The Cellar - View Single Post - Would this be mainstream American thought?

vsp · 05-10-2002, 04:08 PM

Well...

I don't excuse Clinton's antics under oath, or point them out as proper behavior patterns. The same goes for the adultery issue -- it would be nice to have a President who acts in an admirable fashion. While I view him as an improvement over the guy in there now, I wouldn't put Clinton up on a pedestal as a model President by any stretch of the imagination.

But when I look at recent Presidential history:

* Nixon's maze of dirty politics, tapes (missing and otherwise), and impeachable offenses,

* the mirth and merriment of the Reagan-Bush years -- Iran-Contra, multiple underlings convicted of perjury and worse, conveniently-timed pardons designed to keep Bush off the stand, and Dubya's clampdown on Presidential records of that time period just as they were about to become publically available (gee, could some things in those have embarrassed or threatened Daddy's good name?),

* the current administration's extreme reluctance to let Congress or the public in on much of anything they're doing, much less the important details;

I feel less concerned about Clinton perjuring himself while testifying about what he did or did not do with his winkie. The behavior was wrong, the act of perjury was wrong, but I'm slightly more comfortable with that context. Clinton did plenty of other things more worthy of scorn, IMHO.

My other reason for not flogging Clinton over that incident is because, being the cynic that I am, I sort of EXPECT perjury from those in a court of law. The old joke about "a trial is a competition to determine which of two lawyers is the better liar" comes to mind.

05-10-2002, 04:08 PM	#19
vsp Syndrome of a Down Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: West Chester Posts: 1,367	Well... I don't excuse Clinton's antics under oath, or point them out as proper behavior patterns. The same goes for the adultery issue -- it would be nice to have a President who acts in an admirable fashion. While I view him as an improvement over the guy in there now, I wouldn't put Clinton up on a pedestal as a model President by any stretch of the imagination. But when I look at recent Presidential history: * Nixon's maze of dirty politics, tapes (missing and otherwise), and impeachable offenses, * the mirth and merriment of the Reagan-Bush years -- Iran-Contra, multiple underlings convicted of perjury and worse, conveniently-timed pardons designed to keep Bush off the stand, and Dubya's clampdown on Presidential records of that time period just as they were about to become publically available (gee, could some things in those have embarrassed or threatened Daddy's good name?), * the current administration's extreme reluctance to let Congress or the public in on much of anything they're doing, much less the important details; I feel less concerned about Clinton perjuring himself while testifying about what he did or did not do with his winkie. The behavior was wrong, the act of perjury was wrong, but I'm slightly more comfortable with that context. Clinton did plenty of other things more worthy of scorn, IMHO. My other reason for not flogging Clinton over that incident is because, being the cynic that I am, I sort of EXPECT perjury from those in a court of law. The old joke about "a trial is a competition to determine which of two lawyers is the better liar" comes to mind.