The Clinton Legacy

Mike Brown, a photographer for Memphis's Commercial Appeal, snapped a shot of a bizarre protest in which two people were covered in stage blood and wrapped in cellophane à la grocery-store meat. Brown wrote this droll caption:

Ashley Byrne, a Washington, D.C.-based campaign coordinator with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), talks with Memphis police officers during a recent demonstration outside City Hall that coincided with World Vegetarian Week. When officers inquired about the well-being of intern Shawn Herbold (bottom) and volunteer Thomas Olsen, a sweat-soaked Herbold replied that she was in pain and feeling nauseated from the heat after being wrapped in cellophane for 30 minutes, and also asked how much longer she needed to stay there. Byrne let her know it wouldn't be much longer and left her under the hot afternoon sun for 30 minutes more while debating with the officers. PETA would never treat a cow that way, but I guess it's OK for an intern.

What Brown fails to note is that it was a certain past president who set the precedent for treating interns like pieces of meat.