The Sound of Silence
Silence is deafening in the wake of Juanita Broaddrick's charges
By Justin Valente
Special to the Journal
MARCH 7 -- There are many things that I find curious about the way the country has dealt with the recent rape allegations made by Arkansas woman Juanita Broaddrick, against Bill Clinton. Broaddrick's charges have been common knowledge among media and political elite for some time. They have been discussed and written about on the Internet for over a year, but it is not until recently that anyone has heard her story. Since the airing of the NBC interview with Broaddrick, people have been saying (and not saying) some interesting things.
Let's start off with Iowa senator and presidential apologist Tom Harkin. On the surface, it now seems as if Mr. Harkin has had a slight change of heart, as he has noted in a recent statement. Yes, he claims that if word of the Broaddrick allegations had been out during the impeachment trial, this might have changed the outcome. Even he might have voted to remove the President under these circumstances.
Really, Mr. Harkin? I am more willing to Monica Lewinsky's testimony than I am to give this latest revelation one second of consideration. The man who blocked evidence, called the case 'a pile of dung', and served as the staunchest presidential defender now contends that his mind could have been changed! If you consider that this statement was made to an Iowa news service, it's easy to understand that Harkin expected to get away with this absurd claim. Fact is, ALL of the senators knew of the Broaddrick charge during the impeachment trial – they chose to ignore it because the vast majority of the public didn't know. My guess is that they were pretty confident it wouldn't ever hit the mainstream and Harkin forgot he was living in the world of the Internet, a world where one does not make a statement like this in a vacuum.
Where are the feminists? At this point, it appears a very difficult choice for them. While most claim that this is a serious, credible charge, they appear unsure what can be done about it. Stephanie Salter and Cynthia Alksne have jumped ship. Others, like Susan Estrich, are hanging on for dear life.
Don't forget the National Organization for Women. NOW has released a statement, declaring their support for Juanita Broaddrick. They have ''warned" the White House not to attack her, and decided that she is a 'credible' presidential accuser. Despite their support, it's important to understand what they have NOT said. After watching a recent Patricia Ireland appearance on MSNBC, I decided that they should rename NOW to the National Organization for Wafflers. There is no outcry - the only call for resignation was made by the Dulles chapter of NOW - not only for the resignation of William Jefferson Clinton, but also for Patricia Ireland herself. The feminists are not marching on Washington, they are not mobilizing. There are no 'I Believe Juanita' T-shirts in great quantity.
Where is the First Lady? Unlike the public support she gave to Anita Hill, Mrs.Clinton has remained silent, continuing her Senate charade in an attempt to change the subject. However, in a recent U.N. appearance, she made this startling statement: "It is, as the Secretary of State Madeline Albright often says, no longer acceptable to say the abuse and mistreatment of women is cultural, we must call it what it really is - it is criminal." Could this be an attempt to create a little distance from the President, or is it just business as usual? Only time will tell.
Finally, where is the media? At this point, no one should be surprised with the lack of media coverage. In the wake of the Broaddrick allegations, the major networks failed to mention the story on their evening newscasts - not even NBC - the network that aired the interview with Broaddrick! This lends support to the theory that NBC had no intention of airing the interview at all. To date, they have cut a 5-hour interview to 23 minutes and aired it 1 month late, after the President was safe from impeachment, opposite the Grammys. Their latest move was to restrict affiliates from showing ANY of the Broaddrick footage at all. If not for front page stories in the Wall Street Journal and Washington Post (not to mention the protesters, angry letters, emails, and faxes they received), detailing the Broaddrick allegations and NBC's spiking, the story may never have seen the light of day. The latest polls report that between 40 and 50% of the American People do not even KNOW that their president has been accused of rape!
Once again, the story is left to be told on the internet, by the 'new media'. Referred to by the big boys as 'tabloid journalism', it is fast becoming the only way to get the real story. With their ratings and respectability fading with each passing day, network news organizations continue to take shots at the credibility of the Internet and its new 'Citizen Journalists.' The candle of the mainstream media is starting to dim, making way for a fresh point of view, void of corporate ownership, political ties, or blatant liberal agendas. It is only in the age of Clinton that the President of the United States can be accused of rape and it NOT be a story - that is the real 'Fleecing of America.'
For the last year, we have listened to all sides voice their opinions on Monica Lewinsky. Her 20/20 interview drew Super Bowl style ratings, confirming the falsehood of the liberal mantra 'the American People are tired of all this' - tell that to ABC. One year later, a credible woman has brought forth serious allegations against Bill Clinton and the silence is deafening.***
©1999 Justin Valente and USA Journal Online. |
