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Each week our Boomer-In-Charge, Hershel Chicowitz, has something to say about life, society, or what's going on... from the perspective of a boomer. This is what's on his mind the week of August 3:
I guess it's time for another look at the mess in Washington. And no, this has nothing directly to do with Monica Lewinsky. But it does have to do with a topic that should be of interest to all boomers.
As young boomers, we were outraged when our government lied to us. We railed against the hypocrisy and the phoniness. In 1968 New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller was competing against Richard Nixon for the Republican party nomination. Rockefeller said time and time again that the Republicans could not win with Nixon. He was adamant about it.
But when Nixon won the nomination, like a good soldier Rockefeller fell in line. When a reporter asked him about his statement, Rockefeller offered a devilish smile and said, "Did I say that?"
I know; you're all thinking: "Come on; it's just politics. What do you expect?"
When does the politics end and the real life begin?
Late last week President Clinton went out to the Rose Garden, stood at a podium, looked into the cameras, and said that he was looking forward to testifying before the grand jury. He said he was anxious to tell the complete truth. Do you believe that? Does anybody believe that? Of course, that was after he reportedly said he was glad that things were working out for Monica Lewinsky.
It didn't stop there. On July 29, Clinton's personal lawyer, Donald Kendall, proclaimed that the president had volunteered to testify. What?? What in the world was he talking about?
I know what you're thinking: "He's a lawyer; what do you expect?"
I expect my president to tell the truth, that's what I expect! And I will settle for nothing less!
When does the lawyering end and the real life begin?
The truth is that the president has been "invited" to testify five times since January, and has refused every time! The president agreed to testify only after a formal subpoena was issued... and only after the president found he had no support from Democratic congressmen to defy the subpoena.
Volunteer? Eager to testify? This is crap!
When do the lies end and the real life begin?
Far worse that whatever the president is accused of doing, it is despicable that the president and his lawyer would have the nerve to stand before the American people and lie so blatantly and so frequently.
Just how stupid do they think we are? Just how far are they willing to go for their selfish, personal interests? This should give you some indication of the level of respect that the president has for the American people. Of course, I suppose he has no more respect for his wife, given what we know he has done to her. But I take no comfort in that. I am outraged and insulted that my president would think so little of me that he would lie so easily and so often. And I don't have much respect for the first lady, either, as she is willing to put up with the endless lies for the sake of her own personal agenda.
One of the problems with this president is that he doesn't know when the politics ends and the real life begins. His entire life is one selfish lie after another.
The Democratic line last January was that the president was telling the truth. "I believe the president." We should give him the benefit of the doubt. The line now (as expressed by Eleanor Clift on "The McLaughlin Group") is that these particular lies don't matter. He lied to protect his wife and daughter. These were "family values lies." She actually said that! What do you suppose the Democratic line will be next? I can hear Johnny Cochran now: "If there is no stain, he will remain."
What's that? You're still buying the Democrat line of last January? Well let's see what requires. Click here to see.
In 1992, Bill Clinton promised he was going to preside over the most ethical administration in history. Did you believe that, too?
And don't say it doesn't matter. Don't say it does not flow down to the rest of us. Last week on ABC's "Politically Incorrect," comedian Paul Rodriquez seriously defended the president's actions: "These lies are almost essential," he said with a straight face. And just as seriously, comedian George Wallace asked, "How do you get to Washington without lying?" In other words, lying is an essential prereqisite to becoming an elected official. This is the lesson Bill Clinton has taught us.
Of course the lies about Gennifer Flowers are OK for the same reason. And I suppose lying about maintaining FBI files on 800 political opponents was OK, because it was in the heat of a political campaign. Same thing about the lies relating to illegal political campaign contributions. And the firing of the White House travel staff. And Vince Foster.
Please note: What I have said here has nothing to do with Monica Lewinski or whatever Bill Clinton might have done with her. That will come later. This essay is not about sex; it is not about Monica Lewinsky; it is about the truth.
The reaction from many people who have responded to this essay goes like this: "So what's the big deal? They all lie. Besides, who would not lie about their personal sex life?"
And my reaction to that is as follows: first, this essay is not about sex. Forget the sex. Second, even if they all do lie (and I imagine that might make Harry Truman just a little uncomfortable), that doesn't excuse any of them. That response is just juvenile. And finally, it is not just one lie with this president; it is his pattern of habitual lying. He lies as a matter of comfort and convenience. When was the last time the New York Times said of a president: "His contempt for the truth is legendary"? So don't tell me it's no big deal because they all lie.
So that's where we've come over the last 30 years. In 1968, we turned a president out of office because of his lies and hypocrisy. In 1998, the president's family values lies "are almost essential."
How is it different now? How do you explain to your children that it is all right for the president to lie, but not all right for them to lie? "Do as I say, not as your president does"? Is that the line?
And if you are willing to live with that line; if you are willing to accept the lies, then you are part of the problem. Shame on you, too.
It has taken a while, but the New York Times has finally come around. Click here to see what one of their editors had to say on August 6.
Boomers Respond:
"AMEN! When you're right, you're right." - CN
"I am sorry to say that we are stuck with the lies, sex, chicanery and mess that we voted into office. Let's try to learn from our past errors and do better this coming November and certainly in 2000." - Tim
"You've found the proper words to describe the outrage that any decent American should feel about this latest of many Clinton scandals." - Tony
"So what's new. As long as I can remember there hasn't been a President who hasn't lied, concealed facts, and commited acts which would put the average American behind bars." - Ralph
"So far off the mark, your argument is almost pathetic. To compare Johnson and Nixon, who were lying about VietNam (remember 'Peace with Honor' (what a crock!), lying about conducting unauthorized wars in Laos and Cambodia. If the President is lying; then he is lying about a matter that should be of concern only to him and his family. To quote Molly Ivins "I don't care who he's boinking, as long as he's not boinking the American Public." Since I believe you are neither niave nor stupid, I believe you know perfectly well why this investigation continues." - WP
"I also believe that we, the Baby Boomers, are responsible for the condition we find our country in today. We are responsible for the crime in our streets, we let our school systems down, we polluted our environment, we elected Mr. Clinton." - RL
"[This essay] shows a clear and concise and rational person, who feels Exactly as I do. The President is a pathological liar, who should be impeached for his utter lack of respect of the American people." - Tami
If you want to write more, we're open to offerings from other boomers. If you have something to say of interest to boomers, write it as well as you can in 500-800 words, and send it to us. We can't guarantee we'll publish it, but we'll surely consider it.
For more of Hershel's essays, check the BBHQ Archives or the Boomer Essays.
Hershel will have something else to say on Monday, August 10; mark your calendar to come back to BBHQ every Monday.
| The BBHQ Album of the Month is "Old Friends Live on Stage (Deluxe Edition) (2 CD/1 DVD)," by Simon & Garfunkel. If you were fortunate enough to see them in concert last year, I do not have to sell you. The concert was terrific! This album collection includes 55 songs, plus their new recording, "Citizen of the Planet," and one of the songs sung by the Everly Brothers during the concert. The DVD was recorded during their concert in Madison Square Garden in 2003. For any S&G fan, this is a must have! But then, you knew that already, didn't you? |
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The BBHQ Book of the Month is
"Vinyl Highway," by
Dee Dee Phelps. You remember her as Dee Dee, of Dick and Dee Dee.
Together, they took a decade long ride on the rock and roll roller
coaster. It was a heck of a ride! Dick Clark, Quincy Jones, the Beach
Boys, Glenn Campbell, Dionne Warwick, Bobby Vinton... Dick and Dee Dee
rubbed shoulders with all of them. This is her "behind the scenes" story.
It's pretty cool.
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I believe the president. I have always believed him. I believed him when he said he had never been drafted in the Vietnam War and I believed him when he said he had forgotten to mention that he had been drafted in the Vietnam War. I believed him when he said he hadn't had sex with Gennifer Flowers and I believe him now, when he reportedly says he did.
I believe the president did not rent out the Lincoln Bedroom, did not sell access to himself and the vice president to hundreds of well-heeled special pleaders and did not supervise the largest, most systematic money-laundering operation in campaign finance history, collecting more than $3 million in illegal and improper donations. I believe that Charlie Trie and James Riady were motivated by nothing but patriotism for their adopted country.
I believed Vice President Gore when he said that he had made dunning calls to political contributors "on a few occasions" from his White House office, and I believed him when he said that, actually, "a few" meant 46. I believe in no controlling legal authority.
I believe Bruce Babbitt when he says that the $286,000 contributed to the DNC by Indian tribes opposed to granting a casino license to rival tribes had nothing to do with his denial of the license. I believed the secretary when he said that he had not been instructed in this matter by then-White House deputy chief of staff Harold Ickes. I believed him when he said later that he had told lobbyist and friend Paul Eckstein that Ickes had told him to move on the casino decision, but that he had been lying to Ec kstein. I agree with the secretary that it is an outrage that anyone would question his integrity.
I believe in the Clinton Standard of adherence to the nation's campaign finance and bribery laws, enunciated by the president on March 7, 1997: "I don't believe you can find any evidence of the fact that I had changed government policy solely because of a contribution." I note with approval the use of the word "evidence" and also the use of the word "solely." I believe that it is proper to change government policy to address the concerns of people who have given the president money, as long as nobody can find evidence of this being the sole reason.
I believe the president has lived up to his promise to preside over the most ethical administration in American history. I believe that indicted former agriculture secretary Mike Espy did not accept $35,000 in illegal favors from Tyson Foods and other regulated businesses. I believe that indicted former housing secretary Henry Cisneros did not lie to the FBI and tell others to lie to cover up $250,000 in blackmail payments to his former mistress. I believe that convicted former associate attorney general We bster Hubbell was not involved in the obstruction of justice when the president's minions arranged for Hubbell to receive $400,000 in sweetheart consulting deals at a time when he was reneging on his promise to cooperate with Kenneth Starr's Whitewater investigation.
I believe Paula Jones is a cheap tramp who was asking for it. I believe Kathleen Willey is a cheap tramp who was asking for it. I believe Monica Lewinsky is a cheap tramp who was asking for it.
I believe Lewinsky was fantasizing in her 20 hours of taped conversation in which she reportedly detailed her sexual relationship with the president and begged Linda Tripp to join her in lying about the relationship. I believe that any gifts, correspondence, telephone calls and the 37 post-employment White House visits that may have passed between Lewinsky and the president are evidence only of a platonic relationship; such innocent intimate friendships are quite common between middle-aged married men and young single women, and also between presidents of the United States and White House interns.
I see nothing suspicious in the report that the president's intimate, Vernon Jordan, arranged a $40,000-per-year job for Lewinsky shortly after she signed but before she filed an affidavit saying she had not had sex with the president. Nor do I read anything into the fact that the ambassador to the United Nations, Bill Richardson, visited Lewinsky at the Watergate to offer her a job. I believe the instructions Lewinsky gave Tripp informing her on how to properly perjure herself in the Willey matter simply w rote themselves.
I believe that The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Newsweek, Time, U.S. News & World Report, ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, PBS and NPR are all part of a vast right-wing conspiracy. Especially NPR.
Copyright © 1998 Baby Boomer HeadQuarters (BBHQ) All rights reserved.
rev. 11/29/98