New York, August 24, 2006 – EXCLUSIVE - Oy vey, what a day Bill Clinton had today! The former president stopped at a Manhattan Barnes & Noble to support Rahm Emanuel and Bruce Reed, authors of the book “The Plan: Big Ideas for America”. Clinton introduced the pair, participated in a short discussion, and then headed backstage when the book signing began. A moment later, there was a loud crash, and the pipes and drapes surrounding the podium came tumbling down right on Mr. Clinton. There was a stunned silence, and then he stepped gingerly out of the fabric patch, and exclaimed, “It wasn’t me!”

Uninjured in the mishap, he headed for the escalator to the store’s first floor, where, to the chagrin of his posse of Secret Service agents, the book-loving ex-president couldn’t resist browsing. Clinton chose some soft covers, including “Salonica, City of Ghosts: Christians, Muslims and Jews 1430-1950” by Mark Mazower, and “Born to Kvetch: Yiddish Language and Culture in All Its Moods” by Michael Wex (which made him laugh out loud when he looked at it), and handed them, along with some cash, to an assistant to purchase.

As he made his way out, Clinton turned on the charisma and greeted awestruck shoppers, and applause broke out in the store as he stepped through the door, where his car was waiting across the street.

Outside, as he shook a cab driver’s hand, a photographer, miffed due to Clinton’s less-than-generous photo op back inside the bookstore, uttered a profanity that stopped the president in his tracks. Ever the politician, Clinton immediately commandeered a passing tour group, told them, “I’m going to put you in the paper tomorrow”, and posed for the disgruntled cameraman.