DATE=12/17/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-42173
TITLE=CLINTON/CREDIBILITY
BYLINE=JIM MALONE
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: MANY CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS ARE QUESTIONING PRESIDENT
CLINTON'S CREDIBILITY IN THE WAKE OF THE U-S MILITARY ATTACKS ON
IRAQ. THE AIRSTRIKES BEGAN ON THE EVE OF THE SCHEDULED
IMPEACHMENT VOTE IN THE U-S HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, ANGERING
SOME OPPOSITION REPUBLICANS WHO ACCUSE THE PRESIDENT OF USING THE
ATTACK ON IRAQ TO DELAY THE IMPEACHMENT VOTE. AS NATIONAL
CORRESPONDENT JIM MALONE REPORTS, THE LEVEL OF TRUST BETWEEN THE
PRESIDENT AND REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS APPEARS TO BE AT AN
ALL-TIME LOW.
TEXT: IN THE WAKE OF THE ATTACK ON IRAQ, THE CREDIBILITY GAP
BETWEEN CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS AND PRESIDENT CLINTON SEEMS TO
BE WIDENING. DANA ROHRABACHER IS A REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN FROM
CALIFORNIA.
/// ROHRABACHER ACT. ///
WE DO NOT EVEN TRUST HIM WHEN HE ORDERS THE AMERICAN
MILITARY INTO ACTION. WE BELIEVE HE IS A SHAMELESS LIAR
AND IT IS TIME FOR HIM TO STEP DOWN.
/// END ACT. ///
SOME REPUBLICANS NOW SEE POLITICAL MOTIVES IN EVERYTHING THE
PRESIDENT DOES, AND THAT COULD POISON RELATIONS BETWEEN THE WHITE
HOUSE AND CONGRESS FOR THE REST OF MR. CLINTON'S TERM, ASSUMING
HE SURVIVES AN EXPECTED IMPEACHMENT TRIAL IN THE SENATE.
THIS IS UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA POLITICAL SCIENTIST LARRY SABATO.
/// SABATO ACT. ///
WE ARE BEGINNING TO SEE THE REAL CONSEQUENCES OF THE
PRESIDENT'S MISSTATEMENTS AND UNTRUTHS CONNECTED TO THE
SCANDALS. NOW, A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE, AT LEAST A THIRD (ACCORDING TO MOST POLLS), DO
NOT BELIEVE HIM AND ARE NOT INCLINED TO BELIEVE HIM ON
ANYTHING. AND THAT PERCENTAGE IS ACTUALLY HIGHER AMONG
THE GOVERNING CLASS, THOSE WHO ARE ACTUALLY IN OFFICE OR
CLOSE TO POWER.
/// END ACT. ///
THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY LEADER IN THE U-S SENATE, TRENT LOTT
(MISSISSIPPI) EVEN TOOK THE UNUSUAL STEP OF WITHHOLDING HIS
SUPPORT FOR THE IRAQ BOMBINGS, SAYING THE TIMING OF THE ATTACK
WAS SUSPECT.
AT THE WHITE HOUSE, PRESIDENT CLINTON SOUGHT TO REASSURE THE
PUBLIC THE ATTACK AGAINST BAGHDAD WAS NOT PART OF A POLITICAL
STRATEGY AIMED AT SIDETRACKING THE IMPEACHMENT EFFORT IN
CONGRESS.
/// CLINTON ACT. ///
THAT IT IS NOT TRUE. THAT WHAT I DID WAS THE RIGHT
THING FOR THE COUNTRY. I DO NOT THINK THAT ANY SERIOUS
PERSON WOULD BELIEVE THAT ANY PRESIDENT WOULD DO SUCH A
THING.
/// END ACT. ///
THIS GROWING WILLINGNESS BY REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS TO QUESTION
THE MOTIVES OF THE PRESIDENT'S ACTIONS ABROAD IS THE LATEST
EXAMPLE OF THE DETERIORATING BIPARTISANSHIP IN OFFICIAL
WASHINGTON.
/// OPT /// IT IS A TREND WHICH BEGAN DURING THE DIVISIVE
DEBATES OVER THE VIETNAM WAR IN THE 1960'S AND BLOSSOMED DURING
THE WATERGATE SCANDAL IN THE 1970'S AND THE IRAN-CONTRA SCANDAL
OF THE 1980'S.
POLITICAL ANALYST STUART ROTHENBERG SAYS AMERICAN PRESIDENTS CAN
NO LONGER AUTOMATICALLY COUNT ON BIPARTISAN SUPPORT WHEN DEALING
WITH A CRISIS OVERSEAS.
/// ROTHENBERG ACT. ///
IT USED TO BE SAID THAT POLITICS STOPPED AT THE WATER'S
EDGE, AND THAT WAS A REFERENCE TO WHEN FOREIGN POLICY
WAS INVOLVED THERE WERE NO REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRATS OR
LIBERALS OR CONSERVATIVES, BUT JUST AMERICANS. AND I
THINK THAT SINCE VIETNAM (WAR) WE HAVE SEEN EROSION OF
THAT BIPARTISANSHIP AND MOST RECENTLY, SENATOR (TRENT)
LOTT'S CRITICAL COMMENTS OF THE PRESIDENT'S DECISIONS, I
THINK, EMPHASIZE THAT EROSION AND POINT OUT THAT
PARTISAN POLITICS NO LONGER STOPS AT THE WATER'S EDGE
AND NOW INVOLVES IMPORTANT NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUES AS
WELL.
/// END ACT. ///
/// END OPT ///
IF, AS IS LIKELY, PRESIDENT CLINTON IS IMPEACHED BY THE
REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED HOUSE BECAUSE OF HIS EFFORTS TO CONCEAL AN
AFFAIR WITH MONICA LEWINSKY, HE WOULD BECOME ONLY SECOND U-S
PRESIDENT TO FACE AN IMPEACHMENT TRIAL IN THE SENATE.
SIXTY-SEVEN OF THE 100 U-S SENATORS WOULD HAVE TO CONVICT THE
PRESIDENT OF HIGH CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS IN ORDER TO REMOVE HIM
FROM OFFICE.
FOR MONTHS, MOST POLITICAL ANALYSTS HAVE PREDICTED THAT
REPUBLICANS, WHO HOLD A 55 TO 45 SEAT ADVANTAGE IN THE SENATE,
WOULD NOT BE ABLE MUSTER ENOUGH VOTES TO FORCE THE PRESIDENT FROM
OFFICE.
BUT UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA POLITICAL SCIENTIST LARRY SABATO SAYS
THE PRESIDENT'S ERODING CREDIBILITY AMONG REPUBLICANS IN THE WAKE
OF THE ATTACKS ON IRAQ COULD UNDERCUT HIS EFFORTS TO SURVIVE A
TRIAL IN THE SENATE.
/// SABATO ACT. ///
THERE IS AT LEAST A TINY CHANCE THAT IF THINGS CONTINUE
TO DETERIORATE, ENOUGH DEMOCRATS WILL DECIDE THAT THEY
ARE PROBABLY BETTER OFF WITH AL GORE, WHO HAS A CLEAN
REPUTATION, THAN CONTINUING WITH A CRIPPLED PRESIDENCY
AND A PRESIDENT THAT MANY AMERICANS SIMPLY DO NOT TRUST.
/// END ACT. ///
PUBLIC OPINION POLLS HAVE LONG SHOWN A MAJORITY OF AMERICANS
OPPOSE MR. CLINTON'S REMOVAL FROM OFFICE. BUT THE POLLS ALSO
SHOW MOST AMERICANS BELIEVE THE PRESIDENT LIED IN THE MONICA
LEWINSKY AFFAIR AND HIS MISLEADING STATEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH
THE SCANDAL HAVE SOMEWHAT ERODED HIS CREDIBILITY AND
TRUSTWORTHINESS. (SIGNED)
NEB/JBM/RAE
17-Dec-98 3:01 PM EST (2001 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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