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Show The Salt Lake Tribune OPINION Tuesday, January 19, 1999 AQ Is the Case Against Clinton Compelling Enough to Justify Calling LED? WASHINGTON — No one knowledgeable about politics be- Clinton's story that he hadto talk to Currie that Sunday to refresh his to make anysignificant change in the outcome of the impeachment own recollection of whether he had been alone with Monica Lewinsky or whether she had been the one Barring som¢e dramatic new rev- who was sexually aggressive. Andit is even harder for anyone to accept at face value the account trial in the Senate. elations,it’s too muchofa stretch by Clinton and Jordan of how and why they came to spend so much to imagine 12 Democratic senators voting to remove the president from office. That is what would be needed to put together the re- quired two-thirds vote if all the Republicans voted for removal. CHICAGOTRIBUNE SERVICE And that two-thirds vote,in turn, would require the Senate to decide notjust that the president commit- ted crimes but that those crimes qualified as serious enough to justify removing a president and reversing the decision of the electorate. But the House prosecutors — particularly Reps. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas and James Rogan of California — have spelled out the case against the presidentin a compelling enough way to makeitdifficult for the Senate to justify a refusal to hear any witnesses. There hasbeennostartling new information in the case being made con It is hard for anyone to swallow JACK GERMOND JULES WITCOVER lieves that the case being presented against President Clintonis going There isn't much doubt, of course, about the basic story line. Whatever he chooses to call it, Clinton had a sexual relationship with a 22-year-old intern on the White House staff and then lied about it to everyone who might have had a stake in knowing — his wife,his staff, his friends, his cabinet and the American people. The only question here, if it even qualifies as a question, is whether the convoluted way Clinton testified aboutit constituted perjury. There are moreinconsistencies and ambiguities on the question of whether the president tried to ob- by the House. But the House managers putit before the Senate and, more to the point, the television structjustice. And, as Hutchinson cameras, in terms that brought into sharp focus the conflicts, contradictions and ambiguities in the testimony gathered bythe grand jury. solved if the Senate hears from argued with both clarity and force, those inconsistencies might be reBetty Currie, the president's secretary, and Vernon Jordan, the presi- dent’s friend. timeandeffort to find a job in New York for some young woman of no special talent or political connections. From distance, it looks very muchlikea caseoflet's get her out of town. But it is far from certain that hearing from Currie and Jordan in the Senate is going to clear up these matters. And even if their testimony made the case for obstruction of justice stronger, there is still the basic issue of whether the crimes the president committed qualify as “high crimes and misdemeanors” and justify removing him fromoffice. Lease copra The immediateissue, however,is -whether the House prosecutors were convincing enough to makeit politically difficult for the Senate to balk at witnesses. On the face of it, the prudent course for the Republicans would be to end the process as expeditiously as possible. The opinion polls all show that Americans think the process has been too i and too long, which suggests voters would not welcome witnesses. The to the House Judiciary Committee. Nor did their rhetoric have the kind of moralistic tone that offends voters whenit comes from politi- political imperative for the Senate Republicansall along has been to avoid being seen as no different from their blindly partisan colleagues in the House. Butthe strength of Hutchinson's and Rogan’s presentations is that they wereso far less strident than special prosecutor Kenneth Starr cians. Whether the House managers have changed anything is impossible to measureat this stage. Butif the Republicans want to bring hadbeenin presenting his findings CAL THOMAS Hyde spoke of a “covenant” of truth between a president and the people. Clinton used the word “eovenant”’ in his acceptance speech at the 1992 Democratic facts in the trial of William Jeffer- son Clinton, president of the Unit- ed States, recalls the wordsofthat Convention. Mutual trust comes good old boy in the film, “Cool Hand Luke.” Whatthey had there out of a covenant,said Hyde. Polls show a large majority don’t trust this president, even while they ap- —as theypleaded with many mod- erate andliberal senators and with the public — was a failure to communicate to a generation unfamiliar with law, reason, history and an unchanging moralcode. proveof the job he is doing. But isn’t trust the currency of a good LOS ANGELES TIMES SYNDICATE It was a case ofthe philosophy of the elders handed down from previous generations versusthatof the “youngers,” who largely make theirs up as they go along. Rep. Henry Hyde, R-Ill., repeatedly appealed to such thingsas “‘sa- saving his skin. Hyde invoked the exampleofall of the bravesoldiers who died — from the Revolution- cred honor” to hold accountable a his kneesin contrition or account- president whois interested only in ability. ary Warto Desert Storm. Buta president who evaded the draft and who manipulatedthe system is not about to be broughtto leader? The president's behavior, said Hyde,is about“the rule oflaw vs. the rule of raw power.” But Clinton is a man for whomthelaw is just anotherobstacle he will surmount to get his way, even with an intern, or to compromise the integrity of next president might reduce abortions, cut taxes, shrink government, slow the gay is juggernaut and challenge note schools by offering freedom of choice to parents. For Democrats, that is nesses are necessary because of whatwas doneon the Oval Office flooras the presidentof the United States ‘‘debased the presidency,” in Hyde’s words. ‘Theletter from that young boy in Chicago asked a question that none of the president's apologists can answer. Why, wondered William Preston Summers, is he punished for lying andthe president is not? even sitting in their seats and keep. thisis still a political process. the White Houseagain and that the sexualpractices. It would sully the Senate, suggested one. Such wit- solemnity ofthe occasion. They are ing their mouthsshut, a consid lerable achievementfor senators. But moving Clinton from office would give Republicans a chanceto grab on the Senate floor about certain all the senators may be ontheir best behaviorin recognition of the Senate, that decision maybe easier Summers wouldn't understand, but it’s because Democrats fear that re- It was amusing to hear some Democrats express concern that witnesses might be brought to speak words never spoken before That may be Chief Justice Wil- over ‘thetrial of the century” and somewitnesses into the well of the Prophets Without Honor: Elder Statesmen Fail to Connect With Younger Generation What the House impeachment managers experienced in their compelling presentation of the to justify to their constituents. liam Rehnquist up their presiding declared God dead and their own “liberation” to create designer morals for this new generation, to be modified at will as circumstances dictate. This is the gulf the elders must eross to reach the “youngers.” We'll know they're making progress when Cosmopolitan magazine writes about something other than sex andLarryFlyni succumbs to the spiritual pleadings of Jerry Falwelland is converted. whatthis trial is about. Still, laws, morals and honor are Meanwhile, men like Hyde and his House impeachment managers foreign concepts to many who burned their flag andtheir bras in most Democrats and, if the polls the '60s and who believed that a marriage license was merely ink stains upon someline. A lot of them are prophets without honor among are to be believed, a substantial numberoftheir fellowcitizens as well. others. “Wearethe heirs of 3,000 years of human history,” said Hyde to a TV generation for whom history is theinstantreplay. 40 Zn “Ab60% Sale Ends January 31,1999 *Henredonon CT BEDS *BERNHARDTs Sherrill AssoRTED UPHOLSTERY *RALpH LAUREN SPEC SAVE ON ACCESSORIES IF A KIND LL PURCHASES Complimentary design service is available to our customers with purchase, 90 Days Same as Casu* CALLER ID BOX THAT WORKS WHEN PHONE. FRIENDSWILL THINK YOU'RE MALL HOME FURNISHIN 995 W. Beardsley Place (2480 South) * Tel: (801) 973-7987 * Toll Free: 800-456-8759 www.homefurnishingsmall.com Providing quality serviceto the Intermountain Areafor over 35 years. “ON APPROVED CREDIT WHEN REALLY WHAT YOU'RE DOINGIS AS SIMPLE D NUMBER OFF THE DISPLAY Amaze and astound your Caller ID and Call Waiting friends. U S WESToffers a working together. 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