Clinton takes up office in Harlem

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

NEW YORK, JULY 30. Residents of Harlem are throwing a three-hour block party to welcome the former President, Mr. Bill Clinton, into the neighbourhood. Mr. Clinton officially inaugurates his office in Harlem today after dropping plans to move into an expensive place in mid-town Manhattan that created an uproar a few months ago.

Mr. Clinton's new office will be on 125th street and the tab for the tax payers is in the neighbourhood of $300,000 annually. The tax payers would have had to fork out around $800,000 if Mr. Clinton had taken up the Manhattan office. Given that his popularity ratings remain high even after leaving office, Mr. Clinton will have no problem ``settling down'' in his office in Harlem. But small businesses in the area are worried that high rents may drive them out even while others hope that with high- profile people like Mr.Clinton moving in, the problems faced by residents and entrepreneurs will get more attention.

A media spokesperson for the former President has said that the subject of rent must be addressed by landlords and that Mr. Clinton ``felt that the people of Harlem should have the opportunity to have better jobs and more investment in their neighbourhood. And having his office here will continue that investment''. The main accent of community leaders in Harlem is to make sure that the ``character and flavour'' is maintained.

At 54, Mr. Clinton is seen as a young ex-President; His move to New York and setting up office in Harlem, have raised the question whether Mr. Clinton is interested in running for Mayor. But after occupying the world's most powerful office, Mr. Clinton may not be interested in any other elective office.

Mr. Clinton will continue to attract media attention for the simple reason that he will be in the public domain, campaigning and fund-raising for the Democratic Party.

The ex-President is also on the active domestic and international lecture circuit, besides taking a keen interest in social issues that are dear to him and the ones that he actively campaigned for and promoted during his eight years at the Oval Office.

After formally winding down the transition office in Washington D.C.last week, Mr. Clinton starts a new chapter that will be different from the controversies of his years in office.

If in office Mr. Clinton was hit by the Monica Lewinsky sex scandal for which he paid a heavy price, the former Democratic President was very much in the news even after stepping down on January 20. The rationale for his pardons was probed, including that for the fugitive financier, Mr. Mark Rich. The role of his brother, Mr. Roger Clinton, in the pardons also raised questions. And above all, there were allegations that members of the Clinton team resorted to ``vandalism'' while leaving their offices. The charges have now proven to be either widely exaggerated or completely wrong.

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Section  : International
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