The 'Lyin' King' Heads for a Maulin' in the Campaign Jungle
BILL Clinton sought to repair the massive damage he has inflicted on
his own party, by attending a Democratic fund-raising event
yesterday in New York.
But it backfired. Just three days after the
report from Kenneth Starr, the
independent counsel investigating
presidential abuses of power, depicted Mr
Clinton as a liar and reckless sexual
adventurer, the President attended a
Broadway performance of the Lion King,
and was immediately dubbed "the Lyin'
King" by critics.
The Democrats need the President's
money-raising skills, but his sexual exploits
and admitted deceptions have destroyed
the party's chances in congressional elections in November. Having
hoped only two months ago that they would win a majority in the
House of Representatives and trim the Republican lead in the
Senate, Democratic pollsters now predict a wipe-out.
All over America marginal constituencies are turning Republican.
Nationwide, the party enjoys a seven-point lead over the
Democrats, and forecasters suggest the Republicans could pick up
20 seats in the House and five in the Senate.
This would be the third defeat President Clinton has led his party to -
1994 was a Republican landslide and 1996 a more limited defeat -
and would underline the devastating impact he has had on the
Democrats since 1992. "This guy has cost the Democrats three
elections and now he's asking them to stand up for him," said a
Republican strategist, encapsulating Mr Clinton's dilemma as he
seeks support to avoid impeachment.
The Republicans, meanwhile, are congratulating themselves on not
overplaying their strong hand. Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the House
of Representatives, and Trent Lott, Republican leader in the Senate,
are not calling for Mr Clinton's resignation, and are thus avoiding
accusations that they are pre-empting Congress's duty to decide the
matter.
While the mainstream press, 89 per cent of whose reporters voted
Democrat in the 1996 election, appears to be trying to stir up a
"Clinton comeback" story, Republicans are determined not to let
either the East Coast opinion formers or the White House turn the
constitutional crisis into a partisan fight. Grover Norquist, a
conservative activist said: "We don't have to push the ball forward.
This ball is rolling downhill." Both parties agree that the constitutional
crisis is rolling inexorably toward an impeachment vote in the House.
Both sides, too, warn the President to stop splitting hairs, admit that
he lied under oath, and leave Congress to decide whether this
amounts to perjury or an impeachable offence.
During the Clinton presidency, Republicans have gained control of
Congress for the first time in half a century. The President's
self-inflicted wounds are equally clear at the local level, with 70 per
cent of the population, in 32 of the 50 states, now governed by
Republicans. It is comparable to the Tory wipe-out in council
elections during the Thatcher-Major years from 1979-97.
Stuart Rothenburg, a political analyst, wrote in his newsletter
recently: "We believe the President's problems tilt the playing field
toward the Republicans, particularly in conservative states." He and
others see the Democrats losing up to five Senate seats, which
would cut them to 40 out of 100 and end their power to defeat
legislation by talking about it until time runs out. This would reduce
them to mere observers rather than genuine participants in the
Senate.
Tom Daschle, the Democratic leader in the Senate, stands by Mr
Clinton only to the extent of not condemning him in advance of
congressional hearings. In private he is said to be "apoplectic" about
the defeat the President is inflicting on the party.
Both parties' pollsters point to another major problem for
Democrats. The Clinton scandals have so angered Republicans,
particularly conservatives, that they are determined to vote against
his party. Many Democrats, though, are so disgusted and
demoralised that they may not bother voting at all. Republican
turnout promises to be high, while Democrats stay at home. One
pollster said: "You could put an armed guard round the polling
booths and Republicans would come with their guns to cast a protest
vote against Clinton." |
