With former president Clinton and health-care in the news and Hillary Clinton a constant presence as secretary of State, I checked in with former Clintons adviser Dick Morris. Morris is the author, with Eileen McGann, of the new book, Catastrophe.
KJL: Are we witnessing a Clintons comeback?
DM: No. Bill is probably just delighted to be relevant again.
KJL: What do you make of President Clinton’s trip to North Korea?
DM: It was wrong to do it. This trip gives North Korea the ability to act like the good guy in world public opinion by releasing people they shouldn’t have seized in the first place. Considering their record, bomb explosions, and missile tests, we should not be in the business of letting North Korea score propaganda victories.
KJL: How is Hillary doing as secretary of State?
DM: She is impotent. Ross runs Iran. Mitchell the Middle East. Holbrooke Pakistan and Afghanistan. Ross, Powell, Jones, and most of all Biden hog the limelight and the policymaking. She is in charge of our relations with Lichtenstein.
KJL: Are they working as a team as far as you can tell?
DM: They always do.
KJL: Is Obamacare Hillarycare redux?
DM: Yes and it will meet the same fate hopefully.
KJL: Any idea what Hillary must think about that?
DM: She’s probably happy as a clam to be secretary of state and is so disciplined she won’t let the thought intrude.
KJL: What should Republicans be doing right now?
DM: Beating Obama’s health-care plan by deluging senators and congressmen with protests.