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It's a plan that asks critics: When will the Clintons understand?
Bill Clinton, the former US president, and his wife Hillary, former state secretary and presidential candidate, are going on a lecture tour in 13 cities later this month, but a warm welcome is far from guaranteed.
Bill, 72, has seen his stock collapse since the rise of the # MeToo movement. He was persona non grata among the Democratic candidates at the mid-term and, with uncomfortable timing, the tour coincides with the 20th anniversary of his dismissal following the scandal Monica Lewinsky.
Hillary, 71, is seeking to be redeemed after losing the 2016 presidential election to benefit Donald Trump, a reality TV star devoid of political experience and boasting a record of disapproval. Some consider the tour is testing the water for a new presidential candidacy in 2020.
While another former first lady, Michelle Obama, embarks on a reading tour in places usually reserved for rock stars, the version of Clinton presents a risk of comparison, in the eyes of his detractors, with discolored singers who once filled stadiums and now find themselves in dark clubs. a rainy Tuesday.
"Let's see if the public exceeds the usual suspects, such as ambassadors and people who have worked for the Clinton administration," said Bill Whalen, a Republican consultant. "Aside from the story of their relationship, I'm not sure we really wanted to hear those two. And with the Clintons, it's always about profit. Do they have something to say or are they looking for money?
The Bill-and-Hill show begins in Toronto, Canada on November 27, but its main tour is concentrated in April and takes place in New York, Detroit, Philadelphia, Wallingford, Connecticut, Washington and Boston. Tickets for the show at the Beacon Theater in New York currently range from $ 175 to a "platinum" seat for $ 571; one night later, at the Fox Theater in Detroit, they range from $ 69.50 to $ 119.50.
Events, such as the Obama Book Tour are being produced by Live Nation, could prove a headache for Democrats who are desperate to escape the long shadow of the Clintons and Obamas and find a new face to lead the a lawsuit against Trump in the 2020 elections.
History has not been kind to Bill, formerly a charismatic prince of democratic politics who revived the troubled party, he embraced the White House from 1993 to 2001 and was always available to stimulate candidates. In 2012, he was still the party's "chief exploder," whose speech at the Democratic convention pleaded for Barack Obama's re-election as no one could.
But in 2018, he was effectively banned and only involved in a handful of private fundraisers for mid-term candidates, the New York Times reported, "Nobody wants to campaign with Bill Clinton." anymore. " His centrist ideology has desperately collapsed. fashion among young liberals.
Whalen, now a researcher at the Hoover Institution thinktank in Palo Alto, California, said: "He may be the most brilliant strategist in Democratic circles, yet he was virtually invisible in 2018. Things have changed. What made it known is triangulation and centrism; now every democrat who goes out and advocates for triangulation is an endangered species. "
Bill's personal conduct led to a reassessment of his legacy at the time of #MeToo. Critics say he has not managed to redeem his sexual indiscretions with Lewinsky, then a 22-year intern at the White House. (Hillary recently claimed that her husband's affair was not an abuse of power because Lewinsky was "an adult.") Last year, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a potential candidate for 2020, suggested that Clinton should have to resign.
Bill's latest public tour does not bode well for the next one. Clearly promoting a co-authored thriller with author James Patterson, he had to face incessant questions about his management of the saga and gave answers that left many people unsatisfied. He can look forward to further distractions this time from the six-part documentary series, The Clinton Affair, aired on the A & E network on Sunday and featuring a candid interview with 45-year-old Lewinsky.
Whether or not Clinton is confronted with direct questions about his conduct during the tour, some believe that this is not in keeping with the atmosphere that led to the women's march and, at mid-term, to a record number of women in Congress.
Chloé Safier, a women's rights and women's rights consultant, said, "For better or for worse, I do not think public reaction to a Clinton lecture tour will have much to do with the many accusations of Bill sexual misconduct in the context of # Me too. But I think he's unpopular for other reasons related to the energy and momentum created by #MeToo, which has sparked the desire for more diverse, inclusive and representative leadership in many spaces, including our government.
Even Hillary's status as the first named woman of a big party may not be up to par. She followed her vivid election defeat with a book, a book tour, a series of interviews and regular searches at Trump on Twitter. Last week, Mark Penn, Clinton's long-time adviser, caused a sensation by co-writing a column of opinion in the Wall Street Journal that predicts that she will launch a third candidacy at the White House, reinventing herself " as a mark of liberal fire "in this crowded field.
"Dear God, please, yes" tweeted Kellyanne Conway, White House counselor, after hearing the rumor.
Could Clinton run again and win? Political Agent David Brock, A former Clinton opponent who changed sides to become a close ally said, "I think the jury is up for that. I think we're seeing this tour, how it's going and how it's reintroduced after 2016. "
Brock, founder of the nonprofit Media Matters for America and Super Pac American Bridge 21st Century, approved the tour. "I think most Democrats I know would be very interested and eager to spend the night with the Clintons," he said. "It still has, I think, 75% approval among Democrats.
"Halfway through, they have been a little behind, so I think a lot of people are eager to see them reappear and hear what they think about the current political environment, the future of the party and all others. the things that will be debated in the next few years. "
Author Josh Kendall, who is currently writing a book on how the # MeToo movement sheds new light on the presidential story, remains skeptical. "I think Hillary Clinton would like to run again, but she does not want to humiliate," he said. "This visit is probably an attempt to test the water. But there is a segment of Democrats who are tired of her and blame her for the loss. Some people may also question her role in defending her husband's behavior. "
And Whalen commented, "If you're a democrat, you have to watch it and ask yourself questions. Do you feel nostalgic or are you sorry that she has led such a terrible campaign that put Donald Trump in power? You have to turn the page, you have to find someone younger and more fresh, something new and different. "
With Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, Clinton and Obama, he noted, Democrats tend to favor younger candidates with younger families (Republicans go the other way). The Clinton, whose brand was incomparable, no longer matched this bill.
Michael Cornfield, an associate professor of political management at George Washington University in Washington, said: "Their" farewell tour "may violate rule 1 of the League of Former Presidents: do not seek a third term, even under the Flotus name. Perhaps especially under his name.
"It does not matter if it was stolen in 2016; his campaign left the doors open. In the meantime, apart from complete confessions, excuses, and model behavior, Bill can not get rid of his # MeToo albatross, which also entangles him, although he is a victim of another gender. So what's going on here besides faded stars looking for adulation at high risk of ridicule on the part of SNL and Trump?
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