MediaWatch: September 21, 1998
Table of Contents:
Clinton's Lawyers Lashed
Although journalists still take shots at Starr for releasing an overly graphic report, not even the liberal press could support Clinton’s fantastical legal interpretations arguing he did not perjure himself. On two September 13 Sunday morning shows, Clinton attorneys David Kendall and Charles Ruff were flummoxed by probing questions.
On ABC’s This Week, Cokie Roberts confronted Kendall, "You have answered questions in certain ways. It’s tortured language about what sex, about what alone, about what the meaning of the word is, is. Just as a commonsensical human being was the President telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?"
She then challenged Clinton’s moral authority: "The President took the oath to faithfully execute the laws of the country.... but he attempted to, he attempted to thwart the case. And in his seven months of non-stop attack on the judicial system, has he faithfully executed the laws of the United States?"
Later, Sam Donaldson doubted Clinton’s memory lapses: "Has he forgotten he had sex with Monica Lewinsky?" ABC political commentator George Will had a memorable follow-up: "I gather your answer to Sam is, he could remember being alone with Miss Lewinsky when she was delivering pizza, but not when she was delivering oral sex?" Donaldson concluded: "I take it your case is, the President of the United States may be a liar, but he’s not a perjurer."
On NBC’s Meet The Press, Tim Russert parsed what Clinton said: "He says that when she gave him oral sex, that’s her having sex, not him having sex as he understands it. And when Monica Lewinsky said that he, in fact, had fondled her, touched her....he said, that never happened. Now, are the American people supposed to believe that?"
Russert even suggested an interregnum might be in order: "No less than five women have come forward and complained about the President’s sexual behavior. Is there any consideration being given by the President to seek professional help?...Would the White House ever consider invoking the 25th Amendment, where the President would step aside for six or eight weeks, go away for counseling and therapy, and allow President Gore to run the country?"
