It's all been said I know, but it still amazes me to see how this man can work a room; diving happily into crowds like a fish into water. W.J. Clinton came to speak with the Microsoft PAC today presumably about his new book "Giving:How Each of Us Can Change the World", but he also touched on Campaign '08 topics.
I'm sure every line was mixed and matched from his thoroughly road-tested repertoire, but the artful delivery gave the impression that he was speaking unscripted and off the cuff to a room full of a thousand of his closest friends about the ability of dedicated individuals of modest means to change the world. He cited amazing individuals such as 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Muhammad Yunus and his work pioneering "MicroCredit" lending practices, and Microsoft's own John Wood and his "Room to Read" NGO that is building libraries around the world.
He ended by taking a few questions from the audience during which Mr. Clinton cracked several jokes about the campaign and trying to figure out how to express his views to people on some sensitive topics without stirring up trouble for Hilary and the campaign. It was a very wide-ranging QA session that touched on money and politics, family and politics, public service, the place of government in solving many of the larger problems faced today, etc - It all reminded me just how much I truly miss having a president that one can look up to.