Book Review: The Death of American Virtue - Clinton vs. Starr
The difficulty with writing about the events leading up to the impeachment of President William Jefferson Clinton is that the subject is one nearly impossible for people not to take sides on. This is apparent even from the title of Professor Ken Gormley's book The Death of American Virtue: Clinton vs. Starr which underscores the detailed history as being one of "Clinton vs. Starr". The subject matter of this book seems to effortlessly evoke impassioned defenses and criticisms of the two major players, with one side believing that this was a "right wing conspiracy" to remove Clinton from office, and the other side believing that the morally reprehensible president was able to get away with criminal behaviour scot-free. While it takes him 690 pages to do so, Gormley gives as objective an accounting of this complicated set of facts in a manner that affords all sides and all players the opportunity to give their side of the story, balancing that with the views of their critics, all the while refraining from his own judgements. Gormley leave it up to his readers and to history to come to their own conclusions.
Gormley is nothing if not thorough, and his subject matter demands it. There is more to this story than a series of hook-ups between a 20something intern and the leader of the free world, leading to a stain on a little blue dress. Gormley reviews Clinton's rise to power and his tenure as Governor of Arkansas, along with all of the allegations of gubernatorial hanky-pankey, not in a tabloid style with unsubstantiated rumours, but by getting information from sources present at the time. In practically all cases, there is insufficient information on which to reach a conclusion. There is smoke, but is there fire? Gormley leaves the question open. All he knows is all he knows.
Through this book we learn about an interesting array of characters and of circumstances. We learn about a property development project known as Whitewater, and a failed savings and loan company, all of which have Bill and Hillary Clinton on the periphery. Gormley makes no judgement about whether the Clintons acted fraudulently in connection with these matters. He simply presents the conflicting evidence and the arguments pro and con.
The adage "truth is stranger than fiction" is personified through the array of characters that we meet. Gormley gives more than a thumbnail sketch of all of them, the good, the bad and the flaky. In the book we meet Jim McDougall, the bi-polar dreamer who is present at the creation of this mess. Gormley presents him, warts and all. We also meet his wife Susan, a free-spirit with character, respected by many for her refusal to testify before a grand jury, even at the price of a prison sentence, because she distrusts the independent counsel. Paula Jones, the plaintiff in a sexual harassment suit against Clinton is also portrayed as both victim and gold-digger. Once again Gormley makes no judgements, he simply shows both sides and leaves it to the reader. Other fascinating characters who Gormley tells us much about include Monica Lewinsky and her parents, Linda Tripp (who secretly records her friend Monica and turns the tapes over to the independent counsel), Vince Foster (who tragically takes his own life), a compassionate prison psychiatrist, as well as a number of lawyers and judges, politicians and political staffers too numerous to mention, but many with larger than life personalities.
Of the main protagonists, here again Gormley is reluctant to pass judgement. Ken Starr is presented both as principled and ethical by some, and as being on an out-of-control witch hunt by others. Clinton, through interviews, gets ample opportunity both to defend himself and to vent about his mistreatment at the hands of a vindictive Ken Starr. The insight into what the two central figures were thinking as the matter proceeded is perhaps the most interesting aspect of the book.
The whole saga reads like a Greek tragedy, especially when Gormley points out the various points in time when a different decision may have derailed this train-wreck of a tale. From Whitewater and Madison Savings and Loan, to Paula Jones, to Kathleen Willey and Ginnifer Flowers, to the appointment or an independent counsel, to the change in independent counsel, to the discovery of Monica Lewinsky, to the release of the Starr Report, the impeachment proceedings in Congress, the brokering of a deal by yet another independent counsel and the aftermath and fallout for all concerned, there is much to tell. Gormley tells it well, sanitizing nothing and keeping his personal opinion to himself.
Because of the volume of detail, this book can at times seem tedious, but more often it can be a riveting page-turner. Gormley takes a complicated story and explains it as fairly and as interestingly as imaginable. Those with a strong opinion about this saga may be disappointed that their side isn't the dominant one, but those readers who are looking for an objective account of what went on during the chapter of American history will find it in this book.
Gormley is nothing if not thorough, and his subject matter demands it. There is more to this story than a series of hook-ups between a 20something intern and the leader of the free world, leading to a stain on a little blue dress. Gormley reviews Clinton's rise to power and his tenure as Governor of Arkansas, along with all of the allegations of gubernatorial hanky-pankey, not in a tabloid style with unsubstantiated rumours, but by getting information from sources present at the time. In practically all cases, there is insufficient information on which to reach a conclusion. There is smoke, but is there fire? Gormley leaves the question open. All he knows is all he knows.
Through this book we learn about an interesting array of characters and of circumstances. We learn about a property development project known as Whitewater, and a failed savings and loan company, all of which have Bill and Hillary Clinton on the periphery. Gormley makes no judgement about whether the Clintons acted fraudulently in connection with these matters. He simply presents the conflicting evidence and the arguments pro and con.
The adage "truth is stranger than fiction" is personified through the array of characters that we meet. Gormley gives more than a thumbnail sketch of all of them, the good, the bad and the flaky. In the book we meet Jim McDougall, the bi-polar dreamer who is present at the creation of this mess. Gormley presents him, warts and all. We also meet his wife Susan, a free-spirit with character, respected by many for her refusal to testify before a grand jury, even at the price of a prison sentence, because she distrusts the independent counsel. Paula Jones, the plaintiff in a sexual harassment suit against Clinton is also portrayed as both victim and gold-digger. Once again Gormley makes no judgements, he simply shows both sides and leaves it to the reader. Other fascinating characters who Gormley tells us much about include Monica Lewinsky and her parents, Linda Tripp (who secretly records her friend Monica and turns the tapes over to the independent counsel), Vince Foster (who tragically takes his own life), a compassionate prison psychiatrist, as well as a number of lawyers and judges, politicians and political staffers too numerous to mention, but many with larger than life personalities.
Of the main protagonists, here again Gormley is reluctant to pass judgement. Ken Starr is presented both as principled and ethical by some, and as being on an out-of-control witch hunt by others. Clinton, through interviews, gets ample opportunity both to defend himself and to vent about his mistreatment at the hands of a vindictive Ken Starr. The insight into what the two central figures were thinking as the matter proceeded is perhaps the most interesting aspect of the book.
The whole saga reads like a Greek tragedy, especially when Gormley points out the various points in time when a different decision may have derailed this train-wreck of a tale. From Whitewater and Madison Savings and Loan, to Paula Jones, to Kathleen Willey and Ginnifer Flowers, to the appointment or an independent counsel, to the change in independent counsel, to the discovery of Monica Lewinsky, to the release of the Starr Report, the impeachment proceedings in Congress, the brokering of a deal by yet another independent counsel and the aftermath and fallout for all concerned, there is much to tell. Gormley tells it well, sanitizing nothing and keeping his personal opinion to himself.
Because of the volume of detail, this book can at times seem tedious, but more often it can be a riveting page-turner. Gormley takes a complicated story and explains it as fairly and as interestingly as imaginable. Those with a strong opinion about this saga may be disappointed that their side isn't the dominant one, but those readers who are looking for an objective account of what went on during the chapter of American history will find it in this book.