April 28, 2004

NUANCE ALERT

Bill Clinton’s Presidential memoir, My Life, promises lots of hot lusty nuance:

The initial print run is 1.5 million, and Knopf president Sonny Mehta called it "the fullest and most nuanced account of a presidency ever written".

Nuance! People love nuance. The current “John Kerry” + “nuance” count at Google is running at 7,130, and just look at how well he’s doing in the polls.

Posted by Tim Blair at April 28, 2004 04:14 AM
Comments

Oh, be still, my beating heart. /sarcasm

Considering it's been delayed being published for a while, he must have nuanced it to death. I would consider reading it just for the amusement value.

Elizabeth
Imperial Keeper

Posted by: Elizabeth at April 28, 2004 at 04:22 AM

Well, he had to finish building that bridge to the 21st century.

At least when Bush spouts nonsense about going somewhere futuristic, it's an actual planet named Mars.

Posted by: Mike G at April 28, 2004 at 04:29 AM

Its "nuanced", is it. We should probably thank the publisher for warning us that it is (a) long (b) unreadable and (c) completely devoid of insight.

At least, that's what I think "nuanced" means in this context.

Posted by: R C Dean at April 28, 2004 at 04:59 AM

When I hear "nuanced," thanks to the Democrats, I think "equivocative." I think two-faced, indecisive, lying liars. I couldn't stand Clinton when he was president, couldn't stand to watch him or to hear him speak cuz I was always conscious that I was being lied to. Chance of reading his highly nuanced book? Nil.

Posted by: Helen at April 28, 2004 at 05:16 AM

"the fullest and most nuanced account of a presidency ever written".

And this guy is trying to promote the book.

I always found Clinton to be a tedious speechmaker with a dead ear for language. In addition, he's the kind of guy who imagines we're interested in his every bowel movement.

The book is going to be excruciating.

Posted by: lyle at April 28, 2004 at 06:15 AM

Given the subject matter, I was looking forward to The [unexpurgated] Adventures of Bill Clinton, not "the fullest and most nuanced account of a presidency ever written". That sounds like door-stop material.

Posted by: Bruce Rheinstein at April 28, 2004 at 06:39 AM

His biggest regret was splashing out on Monica's dress.....

Guess he couldn't help dropping his Little Rocks before his term ended.

My best is Hilary.....an entire planet was reading about Bill putting himself about almost daily in the newspapers....but when she found out she was shocked...

Must have been hiding in the Loos with Beckham's girlfriend.....

Posted by: traps at April 28, 2004 at 06:40 AM

"Chapter One: I am Blown"

Posted by: mojo at April 28, 2004 at 06:50 AM

Hmmmm.... Just googled "Bill Clinton" and "blown" -

39,900 entries. Make that 39,901...

Posted by: mojo at April 28, 2004 at 06:52 AM

The left loves nuance except when it comes to the Bush Administration’s dealing with different countries in different ways. “Why Iraq & not North Korea? What hypocrisy!!!” Etc. There the left knows no nuance -- if you bring a war to class, you have to bring enough wars for every classmate. When you get right down to it, W outclasses the Left in both strategery & nuancery.

Posted by: ForNow at April 28, 2004 at 07:15 AM

The most interesting nuance here is how desperate Clinton is to upstage Kerry...

Posted by: Otter at April 28, 2004 at 07:34 AM

RCDean says:

Its "nuanced", is it. We should probably thank the publisher for warning us that it is (a) long (b) unreadable and (c) completely devoid of insight.
(c) pretty much sums up Clinton, period.

A more honest title for the book would be "A Narcissistic Whiner Lies for Big Bucks - Again".

I survived his presidency, God help me (and our country). Why would I want to read his lying, self-serving, self-centered account of what I witnessed myself?

Posted by: Barbara Skolaut at April 28, 2004 at 07:40 AM

"The most interesting nuance here is how desperate Clinton is to upstage Kerry..."

Hmm. Maybe that's Kerry's secret plan! I think it was Mickey Kaus who first observed that Kerry does best when he's out of the limelight. He's out of the news - his numbers go up. He's in the news - his numbers go down.

Perhaps the best Democratic strategy would be to just put Kerry on ice until after the election and have the 501C4's campaign against Bush.

Just think of all the ski resorts in the southern hemisphere he could vacation at!

Posted by: Bruce Rheinstein at April 28, 2004 at 07:48 AM

I used to like that word, nuance. Now it makes me grit my teeth. Sheesh.

Posted by: Rebecca at April 28, 2004 at 08:59 AM

"George W Bush" and "nuance" is running at 12600 on the Googlometer... although most of them link to him saying "I don't do nuance"!

Posted by: Chris at April 28, 2004 at 09:22 AM

Bush: “I don’t do nuance.” In Texan slang “nuance” = “broccoli,” little known fact.

Posted by: ForNow at April 28, 2004 at 09:50 AM

Hey, mojo!

The Google hit is up to 40,100! There must be a lot of book reviews being posted about now!

Posted by: JeffS at April 28, 2004 at 10:04 AM

Nuance.

"You keep saying that word. I don't think it means what you think it means."

C'mon Tim, time for a new poll. Just what the hell is nuance anyway?

Posted by: fidens at April 28, 2004 at 11:00 AM

When I hear the word "nuance" I reach for my revolver.

Of course, I'm an American, so I reach for my revolver to open a packet of crisps...

Posted by: Richard McEnroe at April 28, 2004 at 12:02 PM

Nuance: "Kerry, if ya'll run against me, ah'll tear you a nuance..."

Posted by: Richard McEnroe at April 28, 2004 at 12:03 PM

"Of course, I'm an American, so I reach for my revolver to open a packet of crisps..."

Crisps? You call yourself American? :)

Posted by: Brent at April 28, 2004 at 12:45 PM

Brent — Hey, I'm talking to furrin folks heah... so, since you can't talk Very. Slowly. And. LOUDLY on the Internet, I have to try to speak the language...

Posted by: Richard McEnroe at April 28, 2004 at 01:32 PM

Antoher definition of nuance, which I developed when I lived in Texas:

"I ran those fire ants off my yard, but damned if I didn't get nuance already."

Posted by: dazed at April 28, 2004 at 11:13 PM

Only one problem with Clinton's title: One letter too many in the second word. (Hint: F)

Posted by: BarCodeKing at April 29, 2004 at 01:58 AM