The new Democratic President could have helped Walsh by declassifying key documents that the Reagan-Bush-41 team had withheld from various investigations. But Clinton followed advice from Hamilton and other senior Democrats who feared stirring partisan anger among Republicans.
Later, in a May 1994 conversation with documentary filmmaker Stuart Sender, Clinton explained that he had opposed pursuing these Republican scandals because, according to Sender, "he was going to try to work with these guys, compromise, build working relationships."
"It seemed even at the time terribly naïve that these same Republicans were going to work with him if he backed off on congressional hearings or possible independent prosecutor investigations." [See Parry's Secrecy & Privilege.]
No Reciprocity
Rather than thanking Clinton, the Republicans bullied him with endless investigations about his family finances, the ethics of his appointees--and his personal morality, ultimately impeaching him in 1998 for lying about a sexual affair (though he survived the Senate trial in 1999).
After the impeachment battle, the Republicans--joined by both the right-wing and mainstream news media--kept battering Clinton and his heir apparent, Vice President Al Gore, who was mocked for his choice of clothing and denounced for his supposed exaggerations.
Though Gore still managed to win the popular vote in Election 2000 and apparently would have prevailed if all legally cast votes had been counted in Florida, the Republicans made clear that wasn't going to happen, even dispatching rioters from Washington to disrupt a recount in Miami.
George W. Bush's bullying victory--which was finalized by five Republican partisans on the U.S. Supreme Court--was met with polite acceptance by the Democrats who again seemed to hope for the best from the newly empowered Republicans. [For details on Election 2000, see our book, Neck Deep.]
Instead, after the 9/11 attacks, Bush-43 grabbed unprecedented powers; he authorized torture and warrantless wiretaps; he pressured Democrats into accepting an unprovoked war in Iraq; and he sought to damage his critics, such as former Ambassador Joseph Wilson.
Now, after eight destructive years, the Democrats have again gained control of the White House and Congress, but they seem intent on once more not provoking the Republicans, rather than holding them accountable.
Though President Barack Obama has released some of the key documents underpinning Bush-43's actions, he opposes any formal commission of inquiry and has discouraged any prosecutions for violations of federal law. Obama has said he wants "to look forward as opposed to looking backward."-
In dismissing the idea of a "truth and reconciliation commission," Obama also recognizes that the Republicans would show no remorse for the Bush administration's actions; that they would insist that there is nothing to "reconcile"-; and that they would stay on the attack, pummeling the Democrats as weak, overly sympathetic to terrorists, and endangering national security.
On Thursday, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs admitted as much, saying that Obama rejected the idea of a bipartisan "truth commission" because it was apparent that there was no feasible way to get the Republicans to be bipartisan.
"The President determined the concept didn't seem altogether workable in this case,"- Gibbs said, citing the partisan atmosphere that already has surrounded the torture issue. "The last few days might be evidence of why something like this might just become a political back and forth."
In other words, the Republicans are rousing themselves from the couch and getting angry, while the Democrats are prancing about, hands out front, trying to calm things down and avoid a confrontation. (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
