Good riddance! But....
Ray Deal Frees Clinton to Lead Party
Republicans who say they're delighted with the "no prosecution" deal Independent Counsel Robert Ray cut with ex-President Bill Clinton may soon be eating their words.
The GOP thinks the Ray-Clinton bargain rids them of their primary political tormentor. But equally delighted Democrats are telling reporters that Ray's clean bill of health gives Clinton the fresh start he needs to lead the charge against the Bush White House and the Republican Congress for years to come.
"Mr. Clinton's loyalists expressed satisfaction (with the Ray deal) as well," reported Saturday's New York Times. "They also said this would allow Mr. Clinton to emerge as a leader of the Democrats who is no longer encumbered by scandal."
"Thank God this is over," said New York's senior Senator, Democrat Charles Schumer. "(Clinton is) a power in Democratic politics because of his energy and brains and knowledge. So he would be a power no matter what. But this removes any cloud."
Though Republicans seem to have forgotten, that scandal cloud is probably the only reason why Bush, and not Vice President Al Gore, is taking the oath of office today.
Political experts say that with peace and prosperity on Gore's side during the campaign, the one thing that cost him the White House was his boss' reputation -- stained as it was by Sexgate and a whole host of other ethical and criminal lapses.
Add to that the view of most liberal historians, who claim that Clinton would have been one of the great presidents of the 20th Century but for the small matter of the Lewinsky unpleasantness.
But thanks to Robert Ray, that's all Whitewater under the bridge now. Democrats are already looking forward to welcoming Clinton back as the leader of their party. And with his political redemption, Republicans may have lost their most effective strategic weapon against the politically revitalized team of Clinton and Clinton.
Despite her repeated denials, newly crowned Sen. Hillary Clinton is expected to seek the White House herself in 2004. With a star-struck media and Clinton fund-raiser extraordinaire Terry McCauliffe in control of the party apparatus, the Democratic presidential nomination is likely hers for the asking.
Still, despite the prospect of facing the Democrats' Clinton dream team, Republican insiders are praising prosecutor Ray for his political acumen. Somehow they concluded that a post-presidential Clinton indictment would have actually helped New York's junior senator and her party.
"Ray is one of the most politically minded people in the prosecutorial ranks," one Bush advisor told the Times. "He's a total political animal. He obviously understood that this (deal) would be good for Bush." |
