Over on the Freakonomics blog Stephen Dubner asks what do Bill Clinton and Jessica Simpson have in common?
The answer provides Dubner with the chance to tell a great story about being the opening speakers when Bill Clinton spoke here in Vancouver a few months ago.
Several months ago, I was one of the speakers at a day-long lecture event in Vancouver. It was held at the Canucks’ hockey rink, and there were about 7,000 people in attendance. I had the good fortune of speaking immediately before Clinton, who was the headline act. It was a bit unnerving but mostly fun to speak before so many people who were so eager to get to the next guy. When I finished my talk, I went backstage and there was Clinton. We shook hands and chatted for a minute — I’d never met him before — and then he stiffened up, mentally preparing to go on stage. I sat down to watch his speech on a big TV monitor backstage.
The story itself makes the article worth reading, and the article itself provides an example of the rhetorical trick it describes.
It also reinforces my belief that if the U.S. didn't have a two-term restriction on its presidency Clinton would still be president. He's simply the maestro of the political. If I could, I'd vote for him now just to hear him talk again regularly.
Posted by James Sherrett at January 5, 2007 12:27 PM