Last week saw the convergence of two anniversaries-the 25th anniversary of Richard Nixon’s resignation and the fifth anniversary of the appointment of Ken Starr as an independent counsel to investigate President Clinton.
Both events became “news” here.
It was announced that the National Archives shortly will begin selling copies of the Oval Office tapes that showed former President Nixon knew about the Watergate break-in in the summer of 1972 and also abused his office in other ways. I use the word “abused” because not all of the Oval Office tapes are being made public, only the ones known as the government-abuse tapes.
Starr made news when he said he would wrap up his investigation before the 2000 general election-before Hillary Rodham Clinton’s name appears on the ballot for the New York Senate seat. He would not say whether the first lady or her husband remain targets of the investigation. In case you have forgotten, it was the Starr Report that led to President William Jefferson Clinton being impeached.
The convergence of the two events-much like the convergence of the sun and the moon, which also occurred last week-got me thinking.
How far have we come when in 25 years, we face two constitutional crises?
While I remember the day Nixon resigned, I was young and didn’t truly understand the significance. Not even two years later, when my parents excitedly pointed out to me the Nixon resignation letter in a display case on a trip to the National Archives, did I understand its importance.
The Clinton Scandal, call it Whitewater or L’Affair Lewinsky, was easier to comprehend, but not easier to understand. I don’t think I will ever understand the sordid behavior in that mess. And I don’t mean just Clinton’s inexcusable behavior. The Republicans seemed to revel in playing a game of gotcha, seemingly hoping for Clinton to be kicked out of office. My fellow members of the media also seemed to be shocked at the details but were unwilling to hold them back.
In the end, what we were left with was so much rancor and distrust that the process of government still has not recovered.
While solar eclipses are over almost as soon as they begin, the persistent I-got-your-guy-because-you-got-mine that started with Watergate never seems to end.
So while hope springs eternal that politicians and other Washington policy wonks can learn Thumper’s rule-If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all-I will continue to watch events here hoping that like the sun returns after an eclipse, civility will-for once-reign in the nation’s capital.
