[borasolit]

No, the fact that the lies were about something lurid (and the GOP were in a Captain Ahab mood) got him impeached. Didn't the public turn against the GOP shortly after? I seem to remember something like that, but I was more interested in boobies at the time.

You don't think it could have something to do with the fact that the lies were under oath?

[BenWired306]

And as pointed out, the public turned strongly against the GOP after that - getting Gingrich to resign (something good did come out of it ).

My memories pretty rubbish, but wasn't that as much because of the government shutdown and ethics charges?

[RichardFG435]

That was the official justification for the whole idiotic farce, yes.

Despite the obvious political game playing, there is an important element to it. It's really not ok for elected officials to lie under oath. I don't care if it's about blowjobs, corporate interests or anything else, as soon as you allow that kind of dishonesty to go unpunished you're starting an incredibly dangerous precedent.

[qQVXpYM6]

No.

It was due to the fact that in the 1998 election, an non Presidential election year, when the opposition party ALWAYS picks up seats, the Republicans didn't gain at all - mostly due to the public outrage over the impeachment of the President.

Ah fair enough, to be fair I have enough trouble remembering what I did last week, so I was always going to be pretty hazy about 1998.

[Kokomoxcvcv]

Also, if they didn't go after him for the "no-sexual-relations" fib, I would not take away the message that perjury is now risk-free. I would read it as, "they won't waste time going after lies that don't have anything whatever to do with your faithful public service."

[Deseassaugs]

Slippery slope arguments are commonly considered fallacious, and for good reason. Enforcing the penalty sends the far worse message that devoting months of the Legislative Branch's time to hearing about the state of a hefty intern's hoo-ha for the sake of a transparent partisan witch-hunt (deep breath) is totally okay.

I'm not usually a fan of slippery slope arguments, but when it comes to lying under oath it's a different matter. If a Presidents oath means nothing to him, then why exactly should you trust him on more important matters?

[LeslieMoran]

I'm not usually a fan of slippery slope arguments, but when it comes to lying under oath it's a different matter. If a Presidents oath means nothing to him, then why exactly should you trust him on more important matters?

We don't know, in this case, that his oath "means nothing to him." We only know that he will not cleave to it when it comes to certain private matters we have no need to know about, and which we ask for no reason than to hunt for scandals.

[cheaploans]

As one of the repugs here, even I thought the bj issue was a witch hunt. Yeah, he shouldn't have lied under oath but as far as I'm concerned he should never have been asked that question under oath.

[mr.videomen]

I thought the republicans hated the Olympics:

[Sheestgag]

But... But...FIRE CAN"T MELT STEEL!!!!

[AnetTeilor]

All these post about the BS Globe story, and no one here has yet mentioned that the later SEC filings showing Romany activity were not for "Bain Capital" but but were for "BAIN CAPITAL VI COINVESTMENT FUND, L.P.", which is a sort of a private mutual fund that was spun off for some the the notables at BAIN to invest in without having to worry about outside shareholders. It is a different entity for "Bain Capital". Sort of like naming a retirment plan "X company investment plan #6"

[T5qYkHWQ]

In an ideal world, perhaps. Politically, however, refusing to answer would hardly be better than admitting it.

You may take flak over the refusal to answer, but you're in the mess because guess what, you're guilty! If you lie and get caught you're screwed. It's the same stupid mistake poiticians always make.

[Hamucevasiop]

Sorry, I couldn't be bothered to read the whole thread and just skimmed.

[sirmzereigMix]

I already posted about that in this very thread!

[AnimeThat]

What about Obama promising not to send his gun thugs against marijuana dispensaries that operate according to state laws? I guess kentonio would rather fret over Romney's SEC filings than some cancer patients being arrested and denied their medicine.