Clinton in Star Chamber

The 'World's Most Powerful Man' on Tuesday was given a standing ovation by a glittering array of 185 heads of state and their representatives at the United Nations General Assembly. The world, a few hours later, saw this same man being subjected to the most embarrassing and humiliating cross examination for over four hours by a United States Congressional Special Counsel. This cross examination given global pre-publicity for weeks was broadcast on Tuesday. A country which prides itself in seeing that no accused goes without a defence counsel saw in this instance the president of the country undergoing the most gruelling of cross- examinations without any counsel defending him. When the subject of cross examination involves intimate details of the private lives of individuals, in most countries , even the lower courts clear the public from the courts. In this instance this global TV show was watched by billions.

These were the bizarre aspects that struck many Sri Lankans who watched the four hour TV spectacular of President Bill Clinton being given Star Chamber treatment by Special Prosecutor Ken Starr. This experience which the American public has not been through, undoubtedly has left them confused as well. Those beyond the shores of America are left wondering at the manner in which a president was treated by the world's most powerful and affluent democracies whose institutions of justice are hailed as the finest anywhere in the world.

There are those who argue that President Clinton has brought all this misery upon himself, firstly with his misconduct and secondly by not resigning his office to save the country and himself all this embarrassment. It is further pointed out that President Clinton's predicament is a demonstration that in the American system no person is above the law and even presidents are held accountable for their private and public lives.

On the other hand, President Clinton continues to be in office and till quite recently opinion polls showed that the public still supported him to a great extent. While investigation of the president's misdemeanours by a special counsel cannot be faulted what was most appalling about it was the global telecasting of a judicial hearing which President Clinton himself had objected to. If the President has to be impeached by Congress, was this TV extravaganza called for?

Quite obviously its not only morality and justice that is at issue in this instance. Politics is very much a factor and the Republicans are quite obviously going for Bill Clinton's jugular. His political resilience worries the Republicans waiting in the wings, political analysts have pointed out.

Bill Clinton is known for getting into hot water . Quite early in his first presidential campaign, he was accused of draft dodging. Then it was brought out that he had smoked marijuana while being a student at Oxford University. His excuse that ' I smoked, but did not inhale' might have put an end to the ambitions of many presidential aspirants but he went through unscathed, in all such escapades. His associations with a string of women commencing from known associations such as Jennifer Flowers and ending with Monica Lewinsky gravely endangered his career. Political scandals such as Whitewatergate have not downed him. This India rubber quality in him to bounce back apparently is the reason why Republicans want to finish him off now.

The strategy of Ken Starr, the Special Prosecutor at the interrogations was while throwing all the sleaze at Bill Clinton to catch him committing perjury. The president's performance,according to most observers, was masterly but the sexual misdemeanours could not be denied. How the American people judge Mr. Clinton. will be indicated by opinion polls and this will decide his fate.

To those living far away from the United States the attitude of Americans towards sex is indeed baffling. The American media, TV, press, Hollywood films, advertisements and almost everything American oozes with sex. But there is also that fundamentalist streak coming into play particularly where politicians are concerned.They all are expected to be good fathers and faithful husbands.The motto appears to be: 'Do anything but don't get caught'.The American media has many stories of their great and much loved presidents in recent times getting away with affairs that would place Bill Clinton in the second league.But Clinton got caught.

President Clinton was a very popular president having rescued the American economy from abysmal depths. He is popular with the Blacks and with the poor as well for his policies such as on Medicare. But Clinton himself has admitted wrongful sexual conduct. The questions now is whether Mr. Clinton having got caught can still bounce back and continue as president for the rest of his term.