URL: http://cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/9808/09/se.01.html :: Special Event :: :: Investigating the President: Can Bill Clinton Escape the Perjury Trap? :: :: Aired August 9, 1998 - 4:00 p.m. ET :: :: :: Gene Randall in Washington :: DAVID CORN, "THE NATION" MAGAZINE :: DONALD LAMBRO, "WASHINGTON TIMES" :: ALEXIS SIMENDINGER, "NATIONAL JOURNAL" :: :: :: RANDALL: Don, you've got a story today about what could happen if :: Republicans press for impeachment on, basically, a sex case against the :: president. A Democratic scorched-earth policy against the GOP. Tell us :: about that? :: :: LAMBRO: Well, a number of reports, and I talked to other Democrats who :: confirm this, that if this goes to House of Representatives, if there is :: an impeachment inquiry, it is going to be a scorched-earth policy by the :: Democrats to go after the Republicans in the House, in the leadership, :: dig up all the dirt they can on leadership, on members, Republican members :: of the House Judiciary Committee. It's going to be the same thing they :: did in campaign finance scandal -- Everybody does it, what's the big deal. :: :: RANDALL: Would this fly? :: :: CORN: Well, people I talk to don't really have a -- it's more a sentiment :: than a plan. And I don't think it's actually going to come into being :: because we're not even going to get close to impeachment, because it's :: just not in the Republicans' political interest to drag this stuff up, :: and if people go back look at what Newt Gingrich did with his first :: wife, and all this stuff. It's just -- they have no political interest :: in doing this, so they will not do so. :: :: RANDALL: We got to get Alexis in here. :: :: SIMENDINGER: You don't need to execute the plan. You just have to let :: people think it's out there, and it's going to have a chilling effect. :: :: LAMBRO: The Democrats, I think, are closer than you think. They just hired :: three lawyers to prepare them for impeachment on the Judiciary Committee. :: :: CORN: Well, how many have the Republicans hired already; they have a :: whole task force on impeachment that has been studying the issue. They :: are going to blink. They are not going to do this. :: :: LAMBRO: All right, three attorneys to prepare them for impeachment :: proceedings. :: :: RANDALL: Let's all take time to blink, because we must take a :: break. Coming up, memories of Watergate and those who caution on getting :: those memories straight. Stay with is. :: :: (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
Anonymous wrote:
:: RANDALL: Don, you've got a story today about what could happen if :: Republicans press for impeachment on, basically, a sex case against the :: president. A Democratic scorched-earth policy against the GOP. Tell us :: about that? ::
Let's see, Starr's inquiries into Clinton sex life *could* be seen, by a sympathetic onlooker, as a very elaborate trap which angered Clinton sufficiently that he became careless and fell into it. This leads to the resounding cries of "if he lied UNDER OATH about his *S*E*X* life what ELSE is he lying to us about?" This is OK because the investigation was carried out under a legal authority. Meanwhile, back in Congress, the Republicans are decrying Hyde's affair's disclosure as a horrible, unwarranted attack with the intent to "intimidate and obstruct justice" and the Parties are trying to cover their own asses by declaring a truce regarding smear campaigns and dirt digging. So, this type of disclosure by civilians through a *free* press is "wrong" and should be prevented. Scorch on, I say. If they are afraid to have us dig into their extramarital affairs what else are they hiding from us? Tobacco deals, arms deals, kickbacks, pageboys? How deep is this dirt they're covering up? The only downside is that after the shit has all fallen to earth the only persons who will dare to run for office under the new rules of engagement will be worse than what we have now even if they're squeaky-clean from a morals perspective. Mike
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Michael Motyka