June 20, 2004
Bill’s Big But Book
“It’s the timing, stupid!”
Bill Clinton’s memoir debut is already mirroring his presidency, with a virtual roller coaster of bumpy ups and downs this week ...
· CBS’s Dan Rather gushes he read the book and rates it “five stars out of five stars.”
· The New York Times trashes it, calling it, “sloppy, self-indulgent and often eye-crossingly dull — the sound of one man prattling away, not for the reader, but for himself and some distant recording angel of history.”
· Bill Clinton declares, "The whole [impeachment] battle was a badge of honor. I don't see it as a stain, because it was illegitimate."
· NewsMax spills the beans about an upcoming BBC interview with Clinton, “Two days before his $12 million book hits stores, ex-President Bill Clinton has already blown his stack at one TV interviewer who questioned if his contrition over his affair with Monica Lewinsky was credible.”
Yes, Bill Clinton is still giving America cause to opine.
In the case of Bill Clinton, it’s hard to find anyone who doesn’t think it was just plain stupid of Clinton to boldface lie to the American people about his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Given the fact that Americans don’t always tell the truth about their own weaknesses and infidelities, why does the Clinton lie hold such condemnation?
I think it’s because of the “but’s”
But -- that prepositional segue which leads to A Big Excuse. We all learned this skill in kindergarten, or earlier: “I would have, but...” “I was going to, but...” “I did, but...”
Squirming on the hot seat of confrontation is not unfamiliar to anyone; nor is lying or making excuses under pressure. Along the way of growing up, we learn that ‘fessing up can be good for the soul and lessen the consequences of an already bad situation.
I can remember being a kid and getting caught...
“BUT... “ I would stammer.
Proof would then be presented.
“But...!” I would insist.
Usually more proof would be given, or the same proof repeated -- as if to give me another chance at taking the honesty route. Each time, the severity of my guilt increased by the number of “but’s” I was willing to say... how many excuses I gave. Timing was critical. The longer I took to tell the truth, the worse I looked and the worse I received for it.
Bill Clinton admits in his book that he lied about his affair with Monica Lewinsky. This is not a new revelation, nor is writing about it now a particularly courageous or admirable endeavor. Apologizing when it most mattered – back in the summer of 1998 – would have been courageous, and would have halted the escalation of his guilt.
Back then Clinton was confronted with proof, over and over again. He continued to “but” and lie his way through. When the truth finally did come out, he looked weak and stupid. His confession meant nothing.
It still means nothing.
Timing is everything. This kind of book-writing confession is not good for the soul. It’s bad timing only serves to cheapen it. Clinton’s narcissist “tell to sell” brings to mind Pete Rose’s book confessional, “My Prison Without Bars,” penned to get back into the baseball game. Penned to shine up a self-tarnished legacy. Penned to sell self.
Like Pete Rose, Bill Clinton’s book smacks of self-serving apologetics whose timing is way, way off. And no matter how much money it makes, this kind of confession is just plain weak and stupid.
As well-known American philosopher Will Rogers once said, “The American people are very generous and will forgive almost any weakness, with the possible exception of stupidity.”
Bill -- it’s the timing, stupid!
