Starr's Investigation

Here's some of the latest e-mail from readers on Ken Starr's inquiry. If you'd like to comment on that, or any other news of the day, drop us at note at response@turner.com. Please include your name and home town.

'As Long As They Are Good For The Country'

As a European citizen I am amazed by the fact that your president is not given any privacy concerning his dealings in the Whitewater affair, the Paula Jones affair and lately the Lewinsky affair. Most European leaders have a mistress and no one cares about it as long as they are good for the country. As far as I can see, Clinton is good for America. Look to the deficit and the economy! In my humble opinion, Clinton did a great job. Let him finish the job. If you are not happy with the Clinton Administration use your voting right to get someone else to do the job. For god's sake, let Clinton deal after his presidency with the nasty attacks. A president should be granted immunity during his term to this kind of allegations of any wrongdoing in the past (before he/she was elected to the office).

-- Jannes A. Scholten, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, March 10

'Such An Insidious Investigation'

Children are raised by their parents, not the president of the United States. If one is foolish enough to depend on the leader of the free world to guide the family ship, then that person is not fit to raise children. If Republicans are truly concerned with values and declining morals, why do they permit such an insidious investigation to take place? Wake up people, if Mr. Starr and his supporters can behave this way, what will prevent you and I from being subjected to the same un-American treatment? Republicans appear far more corrupt than Clinton with their ersatz moral platform. They don't stand up for the right cause, but rather they cry out only for the most convenient ones. My family and I can afford a president that cheats on his wife, but my country can not afford a single individual that tries to deny me of my personal freedom. Do your job, Republicans! Leave the moral work to the parents.

-- Jennifer Baum, March 9

'Stop This Charade'

I have always wanted to visit America but after seeing the way its citizens abuse one of its greatest presidents, I am beginning to think twice. The people are too dim to understand that some sections of the society are trying to undo the results of two elections. Shame will be on you, America, if you don't stop this charade.

-- Nnamdi Ogonna, London, March 9

'Give Me My President Back!'

Please put this Paula Jones lawsuit in perspective as to the president. The president's deposition and Monica's affidavit have been dispelled and claimed non-material to the case per the judge. There is no perjury, there can be no obstruction, there is Linda Tripp (who should be investigated), there is Ken Starr sending Linda Tripp to the Jones' lawyers (where is the investigation into that?)

Now, given the simplicity of the facts mentioned above, CAN I PLEASE HAVE MY PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY BACK? I WANT TO HEAR WHAT NEEDS TO BE SAID ABOUT THE ISSUES OF MY COUNTRY, NOT JONES OR ANY OTHER FEMALE. GIVE ME MY PRESIDENT BACK!

-- Sandra Hirt, Ann Arbor, Mich., March 9

'Simply Cannot Be Trusted'

I have not been in the courtroom to hear all of the specific facts revolving around the case that Mr. Starr has on our current president. I could not specifically attest to his guilt or innocence. However, one thing I can say without any hesitation is that our president is lacking in the most important area: character.

Character is what keeps a man (or woman) from being in the position President Clinton is in. He simply cannot be trusted because he has shown his lack of character before. One cannot say that he has character in one area of his life, and yet not in another. President Clinton is a self-admitted adulterer (Gennifer Flowers). If he did it once and had the audacity to believe himself fit for the highest office in our land (something should be said regarding the character of the general populace, who apparently saw him fit for office as well), what would keep him from doing it again?

In my opinion, it is not the fact that he may have had an improper relationship with Miss Lewinsky that should disqualify him from his presidency, or that he supposedly urged her to lie thereby obstructing justice, but rather that he is a known adulterer, with an obvious low regard for his commitment to his own wife. (Why she would defend him in this is another mystery.)

Impeachment would only be possible (or necessary) if the evidence begins to clearly convict the president with the crimes he has been charged with. My question is this: When are the American people going to realize that character is THE ONLY issue.

-- Jon Roberts, Puyallup, Wash., March 9

'A Truth Scandal'

This is not a "sex scandal"; this is a truth scandal! How many sex partners the president wants to have is his business, true. The REAL issue here is his lying to cover up and his demands to others to lie. One important fact that has not been brought out about this "sex scandal" is the FACT that the president of the United States is the chief commanding officer of the Armed Forces. Why isn't he under the same guidelines as the rest of the military? NO SEX with subordinates and definitely no LYING. As I heard on the radio last week, we must expect our president to be of the highest character since he, being the most powerful person in the world, can send our sons and daughters to war, open up FBI files on you and me and have anyone arrested for anything if he or she so desires! Why should we not care about his character, which of course would include his "sex life," especially with subordinates?

-- M. White, Katy, Texas, March 9

'Starr Is Not The Issue'

Ken Starr is not the issue unless you are a Clinton supporter or a member of the White House. Janet Reno is very quiet these days. The media is helping spin the story even as they report it. It is documented that 88 percent-plus of the media voted for Clinton and they still support him even though they don't like him personally. To the media, Clinton is still better than having a conservative in power and who is next in line is not the issue, nor which party would benefit of Clinton is impeached, but is Bill Clinton obstructing justice? Is he doing it in the Monica matter, Whitewater, FBI files, etc.? Media, don't take less than a full direct answer to these questions. It is your job!

-- Don Blanton, March 8

'Hard To Remove The Taint'

Thanks for this opportunity.

We can always replace a president or a special prosecutor! But, it will be hard to remove the taint that this affair has caused over the last month. How do you think the rest of the world views us today? Is this fair to those who gave up their fathers, husbands, sons and daughters to preserve our freedom?

Let's stop all the hot air and give us the facts!

-- Clifford Hashimoto, Honolulu, Hawaii, March 8

'This Arrogant, Partisan Attorney'

I think the real question here is, "Who the hell is Starr? And who made him God?" I am appalled at the power this one man has to destroy anyone he desired to destroy. Who pays his salary? We the American people? I for one say, fire this arrogant, partisan attorney and hire someone with integrity who is bipartisan. Any educated person can see that this man and his cronies have deliberately set the president up!

-- H.B. Hast, Front Royal, Va., March 8

'All The Money Spent'

I don't know if Clinton is guilty of lying or not. I don't know what Monica Lewinsky has said or not or what Vernon Jordan has done or not. What I lament is the fact that all the money spent during President Clinton's term of office has been wasted or misused. We could have done so much for education, the poor, and the ill with the money that has been used to investigate and defend. I believe we must hold our leaders accountable but I can't see how this investigation is going to lead to anything. I wish we could spend as much money "building" as "destroying" the lives of others.

--Susie Cook, Branson, Mo., March 8

'A Smarmy, Slimy Win-Win'

The pressure is now on Starr to wrap this thing up as soon as possible. Why? From the Republican side it's so that they can make political hay out of the inevitable impeachment recommendation. From the Clinton side it's because they know they've already neutralized Starr's inquisition in the minds of the majority of Americans by turning it from a "quest for the truth" into a contest of personalities. Clinton will stay president and the special prosecutor will be out of a job by 1999. Kind of a smarmy, slimy win-win for a government which has been now exposed as almost completely corrupt from top to bottom.

-- D. Larstein, Aptos, Calif., March 7

Tuesday March 10, 1998

• Willey Appears Before Grand Jury
• Reno Gets 60-Day Extension For Herman Probe
• Rep. McCollum Ripped For Ties To Banking Industry
• White House Scandal At A Glance
• Reporter Apologizes For Clinton Sex Article
• McDougal Collapsed While In Detention