Wesley Hunt

Hey Wesley. I'm watching the new American Experience episode on Bill Clinton. Pretty good stuff in my opinion.

I could get sad about our current state of political affairs if I spent too much time reflecting on it.

I have not watched it (recording), but from everything I've read and heard, PBS does a good job capturing President Clinton's essence as a living contradiction, a man struggling with his own potential and desire to do "good" and be "great" despite personal demons that he could not and did not defeat. The popular trend today is to talk about what Clinton did not accomplish rather than judging him on those things he did. Deeply rooted, moral shortcomings--imperfection--made him more human, and at least for me, greater still.

I am not a Clinton apologist. He failed. Apologized. Failed again. At least once, probably more...but in the end, he suppressed those demons. And the works and accomplishments of his post-Presidency reflect an inner joy and peace he was never able to find in the White House.

Redemption is tricky. Though available to each of us, we must be willing to give up control and trust in something greater than ourselves.

Good thoughts.

I think the tendency to judge him by what he did not accomplish is a natural one. We probably have never had a president who spent more time thinking about what he would do as president before achieving it than Bill Clinton did.

I'd be interested in your thoughts once you do watch it. Part II is on tonight I think.