Twenty-six years ago I was on the cusp of my 18th birthday. I was so excited because, of course, I was about to be 18 and because I was about to become a high school senior. But, what I was actually most excited about was I would be able to vote.
At that age I was all into politics. Everything I wrote for journalism class had to do with either sports or politics. I had been interested in politics since I was seven or eight years old. I sat with my mom every evening Monday through Friday at 6:30 and watched Crossfire on CNN. I also sat down with her every Friday night and watched the McLaughlin Group. (Judge me if you must.) I was that kid. I loved watching the debate and soaking in the information.
However, for all my interest and excitement over politics my fire became even more stoked in 1992 by one William Jefferson Clinton. I actually liked some of what George Bush proposed to my parents dismay. I even found Ross Perot intriguing despite fearing he might have been a bit "touched". But, it was Bill Clinton who won me over.
His message and personality appealed to me as a young person and as a young African-American. I felt he got it. He seemed to be the first politician I had seen that didn't pander to Blacks or just ignored us but embraced us and our culture. He genuinely seemed intent on helping our communities and addressing our issues.
I was well aware of his "issues". I was old enough to get it. I watched the Gennifer Flowers interview on 60 Minutes. I watched the subsequent Clinton interview on 60 Minutes. While my mother saw him as a "womanizer" but the clear "lesser of the three evils", I believed he had probably had an affair with Ms. Flowers. But, I didn't really care. I saw that as his and Hillary's business. In that sense I get where Trumpsters are coming from regarding #CheetoJesus. Like them, I felt the message Clinton was delivering superseded his "indiscretion".
I remember the excitement I felt on that evening of the first November Tuesday in 1992 when Bill Clinton was declared the winner. Hours earlier I had cast a ballot for the first time. And, here was the guy I voted for and the man who galvanized my political energy and seemed to have encapsulated my ideology winning. And, frankly, I felt he did a helluva job and didn't hesitate to vote for him again in 1996.
But, then Monica Lewinsky happened. Once again, Playa Playa Bill was in a sex scandal. I thought at the time (and still do) it was a bunch of partisan Republican bullshit and alot of nothing. Yes, he perjured himself but at the end of the day he was being prosecuted for getting his cob buttered. What bothered me was the fact it affected Chelsea who I felt empathy for because she was my age and treated so shitty. She was in essence still a kid. And, the very people who know would lose their shit if folks went after Tiffany or Baron Trump were the same people saying disgusting and atrocious things about Chelsea. I also felt bad for the embarrassment Hillary must have felt. (I'd say save the troll comments but I'm not a whiny bitch like Trump, so give me what you got.) And, while in the grand scheme of things it wasn't like Playa Playa had committed money laundering or collusion or tax fraud, he had brought shame upon the office of the presidency and tarnished the good I felt he had done. And, I wasn't naive about who the man was but felt the good outweighed the bad so I stuck with the 'ol dog. I have for the 20 years since despite his bitchassness toward Obama in 2008 and his glad-handing with #Cheets. Again, I'm no fronter nor am I bandwagoner. I've always been a side-eyer toward Trump. I've always found him to be repugnant. Just making it clear for the unclear, remedial and the lil bit slow. 😒 Anyways, I had even posted during the 2016 if William was able to run I'd vote for him and he would've beaten Trump. I still say that despite what people say publicly they would've voted for Playa Playa. And, for the record, I believe after watching the attitude toward Trump's undeniable fuckery, I was and am right. I mean, at this point, if you still believe #CheetoJesus is pure you really need to have your right to vote and operate motor vehicles revoked. Shit, I don't know if you can be trusted with an electric razor or nail clippers. Really tho! I'm serious! But, I digress.
But, along came Monday and the Craig Melvin interview with Bill Clinton. I was in awe. I couldn't really believe I was watching someone so politically astute and television savvy be so utterly tone def and simply fucking stupid! What respect, admiration, affinity and sentimentality I had for the dude was washed away. I no longer in good conscience could be an apologist. I won't say he's dead to me but the funeral parlor is on call. They have their cell phone in arm's reach.
I sat there and listened to Bill Clinton sound envious of the fact that Trump seems to be getting away with his chicanery while he didn't. Strike one.
Then, I watched him tell the truth in a "must lie situation". He said if he were President now and the same ish happened as it did in 1998 he wouldn't resign because the "facts would be known". 😐 What, muthafucka?! First of all, we know the facts. You got yo strudel iced in the Oval Office by a woman who was half your age. Secondly, in the age of #MeToo why in God's name would you say you wouldn't resign in a totally hypothetical never going to happen situation?! This fool had to know how that answer was going to sound. It's a must lie sit-i-ation. The correct answer, Dummy, was, "In the current climate I would've likely stepped down for the betterment of the country and my family." Striiiiiiike two!
Oh, but wait, there is more. When Craig Melvin, who did an excellent job, asked about Monica Lewinsky Clinton took the ugliest way out in front of a pitch swing eva! He was completely dead pan and emotionless in his reiterating his remorse over the entire situation. He literally sounded annoyed at the question, as if he didn't know it was coming. Then, when Melvin asked him if he has ever spoken with Ms. Lewinsky, Playa Playa became defensive and callous saying, "I never spoke to her. I apologized several times publicly. But, I never talked to her. I apologized to my family, the country and her publicly several times." He made it sound as if his public apology was more than enough. It was apparent he never made an effort to speak with her, which says volumes about his true feelings about the entire episode. He proceeded to scorn Craig Melvin over the questions and insinuate they were "gotcha" questions when neither the questions nor the tone of the questions suggested anything of the such.
Yes, Monica Lewinsky was a grown ass woman. Yes, the entire thing was 100% consensual. But, it was so painfully obvious how tone def and oblivious 20 years later he is. He was twice her age. He was her superior. And, he was the President of the United States of America. She was an intern. He came on to her and put her in a damn near impossible situation. Sure, she could've rejected him and left. But, as always, it's easier said than done. For every mouf that said, "I would've kicked him in the balls" I say (especially at that time in society) at least 75% of you would've done exactly what she did at her age and in her position. He knew better and not to mention considering all of the trouble he had gone through and how the Republicans were looking for any reason to hang him it was beyond stupid and irresponsible for him to do that. For Bill Clinton not to have that perspective 20 years later is a big FAIL! STRIKKKKKKKE THREE! You're outtttta herrrrrrrre!
I am not even disappointed or disillusioned. I'm not even disgusted. I'm just disenchanted that he is still so tone def and so stupid. And, his endorsement of #MeToo was so lukewarm and disingenuous he was better off not saying anything and keeping his mouth fucking shut. In fact, he should've just shut up and never did the is interview. I hope Hillary clocked his ass afterwards.
I just realized what I have always known and said before. In many ways, too many ways for my comfort, Bill Clinton and Donald Trump are the same dude. They were friends for a reason. Birds of a feather....Birds of a feather....They both see all women in three categories: Women they'd never fuck because they're "not attractive"; women they've fucked; and women they haven't fucked yet. And, I can't...won't condone or roll with that. You may call it harsh. You may say it's not true. I say show me how examples of how I'm wrong because I believe I can show more examples of how I'm right.
I used to feel William is a good man at his core who is flawed. I now realize he is a very flawed man who has done some good.
After watching that interview one thing is crystal clear though. After 20 years Bill Clinton hasn't learned jackshit!
