
Peter Baker has a long story/interview about Bill Clinton in this week's NYT magazine. It's a interesting and fair-minded portrayal of the former president and seems to show that he's begun to accept life as a former president and that the effects of last year's campaign (where he seemed to run the risk of ruining his legacy in the eyes of many dems) are over. Instead, he's dedicated himself fully to his foundation, has stayed largely out of the public eye and, while he's never shy in front of the camera, doesn't seem to need the constant attention anymore.
One of the more interesting sections of the article is Clinton's self-criticism about his role in the financial crisis. While he does argue that many of the Republican's claims about his responsibility are insance, he does take responsiblity for the things he thinks he missed. In particular, he wishes he'd had more foresight on derivatives (though, I wonder who doesn't wish anyone had had more foresight there) and to a lesser extent regrets the repeal of the Glass-Stegal Act, though he argues if the SEC had done its job, that wouldn't have mattered as much. It's an interesting read and seems to capture the 42nd President very well.
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