Bill Clinton: Funniest president ever?

Bill Clinton's jokes killed at the annual Gridiron Dinner in Washington. Here, his five best zingers (and his worst clunker)

Knock, knock. Who's there? Bill Clinton!
(Image credit: Corbis)

With Barack Obama tied up by the battle for health-care reform, former President Bill Clinton filled his spot at Washington's annual Gridiron Dinner last weekend. Speaking to an audience of politicians and journalists, Clinton poked fun at the GOP, Obama, and himself. Here, a selection of his best wisecracks:

On his schedule: "I have been waiting to stand in for President Obama for a long time — and since they turned me down for Dancing With the Stars, I had nothing better to do."

On his protégé, Rahm Emanuel: "I found Rahm. I created him. I made him what he is today. I am so sorry."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

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.

Sign up

On his economic record: "My only regret in creating 23 million new jobs is that 2 million of those jobs were for right-wing pundits."

On the final passage of health reform: "It may not happen in my lifetime — or Dick Cheney’s. But hopefully by Easter."

On Obama's method for getting the bill through: "I flew here from Cleveland. And I flew out of the Dennis Kucinich Airport."

... and his worst clunker ...

On speaking in Washington: "This feels like old times being here. Or maybe it's more like that movie Groundhog Day."

Sources: NY Mag, WSJ, Wash. Post

Continue reading for free

We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.

Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.