And just to show that wingnuttery is an equal opportunity offender, this bit of bilious twaddle from Emmett Tyrrell:
In the 1990s, we called this “compartmentalizing.” It was approved by journalists and public figures alike. President Bill Clinton executed his presidential tasks exuberantly day in and day out while retaining subpoenaed documents from prosecutors, coaching witnesses to deceive and lying brazenly to his staff and the public. He compartmentalized, and to this day, there are public figures who admire his sang-froid. They would agree with John Harris’ assessment of him in Harris’ recent encomium, “The Survivor,” as being one of “the two most important political figures of their generation” — the other being, who else, Hillary.
One of Clinton’s most memorable statements that will ring down from the Decade of Illusions is: “I want you to listen to me. I’m going to say this again. I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky.” The Boy President said that glaring into the cameras on national television and pointing his finger for emphasis. Later he failed his drug test or rather his DNA test. Yet he is still arguing that the statement is somehow true.
Palmeiro is one of Clinton’s finest students. Under oath before a Congressional Committee on March 17, he declared: “I have never used steroids. Period. I do not know how to say it more clearly than that. Never.” He too glared and pointed his finger emphatically. Now that he is suspended after that failed test, he argues with Clintonian indefatigability: “I have never intentionally used steroids. Never. Ever. Period.” The New York Times reports that the steroid he tested positive for is stanozolol. It is unimaginable that an adult would not know that he was taking it. Use of it in 1988 cost Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson his Olympic gold medal.
When asked to comment on this nonsense, Tyrrell replied:
“Life is like a box of Chocolates.”
JPS
I’m sorry, but I don’t read this as blaming Clinton for Palmeiro’s steroid use.
He’s saying the strategy of trying to make a scandal go away through very forceful and public denial is reminiscent of Clinton’s. He does seem to be suggesting that Clinton inspired Palmeiro in this, though maybe calling Palmeiro his “student” is a rhetorical figure.
The link is questionable, and I can buy the argument that the parallel is cheap, but I don’t see it as wingnuttery. (‘Course, if I’m a wingnut then I wouldn’t, would I?)
Defense Guy
Since Clinton is so good at apologies, and since we crave scapegoats and diversions, I submit that from this point forward we make everything his fault so as to escape personal responsibility or admissions of guilt altogether.
SeesThroughIt
Well, it is Clinton’s fault that I scraped my knee last week.
Marcus Wellby
I agree — Clinton just took a dump on my couch. Or was it my cat?
Another Jeff
I’d just like to know how it was that Emmett Tyrell made an otherwise decent, honest, stand-up guy like David Brock lie for three years.
Jeff Maier
With all of the serious issues facing the country today why is Congress screwing around with steroid use in baseball? I’m not defending it, of course, but shouldn’t they be wrestling with a few larger issues?
Vladi G
From this point forward? But that implies that the right hasn’t already been blaming Clinton for all of its missteps for the last 5 years.
Mike
“Jeff Maier Says:
With all of the serious issues facing the country today why is Congress screwing around with steroid use in baseball? I’m not defending it, of course, but shouldn’t they be wrestling with a few larger issues?”
I’d rather they didn’t. Everytime Congress “wrestles with larger issues” it ends up costing us all money. I’d rather they just all go home and stay there. ;)
KC
One of Clinton’s finest students? I guess second only to George W. Bush. Sorry, couldn’t resist.
Steve
I know Clinton invented lying, sure. But I thought by prosecuting him, we were going to send the message that it was never, ever acceptable to lie again!
KC
You’re right Steve. That’s why nobody lies in politics anymore, especially people in the current WH. We ought to be so lucky to have angels as leaders.
HH
Meanwhile there is this “reasoning:” Palmeiro used steroids so time to impeach Bush…
Pug
Second most stupid thing ever said by a POTUS:
“I want you to listen to me. I’m going to say this again. I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky.”
Stupidest thing ever said by a POTUS:
“Bring it on!”
Gary Farber
“ther being, who else, Hillary. One of Clinton’s most memorable statements that will ring down from the Decade of Illusions is: “I want you to listen to me. I’m going to say this again. I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky.””
Boringly, that’s true. Blow jobs aren’t intercourse. And “sexual relations” was a legal term of art defined in the case, specifically defined as “intercourse.”
This doesn’t speak to how one might rate over the other, to be sure.
Steve
I think “There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe and there never will be under a Ford administration” might be up there somewhere.
KC
Hey, anyone see that clip of Novak on CNN today? Boy, he sure got fired up over nothing. I’m sure it’s just job related pressure getting to him. Or, maybe he just couldn’t stop thinking of President Clinton wagging his finger at him, lying.
Brad R.
Dammit, this woulda been perfect for Sadly, No!
JPS
Steve:
I’m a little nervous quoting Bill Buckley in this crowd, but I absolutely love his description of how Ford’s conservative supporters felt when he said that. Going roughly, from memory:
Bruce Moomaw
Well, John, you have to keep in mind that Tyrrell (1) cannot be sobered by anything short of electroshock therapy — although I notice that he’s finally remembering to put commas in his sentences here and there, which is more than he was doing in 1980 — and (2) obsessively blames Clinton for everything up to and including the murder of Abraham Lincoln.
andrewelf
I blame Ben Johnson’s steroid use on Canadian Prime Minster Brian Mulroney.
DecidedFenceSitter
*Shrug* Every time I read that I’m amused. From a legal standpoint, Clinton was correct. He’s a smart, cunning man. He managed to get the prosecutor to define what sexual relations were, as a legal definition, who left out what Clinton actually did, and then hammered him. Clinton won the round.
Or so I recall when I was studying it at the time.
RW
I don’t give a whit for Tyrell but no one blamed Clinton for anything in that column/quote. It’s called a “comparison”. Your kos slip is showing.
Steve
“Palmeiro is one of Clinton’s finest students.”