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Fri, 11 Feb 2000 09:09:00 +0000

With John McCain surging in South Carolina, the state's Republican Party has been desperately trying to fold up its famous big tent. Party officials admit they have a plan to keep closed nearly one-fourth of the state's polling places, some 500 of a total 1,778 ballot boxes, for the primary next Saturday. Most of them are in Democratic and black majority areas -- as it happens, where McCain's edge resides.

"In one part of South Carolina, they've practically shut down an entire county," said Rep. Todd Rutherford, a Democratic legislator from Columbia. "Williamburg County -- it just happens to be majority black."

As a result, Rutherford has filed a lawsuit, challenging the practice as a violation of the Voting Rights Act. The two sides are scheduled for a hearing before a three-judge federal panel Monday, five days before the primary Feb. 19. In the meantime, the Republicans have taken their plan before the Justice Department to get a "pre-clearance" opinion, which may pre-empt any judicial consideration.

Inside the Starr chamber

Thu, 17 Jun 1999 10:39:00 +0000

My mother has never liked Ted Kennedy's politics. But throughout my childhood,
she would always conclude one of her anti-Ted diatribes with some remark like
"but no one deserves to lose two brothers the way he did," or "his mother Rose is
a strong woman." When the American public remained unchanged in its feeling for
President Clinton throughout the Starr investigation, there was a similar dynamic
going on. People might be angry at the president for sinning (and sinning and
sinning), but they never lost sight of the personal nature of Clinton's
crimes and, I think, the brutal agony they must have visited upon Chelsea. It
angered a lot of Republicans that the public wouldn't separate the man from
the office.

Probably no Republican was more enraged by this failure than Kenneth Starr. In
his new book, "Shadow," Bob Woodward offers a few glimpses inside Starr's office and
what one sees is not only the pervert-run-amok we all know and love, but just a
generally weird guy. Starr is shown having immense "respect" for lofty
institutions and statutes and protocols, but recklessly unconcerned with the tiny
human scale of this scandal.

The bitter end

Sat, 08 May 1999 16:00:00 +0000

Independent counsel Kenneth Starr lost his last battle on Friday when a federal judge declared a mistrial in the case of Julie Hiatt Steele, the woman Starr indicted for changing her mind and refusing to corroborate Kathleen Willey's tale of sexual harassment by President Clinton. Steele declared victory in her grudge match with Starr. "I think it's time to celebrate,'' she told reporters outside the courtroom. "It's time to start my life again."

Starr's deputy in the case promised to seek a new trial, but such a move is unlikely. The independent counsel's office made the same threat after its prosecution of Whitewater figure Susan McDougal ended in mistrial, but it never followed through. Starr may pop up again -- prosecuting Webster Hubbell, even trying to torment the Clintons after they leave office. This would not be a good idea. As Julie Hiatt Steele tries to start her life again, it's time for Ken Starr to do the same. But he'll likely have a harder time of it.

True romance

Wed, 09 Sep 1998 17:13:00 +0000

Why did President Clinton wear that necktie? I'm referring to the $100 silk Zegna
in audacious gold-and-navy patterns that Monica gave him with the remark, "When
I see you wearing this tie, I'll know I'm close to your heart." Clinton donned it for a
gun-ban rally in the Rose Garden the very morning Monica was testifying before
the grand jury. The New York Times suspected that it was "a plea for solidarity,"
while Newsday thought it was a White House threat to Lewinsky "that she was
being watched."

But there was something off in the timing. "Ms. Lewinsky did not learn of Mr.
Clinton's choice of neckties until she turned on the television that evening," the
Times noted.

Now, any two-bit G-7 knows that Clinton would have had to wear the tie the day
before so that she would see it on the evening news prior to her testimony.
Certainly Clinton, of all people, would have known such media fundamentals. So
think like Sherlock Holmes for a minute. If it wasn't witness-tampering or a threat,
then what was Clinton signaling?

True romance

Sun, 30 Aug 1998 19:00:00 +0000

Why did President Clinton wear that necktie? I'm referring to the $100 silk Zegna in audacious gold-and-navy patterns that Monica gave him with the remark, "When I see you wearing this tie, I'll know I'm close to your heart." Clinton donned it for a gun-ban rally in the Rose Garden the very morning Monica was testifying before the grand jury. The New York Times suspected that it was "a plea for solidarity," while Newsday thought it was a White House threat to Lewinsky "that she was being watched."

But there was something off in the timing. "Ms. Lewinsky did not learn of Mr. Clinton's choice of neckties until she turned on the television that evening," the Times noted.

Now, any two-bit G-7 knows that Clinton would have had to wear the tie the day before so that she would see it on the evening news prior to her testimony. Certainly Clinton, of all people, would have known such media fundamentals. So think like Sherlock Holmes for a minute. If it wasn't witness-tampering or a threat, then what was Clinton signaling?