No one ever likes to admit that they were wrong, but I am ready to do just that. Here goes:
I strongly disliked Clinton and everything that he stood for. During his presidency, I criticized his every move and reveled in every misstep he made. I was practically giddy during the impeachment trial and was angry when he wasn't removed from office (although, I guess I wasn't too angry since I knew that if Al Gore went into the 2000 elections as an incumbent, he probably would have won).
Watching all of the blind hatred of Bush coming from the Democrats and the liberals, it made me realize that I was wrong. I should have shown some respect for the man as our President. No one is perfect and, therefore, no one can do the job perfectly.
Does this mean that I agree with his policies or his actions, no. But he did deserve some respect as the President of the country that I love. I never should have hoped for him to make mistakes so that I could gloat. I never should have hoped for his downfall because by doing so, I was hoping for my country's downfall.
I know that it is easy for me to say this now that Clinton is no longer president, but I pray that I will remember this in the future when my choice for president is not elected.
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Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Bennett
Beautiful. A wise reflection, of thoughts that have echos in my own heart.
Thanks for this!
2 - Marty Thau
Clinton was guilty about one thing -- poor judgement when it came to Lewinsky. One thing for sure -- the world liked him -- and by now it should be evident that no country can go it alone. Not the case with Bush at all. Bush and cohorts are like a bull in a china shop.
3 - Al Barger
Yeah Marty, uh, Clinton was guilty of just a LITTLE bit more Lewinsky. You might start with selling US out to the Chinese for campaign contributions.
I'm perhaps less forgiving than Miss Rep, though I would have described my reactions to him at the time as perhaps exasperated, rather than really angry. I used to be disgusted, but now I try to be amused.
4 - Eric Berlin
Barger -- When was Clinton convicted about campaign fraud again?
In general -- Bush has had an easy, easy ride from the press as compared to Clinton.
5 - Mark Saleski
When was Clinton convicted about campaign fraud again?
in the eyes of the wolf pack, on about the day after he first declared his candidacy.
6 - Al Barger
Right, if he wasn't convicted in a court of law, then it didn't happen.
Bush seems to be relatively mostly fairly honest. Folks go about hollering LIAR, LIAR at the top of their lungs for years- but that doesn't make it true.
Meanwhile, you'll rally around the defense of Clinton, who was a serial liar in every direction from beginning to end. Policy aside, he was the most corrupt president since FDR. That he was never held accountable in court does not mean that he was innocent.
7 - Mark Saleski
...and spewing on about clinton being the most corrupt president since fdr doesn't make it true either.
more corrupt than nixon? right.
8 - Al Barger
Absolutely Clinton was more corrupt than Nixon. Yes. Nixon never sold us out to the Chinese. Nixon was plenty corrupt enough in his own right, and deserved being run out of office. Yet Clinton was even worse.
Perhaps Nixon appears worse to you. 1) He was homely and sweaty and had enough of a conscious to feel and project that he felt guilt. 2)He was a Republican.
Clinton was not a corrupt president because Al Barger says so, but because he was constantly doing bad, corrupt things. That's the facts, Jack.
9 - Mark Saleski
you're ugly and your mother dresses you funny.
10 - Al Barger
I know you are, but what am I?
XOX
11 - Eric Berlin
Barger, likewise one could make the argument that you're biased against Clinton because he's a goodlooking Democrat, so that argument doesn't hold water in my book.
Do all Presidents lie? Absolutely. So unless you have some kind of proof that the courts -- and millions of dollars and Ken Starr and the rest of them -- couldn't come up with, I don't see how you can make the argument that Clinton was "more corrupt" than any other President.
So... it's not really the facts, Al.
12 - Marty Thau
EB, Barger doesn't need facts, or even want them. He has now spouted off about Clinton quite firmly but without any proof or substance. Whatever Clinton was or wasn't, the world was a safer place when he was around and if he could run again he'd win in a landslide. That says something, doesn't it, Al? Where's the beef, Al?
13 - Al Barger
Monsieur Berlin, among many other well known things, Clinton overruled his own government to give waivers for his biggest campaign contributor to sell highly sensitive technology to the Chinese communist government. That's fact, and uncontested, and damaging to America- even if they could not connect the dots to make an actionable felony charge against the president.
Also, I don't know that Clinton was all that good looking. He certainly does not make ME tumescent.
14 - Silas Kain
Even George Herbert Walker Bush has come to realize that President Clinton isn't such a bad guy after all. Anyone who has kept up with the two former Presidents' activities especially concerning tsunami relief understand where I'm coming from. A hundred years from now historians will be able to put his Presidency into perspective and give him the recognition he deserves for being one of our better Presidents.
15 - Eric Berlin
That's fact, and uncontested, and damaging to America- even if they could not connect the dots to make an actionable felony charge against the president.
Oh... I see now. They just couldn't connect the dots. I hate it when that happens.
16 - Anthony G
Bill Clinton cheated on his wife in the White House then lied about it to the American people and then you left wing pigs forgive and claim he is one of the greatest presidents ever.
George Bush Sr. is losing his marbles in old age.
17 - Eric Berlin
What happens when left wing pigs and Ozzy's war pigs mate?
18 - Anthony G
Can you imagine if Bush cheted in his wife in the White House then lie about it. You commies would forgive him. NOT.
You would keep pressing until he resigned.
19 - Maynard
And Bush lied about a pre-emptive war, and had his hatchet man leak info about a CIA operative, went from surplus to record deficit and tossed aside the whopel world being behind us in Afghanistan to a lot of them really not liking or being scared of us (and I don't mean the terrorists are scared), eroding our civil liberties with the "Patriot" act...but you right wingnuts think he is the second coming and are waiting for himn to lead you to the end of days.
and Sr. it twice the mensch that Jr. will ever be. Hell, Barbara is 3 times the man Junior will ever be.
20 - Silas Kain
What happens when left wing pigs and Ozzy's war pigs mate?
People like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson are born. I would love a psychological profile performed on right wing zealot Christian preachers. Twenty bucks say they had dominant mothers, weak fathers and small penises.
21 - Silas Kain
Can you imagine if Bush cheated in his wife in the White House then lie about it. You commies would forgive him. NOT.
Somehow I would respect G.W. Bush a little more if I knew he actually liked good head every now and then. Anthony, what's worse: Monica Lewinsky's stained dress or Karl Rove's stained reputation? Even five years later right wingnuts still spew their poison against Bubba. Don't you guys have anything better to do?
22 - billy
no they dont. they hate america so much they show their treason every time they talk about a great former american president like clinton
23 - Maynard
Part of hate radio's sending out the message and talking points, Silas.
Distract, Deny and Dilute. Right from monday's memo, which can be seen and was covered in all the major press, even fox news.
Now, I might be a bit harsh on Dave, because there are far worse and forthing rabid , examples running around. All the more reason to keep the sane ones, on both sides of the aisle, honest and grounded.
Coalition of the middle ground is the only hope we got.
24 - Anthony G
I should be saying do you guys have anything better to do.
What do Democratic Senators do? Do they write bills? No. They bash Bush. They give the terrists hope in Iraq by coplaing about Gitmo. Saying it was Bushe's fault we got attacked. These terrorists are playing speeches of Senator Kenedy while they torture our brave troops.
What did Clinton accomplish when he was president? Nothing useful.
Bush severely weakened Al Queda. He took out the oppresive Taliban. Gave Afghanis the right to vote for the first time. He took out Saddam Hussein who massacered whole cities, even women and children, just because they were different. Saddam had the mind of the next Hitler, all he needed was nuclear weapons which he was trying to get. Bush gave 35,000,000 people in Irap the right to vote for the first time in 60 years. And what did they vote for? Democracy. What a surprise.
All he needs to do is train an Iraqi Army that can take care of itself.
Also we haven't been attacked since 9/11.
Bush should get the nobel prize.
Now what did Clinton do besides get head.
25 - billy
here are some of the things clinton did
balance the budget, create 100 million jobs, stop an ethnic cleansing in bosnia while people like Anthony G stood there shouting "No Blood For Monica" while endangering and demoralizing our troops.