Alan Greenspan: “I think Bill Clinton was the best Republican president we’ve had in a while.” Do you agree?

Question

grips: The transcript to Meet the Press with Greenspan's comments is linked below:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20941413/page/4/

People need to keep in mind that Greenspan's comments are in reference to economic policy only. For which Greenspan is the most knowledgeable about.

If you are complaining about Clinton's foreign policy then find another venue to vent at.

grips: for clarification.

MR. RUSSERT: Let me pick up on some interviews that you’ve given this week as you’ve been touring, talking about your book, “The Age of Turbulence.” You said this: “I think Bill Clinton was the best Republican president we’ve had in a while.” Republican?

MR. GREENSPAN: I’m sure he doesn’t like that joke, but if you look at his record compared to what I think appropriate policy ought to be, he’s for free trade, he’s for globalization, he was for welfare reform, fiscal restraint and—true enough, he’s not a Republican. I’m sorry, President Clinton, I didn’t mean to say that. But I must say, I had to follow an awful lot of your particular guidelines and found them very compatible with my own.
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Greenspan was saying that he didn't think that Clinton would like the joke (eg: being called a Republican).

Answer 1

People under a certain age don't remember any president before Reagan. Reagan changed the whole face of conservatism in the US. Before Reagan the GOP was very different, and probably the biggest difference was the one that would be most visible to Greenspan, that the Republicans tried to balance the budget and make government smaller.

If you didn't remember what it was like before Reagan you might see Clinton as a 'leftist'. But in reality Clinton was considerably to the right of any president -before- Reagan, Democrat or Republican.

Greenspan comes of as a super hypocrite, though, for waiting until Bush's popularity is in the dumper before daring to criticize the Republican's policy of spending money like debt doesn't matter. He never criticized Reagan (that I remember) for doing exactly the same thing.

Answer 2

This is Greenspan's way of commending Bill Clinton for his centrist politics that led to wiping out the debt left by previous Republican administrations and leaving a surplus for Dubya to throw away on his trumped up war!

Answer 3

I'll tell you what, Alan Greenspan is being given credit on this site for a lot things he supposedly said in his book that he actually didn't say.

caldude-----I read the transcript. Did you read where Greenspan said it was a joke?

Answer 4

Absolutely not. Mr. Clinton does not have a Republican bone in his body. Someone should test Alan Greenspan for Alzheimer's

Answer 5

yes, i agree 100%. I think that, even though Clinton was caught in an affair, he was one of the best presidents of my time, so I am completely with Greenspan.

Answer 6

I heard him speak to this on Meet the Press. The remark was in regards to the fact that he balanced the budget. Considering Reagan and both Bushes I'd have to agree.

Answer 7

That's a joke right? Bill Clinton was a Democrat. I mean, it was obvious because of how he didn't have the balls to do anything when we got attacked 4 or 5 times by Al Qaida during his presidency.

WTC bombing - Nothing done about it.

2 US Embassies bombed in Africa - Nothing done about it.

USS Cole Bombing - Nothing done about it.

CIA opportunity to catch or kill Bin Laden - Denied permission.

Somalia - Cut and run.

Answer 8

yes. but you should be preaching to the cons who always bring billy boy up when someone mentions bush's fiscal irresponsibility.