The Tragedy (Bill Clinton)

President Bill Clinton was visiting an elementary school and he visited
one of the classes. They were in the middle of a discussion related to
words and their meanings.

The teacher asked the President if he would like to lead the class in the
discussion of the word "tragedy." So our illustrious leader asks the class
for an example of a "tragedy."

One little boy stands up and offers, "If my best friend, who lives next
door, was playing in the street and a car came along and ran over him,
that would be a tragedy."  

"No," says Clinton, "that would be an accident."

A little girl raises her hand. "If a school bus carrying 50 children
drove off a cliff, killing everyone involved, that would be a tragedy." 

"I'm afraid not," explains Mr. President. "That's what we would call a
great loss."

The room goes silent. No other children volunteer. President Clinton
searches the room. "Isn't there someone here who can give me an example of
a tragedy?"

Finally, way in the back of the room, a small boy raises his hand. In a
quiet voice he says, "If Air Force One, carrying Mr. & Mrs. Clinton, was
struck by a missile and blown to smithereens, that would be a tragedy."
"Fantastic," exclaims Clinton, "that's right. And can you tell me WHY that
would be a tragedy?"

"Well," says the boy, "because it wouldn't be an accident, and it
certainly would be no great loss."