November 12, 2007--"I DID Have Sex With . . . "
What if, nine years ago, Bill Clinton had said:
“On a number of occasions, in the White House, I did have oral sex with Monica Lewinsky. Of the many stupid things I’ve done, this was by far the stupidest. I told my wife and daughter about it. They are furious with me. I tried to apologize to them, and I hope one day they will come to forgive me.
“I know you’ve heard rumors about this. They are substantially true. I will now spend as much time as you like answering all your questions. I’ve cleared my calendar for the next two hours so ask me everything that’s on your mind about this. I won’t leave until you run out of questions. I promise to answer them candidly while attempting to protect Monica Lewinsky’s privacy. What happened was all my fault. I took advantage of her and for that too I am asking forgiveness though I know I do not deserve it.”
What if, just yesterday, in Iowa, Hillary Clinton had said:
“I just learned that a member of my campaign staff got a student from Grinnell College to ‘plant’ a question at one of my press conferences. I consider this to be as reprehensible as FEMA doing a version of the same thing a few weeks ago. Actually, what I did, because I am responsible for what my staff does, is worse. It is a subversion of the democratic process and I will not tolerate it. As a result, that aide has been fired.”
We know what President Clinton said. Here’s what Hillary actually said about the planted question:
“It was news to me; and neither I nor my campaign approve of that, and it will certainly not be tolerated.” (See NY Times article linked below.)
If they had dealt with these situations more or less as I suggested, rather than lying and equivocating, wouldn’t both have been versions of one-day stories? OK, in Monica’s case, one-week, because it was so irresistible to the tabloid-minded press, comedians, and public. Instead, we’re still talking about Bill Clinton’s BJs and will continue through this week to talk about how the planted questions and especially the way she dealt with the situation exemplify the perception (the reality?) that Hillary will say or do anything to get elected.
I can’t understand how the Clintons and pretty much all the other candidates can’t figure out that the public would be electrified if they just told the truth. How much better, for example, would Barack Obama have done yesterday on Meet the Press if, when questioned about why he takes PAC money while criticizing the influence of fat-cat donors to political campaigns, what if he had simply said:
“On this subject I do talk out of both sides of my mouth. And I am disappointed in myself for doing so. But until we can change the system, and I plan to make it a priority when I’m president, there’s no way anyone other than a billionaire can run for national office without accepting money from these sources. But I repeat—I confess to being inconsistent about this, some would not unfairly claim even hypocritical, and I will do all in my power to change this rotten system.”
I suspect that any candidate who behaved this way would be a shoe-in to win the nomination.
“On a number of occasions, in the White House, I did have oral sex with Monica Lewinsky. Of the many stupid things I’ve done, this was by far the stupidest. I told my wife and daughter about it. They are furious with me. I tried to apologize to them, and I hope one day they will come to forgive me.
“I know you’ve heard rumors about this. They are substantially true. I will now spend as much time as you like answering all your questions. I’ve cleared my calendar for the next two hours so ask me everything that’s on your mind about this. I won’t leave until you run out of questions. I promise to answer them candidly while attempting to protect Monica Lewinsky’s privacy. What happened was all my fault. I took advantage of her and for that too I am asking forgiveness though I know I do not deserve it.”
What if, just yesterday, in Iowa, Hillary Clinton had said:
“I just learned that a member of my campaign staff got a student from Grinnell College to ‘plant’ a question at one of my press conferences. I consider this to be as reprehensible as FEMA doing a version of the same thing a few weeks ago. Actually, what I did, because I am responsible for what my staff does, is worse. It is a subversion of the democratic process and I will not tolerate it. As a result, that aide has been fired.”
We know what President Clinton said. Here’s what Hillary actually said about the planted question:
“It was news to me; and neither I nor my campaign approve of that, and it will certainly not be tolerated.” (See NY Times article linked below.)
If they had dealt with these situations more or less as I suggested, rather than lying and equivocating, wouldn’t both have been versions of one-day stories? OK, in Monica’s case, one-week, because it was so irresistible to the tabloid-minded press, comedians, and public. Instead, we’re still talking about Bill Clinton’s BJs and will continue through this week to talk about how the planted questions and especially the way she dealt with the situation exemplify the perception (the reality?) that Hillary will say or do anything to get elected.
I can’t understand how the Clintons and pretty much all the other candidates can’t figure out that the public would be electrified if they just told the truth. How much better, for example, would Barack Obama have done yesterday on Meet the Press if, when questioned about why he takes PAC money while criticizing the influence of fat-cat donors to political campaigns, what if he had simply said:
“On this subject I do talk out of both sides of my mouth. And I am disappointed in myself for doing so. But until we can change the system, and I plan to make it a priority when I’m president, there’s no way anyone other than a billionaire can run for national office without accepting money from these sources. But I repeat—I confess to being inconsistent about this, some would not unfairly claim even hypocritical, and I will do all in my power to change this rotten system.”
I suspect that any candidate who behaved this way would be a shoe-in to win the nomination.
posted by Steven Zwerling at
11:48 AM
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