Bill Clinton Happy for Lil Wayne's Prison Release

Finally, the 42nd President of the United States has weighed in on Lil Wayne's impending release from Rikers. Bill Clinton called into Pittsburgh's 96.1 Kiss Morning Freak show yesterday, and the first question, naturally, was about the incarcerated rap star. The McRib also gets a mention! Of course the lamestream radio hosts at 96.1 apparently didn't have the guts to press Clinton on any real issues, like Charlie Sheen's recent meltdown, or whether Bubba's going to see Pee Wee's Playhouse on Broadway. But that's typical. Listen in and check out the official transcript below:

CLINTON: I tell you what I think about that. I know this is kind of a funny question for you to ask me. But I think—you know, my daughter introduced me to rap and hip hop music after I said some things she thought were not very smart. She said, "Dad, you need to listen, all these people are smart." This guy's smart. And he's got abilities. And he's got a new chance now. And what I hope is that this is not just something to brand him as a cool guy, but that it'll never happen again to him.

You know, I think a lot of these people, they don't get successful in that—just like in any other area of life—by being really dumb. They're really smart. But a lot of them had tough lives and they almost think it's cool to get in trouble every now and then, or they don't know how to stay out. But what I hope will happen is that he has a good life now.

HOST: We get the McRib sandwich and Lil' Wayne all in one week, and the election!

CLINTON: Yeah, that'll be pretty good for people that like both!

[via Gawker]

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By John Del Signore in News on November 3, 2010 12:11 PM

Comments [rss]

sublicon

From this we can deduce, Clinton doesn't like the McRib sandwich.

militza

it's more of a holding facility while you are waiting for trial.

jaycjay

Parts of it are that, but it also does house convicts, generally those convicted of lesser crimes and with sentences of less than a year. Like Lil Wayne.

Wza

...and waiting, and waiting, and waiting...

jaycjay

"Happy for Lil Wayne's Prison Release"

"Lil Wayne's impending release from Rikers."

There is no prison on Rikers Island, just ten city jail facilities. But clicking on that Lil Wayne link I see that Gothamist pretty consistently, and erroneously, refers to it as a prison.

Kojak

I never knew that at all, but hell, if your going to put together all the jails on one Island in the middle of the sea, you might as well just call the entire Island a Jail.

jaycjay

Sure, people often do and it's not really inaccurate to do so. Technically it's ten different facilities, so it's probably more accurate to call it a "jail complex".

But it's not a prison.

Guest

I'm sure when you're behind bars, the terms "jail" and "prison" are one and the same.

jaycjay

Hardly, if only because being in jail means you won't be locked up for more than a year and neither will the people locked up with you. And so your chances of encountering a violent felon are slim, because if they are in jail it's only before they have been convicted. After that, they'll be in prison.