Clinton's fake apologies
The annoying thing about Clinton's recent behavior is that he never comes right out and apologizes, but the press always says he does. Case in point:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Saying ``I have sinned,'' a tearful President Clinton made an impassioned plea Friday for forgiveness from Monica Lewinsky and others and vowed to fight hard to keep his job.
But what did he say?
``I don't think there is a fancy way to say that I have sinned,'' Clinton said, hours before independent counsel Kenneth Starr's report to Congress on his eight-month investigation into the Lewinsky scandal was to be made public.
He didn't say that he had sinned, he said that there wasn't a fancy way to say that he had sinned. He never came right out and said, "I have sinned". Another example:
``It is important to me that everybody who has been hurt know that the sorrow I feel is genuine -- first and most important my family, also my friends, my staff, my cabinet, Monica Lewinsky and her family, and the American people. I have asked all for their forgiveness,'' said Clinton.
It was the first time he had actually asked publicly for the forgiveness of Lewinsky...
But he didn't ask publicly for the forgiveness of Lewinsky. He said that he had already asked her for forgiveness. Is this really true? Has he really spoken with her? Or is it another lie? Another example, from while Clinton was in Ireland:
DUBLIN, Ireland (AP) - President Clinton said for the first time Friday ``I'm sorry'' about his affair with Monica Lewinsky, describing his behavior as indefensible as he sought to calm the growing storm that has shaken his presidency.
Here's what he actually said:
``I've already said that I made a bad mistake, it was indefensible and I'm sorry about it,'' Clinton said, questioned at a photo opportunity with Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern. It was the first time he had used the word ``sorry.''
The wording is not quite as obvious here, but in the video record it was clear that he was saying that he had already said that his behavior was indefensible and that he was sorry about it. Of course, this is not true, he had never said that. Knowing Clinton's lawyerlike mind, we can only assume that his wording is carefully chosen. He could easily have said, "I don't think there is a fancy way to say it, but I have sinned," or, with regard to Lewinsky and company, "I ask here for forgiveness from them all." No doubt he takes a measure of satisfaction in knowing that his calculated public contriteness is carefully arranged to make it seem like he is saying things which he actually is not. Clinton loves lies, and it must be thrilling to lie brazenly and to be praised for his openness and honesty as he does so. For a professional hypocrite like Clinton, there can be no greater reward.
On Fri, 11 Sep 1998, Anonymous wrote:
The annoying thing about Clinton's recent behavior is that he never comes right out and apologizes, but the press always says he does.
Case in point:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Saying ``I have sinned,'' a tearful President Clinton made an impassioned plea Friday for forgiveness from Monica Lewinsky and others and vowed to fight hard to keep his job.
Reuters' lede seems right: First, I want to say to all of you that, as you might imagine, I have been on quite a journey these last few weeks to get to the end of this, to the rock bottom truth of where I am and where we all are. I agree with those who have said that in my first statement after I testified I was not contrite enough. I don't think there is a fancy way to say that I have sinned. It is important to me that everybody who has been hurt know that the sorrow I feel is genuine: first and most important, my family; also my friends, my staff, my Cabinet, Monica Lewinsky and her family, and the American people. I have asked all for their forgiveness. But I believe that to be forgiven, more than sorrow is required -- at least two more things. First, genuine repentance -- a determination to change and to repair breaches of my own making. I have repented. Second, what my bible calls a "broken spirit"; an understanding that I must have God's help to be the person that I want to be; a willingness to give the very forgiveness I seek; a renunciation of the pride and the anger which cloud judgment, lead people to excuse and compare and to blame and complain. Now, what does all this mean for me and for us? First, I will instruct my lawyers to mount a vigorous defense, using all available appropriate arguments. But legal language must not obscure the fact that I have done wrong. Second, I will continue on the path of repentance, seeking pastoral support and that of other caring people so that they can hold me accountable for my own commitment. Third, I will intensify my efforts to lead our country and the world toward peace and freedom, prosperity and harmony, in the hope that with a broken spirit and a still strong heart I can be used for greater good, for we have many blessings and many challenges and so much work to do. In this, I ask for your prayers and for your help in healing our nation. And though I cannot move beyond or forget this -- indeed, I must always keep it as a caution light in my life -- it is very important that our nation move forward.
From Bill Clinton, via WASHINGTON (Reuters):
: First, I want to say to all of you that, as you might imagine, I : have been on quite a journey these last few weeks to get to the end : of this, to the rock bottom truth of where I am and where we all are. But we are not the ones whose direction (moral compass?) is in question, as we're not all in this together. We only found out about it in Jan/February. : I agree with those who have said that in my first statement after I : testified I was not contrite enough. I don't think there is a fancy : way to say that I have sinned. i.e.: Now that there was unavoidable evidence of a DNA match, and in view of 23 boxes of a report distributed to everyone in Congress and everyone else in the whole world, it's time to look more seriously repentant, in an off-hand sort of way. (memory: "I hope things go well for her." For HER ! ) : It is important to me that everybody who has been hurt know that : the sorrow I feel is genuine: first and most important, my family; : also my friends, my staff, my Cabinet, Monica Lewinsky and her : family, and the American people. I have asked all for their : forgiveness. He wasn't hurting in January. Nor in February, March, April, May, June, July . . . : But I believe that to be forgiven, more than sorrow is required : -- at least two more things. First, genuine repentance -- a : determination to change and to repair breaches of my own making. I : have repented. Since his sex life is personal, and nobody really cares as long as it doesn't affect his Presidential duties, why would anybody care that he's repentant? (don't tell me, I know. . .) :Second, what my bible calls a "broken spirit"; an : understanding that I must have God's help to be the person that I : want to be; a willingness to give the very forgiveness I seek; a : renunciation of the pride and the anger which cloud judgment, lead : people to excuse and compare and to blame and complain. To excuse and compare and to blame who? What makes him think anyone will be blaming him for doing anything wrong? He didn't think it was wrong for 3 or so years with Monica. Nor for 10 or so years with Jennifer. What would make it wrong now, at this "particular moment in time. . . ." : Now, what does all this mean for me and for us? First, I will : instruct my lawyers to mount a vigorous defense, using all available : appropriate arguments. But legal language must not obscure the fact : that I have done wrong. Legally defensible; morally indefensible. Any relation? :Second, I will continue on the path of : repentance, seeking pastoral support and that of other caring people : so that they can hold me accountable for my own commitment. Because of his proven "pattern" of straying from the "path of righteousness". : Third, I will intensify my efforts to lead our country and the : world toward peace and freedom, prosperity and harmony, in the hope : that with a broken spirit and a still strong heart I can be used for : greater good, for we have many blessings and many challenges and so : much work to do. : In this, I ask for your prayers and for your help in healing our : nation. But it is not we need healing, being it not we, are sick. :And though I cannot move beyond or forget this -- indeed, I : must always keep it as a caution light in my life -- it is very : important that our nation move forward. He and his counsel keep saying this ("put it behind us", "move on", "move forward"), as though trying to erase it from view - to obfuscate what has become apparent and continue as though there was not something going on; something which seems to need "healing". Yet Starr keeps pressing on; on and onward. It is ironic, in these times of absurd laws being created by both sides in government, legislation advanced and supported by all manner of political interest groups, that lately these creations of theirs come back to bite them. Had there been no laws regarding "sexual harrassment in the workplace", the Jones case would not have come up, Monica would not have been brought into the picture, and Clinton would not have had to ever worry about being revealed for his "not-illegal" behavior. Contradictions abound in this situation: . everyone should have a private life - but you're not supposed to do it in the Whitehouse (that holy place of morally superior governing operations); in particular, while you're discussing "matters of greater importance to the nation" on the phone . having sex is not illegal, when it's between consenting parties - but you're not supposed to cheat on your spouse, in particular if you're a Christian (Baptist?) who goes to Church every Sunday and worships the source of the 10 Commandments . people are saying that the sex acts were "horrible" and "nasty" and "disgusting" - like they themselves would *never* think of doing equally lascivious things to each other (like, who are they kidding) . whose fault is it that Ken Starr was assigned to hound down Clinton, and that it took so long to get to this point? Who was stalling, who needed to tell the truth, why was Clinton unavoidably *obligated* to tell the truth? How paradoxical that an inveterate liar (according to his reputation) would have put himself in a position where legally, according to the law, the law of this Nation which he supports and leads into the Future, he is required to reveal the truth, even when decency would say that one should not be coerced into self-incrimination over a personal, private matter, and should not have to confess such things. Deep irony, for times like these . . . .. Blanc
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Declan McCullagh