Governor Bill’s night at the Little Rock Hilton

Alexander Cockburn, who charts Bill Clinton's fall from grace for The First Post's cover story today, recalls a favourite anecdote about the former president - a timely reminder that Bill was never perfect...

"Back in 1979," says Cockburn, "my friend Tim Hermach, now fearless leader of the Native Forest Council and breathing the righteous air of Eugene, Oregon, was a businessman seeking commercial advantage. In 1979 this search took him to Little Rock, Arkansas, where an associate said the swiftest way of getting a certificate of origin necessary for a rebar (reinforcing steel for construction) deal was to confer personally with the new governor of the state.

"In short order a dinner was arranged with young Governor Bill at the Little Rock Hilton. Tim recalls that they were scarcely seated before Bill was greeting a pretty young waitress in friendly fashion, putting his hand up her dress while announcing genially to the assembled company, 'This woman has the sweetest cunt in Little Rock'. (Continued below)

"Tim, an Oregon boy by origin, listened with burning ears and mouth agape as Bill talked of womanhood in terms of astounding crudity.
Badinage notwithstanding, some business was transacted. Governor Bill, according to Tim, 'very openly, nothing shy about it', said words to the effect that the end use certificate would cost about $10,000. It was made clear that the transaction would be of a personal, informal nature.'Since ours was a $2m deal, we didn't care,' Tim recalls.

"Governor Bill also informed Tim that he should go to the Stephens Bank the following day to complete all necessary arrangements.

"These discussions concluded, Governor Bill repaired to the Hilton's nightclub with boon companions, where they cavorted with sundry flowers of Little Rock before repairing to bedrooms in the upper regions of the hotel."