Hitchens vs Bill Clinton on BBC Late Show debate 1992

Another Chris Hitchens special commentary where once again sparks fly in a debate just after Bill Clinton won the 1992 presidential election

[@TommyGlint]

It is absurd to hear one of the feminists whine about ‘women being 2nd class citizens in the US’, while Hitchens is desperately trying to get them to recognize the Flowers case. They really were so deadset on moving on from Reagan and Bush Sr., that they didn’t want to consider what they were getting instead.

[@Big_DT]

Sounds like a familiar story.

[@wmr5143]

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@jeanettesteed3326]

What a guy. His command of the English language, is fantastic, and his knowledge is also unsurpassed. I loved him and am so sorry he died so young.

[@martinidry6300]

Unsurpassed. You'd have to have read everything, like Palin said she did, to make such an idiotic statement. You don't know your arse from your elbow.

[@polymathicheretic5068]

Lmao that blonde mop-top called Hitch bashing Hillary as women-bashing and ignored Gennifer Flowers, absolute comedic material, awesomely woke and relevant!

[@wmr5143]

this is an example of why class politics is more important than identity politics

[@TheMahayanist]

Except that class politics cannot be divorced from identity politics.

[@rickmacdonald5575]

@TheMahayanist It should be as much as possible.

[@Paremata]

Amazing that Hitchens summed up the Clintons so early on.

[@rickmacdonald5575]

These idiot feminists defending her, what jokes they made of themselves.

[@reggipher]

I found this while tripping... I nearly had a panic attack when it cut to the studio.

[@MegaSeth22]

lol

[@neighbourmusic]

Rofl yeah what a dogs breakfast of a set

[@festivitycat]

That Main Street/Sesame Street analogy definitely sounded better when Landesman was rehearsing it in his head in the green room beforehand.

[@cheriepeden6384]

Listening to this makes me feel better that I'm a bogan Australian. I"ve never heard so much malarkey.

[@bobs3354]

As an American raised in “flyover country” I sympathize with your opinion.

[@joemckibben7757]

It’s hilarious listening to these huckleberries heaping praise on the Clintons.

[@mervinprone]

This is like Christmas, another clip of Hitchens I’ve never seen!!! Thought I’d seen them all at this point.

[@harryantino]

12:23 dear god, what an excruciating experience this must’ve been for Hitch. A room full of people who think Clinton was a feminist, Hillary was a moral figure and thought Al Gore was virtuous.

[@rfarrr2817]

And they actually believed it.

[@leew1598]

They also manage to overlook the fact lots of US women voted for Bush in 1988 and 1992, I guess they don't count when they talk about women though......These types just tend to want loads of funding for arty farty stuff. It's true Bush wasn't an intellectual and probably just liked dinning out and playing golf but they also overlook the fact that cinema flourished during Republican control, from 1980-1992 loads of brilliant movies came out, why isn't that culture?

[@thomaschacko6320]

Hitchens was not used to hearing other people talk; his impatience with the notion of “listening” was palpable. Furthermore, he seemed to think that his focus on Bill Clinton’s personal life was more appealing when spewed with a British accent. Old Chris’s obsession grew later on with the Lewinsky affair and his ass-kissing of that prick, Kenneth Starr, to the point of vomiting his suppositions into a book! His concern for Gennifer Flowers is touching - and almost comical! He swallows the notion that she “loved” Clinton over a twelve-year period (right off the front page of The National Enquirer). A scenario even she couldn’t prove! But old Hitch, in his zeal to discredit the Clintons, would latch onto any juicy-sounding tidbit - credibility be damned!

[@harryantino]

@@thomaschacko6320 fascinating have you not read up on Clinton at all? You knew he was a perv and an adulterer. Enough for most people to not be friends with someone. But throw in the dozen rape allegations he’s never explicitly denied and the fact he was best friends with Jeffrey Epstein for all of the 90s and most of the 2000s and let’s not even get going on the DNC Primary rigging in 2016. Of course if you did know all this then you’d be going out on limb for this mafioso for what reason exactly? What reason in the 2023rd of our Lord to still be defending that creep?

[@JacksonHoulihan]

@@rfarrr2817, now people believe that shit about trump and have turned him into their jesus. 🤦‍♂️

[@kevdaag2523]

Interesting to hear them all. They thought the USA was already unfixably polarized in 1992.

[@shinzontheta]

It wasn't a horribly unrealistic take given that this was really the start of the cultivation of the nastier ends of politics....Gingrich and the like was really the first go round of what became MAGA.

[@pereriklff6563]

​@shinzontheta I watched some debate when Gingrich was speaker vs someone more interesting (I would never watch something to hear Gingrich, if you understand) And actually he had real arguments, nothing I agree on I think, but they were still "hinged" (as opposed to unhinged). Your probably right regarding the start of magaism, however electing a movie star is up Maga allay too. I could be wrong regarding timing. My statements should be read more like questions/beliefs, I would like to be corrected if I am wrong. I have a goal to learn something new every day! 😊 So I am not trying to "win" any discussion, I hope someone can learn something regarding my knowledge of Israel/Palestine (which I do know alot about, but ofcourse also open to learn more) and to learn more regarding how a law based party, became a cult with a felon which also is found liable for rape and defaming the victim with the biggest megaphone in the world! It is for me amazing in a terrifying way. I live in EU (Netherland) but am from Norway (which is part of the economic part in EU, but not the political part (like sharing natural sources, which is kinda a big deal for Norwegians.. (oil and fish..) However there is sn election regarding EU parlament, and right wing (basically s nice word for Nazis) will probably get alot of power and along with Orban and Hungary, I see dark times coming. So much hate! My point is listening to a debate with Gingrich from this time compared to the division today, they still was in the same reality, as opposed today. One side having "alternative facts" which may be the strangest synonym for a lie ever made. A fact is a fact. It can't be a different fact. A fact is "there is 3 apple on a table". You can not claim "1 cherry on a chair" describe the same thing. Btw, Gingrich was a part of the teaparty movement or do I miss the timing? Because if it is so the stuff I saw might have been a one off thing. The "debate" (just 2-3 word change) I am not sure but it might been regarding to Israel, and I actually think he was supporting a 2 state solution (or might argued against it). I am not sure of that at all. I just know I didn't agree with his arguments but they were arguments, not like today, a gospel with no solutions or plans (I heard Trumps health plan will be presented in 2 weeks! 😂) (Regarding Israel,where Bush almost had the Israeli discuss, because he threathened stopping economic (millitary) and not atleast POLITICAL support in UN etc, a 2 state solution (when Gaza and West Bank was atleast double or triple the size as today) (I might be wrong about Gingrich, but Bushs Israel discussion and the threath I know Hitchins described as the best chance ever to "fix" the Palestine problem (IF the pressure on Israel had continued). However they elected Clinton and then no more lean on Israel and the negotiations broke down and no president since has made demand vs Israel before Biden barely stop some stupidly big bombs, which probably is a crime to use in so dense population as in Gaza.. I wonder what Hitch would thought of the presidential candidates in 2016, as I am 100% sure he would not be Maga. But then again, he was not Hillary biggest fan when she got the Secretary of State (?) position , as he used to point out her only experience regarding foreign policies was s fabricated story about her being shot at in Ex joguslavia...

[@legalmonkey]

Thank you for uploading these videos. Please continue. It's really appreciated. 🙂

[@lostintransmission3024]

you're welcome! I'd like to upload more regularly if possible - there is still plenty of material I need to transfer from my old video tape collection!

[@legalmonkey]

@@lostintransmission3024 That sounds laborious. How many video tapes do you have lying around? I think what you're doing is really wonderful. An insight into another time. 👍🙂

[@lostintransmission3024]

@@legalmonkey from the 90s maybe 75-100. many will just be mainstream films etc

[@DarkSaint411]

Hitchens was ahead of his time in figuring out the Clintons

[@incredibleXMan]

"You said women wouldn't survive Bush". Great comeback. Different generation, same shit.

[@billjameson1254]

You can tell the women HAAAAATE him. He would be shouted down endlessly by modern day WokeScolds

[@incredibleXMan]

The blonde one he triggers is very objectionable.

[@coreyc1685]

I don't think they would've been successful in shouting him down. Neither would those engaging in right wing victim culture, insisting everything they dislike is 'woke'. He would've hated them as much.

[@Rafabenitez01]

Miss S. Hite - seriously?

[@tallshort1849]

Well her comments on Clinton aged well!

[@edwardmulholland7912]

This is hilarious in hindsight.

[@jimmythegreek2472]

how true comrade

[@bobobandy9382]

Wait until you hear that he endorsed both John Edwards and Rudy Giuliani. Oooof.

[@TheTokkin]

90s political conversation was such fucking drivel

[@ChesaFreakBoyzFishingVideos]

what is it today then? Surely it hasn't changed for the better.

[@hazeshi6779]

Of course not

[@PeterFlanagan0987]

It’s fair amusing hearing them say america was so polarised in 1992.

[@CosmicValkyrie]

Maybe the cracks were already there. Now they're chasms.

[@boxer12350]

It really is. Man, politics is nothing if not redundant

[@mangasky7]

Brilliant; more please. Would love to hear the radio debate Hitch did with Germaine Greer again.

[@jhassett2]

they would be on the same side now..which is my side....but we live in the world they created....

[@deepzepp4176]

@@jhassett2 Very true. And very honest of you.

[@LWylie]

How do six people talk for 15 minutes about almost nothing. The 90s must have been very comfortable.

[@hazeshi6779]

It's worse today

[@elizabethanderson2968]

The more his surrounding circle hisses and sneers, the better Hitch gets lol ... he made the rest of them look knee-deep by cutting through the TV spin and glossy, personal opinions with some bitter truths, as per! RIP ... much missed

[@harryantino]

9:09 oh Bill had a different outlook towards marriage alright 😂😂

[@glasgowgrad6277]

@10:34 - Hitchens on point. Again.

[@baranpourtahmaseb-sasi1421]

Whatever that instrument was playing the outro made me second guess the concept of "artistic interpretation"

[@samroe4294]

I have good news for Hitchens about Hilary

[@alihill4659]

Was Christopher ever on any other BBC late night TV shows, perhaps Newsnight or This Week?

[@lostintransmission3024]

Quite likely but I haven't found anything else yet - I know around 96 he was a main guest on Clive James late night talk show.

[@pwhite1960]

If you haven't seen it he was on Question Time , the guests included his brother Peter and Boris Johnson .

[@mediolanumhibernicus3353]

@@pwhite1960yes, it’s brilliant. He destroys Shirley Williams on Salman Rushdie

[@11Kralle]

He was on several BBC features as social and culture-commentator in 1980(81?) - there were at least three uploads on KZbin in which he appeared for about 7min each. The channel is called "Legal Monkey (Liam)"

[@thesubhumancomedy]

If you're a freak but initially behaves kind of normal, you are invited. You are invited too, mr Hitchens.

[@tango-bravo]

The woman in green has great hair

[@lsobrien]

God, most of that line-up was just insufferable. The BBC hasn't improved since.

[@jeanettesteed3326]

What sort of line up would you have wanted?

[@leew1598]

It's funny, Hitchens starts out by trashing Bush, but then by the end turns fire on Clinton too.

[@lsobrien]

@@leew1598 It's because both Clinton and Bush are both awful.

[@lsobrien]

@@jeanettesteed3326 People who are not so goddamned naive. The trick to being a worthwhile social critic is understanding the culture industry is an unmitigated and unparalleled machine for producing s**t. (This includes mainstream politics.) You need to be above it, while being able to navigate it. Hitchens was someone who could, as was his mentor Gore Vidal. Most of these panelists, as almost all today, are people who buy wholesale into superficiality. They've forgotten their role, and they're not even entertaining doing it.

[@tobetrayafriend]

My word, that feminist is a buzzkill...and boring beyond measure

[@samsca8529]

It’s crazy that the moderator genuinely asked if the reason women voters chose Clinton was because he was attractive and no one called her out on it. To claim that Hitchens was the sexist one while letting that comment hang in the air is insane to me

[@navillus15]

As an Englishman, I really think it’s silly to dismiss America for having no culture. Pop Art, Hollywood and its twentieth century literature is titanic in its influence and quality.

[@captur69]

That was Clinton playing them out...

[@walterpay341]

O what a gem

[@damienholden2132]

He tells the truth person ly he's hard to listen too his big PlummY voice ❤

[@edmund184]

The Late Show cost the BBC £4 million per annum. Gary Lineker costs the BBC £1.4 million per annum.

[@edmund184]

Decide for yourselves which was the better value.

[@MrDannyWright]

Dear lord you people are obsessed with Lineker.

[@edmund184]

@@MrDannyWright mmmmm. Why should that guy get over a million pounds for sitting in a chair talking about football?

[@MrDannyWright]

@@edmund184 I'm not saying he should, but he's had the biggest job in UK football media for 24 years so I can see why his wage has inflated. If they didn't pay him that money, Sky certainly would.

[@09rja]

Kind of prophetic at 11:56.

[@leew1598]

They all manage to overlook the fact lots of US women voted for Bush in 1988 and 1992, I guess they don't count when they talk about women though......These types just tend to want loads of funding for arty farty stuff. It's true Bush wasn't an intellectual and probably just liked dinning out and playing golf but they also overlook the fact that cinema flourished during Republican control, from 1980-1992 loads of brilliant movies came out, why isn't that culture?

[@Sheerin777]

At about 8.50 "the Whitehouse is not going to produce more orgasms, communications, and cuddles"... how wrong he was.

[@hyeary1]

Hitchens was correct.

[@ldfox11]

The only problem with Bill Clinton's pot smoking, is his stupid statement, "I didn't inhale". He should of just admitted it, yes I smoked pot in college. But this was just another tail tail sign of his slithering traits as a scoundrel. I didn't agree with Hitchens on religion, but he was a great man, I miss him.

[@metalguy098]

Ross Perot should have won in 1992. It's a damn shame that he didn't.

[@zingingcutie8421]

Christopher doesn't come off great here I have to say.

[@redbear4027]

By and large women are not logical enough to run a household. I've dated quite a few women about one-in-ten has fiscal responsibility. And even that one was on psych meds and had to go to a shrink every week.

[@JK-nb3gy]

That's more a reflection of you than the state of women.

[@redbear4027]

@@JK-nb3gy chameleons ,I guess you're one of them. My guess is you're a woman and you're trying to shame me but you didn't really construct an argument. What's your claim to fame? Women are horrible communicators, let's see if you can construct a few paragraphs to explain yourself...

[@jymmydkid5633]

@@JK-nb3gy Couldn't be dissolution of being a woman by today's society could it? I hope you do not plan on joining a female sports team. 😂 That's not too say men haven't suffered similar fates. They have.

[@hazeshi6779]

Exactly so

[@jupitermoongauge4055]

That feminist bird is gorgeous