Jackson Free Press

Dear Bill Clinton,

You were my favorite. Maybe you still are. I hailed you as the greatest president of all time. I didn't go so far as a lot of folks did in declaring you the county's first "black" president, but you were damn close. That's why I'm hurt that you have become so vicious, so "un-sportsmanlike" in your demeanor in recent days. You appear rattled. Why the venom?

I know it must be frustrating to see the love we have given you and your wife for so many years being shared with the likes of another. And much like a scorned lover, you return with insults and innuendo. You had to realize that the new guy on campus always gets the attention. But instead of handling it like the true "G" I thought you were, you let yourself lash out emotionally. I understand, though. People are attacking your wife. Any man would do what you've done, especially with the White House at stake.

You're shrewd, and that's one of the reasons I liked you in the first place. It takes an eloquent man to juggle that many women and be president at the same time. You occupied the highest-profile job on the planet. Granted, it's much harder than just telling your wife, "I'm working late." Hell, you were the president; your every move was watched. We bow at your skill.

The Clinton machine is a juggernaut. I marveled at how you recovered in New Hampshire—the new age "trail of tears." I watched as the polls began to turn in Barack Obama's favor, how you described his movement as a "fairy tale." I was in awe of how you sauntered through casinos in Nevada, eavesdropping on conversations that the Bionic Woman couldn't have heard. Yet, there you were, spinning yarns of voter intimidation. You've obviously been to this big dance before. It shows.

However, it appears you have run into a force that doesn't waiver in the face of normal campaign rhetoric. As a man whose celebrity has hinged on his uncanny connection with African Americans, it's sad to see you stoop to these tactics. It stinks of desperation. It will certainly lead to division, and division, as we have seen, will sound the death-knell for Democrats in November.

Bill, I'm disappointed. I expect so much more of you. I thought maybe after Sen. James Clyburn, D-S.C., asked you to "chill," you would have considered. Even before that, Ted Kennedy reached out and asked you to perhaps tone down the comments. Instead, you continue to make gentle swipes that aren't lost on the intelligent voter. Give "me" a break. Saying the media is stirring up the "race" talk when it was you and the Clinton campaign who initiated it in the first place?

I can respect gamesmanship. Obama is going to have to get ready to rumble. But then you returned with the kicker. Out of nowhere, you pulled the "Well ... Jesse Jackson won South Carolina, twice" card out of your deck. Instead of congratulating the player as a true player would do, you attempted to belittle not just Obama's win, but the significance of the black vote. Brutus? It's not enough to listen to Pat Buchanan almost nullify South Carolina's primary on Fox News. That's expected. It's not enough to simply acknowledge a formidable opponent and grind it out in the spirit of competition. You could have let us decide based on the issues. You see, Obama doesn't come from the same school of campaigning, the tainted one in Washington, D.C., that says you win by digging up dirt on your opponent and burying him under it.

But Bill, if these chickens that you've hatched come home to roost this November, you may have cost Hillary, Obama or any other Democrat, for that matter, a chance at the White House. That is the tragedy of it all.

And that's the truth … sho-nuff.

Previous Comments

ID

75977

Comment

Excellent, Kaze. I nominate you as the person to talk to Clinton the next time. You acknowledged Bill's unequalled legendary player status or contribution to players the world over, and still told him what time it is right now. You should run for president yourself some day yourself.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2008-01-30T17:17:12-06:00

ID

75978

Comment

I simply do not understand this idol worship if a rapist.

Author

Cliff Cargill

Date

2008-01-31T06:21:19-06:00

ID

75979

Comment

Sorry, that link didn't work: This one does.

Author

Cliff Cargill

Date

2008-01-31T06:29:52-06:00

ID

75980

Comment

"It takes an eloquent man to juggle that many women and be president at the same time." Clinton Misogyny - Sex Juanita Broaddrick (AR)- rape Eileen Wellstone (Oxford) - rape Elizabeth Ward Gracen - rape - quid pro quo, post incident intimidation Regina Hopper Blakely - "forced himself on her, biting, bruising her" Kathleen Willey (WH) - sexual assault, intimidations, threats Sandra Allen James (DC) - sexual assault 22 Year Old 1972 (Yale) - sexual assault Kathy Bradshaw (AK) - sexual assault Cristy Zercher - unwelcomed sexual advance, intimidations Paula Jones (AR) - unwelcomed sexual advance, exposure, bordering on sexual assault Carolyn Moffet -unwelcomed sexual advance, exposure, bordering on sexual assault 1974 student at University of Arkansas - unwelcomed physical contact 1978-1980 - seven complaints per Arkansas state troopers Monica Lewinsky - quid pro quo, post incident character assault Gennifer Flowers - quid pro quo, post incident character assault Dolly Kyle Browning - post incident character assault Sally Perdue - post incident threats Betty Dalton - rebuffed his advances, married to one of his supporters Denise Reeder - apologetic note scanned Clinton Misogyny - Other Marsha Scott - claimed an affair Connie Hamzy - claimed sex Bobbie Ann Williams - claimed paid sex, paternity And, this is to be admired?

Author

Cliff Cargill

Date

2008-01-31T07:24:01-06:00

ID

75981

Comment

Kaze, please respond and let Cliff know that rumors have no values.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2008-01-31T09:04:15-06:00

ID

75982

Comment

Cliff, I think your sarcasm mechanism has been turned off. This column is definitely tongue-in-cheek in some areas. It is moreso to voice my disappointment at Bill for lodging the knife in the collective back of a demo that has mostly supported him. You never bite the hand that feeds you...regardless. As for those allegations, I for one don't believe Clinton ever did or had to "force" himself on those women. Was he a little obnoxious after a few cocktails..probably. Was he a pig?...probably. But the man has charm, charisma, power, and influence and doesnt need to pander I believe. Im dispappointed in the Billster but not because of that. That's he said-she said to me.

Author

Kamikaze

Date

2008-01-31T09:45:09-06:00

ID

75983

Comment

Kaze, You can't have it both ways. You can't priase bubba clinton and his supposed prowess for treating women like pieces of meat and not be called on his baggage that goes along with it. If he's a real "Playa", as some here apparently love him for, he's going have a some foul balls during his "game". Just sayin'.

Author

Cliff Cargill

Date

2008-01-31T09:50:02-06:00

ID

75984

Comment

Handle Cliff, Kaze. Don't worry, I got your back should other chime in and double up on you. I know you don't need any help though!

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2008-01-31T09:52:59-06:00

ID

75985

Comment

no doubt Cliff...he's had foul balls indeed. At any rate we have no proof that he treated anyone like "meat". Like I said, its he say-she say. We dont know if those women had motive or otherwise to say waht they said. Most of this(not all of course) came out during his presidency when he was at his peak of "celebrity" Just look at Kwame, Bill, Gary Hart, others..Power is a hell of an aphrodesiac. Powerful men attract women. What happens next is your call to make..Had nothing to do with his office or his policy. Infact, Kwame "struck out" but trust you will get another at-bat. Bill has fouled, balked, and struck out...swinging I might add...but you'll see theplate again my friend LOL

Author

Kamikaze

Date

2008-01-31T10:02:42-06:00

ID

75986

Comment

These are real women with real stories and they are all the proof that's needed. Let me turn my scarcasm button on: ***Blink*** bubba clinton wants to give a shout out to all his homies... This song is dedicated to you!

Author

Cliff Cargill

Date

2008-01-31T10:08:28-06:00

ID

75987

Comment

Cliff, I don't think Kaze was trying to glorify Clinton's infidelity, but I'll let him speak for himself since he wrote the article. Sometimes it's hard to gauge exactly how a person is thinking by reading words on a piece of paper or a computer screen, but to me, he sounds like he feels betrayed by Clinton because of the whole "et tu" thing. Anyway, I actually wanted to ask you where you got that list of women. Is there a link I can go to and read? I would like to know more because I've only heard of Flowers, Jones and Lewinsky.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2008-01-31T10:22:36-06:00

ID

75988

Comment

Although, as usual, I can't spell the words correctly, but when I first saw the title to Kaze's column, I immediately wished I was in Houston and ordering some shrimp et tu-fe. That's some good stuff. My stomach growls every time I see the words et tu.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2008-01-31T10:31:59-06:00

ID

75989

Comment

Sure LW. Here you go.

Author

Cliff Cargill

Date

2008-01-31T10:34:27-06:00

ID

75990

Comment

Cliff, no one doubts that these women are real. trust me Im sympathetic. But as a hiphop artist that frequents clubs and concerts Ive found that sometimes two-people's accounts of events can be grossly different whenthings come out in the wash. So I take he say-she say with a grain of salt. dunno if Bill actually did or not. But I do know not to jump to the accuser's side of things just because I dont like Bill (ahem). Rape, sexual assault, paternity, and the like are SERIOUS accusations. And its not fair to condemn based on stories especially when the only two people in the "room" are the only two people in the room dig me? A spurned advance, a refusal to leave your wife, refusal to dole out money..all those things sometimes tend to twist actual events. all im saying. Its a big deal for me cuz in my profession you have to encounter that.

Author

Kamikaze

Date

2008-01-31T11:00:39-06:00

ID

75991

Comment

Yes, These are serious allegations. So much so that all of the major news networks have documented this stuff for years on end. No other president since jfk other than bubba clinton has this hanging over him. bubba clinton is a proven liar. I've heard the Jennifer Fowers tapes.; I've seen bubba wag his bony little finger and lie about women before. More importantly, I've seen interviews with Juanita Broaddrick. Either she's a great actor who should get an Academy Award, or she's telling the truth. I'll take her word for it, because she WAS in the room.

Author

Cliff Cargill

Date

2008-01-31T11:20:32-06:00

ID

75992

Comment

No, they are not serious. Ken Starr spent $70 Million Dollars (70,000,000) (Seventy Million) and came up with jack. Does anyone seriously fault Bill for campaigning hardball on behalf of his WIFE? Get over it.

Author

Willezurmacht

Date

2008-01-31T11:57:21-06:00

ID

75993

Comment

Bill Clinton has had too many allegations made against him, by too many different women, for there to be nothing at all to it. The Juanita Broaddrick especially case bothers me because of the dynamics involved: We know five people claim that she told them about the rape back in 1978. We know that she was threatened into signing an affidavit stating that she had not been raped, which of course discredited any future attempts to file charges. We know that Bill Clinton has a history of sexually exploiting women with whom he comes in contact, and we know that Bill Clinton has no problem lying about it. So would he go a step further and commit rape? I wouldn't put it past him. I'm not saying he can be successfully indicted on this, but the way so many folks in the national feminist community dismissed Broaddrick and other alleged victims out of hand speaks volumes about what men can get away with once they have enough power.

Author

Tom Head

Date

2008-01-31T16:17:24-06:00

ID

75994

Comment

I hope none of it is true. I certainly beleive Clinton will trick or mislead a woman into sleeping with him via the use of power of whatever nature and kind. Not many men would resist doing the same. Of course, republicans will say they won't do it like Gingrist, Fordice and others who badmouthed Clinton while fooling around too on their wilves. To lure and entice wome is partially the reason men like fine cars, good jobs, nice clothes, et al. But I would have a hard time believing Clinton is the raping type who would take sex against a woman will unless lead in too deep then the woman reneged on the deal. I do agree that women can renege whenever they please, but not every man agrees.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2008-01-31T16:27:46-06:00

ID

75995

Comment

Ray, if we look at the accounts these women gave, they all have one thing in common: The, ahem, audacity of hope. Which is to say that Clinton whips it out and expects to get what he wants, because he's the rich, good-looking young governor. 99% of the time, he probably did. Maybe with Broaddrick, he was so used to having his way that it never crossed his mind that she might have really meant she didn't want to have sex with him. Either way, it's rape.

Author

Tom Head

Date

2008-01-31T16:36:45-06:00

ID

75996

Comment

That "audacity of hope" phrase is a great one here. It can easily have a dual meaning. The women had the audacity of hope of bettering themselves and the audacity of Hope, Arkansas had the audacity and hope of using them for sensual reasons.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2008-01-31T16:48:05-06:00

ID

75997

Comment

But I don't know that this is rape morally, legally or otherwise; otherwise rape runs rampant amoungst men of power and it's prevalent in all setting of power, great and small.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2008-01-31T16:54:47-06:00

ID

75998

Comment

"No, they are not serious. Ken Starr spent $70 Million Dollars (70,000,000) (Seventy Million) and came up with jack." Nothing to see here, eh? Just move it along...just so my guy is off the hook, then no problem, right? They're, afterall, just women. Women who are just like furniture in these worlds of money and power. If they get chipped or broken, hey, it's no problem. I don't care what they spent, which, by the way, you can't thank billy, and his little wille for. He's a rapist. Just read what the woman says that found Ms. Broaddrick right after the attack in 1978 says.

Author

Cliff Cargill

Date

2008-01-31T17:05:19-06:00

ID

75999

Comment

Personally, Cliff, I'd trust my dog phanton before trusting Hannity or anything he presents. I'm totally against rape but don't know that I would trust a woman who gives different accounts of the rape, especially an account denying it occurred unless a very convincing explanation is given. Where is it in this case? I don't claim Clinton is a saint, or even innocent-like around beautiful or not so beautiful women, and I would quickly tell him to get you ass away from my young grand daughter and neices.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2008-01-31T17:17:12-06:00

ID

76000

Comment

It's in the story, Ray. It's hard out there to be a "Playa", and to be a "Pimp". He just can't keep all these terrible, lying whores in line, can he?

Author

Cliff Cargill

Date

2008-01-31T17:23:51-06:00

ID

76001

Comment

That wasn't a convincing explanation! All of that could have been staged. Back then they didn't really want him (although they tried to use him), once he got hot, they were all on him.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2008-01-31T17:27:27-06:00

ID

76002

Comment

Oooops... I forgot to turn my scarcasm button off: ***Blink***

Author

Cliff Cargill

Date

2008-01-31T17:29:53-06:00

ID

76003

Comment

Ray, no matter what explanation they give, it won't be enough for you. Like I said, how come there's not a long line of women with these claims about Johnson, Nixon, Reagan, Carter, Bush I or, II? Just bubba clinton.

Author

Cliff Cargill

Date

2008-01-31T17:35:32-06:00

ID

76004

Comment

That's the thing about rape cases in which there is no physical evidence: They can technically be staged. That possibility creates reasonable doubt, which is one of the reasons why the conviction rape for rate is so incredibly low. But when you have upwards of twenty women who have come forward and been retaliated against by the Clintons, and when we have cases where Clinton has admitted that he has no problem using his job to get sex, you have a scenario where there's somebody who... Well, the kindest thing you can say about Bill Clinton is that he's a slimeball who abuses his power to get sex. And that's if you completely dismiss all of the claims of women who say that he raped them. Which is, for the most part, what Americans have done and continue to do.

Author

Tom Head

Date

2008-01-31T17:35:44-06:00

ID

76005

Comment

Sure, Cliff and Tom, I believe Bill was big pimping, but I don't beleive he was raping anybody. Similarly, I beleive Mayor Sexual Healing out there in Detroit was big pimping, but I don't beleive he's a rapist.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2008-01-31T17:37:11-06:00

ID

76006

Comment

Oh, and pimps don't abuse, rape and humiliate their women, Ray?

Author

Cliff Cargill

Date

2008-01-31T17:41:52-06:00

ID

76007

Comment

Cliff those guys are regular people. Bill is a genius and player whose game and aim were/are different than those guys. Those other guys were boring. Most women would agree, if they would be honest. Cliff and Tom, some people do and some people don't; but some people do do. Bill was one who do do, and that's why he was/is a playa.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2008-01-31T17:44:52-06:00

ID

76008

Comment

In this instance, pimp and lover are interchangeable. He was a good pimp, I mean.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2008-01-31T17:50:22-06:00

ID

76009

Comment

Using employer status to get sex from employees is wrong. Adultery is wrong. The man's slime as far as I'm concerned, even if he never raped anybody--and four women, who have suffered tremendously for making these public accusations, say that he has.

Author

Tom Head

Date

2008-01-31T18:26:02-06:00

ID

76010

Comment

Tom, Clinton was never a "rich kid". His mom was a nurse and his stepfather was a not-so-successful car dealer. It was not until after he left the presidency that he began to earn millions on the lecture circuit. As Arkansas governor, he never made more than $35,000 a year, I think, and Hillary was the primary breadwinner until he became president and she left the prestigious Rose Law Firm in Little Rock. Shortly thereafter, his legal fees from the bogus Whitewater allegations and other attacks from the right wing nuts consumed most of his presidential salary such that by the time he left office, he was millions in debt. Let us be clear. Adultery is a bipartisan reality. As Ray said, what about Fordice's indiscretions? Giuliani's? Or Mark Foley's homosexual propensities toward teenage pages? And we haven't forgotten about republican Idaho senator Larry Craig's mensroom solicitations, eh? And Cliff, George H. W. Bush is said to have kept a mistress. Ike kept a mistress when he was the Supreme Allied Commander; even carried her wherever he went. FDR had a long extramarital affair which Eleanor is said to have known about all along. The difference in all of those before Clinton is that there was no 24/7 global new coverage ala CNN, MSNBC, Fox--er, Faux News, etc., and instant electronic communications via the internet, YouTube, and the like. Hell, even Dubya is often romantically linked to Condi Rice. Do I necessarily believe those rumors? Not really, and if any of it is true, I'm not condoning it. But I do have a problem with is when you cherry-pick the Democrats, like Clinton, whose political beliefs happen to be at odds with yours. That tends to muddle your credibility, not to mention your objectivity. Of the 9 presidents since Ike, only 4 (Nixon, Ford, Carter and Reagan) are said to have been faithful to their wives. The other 5 (JFK, LBJ, Bush 41, Clinton and Bush 43) are known (or rumored) to have strayed. I'm reminded of Edwin Edwards, Louisiana's rogue ex-governor (he later went to go to jail for racketeering). He said that the people of Louisiana would always elect him to whatever office he ran for, "unless they caught me in bed with a dead girl...or a live boy!" He was quite a colorful figure.

Author

Kacy

Date

2008-01-31T18:36:14-06:00

ID

76011

Comment

Kacy writes:

Let us be clear. Adultery is a bipartisan reality.

Adultery is a human reality. Serial adultery over a period of decades is particularly troublesome.

As Ray said, what about Fordice's indiscretions?

I lost what little respect I had left for him when I found out about them.

Giuliani's?

Nasty, but not chronic to the degree that Clinton's was.

Or Mark Foley's homosexual propensities toward teenage pages?

Obviously unacceptable.

And we haven't forgotten about republican Idaho senator Larry Craig's mensroom solicitations, eh?

I'd still put him above Clinton in that department, because there's no evidence that he abused his power to have sex with employees. Of the folks listed above, Mark Foley is the only character I'm aware of who fell into that category--and I don't think anybody can really defend his behavior.

Author

Tom Head

Date

2008-01-31T18:55:30-06:00

ID

76012

Comment

Kacy, None of the others have a list of women who claimed they were raped/assaulted. Bill Clinton is a rapist.

Author

Cliff Cargill

Date

2008-01-31T19:54:05-06:00

ID

76013

Comment

Cliff, Bill Clinton is an accused serial rapist. This is an issue that I run into often as a feminist--I think a fairly outspoken feminist--and it's the question of how you reconcile the idea of the presumption of innocence with the idea of respecting the testimony of the victim. And it's very hard, but I think the presumption of innocence still needs to be there. It indicates that we take what the rape victims have to say more seriously, not less, if we are not quick to jump to the conclusion of guilt. On the other hand... I think the way the women who accused Bill Clinton of rape were treated, by Clinton and by his supporters, was absolutely inexcusable. That much we know he did, and God knows it's enough to tarnish his legacy in my eyes, and should be enough to tarnish his legacy in the eyes of anyone who cares about victims of rape.

Author

Tom Head

Date

2008-01-31T22:54:30-06:00

ID

76014

Comment

Cliff, the word "claimed" in your 7:54 post is the operative word here. He may well be a rapist, but not just because somebody accused him of it.

Author

Kacy

Date

2008-01-31T22:58:06-06:00

ID

76015

Comment

This reminds me of bubba clinton trying to define the word is. Bill Clinton is a rapist.

Author

Cliff Cargill

Date

2008-02-01T07:21:37-06:00

ID

76016

Comment

Kudos Kaze. I think this article is right on the money. I get exactly what you're saying here. And in reading this article it is clear, contrary to Cliff's opinion, that you are not saying YEAH TO THIS MAN, THE RAPIST. Your point is clear and made. Now, I can not for the life of me understand how the people in this country are so easy to judge others. Bill's attention to women had absolutely nothing to do with the way he ran this country....the effectiveness he produced for "US" while in office. And I don't care who or what they alledged he did to women, he still was the best president we've had in my generation. Especially since, the biggest gripe against him came from Monica Lewinski. Am I wrong about that? If I am right, then Monica was clearly easy. She wanted that man. He didn't force her. She wanted what he could do for her. Unfortunately, for her, she lost in the end. She can't even get a job now. She should have just enjoyed the sex and moved on. My opinion. I mean, hell, Hilary didn't care, so why should America.

Author

Queen601

Date

2008-02-01T11:09:10-06:00

ID

76017

Comment

I think most of you are crazy. If there had been any evidence of RAPE the Republicans would have nailed him to the wall. This is just slander.

Author

Willezurmacht

Date

2008-02-01T11:24:33-06:00

ID

76018

Comment

I'm out of town and just checking in. I am no fan of Clinton and his on-the-job sexual proclivities, but the declarations that "Clinton is a rapist" are unproved and stop here. I think you can find something to criticize him for without crossing the line. Find it.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2008-02-01T11:30:06-06:00

ID

76019

Comment

Thank you. The voice of reason has spoken!

Author

Willezurmacht

Date

2008-02-01T11:54:44-06:00

ID

76020

Comment

Totally agree...and I know that my Monica statement was probably not taken as lightly as I meant it. Hopefully no one found it offensive. I just don't believe that Clinton did anything wrong. i think he has a weakness for women, but that has nothing to do with him doing his job. Matter of fact I feel the same way about the mayor of Detroit. I do understand that their actions after the were "busted" is what people have a problem with mostly. But I tend to think that most of those who do the finger pointing, would probably handle the situations the same, IF, they were in the same situation. Sometimes, people are not logical in moments such as this. They immediately resort to protect and defend not to acknowledge and admit. Human nature here! That's it.

Author

Queen601

Date

2008-02-01T13:35:28-06:00

ID

76021

Comment

But again, I think the point of this article is to blast Clinton for the way he has been handling the public attraction to Obama. I think Kaze is attempting to point out that Clinton is not displaying the well put together man that we've come to respect as a community. He's throwing those "Washington Blows" that we put him above participating in. I agree with that. He's getting personal and petty. So unlike the Clinton that we've looked up to for so long.

Author

Queen601

Date

2008-02-01T13:40:37-06:00

ID

76022

Comment

Tom, Why are you so sure that these ladies are telling the truth. Because it's more than one, or two of them. I am a woman, and i KNOW (personally) women who have claimed that were raped and they did it for reasons other than it being truth. So, how can you say without being there that these women are telling the truth. It's their word against his. So, how do you determine who is telling the truth. How is it so unfathomable that these possible gold diggers saw a pattern? Saw a weakness in this man that could be beneficial to them. Especially Monica, the girl saved the stained dress. Who does that? I'm not saying he is or isn't, I'm just saying that there is no evidence to conclude one way or the other. So why jump to one side or the other? Your entire perception of this man has been slighted by this and you have no confirmation at all. I can't understand that.

Author

Queen601

Date

2008-02-01T13:46:33-06:00

ID

76023

Comment

Bill Clinton has always been able to play political hardball better than the average politician which is one of the things I admire about him. The reason it hurts right now is that he's delivering them towards a black man who happens to be extremely popular and who represents a sizable chunk of their constituency. What is disturbing to Ted Kennedy (and the real reason for his Obama endorsement, his other reasons are BS) and others in the Washington Demoncrat establishment is that BJ is risking further dividing and alienating the black vote unnecessarily if he continues with the cheap shots. Hillary, to her credit, has avoided the cheap shots and has pretty much stuck with legitimate criticisms of Obama, even if she might mischaracterize his statements.

Author

Jeff Lucas

Date

2008-02-01T13:50:55-06:00

ID

76024

Comment

Queen, here's the problem. I'm with you that we don't know these women were telling the truth. I'm not with you that "these possible gold diggers saw a pattern ... [s]aw a weakness in this man that could be beneficial to them." That's what all women who are raped by a wealthy and/or powerful man are accused of doing. I think we have a moral obligation to both presume innocence and respect the accusers, but the trouble is that we live in a culture that presents a zero-sum game on rape. Either the accused is guilty (and therefore scum), or the accusers are lying (and therefore scum). One of those possibilities is no doubt correct, but since we don't know which, we should presume innocence on the part of both parties. In the case of Clinton, I know for certain that he did one thing--use his position to get sex with an employee, over whose career he has absolute power--and that's what woke me up to the likelihood that there was something to the earlier claims. Does that mean he's a rapist? No. But when Clinton is caught lying about this in one instance of sexual impropriety, why should I assume that 20 different women are all lying in the other instances? I'm not saying I won't vote for Hillary Clinton if she wins the nomination. But I hope it doesn't come to that. And I don't think I would be able to vote for her husband again, period.

Author

Tom Head

Date

2008-02-01T16:19:01-06:00

ID

76025

Comment

“We know that she was threatened into signing an affidavit “ How do we know this? Who was in the room to confirm that she was threatened? If she can prove that then the affidavit can be invalidated in court. One must admit that at the least Bill was not the most gentlemanly character to have attracted so many accusations. They declare that bill clinton is a rapist. hate to sound like clarence thomas, but it seems like a high tech lynching of an arrogant player. alas. is a trial not necessary any more?…or is it a version of the dip commercial – “Bill Clinton!, get a rope!”. At the least, it is hard to argue that he has not been disrespectful of women…but a serial rapist and no one is willing to press charges?

Author

FreeClif

Date

2008-02-02T16:42:56-06:00

ID

76026

Comment

Tom, believe me....as a woman, I see your point. But for some reason I tend to lean towards treat both as they are innocent. I mean, don't you see that there are women in this world who use their sexuality just for the same reason as Clinton did. You don't think that one woman who's job he had control of UNDERSTOOD that he did. You don't think that she had the opportunity to leave the job; file a complaint; say NO? I mean come on now. We are adults. I know that rape is a hard find to sell. I mean if only two people are in the room, there is no way short of physical scars or DNA to proove rap. But I will say that women have just as much responsibility as a man does in this situation. Clinton saw a woman so intrigued with him and what he was able to do to and for her, and he "PLAYED" the game with her. In the end, the game played him because she stacked the deck against him. Never underestimate the power of a woman....it's not easily measured. Certainly not by a horney old dude just looking for a trophy! He doesn't stand a chance. I love my sisters, but I just can't go on without making it known that sometimes in these situations, WE as women could do a lot more to prevent these outcomes. That's all. And I say that this has nothing to do with whether or not I'll vote for Hilary. Why would I place my vote based on what happened when her husband was in office. Wish people had considered that when they voted for Bush after his father lead this country to hell.

Author

Queen601

Date

2008-02-05T13:30:42-06:00