The American public is strikingly divided on whether the allegations against President Clinton should make any difference in his role as our country's leader. Some believe that if the allegations are true he is not qualified to be our leader and should resign. Others believe that the president's personal life and whether he lied about it should not matter as long as he is doing a good job managing the policy and operations of our government.
A poll conducted this week by the New York Times and CBS News found that Clinton's approval ratings have never been higher. Sixty-three percent of the public approve of the way the president is handling foreign policy, compared with 51 percent just a month earlier. Sixty-eight percent approve of the way he is handling the economy, compared with 62 percent a month earlier.
At the same time, 42 percent of respondents said they believe that Clinton probably had an affair with Monica Lewinsky, and only 20 percent believe he did not. Thirty-two percent said they think the president encouraged her to lie under oath, and only 25 percent think he did not.
Perhaps most interesting, the respondents were almost evenly divided about the appropriate consequences of any affair and obstruction of justice. Forty-seven percent said that the matter should be dropped, or he should admit it, apologize and carry on in his job. Forty-eight percent said that he should resign, or Congress should begin impeachment proceedings.
Forget Bill Clinton for a moment. What does this divide tell us about ourselves and our nation? The presidency is, after all, more than a manager of U.S. Inc. He is also a public symbol of our nation's values. Do we care about whether these values include moral convictions? If we don't, then we should heed those who say, "Get off his back and let him do his job." If we do, then we should at least care about whether he lied under oath, whether he tried to manipulate a court proceeding by encouraging a witness to lie and whether he has lied to us, regardless of whether we think that the president's sexual behavior is relevant to his job.
I believe moral issues matter. I teach my children that I will be more upset if they tell me a lie than if they tell me the truth about something they have done wrong. I believe truthfulness is a virtue that is important for a good society. I also understand that moral standards are not absolute. Should someone lie to save a life? Perhaps so.
But those who say that moral issues do not matter undermine our communities and our society. Could I live with a President who said, "Yes, I made a mistake. I lied and had an affair"? Putting legal questions aside, yes, I could live with that. At least he would demonstrate to the rest of us that morals and ethics matter in public leadership.
What do you think? Do morals and ethics matter, or should the stock market be the sole measure of leadership?
