Long talked about--sometimes dreamt of--mostly scuttle-butted--could this, at last, becoming true? See report from The Times, http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-535263,00.html --Orson
I quote the Times: "The former president, 56, has said that he spent two of the happiest years of his life while a Rhodes scholar at University College" The man is truly amazing, no wonder the Americans elected him president! I can hardly achieve a minute and a half without inhaling! Roy Maybery
If it will get him out of the US and away from the talk-show circuit for awhile, I'm all for it. Bruce
Kim Campbell, a short term prime minister of Canada flunked out of Oxford too, but she couldn't win an election for dog catcher.
If he agrees to renounce his U.S. citizenship-- and take the junior senator from New York with him-- I'll pay his moving expenses and buy him a beer on the other side.
Doubts raised in The Sunday Telegraph... Dr Jeremy Catto, the Senior Dean of Oriel College and a fellow in medieval history, said: "Having Clinton as Chancellor wouldn't exactly add to the dignity of the office. Given his past record, I shouldn't think for a moment that the university's women students will be safe." Mark Almond, a fellow of Oriel College and a lecturer in 20th-century history, added that Mr Clinton would face "endless allegations of sexual scandal"."There's bound to be trouble," Mr Almond added. "We need a woman chancellor, not a womanising chancellor. "People say he will be a good fundraiser but from whom? Probably from all those rich people he pardoned when he left office. Also, he is quite young, so we're going to be stuck with him for 30 years. He's a man who gets into scrapes. Who knows what collateral damage he could inflict?" Female academics also admitted that choosing Mr Clinton would send out a "dubious" moral message. Dr Laurie Maguire, an English fellow of Magdalen College who specialises in feminist criticism, said: "He has made an appalling error of judgment which I found an abuse of power, regardless of how willing Monica Lewinsky was. I don't think people in influential positions like that should have relationships with vulnerable young interns. As a moral figurehead, representing a university full of young people, I find it dubious." Other objections to Mr Clinton include his patchy academic record - he went to Oxford as a Rhodes scholar in 1968 but failed to complete his degree - and his extensive commitments in America. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/01/12/noxf12.xml&sSheet=/news/2003/01/12/ixhome.html
I quote the Daily Telegraph (Torygraph: ) "has become the favourite to take over the chancellorship ahead of Baroness Williams, one of the founders of the SDP, Lord Heseltine, the former Deputy Prime Minister, and Chris Patten, the EU Commissioner for External Relations. " Clinnton's competitors seem to be a very mediocre and uninspiring bunch. Lord Roy Jenkins the previous channcellor was also a founder of the SDP (Social Democratic Party.) Baroness Williams was seen as hving betrayed the labour party. Lord Heseltine and Chris Patten were in Mrs Thatcher's cabinate. Mrs Thatcher was universally unpopular at Oxford. She cut their funding. She was not given an honourary doctorate from Oxford (unlike most other ex-prime ministers.) Roy Maybery
Baroness Shirley Williams I'm not an Oxford graduate but all (other than the tabloids!) the 'posh' newspapers here in the UK are tending to put their bets on Baroness Shirley Williams - Prof at Harvard, former Minister of Education, set up the SDP party with Jenkins and knows what she is talking about, knows 'all the right people' globally, is well respected here, graduated from Oxford herself, and even at her advanced years 'can hold her own' in debate on television. I'd vote for her if I could vote! She is also a very approachable person and really is 'concerned' about matters in general. 'telfax'
It's very refreshing to see Clinton taken to task in the print media, albeit a UK paper. I was especially heartened to see the comments of Dr. Laurie Maguire. Even though Clinton has treated women like sex toys and leased property, the feminists here in the U.S. never once came out against him, yet another case of appalling hypocrisy from the left. Good for Dr. Maguire to see through his B.S. (and I don't mean Bachelor of Science). Surely, one of the most prestigious universities in the world can find someone better than Slick Willie to be their Chancellor. Bruce
Oh, you mean the Yale & Harvard educated, bilingual, jet-fighter pilot? Go back and re-read the comments from the Oxford faculty. They put it better than I ever could. Bruce
Re: Baroness Shirley Williams Am I the only person here who will actually be able to vote in this election? Malcolm S Jenner
When Pierre Trudeau announced his resignation a TV announcer said "I'll believe it when I see a wooden stake driven through his heart on a crossroads at midnight." Jean Chretien may be stupid, corrupt and embarrassingly senile but he seems to keep getting elected. Ticks me off.
