The Clinton tapes: late-night memories
But there’s little of Monica Lewinsky in this oral history based on private interviews at the White House
Former Russian president Boris Yeltsin was once discovered drunkenly stumbling around outside the White House in his underpants, attempting to flag down a taxi to take him to buy fast food, according to his host on that 1995 visit to Washington, former US President Bill Clinton. Clinton's sozzled Kremlin counterpart told the Secret Service agents who found him that he wanted to get some pizza. The following night the Russian, who was notorious for drunkenness during his nine years in office, almost caused an international incident when he was mistaken for an intruder in the basement of Blair House, the accommodation used for foreign dignitaries visiting DC. Yeltsin, who died in 2007 aged 76, struggled with alcoholism throughout his term as president, which ended in 1999. His condition was first noticed in 1989 when the Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported that he had been publicly drunk during a visit to the US. In 1994 he left the Taoiseach Albert Reynolds waiting on the runway at Dublin airport as he was too intoxicated to leave his official plane to acknowledge the Irish leader. A visit to Stockholm in 1997 ended in chaos after Yeltsin started talking gibberish having consumed a glass of champagne, reportedly telling his audience that Swedish meatballs reminded him of Bjorn Borg's face. And he was forced to pull out of the 1999 funeral for King Hussein of Jordan at short notice, an absence often ascribed to alcohol. Clinton spilled the beans about the former Russian president during a series of 79 late-night interviews he gave the American historian Taylor Branch between 1993 and 2001, the year he left office. Branch was an old friend, with whom Bill and Hillary Clinton had once shared an apartment when they ran George McGovern's 1972 presidential campaign in Texas. Clinton also passed unflattering judgment on the man who succeeded him, George W Bush, labeling him unqualified to be president. The recollections appear in a 700-page tome, The Clinton Tapes: Wrestling History, to be published next week in the US.
Readers who might assume no "oral history" of the Clinton years would be complete without Monica Lewinsky are likely be disappointed. Branch has admitted to feeling "squeamish" about bringing the subject up. And when he did, Clinton tended to give the boilerplate replies he was giving everyone else at the time.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
5 carefully selected cartoons about the Trump-Daniels jury selection process
Cartoons Artists take on a stress-free life, rare peers, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Loire Valley Lodges review: sleep, feast and revive in treetop luxury
The Week Recommends Forest hideaway offers chance to relax and reset in Michelin key-winning comfort
By Julia O'Driscoll, The Week UK Published
-
Myanmar: the Spring Revolution and the downfall of the generals
Talking Point An armed protest movement has swept across the country since the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi was overthrown in 2021
By The Week Staff Published
-
Barack Obama 'behind Starmer transformation'
Under The Radar The former US president urged Labour leader to 'talk more openly'
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Will Aukus pact survive a second Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question US, UK and Australia seek to expand 'game-changer' defence partnership ahead of Republican's possible return to White House
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
It's the economy, Sunak: has 'Rishession' halted Tory fightback?
Today's Big Question PM's pledge to deliver economic growth is 'in tatters' as stagnation and falling living standards threaten Tory election wipeout
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
John Podesta, the Democratic journeyman leading Biden's climate policy
Why Everyone's Talking About Podesta will replace John Kerry as the country's top climate adviser
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Will Donald Trump's family return to his side?
Today's Big Question Melania set to 'step up top-tier diplomatic appearances' but Ivanka is still keeping her distance from campaign
By The Week UK Published
-
Joe Biden's LNG pause: good policy or bad posturing?
Today's Big Question Critics from all sides attack the White House for freezing permits for some new liquified natural gas export terminals
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Why your local council may be going bust
The Explainer Across England, local councils are suffering from grave financial problems
By The Week UK Published
-
Rishi Sunak and the right-wing press: heading for divorce?
Talking Point The Telegraph launches 'assault' on PM just as many Tory MPs are contemplating losing their seats
By Keumars Afifi-Sabet, The Week UK Published