I'm about to highlight something positive about Bill Clinton.

It seems that he found himself stuck at the airport in Bangor, Maine, as a pair of planes bringing soldiers home from Iraq arrived at the airport for refuelling.

Guess what happened next.

Former President Bill Clinton surprised U.S. troops arriving from Iraq when a refueling stop for his private plane at the Bangor International Airport coincided with the arrival of two flights carrying soldiers.

Clinton was returning Monday night from Paris where he had met with French President Jacques Chirac to discuss plans for his charitable organization, the Clinton Foundation.

Clinton's departure was delayed by a problem with his aircraft, allowing him to join a line of local troop greeters who meet each plane carrying soldiers returning from overseas or leaving for duty.

"Thank you for your service," Clinton said as he shook hands and hugged many of the soldiers. He autographed hats, cards and other items.

And the response of the returning heroes.

The soldiers, about 600 of them, were returning to bases in Oklahoma, Texas and Georgia. Their two chartered aircraft had landed for fuel.

"This is great," Staff Sgt. Anthony Thompson of New York City told the Bangor Daily News.

I agree. Clinton could have simply ignored what was going on, hidden out in a VIP lounge, and no one would have been the wiser. But he didn't do that.

Instead, he did stuff like this.

Clinton had some fun when Army Spc. Joshua Ruschenberg used a cell phone provided by troop greeters to call his sister-in-law, Shancy Garrison, in North Carolina. He handed over the phone to the former commander in chief.

"Hi, Shancy, it's Bill Clinton," the former president said into the phone.

Its something little, but it is sthe type of thing that has always left me with an ambiguous feeling for Bill Clinton, no doubt akin to what many liberals felt about Ronald Reagan.

I think Bill Clinton was a mediocre president, in large part due to his character flaws. But for all the things he did which I found repulsive -- including a certain relationship which needs no discussion here -- I believe there is a core of good in the man. And it is when he does things like this -- or gets involved in charity work, that I find myself developing a grudging respect for him.

Thank you, President Clinton, for having the kindness and decency to greet these soldiers on our behalf. I salute you for it.