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@@@ Now it can be told: Bill Clinton was a secret adviser to George W. Bush.鈥淗e used to call me twice a year in his second term, just to talk,鈥?the 42nd president disclosed Monday, with the 43rd president at his side. The two would talk 鈥渟omewhere between 30 and 45 minutes, for several years,鈥?Clinton continued. 鈥?... Never talked about it in public. We talked about everything in the wide world. He asked my opinion.鈥漈he prevailing opinion expressed by the two men at their joint appearance at the Newseum was that they really like each other. These representatives of America鈥檚 rival political dynasties spent years blaming each other鈥檚 leadership for the nation鈥檚 ills, but now they have come together to profess mutual, and long-standing, admiration.Josh Bolten, the former Bush White House chief of staff who moderated the event, instructed each to say what he liked about the other鈥檚 leadership.Clinton, up first, went on at characteristic length about Bush鈥檚 partnership with Ted Kennedy, his knack for being underestimated and his courageous determination to do 鈥渨hat he thought was right鈥?regardless of the politics. Clinton said he 鈥渓earned a lot鈥?from Bush and watched his 鈥渃larity and decisiveness with great admiration.鈥?He even defended Bush for his famous assertion that he doesn鈥檛 鈥渄o nuance.鈥滱fter three and a half minutes, it was Bush鈥檚 turn. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot to admire about Bill Clinton,鈥?<a href=http://www.symbiose.ca/images/christianlouboutin.gwij.php>Christian Louboutin Outlet</a> he began. 鈥淚 think, first of all, he鈥檚 an awesome communicator.鈥?Bush tried to stretch his answer out (鈥淵ou, too, have got great empathy. ... You, too, made tough decisions.鈥? but ran out of steam after about 90 seconds. 鈥淎nd so, um, yeah 鈥?is that enough?鈥?he asked. 鈥淭hat was a lot shorter than your answer.鈥濃€淵ou don鈥檛 do nuance,鈥?Clinton reminded him.The two men were true to type: Clinton was meandering, while Bush鈥檚 answers were simple. (Asked to comment on Lyndon Johnson, Bush remarked that 鈥渉e <a href=http://www.avanttravel.com/michaelkorssonline.php> michael kors handbags</a> was a big guy.鈥? But the old foes seemed to be enjoying their banter. 鈥淕eorge鈥?and 鈥淏ill,鈥?as they called each other, wore matching blue ties and crossed their legs in identical fashion, shared manly handshakes and occasionally put a hand on each other鈥檚 arm as they performed their routine.鈥淲e were laughing about going to restaurants and having to spend our time taking selfies with people,鈥?Clinton told the audience.鈥淎t least they are still asking,鈥?Bush quipped.Bush spoke of the time the two men were asked at an earlier appearance together about 鈥渁nother Clinton-Bush matchup. My answer was the first one didn鈥檛 turn out too good.鈥漈he kibitzing was interrupted at one point by a melodic ringtone from Clinton鈥檚 cellphone. 鈥淚 hope I鈥檓 not being told I鈥檓 about to become a premature grandfather,鈥?Clinton said, silencing the ring.鈥淭hat would make national news,鈥?observed Bush, who later offered his former rival some grandfathering advice.The two men are on opposite sides of most issues, and though they have worked together on Haiti, their relationship, at least in public, hasn鈥檛 been as close as Clinton鈥檚 has been with Bush鈥檚 father. But at the Newseum, the two men demonstrated their solidarity on matters of great priority 鈥?such as promoting Bush鈥檚 forthcoming book on his father, the 41st president.鈥淚 thought you were going to promote my book,鈥?Bush told the moderator, then did the work himself. 鈥?... This book I鈥檓 writing 鈥?marketing, now 鈥?which I think will be out November 11th, it鈥檚 a love story.鈥滳linton, joining the telethon, volunteered that he was 鈥渙ne of the non-right-wingers鈥?who read George W.鈥檚 memoir. 鈥淚t was a heck of a book.鈥漈he event was to launch a joint leadership-development program by the presidential centers of Clinton, LBJ and both Bushes. Clinton said the 鈥減residential leadership scholars鈥?program would be, in part, about rebuilding 鈥渢he skill that we are beginning to see atrophy in America, which is listening to people who disagree with us.鈥?Clinton said he would like to get people talking about the need to compromise. 鈥淚f you read the Constitution, it ought to be <a href=http://capstone.edu.sg/images/gucciusaonlineoutlet.php>gucci outlet</a> subtitled 鈥楲et鈥檚 Make a Deal,鈥?鈥?he said.Restoring the role of compromise is a big task 鈥?but perhaps not impossible, if these old warriors have become as friendly as they claim. 鈥淚 admire my pal鈥檚 ability to communicate and to lead,鈥?affirmed Bush.鈥淚 will say one thing nice about my friend here,鈥?Clinton returned, then amended his statement. 鈥淚 will say more than one thing.鈥滱nd he did.Copyright the Washington Post