PrintJanuary 22, 2008
Bill Clinton dozes during MLK Speech: media dozes, too
The New York Post has video of Bill Clinton sleeping through portions of Sunday's MLK commemorative service at the Convent Avenue Baptist Church in Harlem. Considering that no one watching could possibly miss the narcoleptic ex-prez's performance -- he was seated directly behind and beside the podium from which King's son spoke -- where's the media indignation?
Remarkably, amidst all the gushing over Democrats honoring the slain civil rights leader (while generally ignoring the Republican candidates doing the same during their Monday stump speeches) -- Bill's inopportune naps got surprisingly little play. And on the few occasions the cable networks did air it this morning, it was with a nod and a smile and a sympathetic "that's what an intense campaign schedule can do" attitude. Chris Matthews even referred to falling asleep in church as a "regular guy" trait.
Now, just imagine George Bush, Dick Cheney or, for that matter, any Republican nodding off on stage while Martin Luther King III paid tribute to his father. You can bet you would have already seen the video played and replayed between looks of disgust from the insufferable likes of Mika Brzezinski, Keith Olbermann and especially Matthews. Network news would feature it in virtually all of their teasers. There'd be cries of racial insensitivity and disrespect for the legacy of King and ......
Well, you know. Anyway, once you've tired awaiting its premiere on the evening news, treat yourself to this extraordinary footage the Post hilariously dubs Bill has a Dream.
And just for fun -- as you watch, try to imagine the sound of Al Sharpton's blaring voice mercilessly castigating the dozer.
Were he not one of theirs, of course.
(h/t: Drudge)
