_______________ SECRET LIVES OF THE REPUBLICANS, PART ONE BY JASON VEST (09/11/98)
	Rep. Dan Burton's quick fall into disgrace after leading the prurient pecking party attempting to take Clinton down stands as a brazen example of the hypocrisy of the president's critics. The brilliant spotlight of public attention momentarily flickered on Burton and we suddenly learn that this purveyor of Puritan prudery has not only had several extramarital affairs himself, which Burton carefully concealed from the voters in his district, but actually fathered an out of wedlock child we were never told about. Burton, R.-Ind., who has been leading a partisan House investigation of Clinton's 1996 campaign finances, is now facing an investigation into allegations that he tried to solicit illegal contributions from a former Pakistani government lobbyist. Burton is an outspoken advocate of severe prison sentences for marijuana-related crimes for other people's kids, but he didn't hesitate for a second to use the influence of his office to get his own son off with probation for two drug dealing charges involving eight pounds of marijuana in Louisiana and an indoor grow operation in Indiana. Ordinary drug dealers do serious prison time for a first offense and get the book thrown at them for a second (six months later), but Burton's son got off scot-free both times. One wonders what skeletons will fall out of Rep. Burton's closet next. And what about the rest of the charlatans yelling for Clinton's scalp? What kind of dirt will we learn about these hypocrites when the incandescent blare of media attention focuses on their secret lives? Before turning the government over to sermonizing impostors seeking to rule by inquisition, we should remember the disaster church-state unions have caused in the past. The Salem witch hunts and the Spanish Inquisition immediately come to mind because religious extremists know no restraint once they gain power. I for one am not remotely interested in Bill Clinton's sex life and do not believe a lie related to a personal affair should be the grounds for impeachment. No one had a right to peek through keyholes in the first place. If lying about sex disqualifies a person for public office, the founding fathers should have put it in the Constitution. Many of the nation's architects had mistresses, but they were not hypocritical enough to make chastity a requirement for office. -- Lester Nordroff Mill Valley, Calif.
_______________THE SALON REPORT ON KENNETH STARR BY DAVID TALBOT (09/10/98)
	While the stock market tumbles and Russia is in crisis, Kenneth Starr brings down the government of the United States of America -- because the president lied about a sexual relationship! The best one can say about Starr is that he is a rogue prosecutor -- of unprecedented power. -- R. C. Bryant, M.D. Woodbury, Tenn. I have to agree that Kenneth Starr doesn't deserve much respect for the work he's done. On the other hand, I didn't vote for him, nor do I expect him to represent the country to the rest of the world. We're faced with a number of financial and military uncertainties today, and a president who appears to have lost some of his credibility as a leader. The president is held to a higher standard, not in his sexual interests and personal decisions, but in the decisions he makes that may affect our country. We convey power upon our elected leaders with the expectation that they handle it. John F. Kennedy apparently engaged in more than a few extramarital affairs. He presumably was aware that the media of the time would not report them, and that he could behave with impunity. Regardless of your opinion of his personal judgment, these were essentially personal decisions. President Clinton, on the other hand, engaged in this behavior with full knowledge of our media's relentless focus on scandal and all things prurient, and then lied in a federal court about it. He knowingly put himself in a position that could (and did) lead to impeachment talk and a full-fledged media press focused on his sexual interests. To blame the media or Kenneth Starr for taking advantage of his weaknesses and poor decisions is disingenuous. Clinton was certainly aware of the risk he was taking, and the effect it could have if discovered. His decision to go ahead while (with his full knowledge) the media scoured his behavior for anything that would sell papers and Kenneth Starr spent millions of dollars investigating his personal life was a dereliction of his duty as our elected representative (to use a regrettably military term). -- Thor Clark
_______________SALON'S COVERAGE OF THE CLINTON CRISIS
	You "Clintoon" rump swabs are about to get what you deserve: the swift end to the most corrupt administration in this nation's history. And all of you apologists for this disgusting, immoral man bear a huge amount of blame for having allowed this pathological liar to come to and continue in office. May you agonize over his (and your own) demise. Good riddance you socialist swine! -- Paul R. Donaldson Francestown, N.H. Thank you for your unbiased reporting on the recent scandals in Washington. Your willingness to look on both sides of the issue helps me achieve much needed perspective. For example, it is instructive to me to learn that Ken Starr is the first independent counsel with a political orientation, not unbiased like you and I. The real benefit to me, however, from your balanced reporting is seeing the vast gulf between the magnitude of the "crimes" alleged of Ken Starr compared with those alleged of the president. The body count of Clinton associates, enemies and witnesses has climbed into the scores -- a chilling indicator that the surface of the corruption may only just be getting scratched. The implications of the coincidence of Chinese campaign contributions and the breakthroughs in Red Army missile technology would make the acts of earlier traitors look like the accomplishments of eagle scouts. The specter of presidential minions leafing through or copying the illegally acquired FBI files of citizens is reminiscent of the MO of the KGB. If the worst of allegations against both men are true, Mr. Clinton appears to be the most horror-inspiring occupant of a seat of great power since Saddam Hussein, and Ken Starr a real American hero, warts and all. Of course, the American justice system has yet to conclude its dealings with any of these allegations, so we must wait and see what the full truth is. I can only pray that our worst fears are not confirmed, as I'm sure do you. -- Bryan Campbell Greenwood, S.C. SALON | Sept. 15, 1998

R E C E N T L Y+| SALON'S COVERAGE OF THE CLINTON CRISIS

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