ISRAEL: GROUP OF ISRAELI PUNTERS SEEK TO CARPETBAG OUTGOING U.S. PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON INTO TAKING THE JOB AS ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER

Record ID: 400632

  • Title: ISRAEL: GROUP OF ISRAELI PUNTERS SEEK TO CARPETBAG OUTGOING U.S. PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON INTO TAKING THE JOB AS ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER
  • Date: 10th January 2001
  • Summary: TEL AVIV, ISRAEL (JANUARY 10, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. MV: ABRAXAS BAR, PEOPLE ENTER BAR 0.12 2. MV'S: PEOPLE INSIDE BAR, MEETING FRIENDS (2 SHOTS) 0.25 3. CU/ZOOM IN: D.J. PLAYING MUSIC AND WEARING A 'CLINTON TO POWER, ISRAEL - 2001 T-SHIRT' (2 SHOTS) 0.36 4. SV: BARMAID SERVING DRINKS 0.47 5. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Hebr
  • Embargoed: 25th January 2001 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: TEL AVIV, ISRAEL
  • Country: Israel
  • Reuters ID: LVA9U4YB8MSODYMC1KY96FSFUCIV
  • Story Text: A group of Israeli punters are seeking to draft
    Bill Clinton -- outgoing United States (U.S). President
    - to take the job of Israeli prime minister.


    There was more party and less convention as the Clinton
    campaign started off with few lengthy speeches and a
    lot of beer, music, and billiards.

    The owners and regulars of Tel Aviv's Abraxas Pub may have
    been low-key about drafting Clinton, they said they had a
    dream that the man from Hope, Arkansas and soon-to-be retiree
    would take power.

    But before Clinton turns down any other offers, he might
    want to note that the pub crowd has missed the candidate
    filing deadline and, though admired in Israel, Clinton hasn't
    yet registered in national pre-election polls.

    Its all in good fun, but yet underneath the carpetbagger
    Clinton campaign there is a real desperation among Israel's
    young and liberal crowds who are largely uninspired by the
    current political choosings: incumbent Ehud Barak and
    right-wing challenger Ariel Sharon.

    Bartender and theatre student Hila Vidor said: "We don't
    want Barak or Sharon or any other creature." And what has
    Clinton got that the other politicians don't? "Monica...of
    course," she replied.

    "In short, he's cool--and he needs a job," added Vidor.

    Clinton backer and arbitrage trader Shlomo Lecker said:
    "He has a lot of charm, we need that in our country. No one
    here has a campaign platform. So, why not? It seems to us
    that he is the father of all our solutions. He supports us
    economically, he is the father of all our programmes in the
    area. Both Arafat and Barak go to Clinton [all of] the time.

    And--hes available. He's between jobs."
    So, with just 26 days left before polls open, the Clinton
    campaign has limited time to push their man and only a few
    T-shirts left.

    Or maybe they can call for a recount...
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