Bill Clinton Speech in Malaysia Irks Investors

[MannyGoldstein]

Source: The NY Times

Former President Bill Clinton visited Malaysia on Friday to deliver his first paid speech since his wife, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, was selected Monday by President-elect Barack Obama to be secretary of state.

Mr. Clinton spoke before nearly 3,000 people in Kuala Lumpur at the invitation of Vinod Sekhar, a Malaysian businessman whose foundation paid Mr. Clinton $200,000, according to several people with knowledge of the fee. The figure is on the lower end of the scale that Mr. Clinton usually commands for his speeches.

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“I believe he is using Bill Clinton — this is what he does,” said Abdul Azim Zabidi, a former board member of the Petra Group who claims Mr. Sekhar broke numerous promises to him and still owes him $100,000. “He just wants to get new investors.” Another investor, the actor Bruce Willis, recently settled a lawsuit with Petra over the return of $900,000. The company called it a “misunderstanding.”

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Officials with the Obama transition team said they did not vet Mr. Sekhar’s background before Mr. Clinton’s speech. The speech was one of the last Mr. Clinton will deliver without being reviewed by a State Department ethics panel, a requirement he has agreed to follow if Mrs. Clinton is confirmed by the Senate as secretary of state. Mr. Clinton also agreed to have his fees from business dealings and foreign speeches reviewed by the White House Counsel’s Office, if necessary.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/us/politics/06clinton...

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Well. I'll be darned.

[DJ13]

1. He just cant help himself, he's an attention addict

I doubt its even about money at this point.

[amdezurik]

2. climb up out of Bill's pants...

[Ikonoklast]

3. It's Bill's wallet, at this point

Someone has to pay off those campaign debts the Missus still has.

Or are you questioning the facts here, that Bill sometimes lets his ego overwhelm his common sense?

You are known by the company you keep.

[lapfog_1]

4. I hope Obama knows what he is doing.

Bill shouldn't be doing these "paid for" speeches in foreign countries starting the day Hillary was named as Obama's SecState.

After she is confirmed and takes the oath of office, he shouldn't be giving speeches for hire anywhere, even in his own backyard.

[marshall]

7. He's got to pay off her campaign debt

I've lost count of the number of emails I've gotten from Bill, Chelsea, Hillary's mother, Lanny Davis, etc. talking about the huge debt hanging over Hilary's head. If Bill can peddle himself around the world and help pay off the debt I'm all for it.

[No Elephants]

5. And it starts.

[aquart]

12. Did it ever stop?

[IndianaGreen]

15. The Clintons and drama are synonymous

Bill should be appointed ambassador to Antarctica, and kept in isolation in the South Pole for the duration of Obama's Presidency.

[BootinUp]

6. Enjoy this article and thread

I suspect there will be far fewer opportunities for you to start similar ones in the near future.

[DeepModem Mom]

9. At some point, I 'd like to see a serious psychological analysis of Clinton obsession --

on both the left and the right: of where in the individual mind and heart it comes from.

We are, in a distant way, acquainted with both Clintons (for many years). We know both their faults (which, as all of us, they have, especially Bill), but also their great strengths and gifts, which were apparent in both from an early age. In our eyes, the latter far, far outweigh the former.

I supported Obama because I thought he represented a unique match of an extraordinary man and an extraordinary moment. That did not diminish my respect and affection for Hillary as she went through the primaries, growing as a candidate and earning millions of votes (who would EVER have guessed?) -- and is now recognized by Obama himself with his appointment of her as Secretary of State.

[BootinUp]

11. It comes from distortion of reality on both ends, lol.

I appreciated reading your pov.

[aquart]

13. I'm thinking there's a huge guilt-denial component.

But that's just me.

[ohio2007]

8. Officials with the Obama transition team said they did not take this very lightely

locking ?

[msongs]

10. why should bill clinton give up his right to "free" speech to support Obama's pervies? nt

since when should a husband be disallowed to work just because his wife has taken a job somewhere? sounds sexist.

Msongs

[IndianaGreen]

16. The sexism is when women have to give up their jobs because hubby's career come first.

Good for the philandering Big Dog to get a taste of what women had to taste.

[balantz]

14. Paying people outrageous sums to talk is ridiculous. n/t