Students React to Sex Scandal

By Mandy Sayle
Features Editor

Instead of the usual soap operas during Monday lunch at Summerfields, a student could have tuned into the most watched real-life soap opera in the country while eating their manicotti — the Clinton sex scandal.

President William Jefferson Clinton’s testimony before the Grand Jury in regards to the Monica Lewinsky perjury case aired on almost every local and national television station. The testimony itself lasted four hours, and it was followed by commentaries by political and legal experts.

Wesleyan students, by no means political or legal experts but still incensed at the issue of Clinton’s testimony and its airing on public television, had commentaries of their own.

"I read some of the Starr report, and that was really disturbing, but I was even more disturbed by this, even though it was less graphic and explicit," Liz Berle ’01 said, "because watching him in front of the Grand Jury being really sneaky and manipulative — this is the leader of the free world and I really lost a lot of respect for him."

Berle watched the first hour of Clinton’s testimony as well as a section towards the end. In that time, she said, the examination concerned "a lot of really detailed, technical stuff."

"It just got really argumentative, the back-and-forth, and nothing was really answered," she said.

Many students were irritated by Clinton’s evasiveness and twisting of words.

"He twisted his words a couple times, as in what was the definition of ‘alone’ exactly — he said that he felt that if there were any other people in the whole complex [outside the Oval Office], he didn’t really feel that he was alone with her," Anne Lebleu ’00 said.

"[Clinton] looked very nervous ...and he was pretty evasive in his answers," Matthew Hallowell ’02 said.

Students were also irritated by what they perceived as an invasion of privacy.

"I don’t think [the testimony should have been aired]," Alissa Kronovet ’02 said. "I think the Kenneth Starr reports and all the news reports were enough."

"I don’t think it should have aired because I think he is entitled to his privacy," Lebleu said.

Lebleu also brought up the point that Nixon’s Watergate testimony before the Grand Jury was not broadcast to the public, "but this time they did [air the testimony] because it’s a sex thing, and sex sells."

The focus on sexual misconduct instead of perjury upset many students, who found the sexual aspect of Clinton’s testimony to be a "ridiculous" thing to focus on, as Berle said.

"It just reflects on America’s preoccupation with our politicians’ personal business — it’s kind of a sad reflection," said Catherine Himmel ’01.

"Lots of Presidents have had affairs, but in this technological age, this age of pre-information, it came out. I think it’s a really embarrassing thing for this country," Berle said.

Lebleu, a French citizen, said she "wasn’t disappointed in him morally as a president." She went on to compare Clinton’s situation to that of former French President Mitterand.

"Mitterand had an illegitimate daughter, and it wasn’t an issue. They separated the politics from his personal life," she said.

Many students still believe that Clinton is a good president and has done many things to benefit the nation.

Berle believes that Clinton’s perjury should not be "an impeachable offense — it just showed a lapse in judgment."

Alex Angelini ’00 believes that Clinton will be impeached within the week.

"Throughout the testimony he kept evading questions, and with the Starr report on top of everything, I think Congress is going to go ahead and impeach him. That doesn’t mean it’s the end; it’s just a formal accusation and it doesn’t mean he’s going to be kicked out of office," he said.

Berle believes "he should resign because this will affect his being President — not his abilities, but the way people look at him. Everybody’s lost respect for him."

Whether the President will resign, be impeached, or carry out the rest of his term of office will be determined in the near future by Congress. Whatever the outcome, students believe that this trial will be remembered for a long time and affect future Presidencies.

As Michael Pace ’99 said, "There’s going to be a bad taste left in the mouth of many Americans when he finally leaves office and we’re totally disgraced."