Bill Needs to Work on His Criticism Skills

At least that’s what Jack Shafer seems to think. After reading the Clinton’s response to Todd Purdum‘s Vanity Fair article Shafer has this to say:

It’s true that the Purdum’s story is tawdry, but can any profile of the man whose name will forever be linked to Gennifer Flowers, Paula Jones, Monica Lewinsky, Juanita Broaddrick, Elizabeth Ward Gracen, Sally Perdue, Dolly Kyle Browning, and Kathleen Wiley could be anything but tawdry? Ripping Purdum and Vanity Fair on those grounds seems a tad unfair. If Clinton were smart, he’d not publicize Purdum’s musings about the former president’s gallivanting with the Steve Bing and Ron Burkle bone-daddy posse.

Shafer agrees that the Purdum piece is drowning in anonymous sources (and then proceeds to list them in full) but notes that the Clinton critique collapses so dramatically that “I’d fly to New York City tonight on my own nickel and offer its author a seminar in remedial press criticism.” We love to be a fly on the wall for that one.

Not that we’re sure the former President is interested in listening. At an event in South Dakota yesterday the President told HuffPoer Mayhill Fowler (yes that same Mayhill — the woman certainly has a knack for being in the right place at the most uncomfortable time) that Purdum was “sleazy,” “dishonest,” “slimy” and a “scumbag.” A Clinton spokesperson later said that Clinton knew “the language today was inappropriate and he wishes he had not used it.” Ha. Somehow we doubt. Anyway, the only place we know of where an elected official can get away talking like this to the press and not pay a price is Gracie Mansion. Mayor Bill anyone?

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