Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.
Re: Cardboard Cutout People
Author: peter solderitsch Posted: 12/20/1998; 9:55:44 AM Topic: Cardboard Cutout People Msg #: 1492 (In response to 1473) Prev/Next: 1491 / 1493
>>a group of people willing to lay it all on the >>line on for a principle they consider bigger than themselves.>>It is something none of those Democrats seem willing to do.
>>Gingrich was willing to do it. Livingston was willing to do it.
Let's be honest here: Gingrich's motivations were and are clearly very distinct from Livingston's motivations. Livingston couldn't take the heat, and ran out of the kitchen like a lightning bolt. Why should anyone who ever had an affair (or, in this case apparently, multiple sordid affairs) be forced to leave their job? Totally ridiculous. Livingston didn't have the stomach to battle against the smut/smear campaign which apparently had more ammunition than we'll now probably ever know. Don't discount the relevance of a phrase like "sexual McCarthyism" here, if Livingston resigned merely because of these 'indiscretions', then he shouldn't have resigned at all. If he resigned for those reasons, then by Livingston's logic, he should be calling for Henry Hyde's resignation, and about half of the Judiciary committee. No, Livingston didn't want to put his family through that wringer. But why should he then call for Clinton's resignation on the same grounds? If Clinton thinks he and his family can stomach the garbage, let him press on.
What I'm saying is this: be consistent. If it's "about" Clinton lying, not about his "indiscretions", then you really can't tout Livingston's resignation as an indication that the Republicans "get it". Livingston didn't fall on his sword for honor, he snuck out through the back door to escape persecution. Gingrich did likewise to escape POLITICAL persecution from *within* his own party.
Thanks,
-Pete
This page was archived on 6/13/2001; 4:46:47 PM.
© Copyright 1998-2001 UserLand Software, Inc.