Just a note to say thanks again for the loan of your house. Gotta say I had my doubts for a minute there, coming that last little ways in from the main road–guess they must charge the moon to pave a driveway up here–but once you get inside it’s as cool as Vernon said. Man, nice picture windows. All you need is a gasfired grill out back. Thanks, by the way, for stocking up the freezer. I assume that half gallon of Mango Chutney sorbet was for me? I mean it, Bob. This has been a wonderful rest. A family time. A caring and sharing time.
The media’s all up here, of course, but we don’t see them and they don’t see us. Can’t beat it, huh? Once in a while a coast guard cutter will run off somebody in a vawl or a trawl or whatever they call ’em, and otherwise it’s pretty quiet. The reporters are mostly putting up in people’s houses, and they sit there watching “Headline News” hour after hour to find out whether I’m going to the golf course today, whether C. is going to go crabbing with the local kids, whether H. was serious about going water-skiing. Every now and then Dee Dee will go out and tell the pool reporters what time I got out of bed, and that I don’t have any plans for the day. Say, you ever read this Robert Ludlum? I bet you’d like him. H. is reading “Sexual Violence,” by Linda Fairstein (who’s up here, by the way), so she’s happy; C. has a new Judy Blume. Al (Gore) gave me this humongous biography of Thomas Jefferson. You need a doorstop for that door onto your breezeway? (Joke.)
I couldn’t believe how many famous people have places up here: Carly Simon and Walter Cronkite and Spike Lee, all bragging on me. One person I don’t want to run into if I can help it is Lani Guinier. She’s up here at her folks’ place, talking on the phone to reporters. I still haven’t read that stuff she wrote, and I feel awful about it. Sort of the same with Carly, to tell you the honest truth: after “You’re So Vain” I just sort of blanked out on her, and that’s a lot of years ago now.
You know, if somebody would’ve said to me back during the Vietnam War that I’d be staying in the house of Lyndon Johnson’s secretary of defense, I’d have said they were crazy. (You did look pretty scary back then, with those rimless glasses.) I guess it just goes to show!
This is really my kind of place, Bob. Everybody wants to talk NAFTA and the politics of meaning. H. says to say hi. Time to go work the beach.
Yours, Bill
After a brief visit to Arkansas, the Clintons are finishing their vacation on the island, a resort so bristling with celebs the president can almost get lost in the crowd.
Katharine Graham Publishing magnate drew island A-list.
Vernon Jordan Top Dem sold Bill on the island.
Agricultural Fair Down-home carnival is on First Family’s must-do list.
August White House Robert McNamara donated his secluded cottage for a little presidential R&R.
