OT: So, partisan hacks Ed Meese and Dick Thornberg disagree that Ken Starr is a partisan hack. I wouldn't comment on the others without seeing the full article, rather than some selective quotes.
I also wouldn't want to defend Clinton on these matters, he messed up. But I think there's some merit in exploring the context he messed up in. Ken Starr had some involvement in the Paula Jones suit, along with a collection of other partisan hacks and right-wing foundations. One thing I would agree with:
Judge Griffin Bell, AG under President Carter:
"My interest in the matter is the rule of law. It's the basis of all business and national life. It's one of the hallmarks of this nation. We are all ruled by it."
"We have a new thing in the United States when we start trying the prosecutor. And we are deciding by polls whether a prosecutor can go forward with his investigation. We'll soon let off the privileged or anybody who can run a spin machine."
Of course, the Rule of Law has to be respected by the prosecutor also. Like, with respect to "secret" grand jury proceedings.
And a little bit of on topic comment- I find it interesting that you seem to approve of the Rule of Law, and prosecutorial discretion, in this particular context, but in another context . . .
(quoting Beared One) My guess is that, as in criminal law, the number one question a prosecutor asks when deciding whether or not to pursue a case is: Is there a clear victim and is anyone complaining?
Ha ha! It's "How many headlines will it get and how will it help my (or my superiors') political aspirations." Don't forget that at the state level Attorney General is an elected position and at the federal level it's a job held by an appointed political hack. (from Message 5690590, post 10580)
Oh my. Is a political hack somehow different than a partisan hack? Is someone appointed by a judge under direction of Jessie Helms and Lauch Faircloth somehow better than someone appointed by the President? In the local context, who's running the premier spin machine? "Microsoft must be free to intimidate, er, imitate, I mean, integrate, that is, innovate! Yeah, innovate, that's it, and we must be free to keep others from doing that too, in an innovative fashion of course." The hobgoblin is howling in my small mind again.
Cheers, Dan. |
