This week, Bill Clinton's Presidential library released the latest block of formerly restricted documents to the public. These docs gave us new insight into the president's political strategies and thinking behind major events. (Via Clinton Library, The Clinton Foundation)
These docs gave us new insight into the president's political strategies and thinking behind major events. (Via The Clinton Foundation)
Here's our top six takeaways from the most recent document dump. First, then-First Lady Hillary Clinton was very involved in former President Bill Clinton's decisions.
According to Politico, Bill wrote "What does Hillary think" on a memo discussing prohibiting federal funding for abortion.
Hillary has recently been hinting that she may run for president, and these documents prove she was a key player during her husband's presidency. (Via Comedy Central)
Second has to be this handwritten note on a memo asking if the CIA had overstated a threat from Osama bin Laden.
The president wrote, “Sandy, if this article is right, the CIA sure overstated its case to me — What are the facts?” (Via Clinton Library)
Clinton was referencing this New York Times article that questioned bin Laden's involvement in the 1998 bombing of African embassies.
Fox News pointed out the note was written two-and-a-half years before the 9/11 terror attacks.
Third, could Clinton have been trying to downplay the Rwandan Genocide?
On a 1994 document, it appears the president changed the language from "reports that genocide has occurred in Rwanda" to "Reports that acts of genocide may have occurred in Rwanda." A pretty big change. (Via Clinton Library)
Next, these documents tell us the Clinton administration had some concerns about nominating Sonia Sotomayor to the United States Court of Appeals.
Sotomayor is now a Supreme Court Justice after Obama's 2009 nomination. Obama was praised for the nomination because of Sotomayor's experience, sex and Hispanic ethnicity. (Getty Images)
However, The Washington Post pointed out a Clinton advisor said in 1997, "Although she has an engaging personality and is very intelligent, her nomination has posed more problems than any of the other Hispanic judges sitting on the federal bench."
Coming in at number five, a Clinton advisor showed concerns about George H.W. Bush stealing the limelight.
The advisor was worried about Bush and Colin Powell's involvement in an upcoming summit on volunteerism saying, "If the price of their involvement becomes too high, if they take over the Summit and what it stands for in the public eye, it will turn out to be a very bad deal." (Via Clinton Library, C-SPAN)
Lastly, Clinton chose, perhaps wisely, not to make a joke about his predecessor's dog Millie.
A speech writer had written this joke for a club dinner: "Socks has been a [sic] exemplary first pet; I don't want to disparage Millie but some have described her as – well it starts with 'B' and rhymes with 'witch.'" (Via Clinton Library)
The colorful joke was crossed out and not used in the speech. All of the released documents can be seen on the Clinton Library's website.