In political Washington, controlling damage and spinning stories are all-important art forms and two sides of the political capital coin which is on prominent display with the latest developments in the Whitewater-Filegate-Travelgate-Paula Jones-Monica Lewinsky saga besieging our president and country.
It's interesting theater to see White House officials celebrate (i.e., "spinning") these events, especially now that the potentially damaging 'talking points' given to Linda Tripp apparently were not penned at the White House and are no longer a major concern for Ken Starr and his grand jury.
I suppose there's reason for glee that our president may not have obstructed justice or suborned perjury. However, by granting Monica full immunity, one could speculate that Starr has more than an admission of sexual relations which, of course, immediately and at a minimum, brands our president an adulterer and liar.
Interestingly, polls have indicated that we thought he was lying about the relationship from the git-go. Thus, the White House may feel that this latest revelation will roll off Bill's back as have past indiscretions and mendacity.
I don't know about you but these joyful or insouciant reactions that the President of the United States had sex outside of marriage (ignore the lying) are perplexing to me.
One can't forget that this is political Washington, so what spinners and damage controllers say must be taken not just with a grain of salt but a five-pound bag of it.
Nevertheless, how good can this be? Even if all Mr. Starr gets and uses from Monica is that our fiftysomething president had some sort of sexual affair with a twentysomething intern, it accords us all quite a "cause celebre" which nobody wants.
It also seems now that responsibility for this whole matter rests squarely with the president instead of the 'vast right-wing conspiracy' that was allegedly gunning for him. It makes me wonders: can men be fitted for chastity belts?
The truth will out. That's what we're taught and here's another validation. Bill Clinton will have to pay the piper sometime after his August 17 testimony before Starr and company. Clinton's advisors have shown consummate skills in delaying and deflecting the issues surrounding this investigation. They've even managed to demonize the Special Prosecutor as a wastrel and political hack who's personally motivated to bring down our country's poor, misunderstood president.
Courageous efforts can be expected from White House officials to assure that ultimate resolution will reflect recent public polls: he did it, probably lied, so what. The political capital coin will be spinning so quickly and furiously that we'd be well-advised to take Dramamine pills now to prevent the attendant nausea and dizziness.
If history is any guide, the president's men will out, too. In our current moral and economic climate, they'll probably succeed more than they fail. Lying about sleeping with someone is no big deal, right? With any skill, that little transgression will be wiped off the books completely. The polls show that many think this is of no concern anyway.
All he did was commit adultery. How bad can that be? Surely our society couldn't be the worse for it. Look at how great things are going for us now.
Violating an oath before God and spouse can't be a real concern, can it? As long as it's OK between Bill and Hillary, it should be OK with us. Just because the man cheated on his wife doesn't mean he'll cheat on his job. Surely, he'll dedicate himself to millions of unknown Americans more than he has to his wife, right? He is a stellar president, isn't he?
Soon this matter will end and we can live happily ever after. Won't that be great? Can't wait.
I'm sure that the president can't wait either.
++++
Fred W. Apelquist, III, M.Ed.
Approximately 625 words.
(C) 1998