The American Left looked the other way when Bill Clinton molested a 21-year-old intern in the Oval Office. They cheered when he systematically assassinated her character — and the characters of fellow accusers Paula Jones and Kathleen Willey.
It was morally wrong to do what they did. Just as it is morally wrong now for conservatives to turn a blind eye to four accusations of sexual harassment lodged against presidential primary candidate Herman Cain. Two of those accusations resulted in mid-five-figure payouts and hush agreements.
I am all for political loyalty. I’ll fight to the bitter end to protect an ally. But that loyalty has to run both ways. If someone is going to carry the mantle of American conservatism, he has to be forthcoming about liabilities he may bring to the movement. Sexual harassment settlements qualify in this regard.
But Cain mentioned nothing of these settlements entering the presidential contest, a curious fact in itself. And in suggesting ignorance about the charges, he insulted the intelligence of millions of Americans and badly damaged his credibility. Monetary settlements for sexual harassment allegations are memorable events, one would think.
It pains me to see conservative personalities rally blindly around Mr. Cain. Every day his story becomes less believable, yet a cadre of talk-show hosts and others continue to assign blame to a vast Left-wing conspiracy. I have two problems with that theory: Did the Left-wingers in the early 1990’s foresee Cain running for president twenty years hence and engineer harassment allegations and monetary settlements? And, if they were that malevolently perspicacious, why were harassment charges not preemptively leveled against Mitt Romney or Rick Perry or John Huntsman?
I have friends for whom I would cut of my right arm who would cut off their left for Herman Cain. It pains me to question the integrity and veracity of their hero. But Herman Cain’s story does not pass the stink test. That may be difficult to hear. But it’s the honest truth, and it needs to be said.
Bill Clinton and his team did terrible things to women who threatened them politically. They destroyed their lives so that Clinton could remain a public figure. But at what cost to the national soul? At what costs to organizations like the National Organization for Women (NOW) which forever damaged its credibility in defending President Clinton against the indefensible. Do conservatives really have to travel down that same path?
UPDATE: And here comes the smear job.
Yes, it was adultery. But she was an adult. To characterize the sordid Monica episode as “molestation” is to mis-characterize it.
As many who work with or near politicians would know – it is not a rare thing to have women proposition older pols. Many women (and some Men) are turned on by power – nothing new there – see the Old Testament. Most of the pols pay no attention – others, like Clinton (or the aptly named Rep. Weiner) , are weak and pay lots.
If one characterizes the weak ones as “molesters” then one should advocate for new jail construction – you’d need the space!
Thank you William J Ryan. Bill was writing about people who blindly defend politicians and their indiscretions and you provided a perfect example. Yes, let’s question the meaning of “molestation.” We can tackle that right after we determine what the meaning of “is” is.