From today's "Inside the Beltway" column washtimes.com Some of these are priceless.
Bubba?
President Clinton yesterday held his first news conference since independent counsel Kenneth W. Starr delivered his report charging him with lying under oath and obstructing justice.
That said, this column yesterday invited readers to become White House correspondents for a day, posing questions they've been dying for Mr. Clinton to answer. Here then are just a few of the hundreds of questions received thus far:
Mr. President, whenever you make a statement in the future, are you being "legally accurate" or are you telling the truth?
Sir, Michael Ricke, of Taarnaasen, Norway. In light of the many scandals, record indictments and convictions of people within your administration, the admitted lying to the American people and moral and ethical lapses from you, Mr. President, on down, how do you evaluate your goal of establishing the most ethical administration in history?
Sir, in 1974 you stated that if a president lied to the American people, that warranted grounds for impeachment. In 1998, what has changed your mind other than the fact that this situation involves yourself?
Mr. President, Todd Giles, of Palo Alto, Calif. Do you hold your misleading grand jury testimony, which you have admitted lacked forthrightness and honesty, as a model that 20,000 Americans should follow when they are asked to testify under oath in America's courtrooms on this very day, and on every new day in our nation's future?
Sir, do you feel that there is no problem with sexual contact in the workplace, on university campuses, or in the military, as long as the participants are two consenting adults?
Mr. President, what would your reaction be if your daughter Chelsea were to have a similar experience with the CEO of whatever company or organization she works for upon finishing college? And if the CEO, upon being discovered, gave a weak admission, half-apology, and confession to a group of ministers, would a return to business-as-usual be enough to satisfy you and Mrs. Clinton that the matter was properly handled?
Mr. President, since as we have been told time and again this all has to do with your "private life," why are taxpayer dollars paying for the White House counsel to be involved in your defense?
Mr. President, Peggy Burleson of South Carolina. If what you admitted doing with Ms. Lewinsky was private, why didn't you take her to your own private bedroom?
Mr. President, do you feel abandoned by Vice President Al Gore? And if not, what has he told you regarding your situation and the good of the country?
Sir, the semen stain indicates that you did not use a condom. Do you practice safe sex with women other than your wife?
Mr. President, was it worth it?
Mr. President, Scott Bonifield here. You claim that your testimony under oath has always been "legally accurate." During the Paula Jones deposition, your attorney, Bob Bennett asked you if Monica Lewinsky's affidavit was truthful, and you emphatically replied, "Yes, it certainly is." She has since admitted it was false. Please explain how your answer was "legally accurate"?
Sir, T. McKnight of Richmond. Approximately two weeks ago, an article appeared in the Richmond Times-Dispatch about a young man who was being fined and sentenced for spraying graffiti on the walls of a building. As a side note, it said the judge was considering charging him with perjury for lying in his grand jury testimony. What is worse: lying during a multimillion lawsuit, or breaking a law of this nature? Which should carry the sterner penalty?
Mr. President, Mike Reeder is my name. Why should we believe a single word you just said?
Mr. President, you were elected by the smallest percentage of voters. You promised the most ethical administration, smaller government, end of gridlock. Now, six years later, your administration has been the most unethical and the most corrupt. Your elections may have even been illegally funded. My question is, "Will there ever be a time we can honestly believe anything you say?"
Sir, Mike Beeler here. Since your recent scandal, will you continue to use the statement, "We must do this for our children?" Or do you feel you have lost the moral credibility to use our children as a promotional tool?
Sir, 20 years from now, what besides this scandal do you think you will be most remembered for? As a follow-up, besides Watergate, what do you think the average American remembers about Richard Nixon?
Ladies and gentleman, presidential Press Secretary Michael McCurry's replacement here. Unfortunately, we have time for just one more question.
Mr. President, Rod of Miami. Have you selected the trailer park you will be moving into next year? |
