even in conservative Texas, Bill's still fairly popular. Heck, Kerry almost won the vote in Houston in 2004. Since the demise of Bush's popularity (even here), you don't hear people talking about politics much in day to day conversations. With the exception of Ron Paul, you'd almost swear there wasn't an election going on in Texas.

The fact that there are strong Clinton haters out there comes from the fact that he was so popular. It drives the people who don't like him to higher levels. Nobody really loves or hates Bush Sr. But Reagan and Clinton are either idolized or distained.

Edited February 9, 2008 by Texanadian

[Alex+R 0]

Who hated Bill? Everyone loved Bill.

Everyone is Europe loved Bill, including the UK. We were Bill-Mad, he was great!

I was in Ireland when Bill's book came out and it was in the front window of every book store. It seemed like every store had 1000 copies. That man sure is popular in Ireland...

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Bill Clinton and Homer Simpson are probably the world's most popular people.

Even in conservative Texas, Bill's still fairly popular. Heck, Kerry almost won the vote in Houston in 2004. Since the demise of Bush's popularity (even here), you don't hear people talking about politics much in day to day conversations. With the exception of Ron Paul, you'd almost swear there wasn't an election going on in Texas.

The fact that there are strong Clinton haters out there comes from the fact that he was so popular. It drives the people who don't like him to higher levels. Nobody really loves or hates Bush Sr. But Reagan and Clinton are either idolized or distained.

Interesting. I suppose that's true for any public figure.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I think Reagan became a lot more popular once he left office - people forget how far his popularity plummeted in his second term with Iran-Contra

[Mags 112]

Who hated Bill? Everyone loved Bill.

Everyone is Europe loved Bill, including the UK. We were Bill-Mad, he was great!

I was in Ireland when Bill's book came out and it was in the front window of every book store. It seemed like every store had 1000 copies. That man sure is popular in Ireland...

He did quite a bit for the Northern Ireland peace process, IIRC, so they love him over there. Plus he is a great public speaker AND we Brits just adore his accent. *swoon*

[no name 1]

I think Reagan became a lot more popular once he left office - people forget how far his popularity plummeted in his second term with Iran-Contra

Maybe they felt bad cuz he was losing it?

[mawilson 2,133]

I think Reagan became a lot more popular once he left office - people forget how far his popularity plummeted in his second term with Iran-Contra

Now Reagan was universally hated in Europe...

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I think Reagan became a lot more popular once he left office - people forget how far his popularity plummeted in his second term with Iran-Contra

Now Reagan was universally hated in Europe...

He has since been deified by the rank and file of the Republican Party, who like to drop his name whenever there's a chance, like, "I was mowing my lawn the other day, Ronald Reaganlike, and I saw a rabbit on my lawn."

[Don_Joy's Prince 0]

I am a conservative and I never hated Bill. He was not a good leader. All his decisions were based on public opinion polls. Consensus is the absence of leadership. He polled everything!

He is a nice enough guy in a narcissistic, self-center and womanizing way. Probably a kick in the a$$ at the topless bar.

Let me tell you how this works, A President like Bill Clinton will be liked by most people because he didn't rock the boat. He let the problems flow on down the river for someone else to deal with. He had very few accomplishments that will be remembered by history. In the end after our current memories fade and the succeeding generations forget about him, he will be in the middle of the Presidents list and mired in mediocrity.

A leader that is remembered by history is usually hated by many at the time of his presidency and ravaged by public opinion for making the hard stands that a leader must do for his people. This was the case with Abe Lincoln.

A leader that is remembered by history can also be loved to the point of mythical proportions. Where he is so loved that even his mistakes are still considered successes. This was the case of Andrew Jackson who because of his "common man " type of persona, he was thought to do no wrong. Even though he nearly destroyed the financial status of the country, which took a few decades to recover from. And now ironically he appears on the $20 dollar bill.

Another in this mold was Franklin D. Roosevelt, his handling of the economic situation during the great depression just guaranteed that it lasted twice as long as it should of. Causing millions to suffer needlessly. Also giving Social Security, which if it was not a government program it would be shut down as a pyramid scam and the person that started it would be in prison. He was great in the war, except for the internment of the Japanese and the a little antisemitism that was forced by the Democratic party being so racist at the time. But the common man gave him God-like status so he is considered a great President.

Bill Clinton will be forgotten, mediocre President after the current generation dies. Remember He never did win a majority of the peoples vote in either election. He received 43% in 1992 and 49% in 1996.

Hate him personally, never. Believe he was a good President, never as well.

Edited March 4, 2008 by Don_Joy's Prince

[Jack and Barbara 0]

A leader that is remembered by history is usually hated by many at the time of his presidency and ravaged by public opinion for making the hard stands that a leader must do for his people. This was the case with Abe Lincoln.

Good point, though I don't think this applies to the current prez. At least not the part about making hard stands for the people. I think 20 years from now, people will remember the WMDs and war in Iraq (especially if we still have a strong military presence there).

All his decisions were based on public opinion polls.

I agree that a president cannot always for what the people want. However, as a public servant (and the highest at that), it is his/her responsibility to serve the best wishes of the people. A president is not supposed to be in power to serve his/her own interstes or lobbying groups, even though that often happens.