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The Bill and Dubya show offers hope of more civilised election race The Bill and Dubya show offers hope of more civilised election race
(35 minutes later)
Former presidents Bill Clinton and George W Bush have shared a stage together to offer advice to the next generation of leaders and offer hope of a less attritional race for the White House in 2016.Former presidents Bill Clinton and George W Bush have shared a stage together to offer advice to the next generation of leaders and offer hope of a less attritional race for the White House in 2016.
The two, who have become friends in retirement, told an audience in Dallas on Thursday that the presidential race could be classier in tone than the rancorous start to the primary campaigns suggests.The two, who have become friends in retirement, told an audience in Dallas on Thursday that the presidential race could be classier in tone than the rancorous start to the primary campaigns suggests.
Democrats attacked Jeb Bush on Wednesday for a soundbite in which he said that people working longer hours would be part of growing the economy. The Republican candidate later tried to clarify to reporters that he was referring to part-time workers. Talking generally, the former Florida governor’s older brother said that politicians are victims of a savage culture of criticism on social media that is whipped up by spin doctors. Democrats attacked Jeb Bush on Wednesday for a soundbite in which he said that people working longer hours would be part of growing the economy. The Republican candidate later tried to clarify to reporters that he was referring to part-time workers. Talking generally, his older brother said that politicians were victims of a savage culture of criticism on social media that was whipped up by spin doctors.
“I think the discourse generally is lowered by surrogates. The internet is a brutal place these days for political figures because there’s a high degree of anonymity, no personal responsibility,” Bush said at his presidential centre in Dallas, where he was speaking with Clinton at the graduation ceremony for the inaugural class of their Leadership Scholars programme.“I think the discourse generally is lowered by surrogates. The internet is a brutal place these days for political figures because there’s a high degree of anonymity, no personal responsibility,” Bush said at his presidential centre in Dallas, where he was speaking with Clinton at the graduation ceremony for the inaugural class of their Leadership Scholars programme.
“I know Jeb and I’m confident Secretary Hillary [Clinton] will elevate the discourse. I can’t attest to their surrogates.”“I know Jeb and I’m confident Secretary Hillary [Clinton] will elevate the discourse. I can’t attest to their surrogates.”
Clinton said he hoped the campaigns would focus on policy, not rhetoric and grandstanding. “We ought to be as specific and clear as we can about the policy choices before us… [so] we know what the heck we’re deciding on,” he said. “That’s all I really care about - besides I know who I’d like to win.” Clinton said he hoped the campaigns would focus on policy, not rhetoric and grandstanding. “We ought to be as specific and clear as we can about the policy choices before us [so] we know what the heck we’re deciding on,” he said. “That’s all I really care about besides I know who I’d like to win.”
Still, the Hillary Clinton campaign took a jab at Jeb Bush, posting on Twitter: “Anyone who believes Americans aren’t working hard enough hasn’t met enough American workers”.Still, the Hillary Clinton campaign took a jab at Jeb Bush, posting on Twitter: “Anyone who believes Americans aren’t working hard enough hasn’t met enough American workers”.
Bush responded on his Twitter feed: “Anyone who discounts 6.5 million people stuck in part-time work & seeking full-time jobs hasnt [sic] listened to working Americans @hillaryclinton”.Bush responded on his Twitter feed: “Anyone who discounts 6.5 million people stuck in part-time work & seeking full-time jobs hasnt [sic] listened to working Americans @hillaryclinton”.
The tone between the two former presidents was rather more congenial as they discussed their leadership strategies and the current, attritional, state of US politics.The tone between the two former presidents was rather more congenial as they discussed their leadership strategies and the current, attritional, state of US politics.
“I think the American people expect some sharp elbows in a campaign. I think what really discourages them post-campaign is an inability to govern in a way that is congenial and hopefully that will change,” Bush said. “It’s important to create an environment of cordiality.”“I think the American people expect some sharp elbows in a campaign. I think what really discourages them post-campaign is an inability to govern in a way that is congenial and hopefully that will change,” Bush said. “It’s important to create an environment of cordiality.”
He said that he repeatedly tried to bond with Russian president Vladimir Putin. “I had 26 meetings with Putin one-on-one, more or less, and every one of them started with ‘how’s your family?’” said Bush. “I started off, ‘how’s your daughters doing?’, no matter how difficult the subject would be. The purpose was to try and create a human bridge, a connection, and then we’d get to the issues at hand.”He said that he repeatedly tried to bond with Russian president Vladimir Putin. “I had 26 meetings with Putin one-on-one, more or less, and every one of them started with ‘how’s your family?’” said Bush. “I started off, ‘how’s your daughters doing?’, no matter how difficult the subject would be. The purpose was to try and create a human bridge, a connection, and then we’d get to the issues at hand.”
Clinton said that when negotiating with world leaders he tried to frame the argument to make it seem like their interests were aligned with America’s. Also on the theme of conciliation and co-operation, he said he “almost cried” when he saw a picture of the South Carolina legislature committing to remove the Confederate flag from the Capitol grounds.Clinton said that when negotiating with world leaders he tried to frame the argument to make it seem like their interests were aligned with America’s. Also on the theme of conciliation and co-operation, he said he “almost cried” when he saw a picture of the South Carolina legislature committing to remove the Confederate flag from the Capitol grounds.
Bush talked about the need to avoid the trappings of power and create an environment around leadership where “sycophants are not allowed in,” adding Clinton told him to use big words.Bush talked about the need to avoid the trappings of power and create an environment around leadership where “sycophants are not allowed in,” adding Clinton told him to use big words.
Clinton replied that he did not know any big words, except perhaps “itinerant portrait artist”, apparently referring to Bush’s hobby of painting portraits since retirement.Clinton replied that he did not know any big words, except perhaps “itinerant portrait artist”, apparently referring to Bush’s hobby of painting portraits since retirement.
The moderated discussion came at an awkward time for Bush after it was revealed that the commander-in-chief who led the US into wars in Iraq and Afghanistan charged a military veterans’ charity $100,000 to speak at a fundraiser in 2012.The moderated discussion came at an awkward time for Bush after it was revealed that the commander-in-chief who led the US into wars in Iraq and Afghanistan charged a military veterans’ charity $100,000 to speak at a fundraiser in 2012.
ABC News reported that he was also provided with a private jet to travel to Houston for the event, at a cost of $20,000, while his wife, Laura, was paid $50,000 to speak at the previous year’s gala.ABC News reported that he was also provided with a private jet to travel to Houston for the event, at a cost of $20,000, while his wife, Laura, was paid $50,000 to speak at the previous year’s gala.
On Thursday evening, ABC News reported that an energy company in California described as a “Ponzi-like scheme” by federal prosecutors in a civil fraud case allegedly misused funds to pay Bush $200,000 for a speech in 2012.On Thursday evening, ABC News reported that an energy company in California described as a “Ponzi-like scheme” by federal prosecutors in a civil fraud case allegedly misused funds to pay Bush $200,000 for a speech in 2012.
Bill Clinton’s highly lucrative speaking engagements have also come under scrutiny amid his wife’s White House ambitions.Bill Clinton’s highly lucrative speaking engagements have also come under scrutiny amid his wife’s White House ambitions.
Bush did not address the controversy in Dallas, but told the audience of scholars that he was relaxed about being the frequent target of criticism. “I try not to worry about it,” he said. “You’ve got to be confident in what you believe in.”Bush did not address the controversy in Dallas, but told the audience of scholars that he was relaxed about being the frequent target of criticism. “I try not to worry about it,” he said. “You’ve got to be confident in what you believe in.”