Da Money Code
by Big Dog on Nov 23, 2006 at 13:44 Political
Over at the Huffington Blog Marty Kaplan is having fun at the expense of both George Bushs and the annual “Pardoning of the turkey.” Kaplan uses tired old references to turkeys to indicate that while the President was pardoning the turkey, the former President Bush was pardoning his son the turkey. Kaplan is entitled to write what he wants, as are most of the other idiots at the Huffington Post. An interesting item that shows how the liberals only view what their opposition does as wrong is found in this quote:
The incumbent President won his pardon at a “leadership conference” (is that code for “speaking fee”?) where a staged speech by George H. W. Bush unleashed the opposite of cheers from his audience. [my emphasis]
Why does it matter if the event was an engagement where Bush got paid? Is this supposed to be some veiled reference indicating that speaking fees are a bad thing? If former President Bush got paid to talk there, does that make him a bad man? Finally, why mention this when the left never mentions how much Bill Clinton gets in speaking fees?
If Bush received payment to be there, that is his prerogative just as it is Clinton’s prerogative to earn money when he speaks. The reference to it being code is supposed to conger up images of Bush doing something wrong, as if receiving money for speaking is a bad thing. Kaplan might have credibility if he made the same references when writing of Clinton’s many speaking engagements but then again, it is only a bad thing when a Republican does it. Just to make it clear, so people will now and so Kaplan will have the information the next time he wants to write about a former President and the code speak for fees, here is what Hillary Clinton disclosed on her financial statement for the year 2005:
Serono International Speech $150,000
Jewish Federation Council Speech $125,000
CLSA Speech $100,000
Savage/Rothenberg Speech $125,000
Savage/Rothenberg Speech $125,000
Association of Southern Defense Speech $125,000
Goldman Sachs Speech $125,000
Global Strategic Ventures Speech $150,000
Deutsche Bank Speech $150,000
Lancaster Chamber of Commerce Speech $150,000
National Multi-Housing Speech $150,000
KMD Speech $250,000
Griwa Consulting GMBH Speech $250,000
American Academy of Achievement Speech $150,000
Adam Smith Conferences Speech $125,000
tinePublic Speech $125,000
Int. Cent for Business Info Speech $125,000
The Power Within Speech $350,000
The Power Within Speech $300,000
Leading Minds Speech $125,000
Jewish Federation of Chicago Speech $150,000
YPO Windy City Chapter Speech $100,000
Jewish Federation of Chicago Speech $150,000
Golden Tree Asset Mgmt Speech $150,000
Macklowe Properties Speech $250,000
Global Business Enterprises Speech $300,000
Leading Minds Speech $125,000
Hubert Burda Media Speech $300,000
Leading Minds Speech $125,000
Source
For those of you keeping track at home, that was $4,925,000 in speaking fees for Bill Clinton, just for 2005. Code or not, that is a lot of chump change.
Tags: Commentary, Political