December 9, 2006 The Clinton Presidential
Library – Where’s the books? By Patricia Hall Miller
Consider these Clintonian Concepts and their impact on American Society.
• "It depends on what the definition of 'is' is" -- A
bravura performance in Truth Avoidance. This technique works well with
the Storytelling Ploy wherein one can reference facts that were true at
one particular time, but may have changed radically at some other point,
which is never mentioned. • "Deny, deny, deny" -- Another Truth Avoidance Strategy
and an Assault on Honesty. • "Mistakes were made" -- Responsibility Avoidance; pretending
to take responsibility, while not taking responsibility. • "I didn't inhale" -- Probably not at the particular
party he referenced, but if Bill never inhaled any pot in his extended
youth, I'll eat my hat. Nevertheless, there were more marijuana-related
incarcerations during the Clinton Administration than any previous Administration;
a War Against Drugs that amounted to a war against the Pursuit of Happiness
by a lot of otherwise upstanding citizens. Many had hopes that Clinton's
drug policies would show some insight and compassion, possibly even making
drugs a medical rather than legal problem, but no such luck. In fact,
marijuana is an herb that has been used safely for over 5,000 years without
ever killing anyone. Asprin and Tylenol can't make that claim.. • "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" -- This policy is insulting
to all homosexuals and embarrassing to the rest of us. When it comes to
Equal Rights, there's not much wiggle-room; either you've got them or
you don't. • "I did not have sex with that woman ... not a single time" and its twin concept "Oral sex is not sex" -- These claims caused laughter among adults and a cause for celebration among the young. Someone should do a study of the effect of "not sex" on the sex lives of minors who took this idea to heart, or wherever.
But don't get me wrong -- I voted for Clinton twice and had high hopes
for the direction a President of My Generation might take. Needless to
say, disappointment happens. And that's why Slick Willie is the perfect
nickname; Clinton can talk and spin with the most gifted liars in the
world, and try to convince us that his Presidency was Camelot Revisited.
So, really, he's not just a gifted liar, but a Superstar Prevaricator.
Truly, he's awesome and likeable. And that's why you should see the Clinton Center -- just know that the
Lies of Omission are huge (you'll get the impression that it was All Good
for 8 years), and don't bother looking for the price tag for the extremely
expensive and entirely useless Health Care Plan, chaired by Hillary Rodam
Clinton. You won't find it. Furthermore, I should note that I am not an authority on Monuments to
Past Presidents. I confess that the only other Presidential Library I've
visited is Harry S Truman's in Independence, MO. Although I was about
12 at the time, I was impressed with its understated dignity, but what
really knocked me out was the Thomas Hart Benton mural depicting the pioneers
of the early West. Even if you're not a fan of Benton's bold, dramatic
style, the awe-inspiring spirit of the effort to tame the wilderness is
quite moving. Although I've heard that the Truman Library has been updated
somewhat, I recall nothing glitzy or self-congratulatory. In fact, it's
probably the perfect counterpoint to the Clinton Shrine to Pop Culture
-- er, that is, the Clinton Presidential Center. In fact, I urge you to
visit the Truman and the Clinton Libraries and see how we've gone from
"The Buck Stops Here" to "There Is No Buck" in one
generation. Enjoy your visit! *****
The Museum Guide for the William J. Clinton Presidential Center
features a photograph of one corner of the Center that looks like a levitating
trailer. Although sleek and spare, the Center is more interesting architecturally
than the photograph suggests. It features a ground floor dedicated to
ticketing and information, 2 upper floors of exhibits, and an Executive
Penthouse on the top, not open to the public; it’s for Bill only,
when he’s in Little Rock. Since it looked crowded on the first level, my group started at the top
and worked our way backwards. Our first exhibit featured an affectionate
tribute to 50s Pop Culture: TV Cowboys. We were greeted by a cut-out of
the young Bill Clinton riding a pony and exclaiming, “Howdy, Pardner!”
This, I believe, is one of the “Changing Exhibits” mentioned
in the guide. We enjoyed the exhibits featuring many cowboy heroes of
early television: Jay Silverheels (Tonto), Gene Autry, James Garner's
Maverick, Roy Rogers, John Wayne as various cowboy heroes, and there's
even a photo of a bare-chested George W. Bush on his pony (he looks to
be about 7 years old at the time). But what has any of this to do with
the Presidency, you might ask? Clearly, this exhibit favors style and
feel-goodism over content. In fact, everything at the Center looks good,
but it doesn’t add up to much that we didn’t know already,
and there are many jarring omissions, the most stunning of which is that
this “library” contains very few books. Inspired by Trinity College Library in Dublin, the main gallery space
shows the Timeline with Policy Alcove exhibits on either side. The upper
level features “Life in the White House” exhibits. The Timeline
features such Pop Culture events as the Jon-Benet Ramsey murder and the
O. J. Simpson trial, but no mention of the Impeachment or the Monica Lewinsky
debacle. It was interesting to note that while “Life in the White
House” includes dozens of articles commemorating Socks the Presidential
Cat, there are few photographs of the Presidential Daughter, Chelsea.
You’ll see saxophones, endless gifts from admirers, and letters
from celebrities, including Whoopi Goldberg, Dom Deluise, and Nolan Richardson,
former coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks. I recall Clinton quoting from
Richardson’s letter, but he was kind enough to assume the sentiment
in spite of the confusing spelling: “Though [sic] times don’t
last. Though [sic] people do.” Obviously, writing without Spell
Check can be tough going, especially for busy basketball coaches, but
if I were Nolan, I wouldn't want that letter on display. It doesn't reflect
well on higher education in Arkansas. If you visit the Center, you’ll get to see a full-scale replica
of the White House Cabinet Room on the third floor, just as it was during
the Clinton era, plus interactive exhibits to introduce visitors to critical
decisions and how they were made. But everything is sugar-coated. Where
is “don’t ask; don’t tell”? Where are the statistics
about the War on Drugs during the Clinton Administration? These failures
of policy are glossed over and we are encouraged to take heart by the
on-going good works of the William J. Clinton Foundation, whatever they
may be. Of course, the greatest failure of the Clinton Administration
was the lack of action in response to horrendous acts of terrorism on
his watch. To be fair, he had his hands full with Monica and the Impeachment
process. Many people have said that the Clinton Library is the best of the Presidential
Libraries. No doubt, it is the newest, the slickest, and it showcases
lots of interesting stuff, such as the Presidential china and fun, family
and celebrity photographs. However, what really got to me is the lack
of significant printed material. The attractive piers of the alcoves are
filled with blue archive boxes that, according to the Museum Guide “contain
White House correspondence. These documents represent 3 percent of the
80 million pages of documents in the Library.” However, when I asked
a security employee at the Center what was contained in the boxes, he
said, “Nothing.” As I said, I explored the Center backwards, and didn’t see the
introductory film until last, instead of first. The film was made by Clinton
crony, Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, and it’s an artful exercise in
myth-making. You know the story: the young boy from Hope with a vision
for a better America. While in Little Rock, I read the local public relations
pamphlets that refer to its proud history of Civil Rights. Well, geez,
I remember the vicious“we will not integrate” violence in
Little Rock as captured by the nightly news, and am more than impressed
by this attempt to rewrite the history of Arkansas. I guess Clinton came
by his spin-meister heritage honestly. But don’t let the lack of books and meaningful content keep you
away from the Clinton Presidential Center. Most people enjoy the place,
the volunteers are extremely friendly (they give you a Presidential sticker
when you leave), and the surroundings are pleasant. It’s situated
on the banks of the Arkansas River and there’s a 19th century railroad
bridge that leads nowhere. Though not labeled, I’m guessing it’s
the Bridge to the 21st Century. Admission is $7 for adults and $5 for Seniors, which is quite reasonable. However, if you want to see something truly inspirational and architecturally stunning, visit the Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs. Admission is free, and even if you're not a Christian, you'll be moved by its innovative design and majestic natural setting. |