A funny thing happened on the way to the West Wing

Clinton's gag video shows comic side of presidency

May 1, 2000
Web posted at: 1:34 p.m. EDT (1734 GMT)

WASHINGTON -- Just what is U.S. President Bill Clinton doing in the lame-duck days of his presidency, now that he's "yesterday's news"?

According to a video, the president has been washing the presidential limousine, beating Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Hugh Shelton in a game of Battleship, answering the White House phones, bicycling through the corridors and looking extremely forlorn as he walks the empty halls and finds no one in any of the White House offices.

Clinton poked fun at himself and his final days in office in the gag video, which was the highlight of Saturday evening's annual White House Correspondents' Dinner.

"I think his legacy is going to be the natural environment, improving the green spaces of our country," Vice President Al Gore said on the video -- with Clinton in the background mowing the lawn and cutting bushes at the White House.

	VIDEO
President Clinton laughs at himself in this video screened at the White House correspondents' annual dinner. Windows Media 28K 80K

Where else could you see NBC's Tim Russert turning down a one-on-one interview with Clinton, ABC's Sam Donaldson calling the president "yesterday's news," and the chief executive addressing a news conference with one sleeping reporter in the audience -- UPI veteran White House Correspondent Helen Thomas.

Some 2,600 people attending the black-tie event enjoyed the video and heard Clinton get even with journalists and politicians.

"I have showed up here for eight straight years. Looking back, that was probably a mistake," he said. "In just eight years I've given you enough material for 20 years."

Clinton also took the opportunity to have some fun with political friends and foes alike.

Referring to Arizona Sen. John McCain possibly becoming Texas Gov. George W. Bush 's running mate on the GOP presidential ticket, Clinton said: "Hasn't the man suffered enough?" a reference to McCain's years as a POW during the Vietnam War.

The president also offered several photographs that he said he couldn't believe -- "It's a photo of the vice president applauding one of my policy initiatives."

Clinton also jabbed Republicans and the independent counsel's office.

"Over the past few months I've lost 10 pounds. Where did they go? Why did I not produce them to the independent counsel? How did some of them manage to wind up on Tim Russert?" Clinton asked.

Comedian Jay Leno, who hosted the event, was nostalgic about Clinton's presidential tenure.

"Believe me, there is no one sadder than I am that you're leaving," he said, adding that his Clinton jokes had brought him fame, a car and a house.

Clinton quickly shot back.

"No matter how mean he is to me, I just love this guy because together, together, we give hope to gray-haired chunky baby boomers everywhere," said the president.

Among the journalists, politicians and celebrities attending the event were former Democratic presidential candidate Bill Bradley, actors Kevin Spacey, Alec Baldwin, Sharon Stone and John Cusack, film director Spike Lee, model Christie Brinkley and the cast of NBC's "West Wing " which, along with White House Press Secretary Joe Lockhart, produced the gag tape.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

The White House

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