AND THE LYIN' SHALL LAY DOWN WITH THE LAMB
Fast forward to 2021 and just change the names...
There was talk about the Lyin' King paying a multi-million dollar fine to offset the cost of the Lewinsky investigation. According to MSNBC News, "Some already are discussing the possibility that Congress could demand the president pay restitution to cover some of the costs of the investigation as one form of punishment that might also include a vote of censure. 'It's the duty of the Senate to discuss the costs that have been borne by the American people as result of a calculated deception by the president," said Sen. Frank Murkowski, R-Alaska, who requested and received the spending estimate from Starr. And George Stephanopoulos, a former top Clinton adviser, said a fine would help end the issue. "The president should pay a fine for prolonging the inquiry over these seven months for the public costs and that could be the basis for a solution," he said. "And most of all, it would end this.' "
I'm sure that George and others close to the Clintons would like to see an end to the investigation. The longer it goes on and the more facts that are uncovered, the greater the chance that the periphery will be uncovered as collaborators.
I've heard the argument used that other presidents have done the same thing and not been held accountable for it. There are some counter-arguments to this that any thinking person could figure out:
SPIRITUAL SUPPORT
When all else fails, hide behind a mantle of spirituality and see if you can't somehow garner the support of the religious right...unfortunately for Billy Boy, current commentary from the Christian Coalition is running about 99-1 in favor of his departure from the White House. The Associated Press also reported that Clinton has asked at least two ministers to serve as spiritual advisers, pray with him weekly and help him resist temptation (that's what your absent conscience is for, Bill)...the ministers include:
The Rev. Gordon MacDonald, pastor of the nondenominational Grace Chapel in Lexington, Mass. MacDonald admitted an affair 12 years ago, resigned his position and left the ministry. He returned two years later and wrote a book about his experience, "Rebuilding Your Broken World." Clinton told MacDonald that he had read the book twice. (Obviously he failed to read the chapter on "Discovery by a Shocked Congregation" and thought he could carry on undetected) The following morning, the president confessed at a prayer breakfast that he had "sinned" and delivered his extensive public apology for the Lewinsky scandal. (Advice from someone who's been there is great - however, it is possible that the lack of a conscience on the part of ol' Billy Boy was his undoing here. I mean really, did he seriously think anyone was mistaking that constipated look on his face for contrition?)
The Rev. Tony Campolo, a liberal Baptist from Pennsylvania known for advocating Christian acceptance of homosexuality. 'There are those who will say that Gordon and I are being used and manipulated,' Campolo said in a statement addressing whether Clinton had selected them as political damage control. (That's okay Tony and Gordy, you aren't the first who've been sucked in and will surely not be the last) 'Should this be true, it would not be the first time that Christians have been taken in. But we would rather be men of faith who believe that God is working in the life of the president than to join that army of cynics ... who cannot accept a plea for forgiveness at face value.' (We saw his face, have seen it more and more often, and the "face value" of his plea is just enough to buy a cup of coffee if we already have a dollar in our pocket. Without remorse, the most well enacted plea just doesn't tug at the old heartstrings!)
When the videotape is shown on Monday, I'm sure his face, words and actions will tell the tale 😉. Time to go Bill!