Campus Remains Divided on Clinton Acquittal

The impeachment process may have finally ended last Friday afternoon with the Senate voting to acquit President Clinton, but faculty and students remain divided on whether the scandal of the year will become a permanent punchline or a bona fide political landmark.

"When it ended, people had the feeling, Is it really over?'" said Joseph N. Sanberg '01, president of the Harvard-Radcliffe College Democrats.

The Senate was split evenly when voting on the charge of obstruction of justice, with only five Republican Senators defecting from the party line vote. The vote on the perjury charge garnered only 45 votes for conviction, with 10 Republican Senators voting against conviction. Each charge needed a two-thirds majority to convict.

But while the results of the election are in black and white, faculty and students spent the weekend interpreting the gray.

Professor of Public Policy Martin A. Linsky from the Kennedy School of Government downplayed the immediate political fallout for the Republican party.

He cited contradictory statistics that showed Americans' disapproval of the Republican Congress' impeachment efforts while still favoring Texas Governor George W. Bush, a Republican, over Vice President Al Gore '69 in the 2000 presidential election.

"The challenge for the Republicans was to make a case to rise above partisanship. They were unable to do that," Linsky said. "There wasn't a John Dean. There weren't tapes [like in Watergate]."

Linsky also warned that Clinton's presidency has been seriously weakened by the process, and the party unity displayed during the impeachment will quickly fade.

"I think once the process of impeachment is ended, the ambivalent feelings of lots of members of [Clinton's party] will be front and center," he said.

Thomas Professor of Government and of Sociology Theda Skocpol, who co-authored a book on the Democratic party called The New Majority, said shewas concerned about how the impeachment wouldchange the priorities of the Democratic party.

"The real cost of this is that they madeAmericans more cynical," she said "They approve ofhis job as president, but they are struck nearlyby contempt of him as a person."

Frankfurter Professor of Law Alan M.Dershowitz, an avid Clinton supporter, said hesees the acquittal as a form of vindication forthe president.

Dershowitz helped organize a Decemberanti-impeachment rally in the Science Center thatattracted several hundred students and localresidents.

"Clinton wasn't found innoncent--Ken [neth W.]Starr and Henry Hyde were found guilty,"Dershowitz said. "I think he's stronger now thanhe was a year ago. He has won; the HouseRepublicans have lost."

Dershowitz said he thought the impeachmentprocess was driven by more than just Beltway partypolitics.

"I think it was driven from the very beginningby the religious night," he said. "It has been acultural war."

Dershowitz said he also remains concerned aboutthe rising prominence of what he sees as the riseof "sexual McCarthyism" where everybody fromformer House Speaker Robert Living-stone (R-La.)to PBS's Teletubby Tinky-Winky will be "outed."

"I'm hoping that the long-term implicationswill be an increasing appreciation of privatelives," he said.

Campus political leaders were just as dividedas their more academic counterparts.

Sanberg said the acquittal was a victory forthe nation, not just for the man from Hope, Ark.

"It'd have set a terrible precedent [if Clintonhad been removed]," Sanberg said. "I think it'ssilly to think people will forget about this.Something that's this big, it's pretty unlikely[it is] going to be swept under the rug."

Anne L. Berry '01, president of theHarvard-Radcliffe Republican Club, saw thelong-term effects of impeachment as merely morerecycled fodder for late-night hosts.

"I think it'll merely become a source ofconstant jokes...I think it'll be awhile until JayLeno stops joking about this," she said.

Berry also said she feels that Clinton has losthis power of persuasion, which he has used sodeftly and so often on the campaign trail.

And while some students undoubtedly have beenglued to CNN during the proceedings, Berrysuspects most did not really care about theacquittal.

"I think the campus is too apathetic topolitical issues in general. I think they shouldbe more concerned about things outside ofHarvard.

"The real cost of this is that they madeAmericans more cynical," she said "They approve ofhis job as president, but they are struck nearlyby contempt of him as a person."

Frankfurter Professor of Law Alan M.Dershowitz, an avid Clinton supporter, said hesees the acquittal as a form of vindication forthe president.

Dershowitz helped organize a Decemberanti-impeachment rally in the Science Center thatattracted several hundred students and localresidents.

"Clinton wasn't found innoncent--Ken [neth W.]Starr and Henry Hyde were found guilty,"Dershowitz said. "I think he's stronger now thanhe was a year ago. He has won; the HouseRepublicans have lost."

Dershowitz said he thought the impeachmentprocess was driven by more than just Beltway partypolitics.

"I think it was driven from the very beginningby the religious night," he said. "It has been acultural war."

Dershowitz said he also remains concerned aboutthe rising prominence of what he sees as the riseof "sexual McCarthyism" where everybody fromformer House Speaker Robert Living-stone (R-La.)to PBS's Teletubby Tinky-Winky will be "outed."

"I'm hoping that the long-term implicationswill be an increasing appreciation of privatelives," he said.

Campus political leaders were just as dividedas their more academic counterparts.

Sanberg said the acquittal was a victory forthe nation, not just for the man from Hope, Ark.

"It'd have set a terrible precedent [if Clintonhad been removed]," Sanberg said. "I think it'ssilly to think people will forget about this.Something that's this big, it's pretty unlikely[it is] going to be swept under the rug."

Anne L. Berry '01, president of theHarvard-Radcliffe Republican Club, saw thelong-term effects of impeachment as merely morerecycled fodder for late-night hosts.

"I think it'll merely become a source ofconstant jokes...I think it'll be awhile until JayLeno stops joking about this," she said.

Berry also said she feels that Clinton has losthis power of persuasion, which he has used sodeftly and so often on the campaign trail.

And while some students undoubtedly have beenglued to CNN during the proceedings, Berrysuspects most did not really care about theacquittal.

"I think the campus is too apathetic topolitical issues in general. I think they shouldbe more concerned about things outside ofHarvard.