The health of a democratic society depends upon the maintenance of certain values, generally summarized under the notion of common decency. Values are maintained by being taught, of course, both by maxim and example, but they are also maintained by having heroic instances celebrated, and censuring egregious moral failures.
That is why Clinton is so offensive. He is a walking, talking attack on the culture. To have a man with so little regard for truth and decency in the highest magistracy in the land is an inherent offense. The very fact that his problems are widely recognized, and nevertheless made an occasion for indulgent twittering, is evidence of cultural decadence. That is why it was necessary to pursue the matter of Monica, once revealed. There is no perjury exemption for a sex- related case, otherwise we might as well throw out divorce and harassment cases. Clinton had to be impeached. The judgment about removal was closer, but he had to be impeached, in order to demonstrate that we were taking seriously, as a society, the obligation of the president to uphold the law, and therefore not letting anyone off the hook.
On the very day that Clinton was impeached, half of the Democratic caucus in the House went over to the White House for a rally of support. At that rally, Al Gore called Clinton the Best President of All. Even making allowances for the delicate position he was in as Vice- president, there was no need to go so far. By doing so, Gore firmly placed himself in the camp of those willing to trivialize the oath of office and the needs of the court.
The only way, at this point, that we can purge the nation of the disgrace of the Clinton administration, and reaffirm the honor of the office of the presidency, is to vote for Bush........... |
