As much as many hoped it would be (including Bill Clinton), Monday's developments are most definitely not the end of this sad and sordid chapter in the Clinton Presidency. If anything they are yet more examples of why this chapter cannot yet come to a close. In his address to the nation Monday night, Clinton said among other things, "Our country has been distracted by this matter for too long, and I take my responsibility for my part in all of this. That is all I can do. Now it is time -- in fact, it is past time -- to move on. I ask you to turn away from the spectacle of the past seven months." In effect what we heard was Bill Clinton declaring (or hoping to declare) the proceedings against him finished and done. Such a declaration is not only premature but it is based on the half-baked, deceptive language that has characterized not only Clinton's presidency but also his life.
Clinton was deftly attempting to bring the people onto his side in a crusade against the Devil (read Ken Starr). Within his words were the notion that he and the American people have been the victims of an out-of-control prosecutor in these last months. In fact in Clinton's reality, he bears little or no responsibility for this "spectacle." But whose fault have these last seven months been? A prosecutor who has investigated a legitimate claim of perjury and obstruction of justice? Or a president and his administration who have stonewalled and stalled so as to lengthen this ordeal? Only President Clinton and his handlers can be deemed responsible. Anytime in these last seven months the ordeal could have been brought closer to an end by Clinton telling the truth. Instead his endgame became one of stalling, playing things out until there was no other card to be played. And finally when this card was played we find him telling half-truths.
Now that Clinton has admitted that he had sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky (dumbed down into the language of "a relationship ... that was not appropriate") his problems (and ours) are not finished as he attempted to argue Monday night. All (and the sad case is that they are many) who paint this in terms of a vindictive prosecutor delving into Clinton's private life have simply missed the boat. Even in light of Clinton's legalistic answers it becomes harder to deny (even though Clinton attempted to by saying he "did not volunteer information") that the President of the United States likely lied under oath. This is not some petty and insignificant offense. What we are talking about is whether or not the President is above the law. If in fact Clinton did lie under oath, by following his tact and putting it behind us, we are in effect rendering the judgment that the president is above the law. This sets a dangerous and treacherous precedent. Instead of letting Clinton try to talk away from these serious charges which also include the very probable obstruction of justice charges we must wait things out and see what Starr reports and what the Congress does with his report.
The most interesting aspect of all of this, however, may be how we react. If we fall into Clinton's corner, we would be declaring that lying, cheating, obstructing justice do not matter as long as economic indicators are solid. In doing so we would be declaring that moral leadership is nothing but an added benefit when we are so lucky as to have it. In this view the means are justified by a good end. Bill Clinton in lying was attempting to focus on the true business of the country and this absolves him of anything reprehensible that he did. But by allowing morally contemptible men and women to rule, are we not deeming ourselves morally contemptible as well? And here I do not mean people who commit adultery. I mean men and women whose concept of right and wrong is so skewed that it justifies lying and obstructing justice because of embarrassment and so-called "concerns" about those who are investigating them.
By allowing Clinton to slide through again, by simply swallowing the King of Spin's explanation, we would not only be allowing the President to be above the law but also be showing ourselves to be as morally contemptible as the man who perpetrated such things in the first place, President Bill Clinton.
