Why do liberals feel that is was OK for Clinton to lie under oath?

Question

Regardless of how petty it was, he swore to tell the truth under oath and he lied. Why didn't he plead the 5th and save himself the hassle? Is it OK for people to lie in court as long as it is a white lie? I'm not upset with Clinton about what he did with an intern, but I expect the President to tell the truth under oath. Please don't give me the Bush crap because if it is proven that he lied, then I'm all for impeaching him. First you have to prove it by law and not in the court of public opinion.

I contend that he lied to protect himself against pending cases that would have shown pattern of behavior.

I want to thank the liberals here for completely evading the underlying issue. It is quite sad that you don't see it.

Answer 1

How do you know how Liberals feel about Clinton lying under oath? How can you stereotype them all without at least some proof that at least the majority felt it was okay?

Stereotyping is itself a form of lying. So your question itself is a lie.

And I'm not a Liberal. But I am a moral man who won't resort to lying to get a point across.

Answer 2

I've become more and more liberal over the years, BUT I agree with some of what you have said here.

I believe Clinton lied under oath. And his punishment should fit the crime.

However in response to why he refused to admit this and why he didn't plead the 5th is really quite simple. (note: I'm not endorsing it, I'm just saying we can figure out why he did it) This was during an impeachment trial in the congress. As is well known, a president is impeached for crimes against his office or for crimes not befitting gentleman and president of the united states. So basically, if they find you guilty of theft or something - they are booting your butt outta there.

BUT here is where it gets tricky. IF you as president plead the 5th in such a proceeding, while not admitting your guilt per se, you DO admit to crimes not befitting a gentleman by default - thus validating the impeachment immediately. Its a catch 22. A nice little mouse trap. The punishment for impeachment is the loss of your job. However, the loss of your job does NOT fit the crime of lying as a President of the US.

Shortly thereafter President Clinton was impeached in the house but the senate failed to kick him out. So in the end he got his just deserts, he WAS impeached but he didn't lose his job. And the public as a whole thought he was a little greasier than before.

Now the interesting thing about all of this is that President Clinton lied about his affair to a "special prosecutor." This line of questioning was not what the prosecutor was sent in to investigate him for. But the special prosecutor decided to try asking a whole bunch of "fishing" questions to see if he could get anything after his original quest failed. You see in an ordinary court that is out of line. You can't just keep asking questions that aren't pointed directly at what you think the person has done wrong. It's considered Vulgar. Disgusting. And frankly the kind of thing a non-gentleman does. If you think a guy is laundering money, you don't ask him about his grocery list or his love life.

Well here's the interesting part. Shortly after Clinton leaves office, THEN the republicans are all for getting rid of the special prosecutor.

Since people ARE who they hang out with - republicans are then choosing to hang out with vulgar, disgusting, non-gentlemen special prosecutors when it suits their needs. And that in itself is disgusting. Not to mention immoral.

And THAT is what is angering Liberals about the whole thing - self-righteous hypocrisy.

And what's more, is that everytime someone brings up the clinton debacle "con Clinton" only serves to point out that they themselves ENDORSE this same kind of self-righteous hypocrisy that says, "As long as its the other guy - who cares how they are treated?"

Well, I'll tell you who cares, " I care." It pains me to see that these people have lost so much of their sense of fairness. And I'd thank these people very much to try and be better human beings and better citizens of the United States of America.

Answer 3

Yes, he lied under oath. And he was acquitted of all charges:

WASHINGTON (All Politics, February 12) -- After a year full of investigations, hearings and a 21-day impeachment trial, President Bill Clinton was acquitted Friday by the Senate of charges he committed perjury and obstructed justice.

What else can you say! Acquittal means just that!

When and if Bush is ever brought to trial, it should be a world court to try him for crimes against humanity and if the time comes that he is tried by a US court, he should be charged with the most blatant of lies that have lead to the deaths of over 2,500 of our youth, and the deaths of tens of thousands in the Mid-East.
And of using acts of terrorism to propel us into a conflict that has nothing in it for the American people and everything for private goals we are not yet privy to.

Answer 4

My question was and is, why did America allow this man to lie and continue with the lie???? He didn't know the definition of sex.....please. He lied about oral sex and what else?????? He was impeached but never left office. Now, we still have those who believe he was a great President and avidly defend him; those who will support Hillary in 2008. The Clinton's are a soap opera and they "got jokes". Clinton never did anything for the American people and in the eyes of the world he was an embarrassment. I can't respect him.

I'm sure you are catching some stuff on this question but its something that has never been settled in alot of peoples minds. Thanks for asking.

Answer 5

First of all, Clinton should simply have told Kenneth Starr, "Go to hell, it's none of your business." How many investigators and how many millions were spent on that witch hunt to finally catch him lying about his sex life? What did that have to do with the investigation of White Water? He shouldn't have lied under oath. He simply should have refused to play the game at all. But considering nobody died over his lie about a consentual sex act, and tens of thousands have died and been wounded over lies about WMDs and Al Qaeda ties, I think you need to grow up and get some perspective and quit obsessing over sex. If sex is such an awful and offensive, and yet all-consuming concern for conservatives, there are simple surgical and chemical procedures to cure the obsession.

Answer 6

We Dem's don't believe lying under oath is o.k. We think the response should be proportionate to the lie. What does it hurt to hide an affair. Where as Bush's lies get 1,000's of people killed and nothing gained.

Answer 7

That lie was only the tip of the iceberg..There were other women involved, where this same chicanery was tried.. That other one cost him a cool $95,000.00. As well as losing his license to practice law, for 5 years. There was a lot more to this matter than something private. But dream on you dreamers.

Answer 8

Why do conservatives feel that it is ok to lie to the American people and take away their constitutional rights?

Case in point....where are the WMD's that were supposedly in Iraq? Dont tell me what every other republican says which is he moved them before the war. Give me proven facts.

Instead we were told after the fact that we were libertaing the people of Iraq. From what I ask?

Answer 9

Ask Gary Hart about the press, the presidency, & women. Clinton should have never been allowed to keep his pension.

Answer 10

Clinton couldnt help himself. As he sat there being questioned he stared out at the ladies & got a ***** that took all the blood out of his brain,he already had trouble thinking.