Lieberman — Clinton
Cal Thomas, September 1998, after Lieberman made a speech decrying Clinton’s actions as “immoral”. 24 Years after Barry Goldwater led a delegation of Republicans to the White House to tell Richard Nixon his time in office had expired, Mr. Lieberman may soon find himself in a similar position, walking “the last mile” to inform President Clinton of the ultimate in political capitol punishment. […]
Soundings from the White House indicate Mr. Clinton will reach into his familiar trick bag and may try to pick a fight with congressional Republicans again over self-described efforts to “protect our children” and shut down the government. It won’t work this time, not only because we’ve seen this tired act before, but because the Ken Starr report is about to land on Capitol Hill with an impact that will send shock waves throughout the nation. There are reports circulating in Washington of imminent disclosures about affairs the president might have had with other young women under his authority.
Despite his reluctantly offered apologies, Mr. Clinton is damaged goods, and increasing numbers of Democrats know it. The only instinct natural to all politicians is survival, and Democrats see themselves an endangered political species this fall, perhaps losing between 15 and 30 and seats in the House and enough in the Senate to give Republicans a veto-proof majority of 60.
No kidding, the Washington Times even laid out a scenario under the headline “Draft Lieberman!” where the new President Gore will have to pick Lieberman as his new vice presidnet, the only pick sure to get past the newly fortified Republican Senate, and because of — you know — that Buddhist Fundraising Scandal, Lieberamn will get to run in 2000! Praise be to Allah!
The irony of the idea of “Clinton reach[i ng] into his familiar trick bag” “try[ing] to pick a fight with congressional Republicans” is that, for the sake of making sure this does not happen, the Congressional Republicans basically rubber-stamped Clinton’s omnibus budget bill so as to run the 1998 midterm elections on Impeachment. Revisionist history in conservative journals has it that the Republicans succumbing to Clinton’s budget cost them that election. Either way, it kind of puts a damper in the idea of Newt Gingrich as “Idea Man” and pretty well confirms Clinton as master of Political Jujitsu.
From the New Republic of the time, 11-4-1998: And why did Lieberman speak when he knew that the Republicans would exploit his words? “The president wasn’t dealing with this openly,” Lieberman says. “Among Democrats, nobody was talking about it, and, worst of all, nobody was saying anything directly to him. My feeling was that, unless the president and Democrats spoke of these things openly, the situation could only get worse. If the president would speak of this openly, he might be able to rebuild enough trust to finish his term.” On this point Lieberman appears vindicated. Clinton has confessed his errors and expressed penitence; polls show most Americans are giving him a break. Perhaps Clinton would have switched to the contrition strategy without a push from Lieberman. Still, the fact remains that White House humility commenced in the days after Lieberman’s speech.
I think the mass of public opinion wanted little more from Clinton that something that looked like an apology… just something for a ritual cleansing, reminscent of a mother demanding a petulant child to “say it like you mean it.” Thus harping of Clinton’s first comment, and applause for Clinton’s “I have sinned” comment. I, ever the contrarian, was disappointed with the second and happy with the first. Perhaps Lieberman helped facilitate this political advantageous item with his speech, perhaps not.
Lieberman spoke against the president just before the Starr report was delivered to the Hill–a time when the Democratic leadership was pressing party members to echo the White House line or, if they could not, simply to say nothing, avoiding throwing oil on the fire. Instead, Lieberman tossed on napalm. After Lieberman’s speech, two other Democrats, Daniel Patrick Moynihan of New York and Bob Kerrey of Nebraska, rose to second him; most Democrats winced. His remarks were then praised by Republicans, as Lieberman knew they would be. His best friend in the Senate, Republican Connie Mack of Florida, crossed the aisle to sit next to Lieberman as others debated the speech. Mack was merely making a gesture of camaraderie, but, given the atmosphere, it looked like he was embracing a GOP convert.
Remember that moveon.org’s first mission was to have us “censure the man, than move on.” Clinton himself was aiming for censure. I don’t think you can rightly criticize Lieberman on that score.