Bill Clinton, Leave Me Alone!

By Joe G. Biles

He just won't go away. Why? We put up with eight years of this guy, and he still won't give up the spotlight. No, I'm not talking about O.J. -- that's only been seven years. Of course I'm talking about former (at least this is a blessing) President Clinton. It wasn't always his fault of course. Kenneth Starr and the media really stuck it to him over that whole Lewinsky thing. Why is it all the attention goes to the small crimes? Must be some kind of cover-up...

President Bush is trying his best to get some things done in Washington and live up to the promises he made during his campaign (Remember when Clinton sold the Gay Rights lobby down the river in 1993?), particularly regarding taxes. It's not easy for any new president, let alone one with the shadow of the irregularities in Florida hanging over his head. Everyone seems to be questioning his judgment over faith-based charities (though I find my views must place me with his critics on this one), the tax-cut and the way he is enforcing our policy towards Iraq.

How can Bush hope to gain popular support if the media cannot stop giving Clinton the limelight?

Marc Rich is certainly a conundrum. On the one hand, I'm almost glad Clinton pardoned him. With the Lewinski affair the public was willing to forgive, even to let Clinton have his "Legacy." But this was a permanent pardon.

Bill Clinton can never take back the pardon he gave to Rich, nor undo the political damage except by admitting that he (Clinton) was wrong, something he seems to have almost chronic difficulty doing. At the same time, I am incensed that the president of the United States can do this without consequences, not to mention annoyed that I now find myself respecting Senator Arlen Specter -- I didn't see that coming.

No matter how deeply we probe into the Marc Rich pardon scandal, no one it seems will attack or criticize Clinton for his greater crimes. While we're arguing over Marc Rich, what are we to do about the women and children Clinton killed in Kosovo. (That human rights disaster -- with the U.S. taking sides in a racially motivated civil war -- occured all so Clinton could add to his "legacy.") Has there been a truly serious investigation into the "suicide" of Vincent Foster yet?

I say it is high time we began demanding more of our elected officials. If Bill Clinton is never to be brought to account for his higher crimes, at least maybe we can begin to seek accountability from those currently in office.

We need to support President Bush in his efforts to reduce the partisan divisions that have ruined Washington politics. We need to restore the office of Independent Counsel, and make it truly independent.

Finally, we need better candidates for office. Elections need to stop being about picking the lesser of two evils, because there will never be an end to business-as-usual politics as long as we insist on electing politicians.