Bill Clinton
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Little Rock National Airport / Bill Clinton Airport OKs name change to Clinton National: UPDATE
The Little Rock Airport Commission voted unanimously this morning to rename the Little Rock airport the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport.
The vote came after a short public hearing at which people expressed their support or opposition to the renaming.
Three people spoke against the name change. Margaret and Will Piper said renaming the airport would "glorify" President Clinton's "debauchery" and "aggressive assault on American ideals," and accused the airport of acting in secret to rename the airport and thinking that "we're too worn out to fight for our principles." Jimmy D. Jones, who identified himself as a "God-called Baptist minister," said it was "unreal" that Clinton, as president of the greatest nation on earth, would be overcome by "fleshly lust" and if that was Christian, who would want to be Christian?
Among those speaking for the name change were Jerry Jones, legal officer and vice president at Acxiom, who praised the former president and secretary of state for their contributions to Arkansas; former Clinton aide Bob Nash, who said Clinton's policies as both governor and president and Hillary Clinton's work with children have improved the life of Arkansans; state House speaker-elect Darrin Williams, who called the Clinton Presidential Center an "amazing" economic engine; Paul Leopoulos, longtime Clinton friend and head of the Thea Foundation, who said the Clintons have worked tirelessly to improve the life of people around the globe; and Charles Stewart, chair of the Black Hall of Fame and a member of the board of Heifer International, who said naming the airport for the Clintons would "elevate its stature" and that without the Presidential Center that Heifer International would likely have built its headquarters in Chicago or some other larger city.
Gene Fortson, city director and former Airport Commission member, spoke in Mayor Mark Stodola's stead, saying it was his view that the naming was not about politics but about recognizing a six-term governor, two-term president and a secretary of state.
One speaker, Rick Parker, said he supported the name change but objected to it being the "Bill and Hillary" Clinton airport because it's "too countrified" and could come to be known as the "Hillbillary" airport.
Airport Commission Chair Jim Dailey thanked the speakers for their input and called for a vote. Asked after the vote if public comment had been adequate, he said yes, since the idea had been discussed more or less openly since December and actively at a commission committee meeting. "Some wanted a longer period of time [for public comment]," he said, but "I don't think it would have made a difference."
The airport will send the FAA papers on the name change today; Executive Director Ron Mathieu, speaking by phone, said the Commissioners could refer to the airport as the "recently renamed" Clinton airport.
See renderings of proposed signs from our earlier item.
(More on the jump.)
Posted by Lindsey Millar on | Permalink | Comments (63)
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Bill Clinton Did somebody forget the first black president?
As I've mentioned before, the American Experience's "Clinton" biography will air at 8 p.m. Monday and 7 p.m. Tuesday on AETN. The Tuesday show will be followed by a panel moderated by Steve Barnes with local people, such as me, talking about the production and the Bill Clinton years.
Reviews are starting to stack up, including my own brief capsule and longer views today in the Democrat-Gazette by Michael Storey and John Brummett.
Betsey Wright, Clinton' former gubernatorial chief of staff, wrote me today with what she thought was a glaring omission. I share the shortcoming she describes of journalists who've written about the program. In my defense, UA historian Randall Woods and I discussed the larger theme at Conway last Thursday in taping the panel to be shown Tuesday. Her note:
I have seen only the first 12 minutes (that which was available to those of us without i-gadgets). Carol Willis was simply superb in that first bit! BUT it is my understanding that he is the ONLY African-American interviewed, and that means the documentary fails to convey a major part of Clinton's life, both in Arkansas and nationally. I also noticed that Michael Storey failed to list Willis with Arkansans who were interviewed, as does John Brummett. Even these two Arkansas writers contributed to this omission. How can this be?!?!?!?
Willis, the long-time Clinton staff member and critical campaigner who now heads a funeral home in McGehee, was great on the show and he was the only black person interviewed. It does seem inadequate. The "First Black President's" career was distinguished by his strength among black people, a strength built on mutual respect and affection. I think the rock-ribbed support of the congressional black caucus contributed to his enduring of the impeachment crisis. Only Clinton could have had the Sister Souljah moment and not only survived, but prospered from it (Newt Gingrich's recent boasting about how he'd tell the NAACP a thing or two if they'd invite him brought that to mind.)
Posted by Max Brantley on | Permalink | Comments (16)
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Bill Clinton In case you were wondering ....
... I've been at AETN at Conway to participate in a local panel that will be shown after one of the episodes of the American Experience bio, "Clinton," to be shown at 8 p.m. Monday and 7 p.m. Tuesday on the network. Hal Bass, the OBU political science professor; Times columnist Ernie Dumas; UA historian Randall Woods, and Little Rock banker French Hill, who worked in the George H.W. Bush White House also participated. Hill provided some good inside-the-Bush-White-House perspective on the 1992 race.
I forgot to mention the one observation I wanted to make: The production's uncommon attention to Hillary Clinton, given that it is a presidential biography. The promo photograph above bears that out.
Now to catch up.
UPDATE: Forgot to mention: I wrote a preview of the docs for our Televisionist section.
Posted by Max Brantley on | Permalink | Comments (14)
Monday, December 12, 2011
Bill Clinton Bill Clinton in LR to sign his new book
I'm still lacking a few details, but former President Bill Clinton will be in Little Rock Monday, Dec. 19, to sign copies of his new book, "Back to Work: Why we need smart government for a strong economy." The event will be at Barnes and Noble, presumably the one on Financial Center Parkway.
Posted by Max Brantley on | Permalink | Comments (6)
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Bill Clinton Hillary Clinton's mother, Dorothy Rodham, dies at 92
Dorothy Rodham, mother of Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, died this morning. She's well-remembered in Little Rock as a friendly Hillcrest neighbor, a proud mother and warm grandmother. She'd been living at the Clinton home in Washington since leaving Little Rock. She was 92. Biography here. She'd been ill and Hillary Clinton had cancelled an overseas trip to be with her mother.
A condolence book will be opened shortly at the Clinton Presidential Center. There will be a private memorial service. Memorials may be made to George Washington Hospital or Heifer International or a local organization that helps neglected and mistreated children.
The family's statement follows:
Posted by Max Brantley on | Permalink | Comments (6)
Friday, October 14, 2011
Bill Clinton Clinton does Letterman; reveals playlist
UPDATE: Sorry, the Yahoo link for the Clinton appearance on Letterman played out on me. You can viewa part of it by hitting this link. Or this one, too.
The former president hit the late-night circuit this week to talk up a 65th birthday concert tomorrow night. It will be broadcast live only on Yahoo, which offers a world of Clinton coverage.
I was drawn to the sidebar about the president's playlist of his top 20 songs. It's jazz-heavy, but also includes "Brown-eyed Girl," "Bridge Over Troubled Water," "Philadelphia Freedom" and "Angel." I was interested to see one of my top 20 pieces of music, Ralph Vaughan Williams' "English Folk Song Suite," performed by the North Texas Wind Symphony. This is a sure tipoff that Clinton was a high school band nerd. The piece was an old chestnut for high school bands in concert competition in the 1960s, when I first played and heard it, and a beautiful piece of music. The Little Rock Wind Symphony did a knockout performance of it here a few years ago.
Posted by Max Brantley on | Permalink | Comments (7)
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