Kausfiles on BEST Reason Why Rich Pardon Was Scandalous

Slate-Kausfiles ^ | Dec. 14, 2004 | Mickey Kaus

[litany_of_lies]

(Paragraphs created for clarity)

Even if the latest allegations about Marc Rich--that he helped broker Saddam's oil-for-food deals--prove accurate, that won't be the main reason Clinton's pardon of the fugitive financier was scandalous. Saddam could presumably always get someone to broker his lucrative schemes--if not Rich, then another high-level operater.

The Marc Rich pardon was scandalous mainly because it taught a generation of young Americans that you could buy your way out of punishment. ... But buy with what? ...

Here's an instance where the convenient case for public figure privacy in matters of sex--made most conveniently by Clinton himself, but also by Jeffrey Toobin,*** Andrew Sullivan, etc.--completely breaks down. It turns out to be fairly important whether Clinton was or wasn't not having sexual relations with Denise Rich, Marc's glamorous ex-wife, who lobbied for the pardon. It's hard to explain Clinton's gross error any other way. (Lord knows I've tried!) ... Someday some historian will focus on this interpersonal causal chain and win a National Book Award for his provocative thesis--as Philip Weiss memorably put it, "Follow the nookie."

But if reporters had been more irresponsible in reporting on Clinton's personal life--and less cowed by the Stephanopouloses and Carvilles--actual voters would have had this highly relevant information in real time when they made their decision in 1992. ...

P.S.: Do Democrats really want to elect the woman who let all this happen under her nose? Just asking! ...

*** When defending Clinton, Toobin ludicrously declared that a politician's sex life "tells you absolutely nothing about their performance" in office. Marc Rich might disagree. ...

[litany_of_lies]

Kaus may lean Democrat (but not party-line--among other things, he has been a big supporter of the 1996 Welfare Reform from the begninnig), but he obviously "gets it" on the Clinton Legacy.

[aShepard]

"Follow the nookie."

LOFLMAO

[Savage Beast]

Meanwhile, the Democrats (and their spokespersons in the "Mainstream Newsmedia") see nothing wrong with the Oil for Food Program...

Nothing wrong with European and U.N. leaders' taking bribes from Saddam...

Nothing wrong with Clinton's pardons...

Nothing wrong with media coverups...

Nothing wrong with the transformation of the American Newsmedia into a Propaganda Machine...

Nothing wrong with forgery, purjury, rape, bribery, deceit, disinformation, and mendacity...

And they are baffled by the American people's criticism of their (nonexistent) "moral values"...

And they cannot understand why the Democrat Party is rapidly spiralling downward into the garbage dump of history as the American people shout "Good riddance!"

[newgeezer]

mainly because it taught a generation of young Americans that you could buy your way out of punishment

If there ever is or was a "generation" of young Americans which has any idea who Marc Rich is and/or was, I would be pleasantly surprised.

[Husker8877]

Nice wrapup, excellent!

[SpinyNorman]

"..Denise Rich, Marc's glamorous ex-wife, who lobbied for the pardon."

Translation: "Denise Rich, noted hosehog, who traded sexual favors and the promise of millions for the Clinton doublewide LIEbrary project for the pardon."

[litany_of_lies]

I agree with your statement about awareness about Rich, but I still the lesson referred to was imparted.

People DO remember that Clinton got impeached but that instead of being shamed he wears it like a badge.

People DO remember that he pardoned a lot of people and that in some cases it seemed that some sort of payoff was involved, even if they don't remember the details. And again, they know that the Clinton the Pardongate perp walks around as a celebrity with a best-selling book, a multimillion-dollar annual income from speaking fees, and admiration bordering on awe from a substantial segment of society.

So even though people don't remember Rich, too many learned the wrong lesson.

[dead]

Denise Rich, Marc's glamorous ex-wife

She can either wear a bra or mop your floor.

Either one.