Ethics Rediscovered!

The quotations read like something straight from one of those cheap supermarket check-out line tabloids, but they are actual statements made by and to very credible sources. Consider this quote from Whitewater Investigation Committee chairman Senator Alfonse d'Amato responding to a question at a press conference (10 June 1996) regarding the future role of his committee: "We've got one person dead, a lot of missing documents, several people closely linked to the Clintons being convicted by juries in Arkansas, and now we've got people at the White House requesting and not returning FBI files! Where does it end with this administration?"

Then there was this classic campaign trail comment from Presidential candidate and former Senate Majority Leader Robert Dole on 21 June 1996: "There are two new songs they are playing a lot at the White House now. The first is 'Getting to Know You', and the other is kind of similar to that song called 'I've Got My Eyes On You'. The only difference is the Clinton version is called 'I've Got My Files On You'."

And who can ever forget the ultimate Clintonian paradox in terms of public utterances: "This administration will have the highest ethical standards of any previous administration" (Bill Clinton speaking several days after his Inauguration in January 1993); and "I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Ms. Lewinsky" (Bill Clinton, wagging his finger angrily at the camera as he ended a statement on education on 22 January 1998).

Can anyone dare to imagine these statements being made about or by George W. Bush? Whatever the opinions of his policies may be, there is very little disagreement on one issue: This former rowdy guy from Texas has restored a strong sense of decency and respect to the Office of the Presidency of the United States.

Ethical conduct in politics can create a very intricate balance. Every local, state, and federal elected official has some bit of intrigue in his background or on his public record that he would much prefer to forget. This reality has plagued US politics since its origins. People have always entered politics to earn (or more appropriately, to steal) as much money as possible. And some way or other every election year these legions of sinners become instantaneous saints.

This rule has some exceptions. A few humble servants of the people occasionally enter politics for the simple reason that they want to benefit society and improve their country. But such people usually are not attracted to the arena of public affairs because of the perceived dominance of facets of its less savory side. Equally rare is the person who enters politics and does not deny that his/her political record is replete with unsavory deeds; the more offices he/she attains, the more entangled the misdeeds, thereby intentionally eroding the honorable facets of public service.

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