| First, Watergate is not just the break- in, but the whole array of dirty tricks, laundered money, and cover-up that went on. Second, the embarrassment is not primarily in the Congressional reaction, but in the ease with which members of the Administration were recruited into these activities, including a former attorney general and the White House chief of staff. Third, Nixon pretty clearly participated in the cover-up, if nothing else. Fourth, a sex scandal is, in fact, not equal to trying to subvert an election, unless Bill had seduced a twelve year old, or something like that. Fifth, despite the disgusting display of solidarity on the day that the bill of impeachment was voted on, fully half of the Democratic Congressional Caucus refused to show up at the White House. Sixth, with public support for impeachment so low, it made sense that some Senators should consider that the political fallout from conviction was not worth it. Impeachment is political, not juridical, and things like public sentiment matter........ |
