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Campaign Apologizes for Bill's 'Scumbag' Jab

Former president slams VF article as hit piece; wife's campaign apologizes

By Jonas Oransky,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 3, 2008 2:30 PM CDT
Email

(Newser) – The Clinton campaign apologized last night for Bill’s description of a Vanity Fair reporter as “sleazy,” “slimy,” “a dishonest guy” and a “scumbag” in response to  a recent story about him in the magazine. "President Clinton was understandably upset about an outrageously unfair article," a Hillary rep said of Todd Purdum's piece, "but the language today was inappropriate and he wishes he had not used it."

Bill Clinton had complained Purdum—who is married to his former press secretary Dee Dee Myers—“didn’t cite a single source” in the piece, part of the media’s “attempt to nail Hillary for Obama.” But Clinton himself is the subject of most of Purdum's unflattering scrutiny, with sources saying his personality has changed since his 2004 heart operation and that he’s “seeing … women on the road."

Bill Clinton speaks for his wife, Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Bill Clinton speaks for his wife, Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.   (AP Photo/Carson Walker)
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., listens as her husband, former President Bill Clinton introduces her.
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., listens as her husband, former President Bill Clinton introduces her.   (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Hillary Clinton's campaign is apologizing after former President Bill Clinton called Vanity Fair journalist Todd Purdum 'sleazy' and a 'scumbag' for an unflattering piece in the magazine.
Hillary Clinton's campaign is apologizing after former President Bill Clinton called Vanity Fair journalist Todd Purdum 'sleazy' and a 'scumbag' for an unflattering piece in the magazine.   (AP Photo/Great Falls Tribune, Larry Beckner)
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Writer tears apart Bill's attack on the article
Slate

Scumbag? Um, not hardly
Washington Post

 
Barack Obama • Hillary Clinton • Vanity Fair • Bill Clinton • apology • Todd Purdum

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