The Comeback Id: Politics & Power: vanityfair.com

The Comeback Id: Politics & Power: vanityfair.com

In a fascinating look at Bill Clinton in retirement, former White House Press Secretary Mike McCurry says this about his former boss and the new media: "All of this stuff, the blogging and the YouTubing and the way in which everything is instantaneously available: I tell you, until you get out there and are actually dealing with the consequences--having what you just said as you were walking out the door [all over the Internet], that's brand-new to him." (Via Rod Dreher.) UPDATE: Conservative Intelligencer adds: "The Clintons were OLD MEDIA darlings. Clinton mesmerized America with his magical BS during a time when both the Internet and Republican alternative media were in their infancy. The Clinton song and dance was a simple one -- stonewall tough questions and then lie, lie, lie. It worked more often than not. The Clinton magic doesn't work any more because we're in a New Media era."