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As usual, Clinton looked for ways to build bridges to an ally with whom he finds little in common besides fate. Both men have a talent for speechmaking and a natural presence on television. And both came of age in America in the wake of John F. Kennedy's assassination. When he was 14, Netanyahu moved with his family to Pennsylvania, where his father taught college. Clinton's staff came up with a thoughtful gift for the Prime Minister, a copy, complete with the author's signature, of John F. Kennedy's Profiles in Courage.
But U.S. officials didn't want to take the comparison too far. The problem, noted an American involved in the talks, is that "only one of them is visionary." And he didn't mean Netanyahu.
Neither leader tried very hard to hide his differences when they met with reporters in the regal East Room. At one point during the press conference, as Clinton was claiming "pretty good results" in getting the Palestinians to comply with their obligations in the Middle East peace process, Netanyahu conspicuously rolled his eyes. Later, as the Prime Minister forcefully advanced the case for a hard line with Syria, Clinton stood a half step back from his podium and locked a gaze on Netanyahu. To experienced Clinton body linguists, it was a look of grudging admiration and recognition, one media-savvy politician acknowledging the skills of another.
When it was over and the two leaders turned to walk away down the red carpet, Clinton reached out and put his arm around Netanyahu. It was an instinctive gesture for the President, an effort to convey warmth amid a general chill. Awkwardly, Netanyahu reciprocated.
--With reporting by Dean Fischer/Washington and Jamil Hamad and Eric Silver/Jerusalem