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Anyway, looking at these exhibits I felt like the proverbial frog who has been dropped into a pot that keeps getting hotter and hotter. You don’t really notice how much worse things have gotten because it’s gradual. Going through all those timelines of what was accomplished in the 1990s, and how optimistic everyone was about the future, it’s a sad contrast to today. “Take a good look at this section,” says the guide, pointing to a section of 1998, “cause it may be a long time before you see this again.” It said “$70 billion budget surplus.” Ouch.
In fact, if you’re a die-hard Republican, this center will probably make you put your hands over your ears and go “wah wah wah wah I can’t hear you!” It’s all about a booming economy, respect from all the world leaders, a time when our president would get a standing ovation at the U.N., a strong dollar, fiscal discipline, a peace process in the Middle East, assistance to people that really need it, and the longest economic expansion in U.S. history. And then there’s now. Hey, at least the stock market is now back up to where it was when Clinton left office…
I’ll drop the politics now though and say that it is a very well-done, interesting place despite the depressing contrast with the present. There’s a replica of the Oval Office, a replica of the Cabinet Room, and a zillion gifts and letters from world leaders, Mother Theresa, and the Dalai Lama. Plus a few of Bill’s saxophones and yes, some info about the whole Monica scandal. (Which baffled everyone I met while backpacking around the world at the time. The most common comment: “You want to trade leaders? We’ll take him!” Somehow I don’t see that happening now.)
Tomorrow I head home and we return to our regularly scheduled programming.
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