Clintonian Hubris

Back in 1998, when the Lewinsky scandal broke, then President Bill Clinton had an opportunity to give to this nation what, in retrospect, could have been the greatest gift to our democracy that any president has given since Ike's farewell address. Had it not been for his infection with the disease of American Exceptionalism--and his application of it to himself--Bill Clinton could have admitted his mistake and then done what at one time was expected of our leaders who disgrace the dignity of their elected office: Bill Clinton could have, indeed should have, resigned.

Had he done so, George W. Bush would have been put in the position of running for office in 2000 against an incumbent President, Al Gore. The theft of Florida's electoral votes would still have occured, but it may not have been enough to overcome a President Gore victory.

Of course, we must not forget that the Al Gore of 2000 and the Al Gore of 2007 are of a different quality. I am of the opinion that the one person in this country who truly benefited from the Republican's electoral fraud was Al Gore himself. (Yes, the Republican's have so far gotten away with armed robbery and mass murder, but I do not count one's ability to elude justice as a "benefit"). Al benefited because he was finally forced to reckon with the harsh reality of American politics in its 21st century incarnation. And Al, despite a life of privilege, will, when forced, reflect.

George W. Bush will never reflect--except perhaps when faced with the exigency of the hangman's noose pursuant to the judgment of an international war crimes tribunal. And even then, I would imagine that he would confidently await the arrival of Poppy with the cavalry to bail him out yet again, rather than contemplate seriously his criminality.

But enough about Bushian hubris, our subject is the Clintonian variety. A friend of mine emailed me just this morning some notes on the Other Clinton: Her Royal Clinton-ness. He writes:

"It makes no sense to me that HRC will not admit to a mistake on her 2002 War Resolution vote. The Press is now fixated on it and the (primary) voters are similarly fixated. I think that her refusal to admit to a mistake will continue to snowball and drag her down and down until she issues a mea culpa. And the longer she waits, the more damage she does to herself, and the bigger the apology she will have to muster."

Bill's hubris hurt all of us; with any luck, Hillary's hubris will serve only to damage beyond repair her chances for the White House.