This CNN headline caught my eye “House Impeaches Clinton“.
From today’s vantage point, it looks so petty:
WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, December 19) — A deeply divided House of Representatives impeached President Bill Clinton Saturday on charges of lying under oath to a federal grand jury and obstructing justice in the Monica Lewinsky affair. The two allegations of “high crimes and misdemeanors” next go to the Senate for trial.
They acquitted him of Article IV — Abuse of high office…
The fourth article, accusing the president of abuse of power, was defeated more handily on a 285-148 vote.
…but I can’t help comparing that charge with how the executive branch has been handling power in recent years.
Lots of familiar names and faces in the article, too. Like this one:
House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Texas), who has been credited with shoring up support within his caucus for impeachment, made an emotional statement in support of his Republican colleague.
“There is no greater American in my mind, at least today, than Bob Livingston because he understood what this debate was all about. It was about honor and decency and integrity and the truth,” DeLay said.
Memorable words about honor and integrity from the honorable Hammer himself, as he gave support for Bob Livingston (R-LA). Livingston, of course, had announced he was quitting Congress because he’d had an extra-marital affair, and had called upon Clinton to follow his example.
And how’s this for an incoherent logic stream about the partisanship of that impeachment:
One Republican who voted against all of the articles of impeachment, Rep. Christopher Shays (R-Connecticut), said it was understandable why the sides would break down that way: “I believe that the impeachable offenses have not been proven and that the proven offense are not impeachable. But they are close.
“And that’s why I understand that members that happen to be primarily Democrats concluded that the president should not be impeached and members on my side of the aisle primarily Republicans who believe he should be impeached,” Shays said.
The whole thing still makes my stomach churn.
Somehow, it all seems like a lifetime ago — and yesterday. It’s been a very long eight years…
via memeorandum
