Bill Clinton

"But I want to say one thing to the American people. I want you to listen to me. I'm going to say this again: I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky. I never told anybody to lie, not a single time; never. These allegations are false, and I need to go back to work for the American people. Thank you." - Bill Clinton

It All Comes Down to the Issues of Character and Respect

Any doubt that Bill Clinton's lack of candor and apparently insurmountable difficulty with telling "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth" was merely a character flaw that we should continue to overlook vaporized midway through his brief address to the nation Monday night regarding his appearance before the grand jury convened by Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr.

The address by the man that a majority of the American people elected not once, but twice, to the single most powerful position in the world fell woefully short of the sincere, heartfelt apology that was long overdue. Mr. Clinton's unwarranted attack on Kenneth Starr for his legitimate ongoing investigation into whether Clinton or his associates committed perjury or engaged in obstruction of justice was an undisguised attempt to turn the tables on Mr. Starr and elicit the sympathy of the very same American people that Clinton does not have enough respect for to apologize to.

I agree that Mr. Clinton's personal life is just that: his own personal life. But the lack of judgment evidenced by his inability to keep his personal life and behavior separate from his presidential roles and responsibilities rightfully should be an area of grave concern for all of us.

Mr. Clinton's pattern of irresponsible behavior indicates a profound lack of respect for his wife and lovely daughter. And if he has so little control over causing such profound pain for those that should mean the most to him, what hope is there that he has any respect for the American people? How do I explain his behavior to my seven-year-old year old daughter - that our President was involved in extra-marital, inappropriate behavior with a female employee less than half his age?

In my opinion, Mr. Clinton was sorry all right - but sorry more for the discomfort he caused himself than for anyone else. The American people are a forgiving people, long on compassion for the human imperfections that exist in us all.

It is too bad that Mr. Clinton yet again exhibited his lack of judgment in grasping that fact. And I have little respect for a man with such poor character, President or not.