Nixon vs. Clinton
In a previous post, I quoted an article by Ben Stein on the Deep Throat revelation, in which Stein said:
Can anyone even remember now what Nixon did that was so terrible? He ended the war in Vietnam, brought home the POW’s, ended the war in the Mideast, opened relations with China, started the first nuclear weapons reduction treaty, saved Eretz Israel’s life, started the Environmental Protection Administration. Does anyone remember what he did that was bad?
Oh, now I remember. He lied. He was a politician who lied. How remarkable. …
That is his legacy. He was a peacemaker. He was a lying, conniving, covering up peacemaker. He was not a lying, conniving drug addict like JFK, a lying, conniving war starter like LBJ, a lying, conniving seducer like Clinton – a lying, conniving peacemaker. That is Nixon’s kharma.
“MG” wrote an extensive comment. I responded to most of what he wrote in another comment, but he raised one issue I think is worth of a wider discussion. MG wrote:
If Richard Nixon deserves to be evaluated on the basis of his major accomplishments (or failures) and not merely on the side-scandal of Watergate, as Stein argues, the same objectivity must be afforded to Bill Clinton.
I agree, let’s do it! Please list Bill Clinton’s major accomplishments so we can get started.
(Use the comment section on this post.)
June 13th, 2005 at 4:02 pm
He made oral sex much more respectable.
June 14th, 2005 at 10:39 am
He balanced the Federal budget. Who else did that? Calvin Coolidge?
June 15th, 2005 at 2:31 pm
CF: Is that the best you’ve got?
Anonymous: Clinton did not balance the budget until the Republicans took control of Congress. Whereupon he fought all their budget cuts, then took credit for the balance that resulted. I don’t think that really counts as an achievement of Clinton, as such.
Even if it did, do you really think that compares with the achievements Mr. Stein listed for Nixon. Clinton did not end any wars, did not open new international relationships, and did nothing for the environment.
February 7th, 2006 at 7:05 pm
Hey, I’m a high school student, and doing a comparative essay about two presidents. Are Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon good candidates? I mean, they both did get impeached…
February 7th, 2006 at 7:51 pm
Sharon: Actually, Nixon did not get impeached. The House Judiciary Committee voted to recommend that the House impeach him, but he resigned so the House never voted on impeachment.
The only presidents to have actually been impeached are Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson.