Voter's Voice: Rep. Dan Burton And The Hubbell Tapes
We received about 500 e-mails in the past day
about Rep. Dan Burton's investigation and the Webster Hubbell prison tapes.
If you'd like to comment on that or anything else, drop us
an e-mail note and
please include your name and home town.
'The Right To Know The Truth'
Yes, the American people have the RIGHT TO KNOW what is going on
and the RIGHT TO KNOW the truth. The biased media is not truthful.
I support Dan Burton all the way.
-- Brenda Wulf, May 5
'A New Low'
I think that Burton's use of these tapes in this way is unethical and a
new low level in American political life!
-- Robert Baker, May 5
'Out To Get The President'
Rep. Burton's release of the Hubbell tapes and the selective editing of them is
atrocious. Both the editing of the tapes and the remarks of Mr. Burton show that
he is incapable of holding an objective hearing, and is just out to get the
president. He is showing the American people that there is indeed evidence of a
right-wing conspiracy, which includes Burton, Starr, Lott and the Christian
conservatives (the biggest hate group in America).
Tim Russert of NBC's Meet the Press caught Mr. Burton with his pants down
Sunday, and flabbergasted the idiot. It is about time the press and the American
people speak out on the abuses by
the Republicans, and call for a halt of these practices. They are only interested
in one thing, and that is discrediting the president for political gain. They
want to gain power in all three branches of government, not to govern "but to
rule" the United States.
-- Michael DePerto, May 5
'Organized Crime'
Rep. Burton was right to release the tapes.
Face it: this is organized crime, no different than someone named
Gambino or Gotti. CNN shows its bias when organized crime figures are
Democratic and not Italian.
Rep. Burton was courageous to stand up for justice, and reinforces the
validity of my decision to leave the Democratic Party and its
corruption.
-- Stephen Maloney, May 5
'They're Not Private'
Of course it's "all right" for Burton to release the tapes. They're not
private; they were taped at a telephone that was marked as being
monitored. Since Burton's political opposites are crying that he doctored
the tapes by selective redactions, the right thing for him to do was to
release them all, unedited.
-- Fred Mahan, May 5
'Blow Up In His Face'
It wasn't wrong but it was stupid. The actual tapes tell a completely
different story than the edit excerpts that we heard over the weekend.
Burton should have known this would blow up in his face. He should have
suspected that they probably said these things knowing they were being taped
to provide support for the first lady. Burton probably did more to help the
Clintons than he has done damage up to this point.
So, no. He should not have released the tapes or the excerpts!
--Chad Nykamp, May 5
'Go To The Internet'
"Play 'em again, Dan!" WHY, OH WHY, DOES CNN THINK THAT, INSTEAD OF
JUST BRINGING US THE NEWS, IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO COVER FOR THE
PRESIDENT?
Keep it up and by the year 2000, no one will be watching any of
you. Anyone who really wants to find out what is going on knows already
to go to the Internet.
-- Bryan Boss, Canton, Pa., May 5
'Entirely Political'
Dan Burton's releasing of the prejudicially excerpted Hubbell tapes was
entirely political, and to anyone who believes otherwise, I've got a
beautiful suspension bridge across the East River connecting Manhattan
and Brooklyn that I'd let go very cheap!
Constitutionally, how can you expect the Hubbells and others indicted to
get a fair trial when they're already going to be tried in the media for
months or even years before their day in court? And what ever happened
to our constitutional right to privacy and the presumption of innocence?
When Monica is indicted, which she most surely will be, are we going to
hear lurid tape clips leaked about the president's penis and Ms.
Lewinsky's oral abilities? Can we really compare the criminal and
Orwellian antics of the Nixon Administration with a young and naive
Monica Lewinsky who simply had an affair with a charismatic older man,
and who then committed the heinous "crime" of attempting to discretely
keep quiet about it? Does anybody really thing that young Monica is a
dangerous criminal who belongs in jail or on American's Most Wanted?
The Republicans in Congress are going to be in big trouble come the fall
because the only "contract" they seem to be keeping with the American
people is a crudely disguised attempt to destroy the president at any
and all costs. I'm no Clinton fan, but it's clear that many in the party
are on a holy crusade to get Clinton and dictate to the American people
what they should consider to be moral and proper behavior. They are
going to be shocked this fall when they discover that most Americans
care a lot more about Social Security, as indeed they should!
-- Michael Castellano, May 5
'Absolutely Right'
Yes, Rep. Burton was absolutely right to release the tapes. Why didn't
you show the same distaste when the White House revealed Kathleen
Willey's letters? It was okay to invade her privacy but not a convicted
felon's? Your bias is obvious to the extreme. The only reason I watch
the Clinton News Network is because it is better than most of the
comedies on the other networks -- especially Judy Woodruff. She makes Peg
on "Married With Children" look like a serious dramatic actress.
-- Max Monroe, May 5
'Watch The Rats Run For Cover'
I think Dan Burton should release all the tapes and watch the rats run for
cover.
Thanks,
-- David D. Tyner, May 5
'He Has Lost It'
The only indictment and obstruction of justice I see is in the criminal thing
that Dan Burton has done. He has lost it. I think when he called President
Clinton that name he must have been looking in the mirror at himself.
-- Mary Hartsfield, May 5
'What Are They Hiding?'
I see nothing wrong with releasing tapes of phone calls made by a
convicted felon while in prison. I do find it troubling that the White
House finds it necessary to trash everyone who has the audacity to
reveal information counter to the White House spin. What are they
hiding? It should be noted that since Hubbell knew these tapes were
being recorded anything incriminating is likely true, whereas anything
that clears someone of wrongdoing has to be corroborated before it can
be believed.
-- D. McMillan, San Diego, Calif., May 5
'Read ALL Of Them'
No matter, it's done, now I want to read ALL of them and draw my own
conclusions.
-- Patricia Vrocher, Mobile, Ala., May 5
'About As Low As A Politician Can Get'
Dan Burton is about as low as a politician can get. It was wrong of him
to release to the public tapes between a man and his wife and between
the man and his attorney, tapes that were made of phone conversations
for security reasons. But it was criminal of Burton to doctor the tapes
before releasing them to make it look like they said something that was
not really said. Hats off to "Meet the Press" for bringing this to
light. Thank God Burton is not my congressman.
-- Bill Murdock, Delphi, Ind., May 4
'Not Above The Law'
Regarding the Webb Hubbell prison tapes, I strongly believe that Dan
Burton was right to release them. In the first place, Hubbell knew that
the conversations were being recorded. In the second place, if the
president and the first lady were involved in, or have allegations
against them with regards to, criminal activity, it is ESSENTIAL that
the public be made aware of this.
The first family is not above the law. Rather, as representatives of the
highest office in the country, they should be held to the highest
standards. What should NOT occur is for them, or their associates, to be
given special "kid gloves" treatment. Especially when it has been
learned that many of these associates have been involved in illegal
activity, with great expense to taxpayers.
Burton should be commended for this courageous action, especially in
light of the animosity directed at him from members of the opposing
party and the media.
Someone who has voted for three Democratic presidential nominees.
Sincerely,
-- Mary Anderson, May 4
'Not Only Right'
Rep. Dan Burton is not only right releasing the tapes and
is the only one with the GUTS to tell you what a bunch
of SLOBS you all are for blindly supporting SLEAZE
where ever you find it.
Shame, shame.
-- Robert D. Jacobs, May 4
'The Breaking Point'
Rep. Dan Burton's release of these tapes was the breaking point for me. This
was un-American and unforgivable. I have always been an independent, voting
for the person, not the party. Never again. I will never vote for any
Republican again, but I will make sure I always vote, and encourage others to
do likewise.
-- Shirley Bemis, May 4
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