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Posts Tagged ‘Dick Cheney’

Everyone who counts was there. There was unity. There were tears. There was laughter. It was a sendoff befitting a president attended by past presidents, government officials past and present, and many, many others from every walk of life.

Cindy McCain stood with the grace, composure, and strength that we saw from Jackie Kennedy until a brief moment during Danny Boy.

Meghan McCain spoke like an American storm, and despite comments she has made about Hillary Clinton, Hillary appeared to be smiling in encouragement and pride in Meghan’s power.

All of the music was beautiful including a very unusual rendition of Amazing Grace partially accompanied by bagpipes.

It was a celebration of more than John McCain. It was a celebration of the country he fought for in many different roles in his life.

 

National Cathedral Hosts Memorial Service For Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)National Cathedral Hosts Memorial Service For Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)National Cathedral Hosts Memorial Service For Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)National Cathedral Hosts Memorial Service For Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)

I could be wrong, but that looks like Tricia Nixon behind Dick Cheney.

National Cathedral Hosts Memorial Service For Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)

 

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While Kate McKinnon and Darrell Hammond were at 30 Rock putting finishing touches on the cold open of SNL’s season finale,  Hillary Clinton and her tall, handsome escort were being ushered to their seats at the packed Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre several blocks away.

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Video :  http://www.whosay.com/status/sararamirez/1103963

Bill and Hillary Clinton took in a matinee on Saturday of the widely acclaimed Peter Morgan play, The Audience,  in which Helen Mirren DBE zigs and zags achronologically among weekly audiences held by Queen Elizabeth II with the 12 prime ministers who have served over her 60+ years on the throne.

One of the most touching and powerful moments comes at the end of act one.  Just after this conversation – one of many Elizabeth has with her younger self – she is anointed Queen and accepts the very weighty crown that will dominate the rest of her life.

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It is a scene with which Hillary certainly can identify.  Immediately after this, the curtain comes down for intermission during  which these two actors spend the entire time onstage as palace guard.  No doubt that particular role felt a wee bit more genuine yesterday.  As far as I could tell, the swords are authentic.
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Apparently. it was during intermission that the Clintons went backstage to greet the cast.

Helen Mirren pokes fun at the Clintons

Bill and Hillary Clinton made the cultural rounds over the weekend and were playfully teased by Helen Mirren at her Broadway play “The Audience.”

One theatergoer noted, “In one scene, Mirren, as the Queen, is speaking to one of her prime ministers and says, ‘Well, you are better off with me than with what they have over there.’”

Mirren turned and stared right at the Clintons, and then the whole audience was in an uproar.

The couple went backstage during intermission.

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Mirren moves seamlessly from her 40s to her 20s to her 70s and back to her 30s with most costume changes occurring, almost miraculously, within seconds right onstage.  It is a magnificent tour-de-force for Dame Helen who is nominated for a Tony and earns it easily, appearing onstage fearlessly both with children and animals (an ancient theatrical taboo).  The little corgis, Mimi and Marco,  who hit their marks running, are rescues who, six weeks prior to their debut, were awaiting adoption.

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Congrats are in order all around!  For all of these and for attracting the couple most sought after on the Great White Way!


Outer Critics Circle Awards!

Outstanding Actress in a Play: Helen Mirren

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play:  Richard McCabe

Founders Award for Excellence in Directing: Stephen Daldry!

We thank Sara Ramirez, of Hillary’s favorite TV show Gray’s Anatomy, for her video. Poetic justice that her tickets for this excellent production happened to be for this particular day.  Hope she had a chance to meet Hillary in all of the excitement!

Meanwhile, back at 30 Rock,  Darrell Hammond, who took over as SNL announcer after the death of Don Pardo, reprised his role as Bill Clinton to Kate McKinnon’s Hillary in a musical production previewing a summer of campaigning.

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/summertime-cold-open/2866688

The Clintons were not the only political powerhouses to endure a satirical swipe.  In the Weekend Update  portion, Jeb Bush explained away allegations that his brother created ISIS by bestowing part of the credit on Dick Cheney as he should have done in reality in the first place.

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I smiled to see them ranked as one.   I could argue pretty powerfully for why they should have ranked ahead of certain folks on the list.  Really? Obama and Cheney rank above them?  Well, it is what it is. These lists sometimes leave me scratching my head.  Nonetheless, they are in excellent company as one of my very favorite “global thinkers” (and Twitter follower) Bernard-Henri Lévy is number 22 (right behind Sarkozy).  I will give BHL a nice fat tag on this post.  I miss him.  Since CNN took Spitzer off, I never see BHL anymore.  He is a big fan of  HRC  and simply brilliant.  So 20, 21, 22 are all OK by me!

The FP Top 100 Global Thinkers

Foreign Policy presents a unique portrait of 2011’s global marketplace of ideas and the thinkers who make them.

DECEMBER 2011

The Clintons are nothing if not the ultimate survivors. Nearly two decades after they burst onto the national stage, they are still dominating it, with Hillary mounting an extraordinary comeback to the extent that she now polls as America’s most admired political figure, while Bill virtually runs a parallel United Nations from his Manhattan offices.

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There are two of special note today.  This one by Steve Chapman in the Chicago Trib is notable because of its source.  Criticism like this coming out of the president’s home state and the nerve center of his reelection campaign (not for the first time) should be cause for pause.

Why Obama should withdraw

By Steve ChapmanSeptember 18, 2011

… Obama might do his party a big favor. In hard times, voters have a powerful urge to punish incumbents. He could slake this thirst by stepping aside and taking the blame. Then someone less reviled could replace him at the top of the ticket.

The ideal candidate would be a figure of stature and ability who can’t be blamed for the economy. That person should not be a member of Congress, since it has an even lower approval rating than the president’s.

It would also help to be conspicuously associated with prosperity. Given Obama’s reputation for being too quick to compromise, a reputation for toughness would be an asset.

As it happens, there is someone at hand who fits this description: Hillary Clinton.

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This one is notable also because of its source,   President Clinton himself chiming in.  So the Clinton stance on this is “that’s just Dick Cheney trying to make trouble.” Very good!  But we all know that this began well before Cheney opened his mouth.  The record is right here on these pages.  HuffPo reports it thus.

Bill Clinton: Dick Cheney ‘Sowing Discord’ With Suggestion That Hillary Run Against Obama In 2012

“Well, you know, I’m very proud of her, so I’m always gratified whenever anyone says anything nice about her. And I very much agree that she’s done a good job,” Clinton told Bob Schieffer on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

“But I also have a high regard for Vice President Cheney’s political skills, and I think one of those great skills is sowing discord among the opposition. So I think he’s right that she’s done a heck of a job. But she is a member of this administration, and committed to doing it. And I think he, by saying something nice about her in the way that he did, knew that it might cause a little trouble,” Clinton continued.

“I don’t want to help him succeed in his political strategy. But I admire that he’s still out there hitting the ball.”

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He walked that tightrope like a Flying Wallenda!  I am glad this question did not come up until after Cheney spoke to it.  He provided a position from which to address it.  I admire that Bill Clinton admires Cheney still hitting the ball.

This is cute.  Just for the heck of it!

 

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