Quote:
Originally Posted by shakran
I didn't support Clinton during the Lewinsky scandal - although I must say that was a rather silly thing to go after him on. So he cheated on his wife? So the hell what? That's between him and his wife. Frankly, I'd have supported him much more if, in answer to the "did you sleep with Lewinsky" question he'd quoted LBJ and told his interrogators it was "none of your goddamn business".
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I agreed with much of what you wrote, but this point caught my attention as something that should be addressed. Clinton's affair with Lewinsky was not just between him and his wife--it is that, but so much more is riding on it than that. Clinton was in a spot to be blackmailed, and would do anything to keep himself out of hot water. How do I know that? Go back to Gennifer Flowers getting a job in state goverment after becoming his girlfriend. Add to that what Paula Jones said about her getting work, and how Vernon Jordan was trying to get Lewinsky a job in New York. He also threw a bunch of supporters under the bus, including his own wife. He was a desparate man, and was taking desparate measures.
Now, suppose instead of talking to a patriot in Linda Tripp, Monica's buddy was in tight with the ChiComs or the Russians. Word gets to Clinton what they know and what they want to keep it secret. Then what?
I know, there's some supposition there, but it's only to illustrate the point that the private lives of the President (and many others in national security positions) is not merely a matter between him and his family and his God. A guy putting himself in the position to be bribed or blackmailed puts a lot more folks at risk. One red herring in the whole defense of Clinton was "it's a private sexual matter." The background was sex, but it could have been corruption of another sort, and the result would be the same. (Another, not germane to our discussion, but I just thought of it, was that a removal from office would be like undoing the election of 1996--it would do nothing of the sort, since Dole wouldn't be taking office, Gore would.)
Bottomline: Character DOES count, and America had better never forget it.