An even trade!

So we get our two journalists from Al Gore's network back, but what does North Korea get?

They aren't sending them back out of the kindness of their hearts, and Bill set up deals with them in the past that they disregarded their obligations on...

Nice work. Miss no opportunity to allude to Bill Clinton's sexual appetites.

He did this one for free. Meeting Bill Clinton was at the top of Kim Jong Il's Make-a-Wish list.

They get to show "we're still relevant" photos to their countrymen in newspapers, and brag about all the (non existent) things they talked us into giving up. It's all for domestic consumption.

There's one other victor: the American public, which gets to watch impotent neocons like John Bolton get all shouty on TV upon realizing that, once again, Bill Clinton got something done.

They aren't sending them back out of the kindness of their hearts.

They got a picture of a former US president standing with the Dear Leader on his home turf begging to let a couple of journalists go. That's worth it's wright in gold to the regime. They ALWAYS make people come to them. Always. In their eyes just having Clinton there was a huge win. We should have sent SOS Clinton instead. This is a very bad precedent.

We should have sent SOS Clinton instead. This is a very bad precedent.

It's not a precedent at all--Jimmy Carter visited in 1994.

I would submit there's a big difference from both a political and PR standpoint between Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. Carter's visit was humanitarian and paved the way for Western aid to enter the country. Clinton's was purely political.

I would submit there's a big difference from both a political and PR standpoint between Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. Carter's visit was humanitarian and paved the way for Western aid to enter the country. Clinton's was purely political.

You couldn't have it more wrong. Clinton went to help free two people and so far as is known engaged in no "negotiations." Thus if a mission were to be described as "humanitarian" it was that one. Carter went to negotiate -- following talking points cleared with Robert Gallucci, assistant of secretary of state for political-military affairs -- terms under which the DPRK would allow International Atomic Energy Agency monitoring of the unloading of irradiated fuel rods from the reactor at Yongbyon.

I doubt Billy was anything but a front man. Obama's crew negotiated the release and they sent Bill to make it look good.

North Korea wanted to get rid of them. They can't afford 2 more mouths to feed.

This is a little like that time Jesse Jackson got our downed pilot back from the Middle East. Sometimes you just have to put your politics aside and say, "Good work."

I also picture Bill and the 2 women in a hot tub at the 4 Seasons right now.

Some may say this is an unfair caricature of Bill Clinton, but I have personally witnessed this man hitting on banquet waitresses. He can't help it.

The man is such a hound dog, I'm surprised he didn't end up on the menu over there.

I hear North Koreans are really good at cleaning blue dresses...

I bet all he had to do was go watch an opera. Not quite so harsh as Vogon poetry, but still that would take some fortitude. :-)

I had a mild panic attack thinking the hound dog joke perpetuated a stereotype. I don't want to be a part of that, so I want to protest the blue dress laundry stereotype joke that followed.

It has to be based on facts and the fact is the government of North Korea has a campaign this summer to promote eating dog meat. They say it's very healthy to eat dog in the summer heat.

Whew, that was close and it does explain their new canned product, "Rin Tin Tin in a Tin."

Maybe I'll just stick to the North Korea - police state jokes.

"Vogan poetry"...*snickers*

Bill probably gave Kim a copy of his book "How to pick up ugly girls"

I'll never forget the time Clinton hit on a friends good looking wife at a fundraiser/campaign speech here in Portland. He asked her to come to his after-event party back at the hotel. She couldn't believe it, but still voted for the guy.

Maybe if these "intended to be funny" were actually funny, I'd have a different outlook. But in reality, they are all dumb.

What's funny about this? Our former president did a wonderful thing. I'm thrilled that these two women are coming home. Especially in light of the fact that one of them has a young child.

Grow up. And get over the fact that you were loser's in high school. Obviously, you're still pissed.

Actually dog meat is usually eaten during winter months due to its "yang" energy.

What's with the stupid comments on here? I thought Jacks Blog usually attracted reasonable and thoughtful commentary. Bottom line is he (Clinton) managed to negotiate the release of the two American women. That's a good thing right?

Elaine and Canucken-

Yeah, it's probably a good thing. Certainly good for the women involved. However, it might also have been good for the NK government. (I don't know exactly what they thought they got out of the deal, but they got something they wanted. Respect? Attention? An autograph?) It is not entirely clear if giving NK anything they want is a good strategic choice. [shrug] It's therefore somewhat worrying, even as I'm glad our folks are headed home.

As for the rest, Bill C is funny. Sometimes even on purpose! :-p

Among other relatively small gifts, Bill Clinton delivered an autographed LeBron James basketball to NK diplomats.

Well, I guess he didn't want to take Al Gore in trade for the two women.

Now we get to hold our breaths for the next trick Mr Kim wants to pull to get some TV time.

Bill was also guest judge on "North Korea's Got Talent"

Bill hadn't yet had the chance to enjoy the company of a North Korean woman so he got to check something off his bucket list on the trip.

"Grow up."

Elaine - that's what many of us who voted for Bill C have been asking him to do for years.

What NK got out of this was the mighty United States to come begging. And it worked.

I wouldnt be surprised if there were some behind door promises about ignoring nuclear shipments as well.

What NK got out of this was the mighty United States to come begging.

I don't know, it's not as sad as the time Ronald Reagan sent guns to Iran to get hostages released. So Bill Clinton went to North Korea. Big deal. It may give Kim Jong Il a jolt of rubbing shoulders with world leaders, but in the grand scheme of things it doesn't mean all that much. Ooooh, we talked to them! BFD.

Frankly, I'm surprised (well, not really) at the reaction of the Republicans, because if Clinton had gone to NK and they'd kept him there, the Republicans would probably be doing cartwheels.

it's not as sad as the time Ronald Reagan sent guns to Iran to get hostages released. So Bill Clinton went to North Korea

Like I said, I would not be surprised if there was some kind of negotiation regarding delivery of nuclear materials to NK.

'lil Kim doesnt give things away for free.

Jon: "Kim doesnt give things away for free."

May well be. However, if the theory in my opera link above is true (in all seriousness, read it) then the visit and photo op alone might have been price enough. It seems bizarre, but the theory actually does fit the facts as we know them pretty well...

I would not be surprised if there was some kind of negotiation regarding delivery of nuclear materials to NK.

Well, then, you would be insane. What, you think Clinton hand-carried a batch of plutonium to North Korea, putting relationships with Russia, China, South Korea, and Japan at risk to get two people free? Or promised anything of the sort? That's certifiably crazy talk. Even John Bolton's not that crazy.

I was thinking more along the lines of looking the other way when it comes to North Korean ships that may have nuclear material in the future.

I was thinking more along the lines of looking the other way when it comes to North Korean ships that may have nuclear material in the future.

I know you were, but that's still ridiculous. It would have the same effect on our relationships with other countries in the region -- some of our major trading partners and holders of the liens on America -- who have far more to worry about from North Korea's nuclear capabilities and their effect on the balance of power than the US does.

The kind of people who worry about the Obama administration dealing openly with North Koreans are the same kind of folks (and in some cases, the same folks) who were hard-core against talking to Communist China right up to the point when Nixon went there, and then it was all right. Thinking that Clinton's giving NK the go-ahead for nuclear importation is like thinking that Clinton's a communist. Sure, there are people who believe it, but not anyone with any sense.