Problems with your characterization.
Was there sleaze? Of course. Was Clinton the 'predator' or was Lewinsky ?? You are doubtless aware of the countless factoids which entertained the Nation endlessly. Was this any more admirable than its daily replay in countless exec. suites? Rhetorical Q. Leave the 'Democrat' party? Why not sever all ties with bizness, then (?)
This was no ingenue seduced by the Big Bad Predator! - this was someone merely demonstrating one more time - as with Dr. Kissinger and a FUCK of a lot of others: power is an aphrodisiac !!
(especially in a nation still Puritan-obsessed about every natural function from excretion to copulation to death and dying). This was one horny pair of similar emotional age - and with legions for company (check out yer Tee Vee sitcoms).
If you want to draw the parallel of Clinton's behavior to some National Average: no argument there! We *ARE* a nation of adolescents esp. as regards anatomy and sex: little boys rarely become adult men - especially in That area - but just older little boys. And it shows. Just notice the Boobs fascination and the double standard as has never gone away: He's a normal randy guy. She's a slut. We are a nation which sees no distinction between the erotic and the pornographic! but our pop theology sees much that is pleasurable as Wrong. While doing it anyway. Schizo.
QED yet?
That Circus was about showing one group of hypocrites (the oft-randy Senators) attempting to Politically Assassinate: a President who was elected TWICE; an effort to remove him despite the decision of the (remaining, small) voting population. It was (both) all about sexual aberration as the Norm in Murica + Political hypocrisy being the Norm in Murica.. nothing more profound than that.
Oh.. AND: it was about Muricans' fav pastime, whether re the OJ Circus or this one - voyeurism. aka "living vicariously Other's lives" (maybe cause one's own is so dull?). Again, check the popularity of Soap Operas for verification.
Nixon resigned because, via his own intransigence and hubris (even He could see that, finally) he had backed himself into a corner from which he was inextirpable :-\ufffd It had nothing (little?) to do with a capitalized-Integrity - can you even have that, if you are as psych. wounded as later we saw: he had been (?)
Sorry but.. Bill C's sexual immaturity, his self-indulgence (however odious, taken in isolation) is a Murican Norm, esp. for folks of his generation: the most self-indulgent Me-Me-Mes Ever! As Brandioch mentioned - THAT's why the mass response was ... Ho ... Hum, another witch-hunt. Oooh let's watch these phony congresscritters in full bombast about crap they often do, making consummate Asses of selves. We watched. They did.
Ashton
