Monday, December 14, 1998

Clinton exemplifies a sorry generation

By Cal Thomas

Since "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God," as the Scripture says, the acknowledgment by President Clinton’s special counsel, Gregory Craig, that the president also has sinned is not news. Unfortunately, they don’t have altar calls in the House of Representatives or at the liberal Methodist church Clinton attends. If he went to the nearby Baptist church favored by his fellow Baptist, Jimmy Carter, Clinton could "walk the aisle" and kneel at the prayer rail so photographers could capture his moment of contrition.

When lawyers talk sin and preachers talk politics, surely the demons in hell rejoice. Watching the parade of presidential apologists reminded me of a bad telethon. All that was missing was the president on crutches or in a wheelchair, pleading for his cause, while a big tote board kept track of the dollars being contributed to his defense fund.

The president didn’t tell the truth — but he didn’t commit perjury. The country can’t afford a long impeachment process. The president didn’t “intend” to break any law (try that one on the police officer who pulls you over for speeding). The entire House is a lame duck so nothing it does has any constitutional validity. We can’t tie up the “business” of the Supreme Court by having Chief Justice William Rehnquist preside over a Senate trial. These were just some of the arguments against impeachment presented by lawyers, academics, apologists and historical revisionists.

But the prize for the least relevant argument against impeachment goes to "moderate" Republican Rep. Amo Houghton of New York. Writing in The New York Times, Houghton said, "The main issue is to heal, rather than further divide, the nation." No, the real issue is to abide by the law and do one’s duty.

The expiation offered by Houghton is classic ’60s philosophy. It says there is no right or wrong because that would presume a standard by which people could be judged and judgment (or "intolerance" in the current lingo) is more evil than evil — if evil existed, which it doesn’t, because that would lead somewhere else that the flower children don’t want to go. That’s why 35 years ago they subscribed to the bromide that "God is dead."

The reason the president’s defenders behave as they do is that they are determined that no Republican, especially a conservative one, should run the government again. That’s because this bunch has always seen itself as more virtuous than any other generation, living or dead. Recall they announced they would perform miracles no one else has ever done. Harmony and understanding, sympathy and trust abounding. It would be the Age of Aquarius.

Because these people were more in touch with their inner selves, they would end racism, they would study war no more, they would re-create the Garden of Eden where we all would live in perfect harmony with animals and plants. And they could engage in any sexual activity or living arrangement they liked without consequence. They thought abortion on demand was an answered prayer to their pagan hedonistic god. They forgot venereal disease, broken relationships, abandoned children (who as teen-agers commit suicide in record numbers) and a general decline in civility for which they are mostly responsible.

This most pampered generation never had to sacrifice for anything. And they disrespected those who did. President Clinton is their perfect leader because he, with Hillary's help, is the only one who can save our children, build bridges between black and white (and to the 21st century), rescue the environment from corporate polluters and care about average people because he understands their problems. It is, therefore, justifiable for this president to be kept in office by any means necessary because his and Hillary's goodness is all that is keeping our country from going back to the Dark Ages.

If you know this, you understand the scenario being played out in Washington. It isn’t about the law; it isn’t about the truth. It is about holding on to power.

As for sin, any cleric who believes in it will tell you that while God can forgive a person who truly repents, there are still earthly consequences for one’s acts. Many convicted of capital crimes have sought and received forgiveness from God, but that has not, and should not have, cut them any slack with the state.

Cal Thomas' column regularly runs on Mondays and Thursdays.

Los Angeles Times Syndicate