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Page 9 • Tuesday, September 29, 1998
Polls, panic and political spoils
'athy saves elections from scandaVs impact
LE
he most
enigmatic
aspect of
ewinsky
—K is the state
m Prtgnpublic opinion,
hi poll after
oil, unnerving
lajorities of
” " -*rican citi-
CALEB
mcdaniel
(its have main-
lim'd their approval of the Presi-
ent s job in office.
■cads of pundits continue to
isist — against all the laws of
olitical logic — the matter is still
none of our business.” And in
son to a:
"With
], you:
He hai
s own:
in wha; :
is way.
h co ’ : biu of the lewd and nauseating
Hes)lK«ji s 0 f “gtarr Report,”
Hy Americans still seem able
s his e!rmp ara te their opinions of Pres-
S h' 11 iW Clinton’s “jobs” in the Oval
e oe i[fj( ? f roni f[i s job in the Oval Of-
■ Go figure.
States ■h many, the public’s resilient
le coni:aMj va j ence j s a mystery. To
he 96 ■ rS) j s downright disgust-
nid plaetB gut take a moment to con-
ee arch:m- t fjat it is simply the fact of
te matter.
o try a:: p as ^be polls seem to indi
ear an: a tl most Americans still ap-
WundeMe of the President’s policies
is re: (hie abhorring his personal
m justrBpies, then another equally
ppenetrable mystery immedi-
tely presents itself,
w are the Democ-
ats so worried
gut the fall
dolgressional
i P(i$ lections?
iher le.
m goal:
ond in
tied for
ovv card:
she doe
anyone
It is not hard to find pes
simists in Washington, but they
seem to be having a special hey
day discussing how the debate
over impeachment will influence
the November elections. Deter
mined to make the scandal parti
san, Democrats are now step
ping to the floor to encourage
their Republican colleagues to
speed up the inquiry. After all,
they know election day is just
around the corner.
But Democrats are wasting
their consternation. If the Amer
ican people have done anything
right in response to the Lewin
sky matter, they have judiciously
kept their opinions of President
Clinton confined to President
Clinton. No one, not even Ken
neth Starr, would claim Clinton’s
shenanigans should reflect on
his party. The failures were his
own, not the party’s.
Most everyone, whether they
support or oppose Clinton’s im
peachment, can agree that the
question is whether to impeach
Clinton. The question is not
about whether the entire Demo
cratic party should be booted
from office.
And the polls reflect this im
partiality. If they show majority of
nee
r with th
i the cof
Coliseu
isas
oma.
d to ntrf :
Americans are willing to support
Clinton’s job performance while
booing his moral performance,
then they imply Americans will
similarly keep questions of Demo
cratic policy separated from ques
tions of Clinton’s fitness to lead.
The polls do not give reason to
think there will be a huge politi
cal fallout in November because
Clinton let too much hang out
last year.
This is, after all, the way it
should be. You may have no re
spect for President Clinton. You
may deplore his character and
his credibility. And you would
have good reasons for holding
such opinions. But you should
not let these reactions influence
your views of other Democrats.
They are different individuals,
and they deserve separate, im
partial judgment.
So, Democrats, take a chill pill.
People who voted for Democ
rats before Lewinsky will contin
ue to vote fot Democrats after
Lewinsky. (And by voting a De
mocratic ticket, they are not nec
essarily voting for Clinton.)
People who did not vote for
Democrats before Lewinsky will
still dump the donkey after
Lewinsky. (And by not voting
for Democrats, they are not nec
essarily motivated by Clinton’s
ill repute.)
Republicans, be aware of this
fact. Tying to play the Lewinsky
card to get votes in November
probably will not work. If any
thing, it will backfire.
Americans are tired of this or
deal. Being tired of scandal
coverage does not mean
that they approve
of Clinton or dis
approve of im
peachment pro
ceedings. But it
does mean
they are
weary of war.
And they do
not want an
election blem
ished by
stained dresses.
They want an
election based on
policies, not on a
personality.
And if the polls are
right, there will not be
many surprises come
election day.
People will vote for
Republicans because
they agree with Re
publican policies, not
because Clinton is not
a Republican. And
they will vote for De
mocrats because they
agree with the Democratic
platform, regardless of the
fact Clinton is a Democrat.
Imagine it — politics based
on principles instead of per
sonalities. Make it happen.
Caleb McDaniel is a sopho
more history major.
Revelations guarantee Republican victories
BEVERLY
MIRELES
F orget Moni
ca. Forget
Paula. And
please forget the
provocative
headlines that
have monopo
lized newspaper
front pages
everywhere.
Focus on the
real issue at hand. Not only has
Bill Clinton diminished the
office of the of the
presidency by idi
otically exploit
ing the adulter
ous whims of
a 22-year-
old intern,
he has
single-
handedly
sabo
taged
the De
mocratic
party in the
upcoming
elections.
While the
Republicans
have been sitting
pretty for the last
two weeks, De
mocrats across the
country, scrambling
to save their jobs,
have come very close
to publicly denouncing
the very man that repre
sents them.
And the school of
thought that suggests
“hate the sin, but love the
sinner” must be a veritable
slap in the face to all De
mocrats running for office
these days, seeing how the
leader of their party jeopar
dized their job security.
The public, thoroughly sick
and tired of the Starr report
and its implied consequences
of impeachment, still expresses
a desire to move past the Clin
ton issue.
Keep in mind this does not
mean that everything is forgiv
en and forgotten. It is almost
certain that the nation, weary of
Clinton’s incessant denials, will
take out their resentment on
many incumbent Democrats,
and shut out a whole slew of up-
and-coming ones.
Clinton regularly refers to “his
place in the annals of history.” He
is guaranteed one now, though it
will probably be more of the infa
mous type than a visionary one.
Twenty years from now, Clin
ton may be somewhat redeemed,
as Nixon was in the public’s eyes,
but historically he will still be the
man who put the Republicans
back in power in the executive
and legislative branches.
Politically speaking, this is
more substantial to the public
than Clinton’s wrongdoing. His
alleged perjury may be a punish
able offense, but the real punish
ment will lie on the shoulders of
the Democratic party.
At this point, many Democrats
are thinking about what a relief it
would be if Clinton stepped down.
At least it would spare the Ameri
can public months of verbally elu
sive rebuttals from Clinton’s legal
team, and they would not have to
stand behind a man that blatantly
lied to them.
cy to the Republicans for at least
two terms.
Clinton’s wrongdoing may not
“get him” in the end, so to
speak, but before he has even
packed up and left the White
House, the American public will
be trying to wipe the slate clean
of the scandal. In other words,
they will clear the political arena
of Democrats next election.
TYuth be told, the Amer
ican public
may resent
the Republi
cans for their
enduring im
age as a group
of over-privi
leged “fat cats,”
but they really
distrust the De
mocrats.
Whatever or whoever Clinton
manipulated, covered up, per
jured, groped or misled, the fact
that he took something as honor
able as the presidency and then
demoralized it is the true insult to
the American people.
The Democrats, unfortunately,
will likely pay the price for it.
Democrats in positions of
power already seem to be few
and far between. Besides Al
Gore and Richard Gephardt, are
there many other Democratic op
tions for the presidency?
Al Gore really should not even
be counted, since his hopes of
claiming the presidency have
been ripped right out of his
sweaty little hands by Clinton and
Kenneth Starr.
This is assuming the Democ
rats have a chance at the presi
dency. As of now, it looks like
Clinton relinquished the presiden-
Makes sense,
right?
The group that
has continually
and adamantly
supported racial
equality and attempted to give
back to the less fortunate
through funding is now consid
ered the “shifty” party.
The way things look now, the
Republicans have the chance to
rid themselves of more than a
few Democrats this November,
at least until the next set of elec
tions comes around.
The Republicans are already
in control of both the House of
Representatives and the Senate.
The Clinton scandal will defi
nitely not loosen their grasp on
either one, unless the Republi
cans misstep and overplay their
scandal card.
For now, they have a clear path
to the White House, and it is all
thanks to Bill Clinton, leader of
the Democratic party.
Beverly Mireles is a sophomore
microbiology major.
ulingopP !
next n
lie road: H
riendships demand
ectatio 11 ' 1
season
1/
he
ssure
e done 1 '
d the tf'
natches
Vggies'f
i in tx
;ykora ^
kills pe f
nble
tch and
n eight 1 ' 1
\ ome say
friends make
the world go
two re*md. Some say
All-Aitf p does. But
junior 1 ryone knows
ected 1(, |od times are
jter when you
i share them
h someone.
But just as col
CORRIE
CAULEY
e represents an opportune time
finding friendships that will
it three •a lifetime, it is also a time
en students are so burdened
studies, projects and organiza-
os, that friends are put on the
:k burner.
While many students get
tght up in the grind of every-
pergaP l they often take the availabili-
of their comrades for granted.
After all, that is what friends are
— to always be there, right?
Well, yes. And no.
In today’s fast-paced society it
asy to get caught up in the
try of things.
In college, it is easy to begin
ing a hectic life that never
ms to slow. And pressing on
[Ward the goal of a huge salary
er graduation makes it even
er ^ a ^sier to become self-absorbed
nalisiu'B
and forget the ones who kept you
going through it all.
Although classes are the prima
ry priority, friends are what make
college more than an education.
Friends make it an experience.
And although throwing back a
few and enjoying a Robert Earl
Keen concert may seem like an
experience, friendships deserve
the more quality times too.
College often creates cookie-cut
ter friendships. Everyone falls into
their routines and friends are made
to fit that routine. Every week is
the same — after the projects are
done, work is completed and after
other obligations are met, then
time can be spared for friends.
Unfortunately, waiting until a
more convenient time to be a
friend can be costly. People often
forget they are living on borrowed
time, and today is what counts.
Like any relationship, what
you put into it is what you get
out of it. Friendship requires an
investment. To build strong
friendships, students must make
them a priority.
Each student has a unique
schedule, some with more time
on their hands, some with less.
And although school and activi-
attention
ties are important. Chemistry 101
only stays with you a while, but a
good friend is there to stay.
Everyone likes to know they
are appreciated, and friendships
would be stronger if people were
willing to make sacrifices — an
hour of their day for lunch, a
minute to just drop by and laugh
over coffee or an evening to go on
a drive and just get away.
Now is the time to make each
day count, to meet new friends
and cherish the time spent with
old ones. After this it is nine to five
— a wife, a husband, a dog, kids, a
mini-van (or maybe not) and the
time you thought you would have
just is not there.
Students have such great
dreams and potential in college,
and they should make it count. It is
possible to be the studious student,
the over-involved Aggie and the
kind of friend that makes a differ
ence. It is all about priorities.
College is a time for making
memories, and there are won
derful memories to be made ...
but it is the people that make
them precious.
Carrie Cauley is a senior
journalism major.