WI: No Whitewater

Either the Whitewater Development Corporation isn't founded, the Clintons aren't connected to it, or it doesn't commit crimes. What effects does this have on the Clintons' political careers and reputations?
 
Last edited:
Then there would had been something else that the Republicans would use like the Rose Law Firm, Travelgate, Vince Foster to get at the Clintons.
I remember even before the 92 election there were bumped stickers that said "Impeach Clinton and her Husband".
We must remember that Whitewater was investigated at least two times before and nothing was found and in the end the only thing that the Starr Special Investigation could get Clinton on was the Monica Lewinsky Affaire.
 
Then there would had been something else that the Republicans would use like the Rose Law Firm, Travelgate, Vince Foster to get at the Clintons.
I remember even before the 92 election there were bumped stickers that said "Impeach Clinton and her Husband".
We must remember that Whitewater was investigated at least two times before and nothing was found and in the end the only thing that the Starr Special Investigation could get Clinton on was the Monica Lewinsky Affaire.
Well said, as has been shown multiple times over the past 30 years, the Republicans decided that the Clinton's were guilty and then started to look around for something to use against them.
 
Well said, as has been shown multiple times over the past 30 years, the Republicans decided that the Clinton's were guilty and then started to look around for something to use against them.

Ironically this ended up helping Clinton when the investigations came to be viewed as a partisan "witch hunt."

Either the Whitewater Development Corporation isn't founded, the Clintons aren't connected to it, or it doesn't commit crimes. What effects does this have on the Clintons' political careers and reputations?

It's possible that Clinton's affair with Lewinsky still leaks, but without Whitewater then there is no Independent Counsel and Clinton's perjury is butterflied away. This might be enough for Gore to win in 2000, if just barely.
 
One of the things that was driving the Republicans was that the loss in 92 was something of a shock to them, after the 88 election was there was talk that there was an "Electoral College Lock" in the South and Democrats would never win another Presidential election again.
Some other factors was that there was a "Jealousy Factor" that this "Draft Dodging, Pot Smoking, Womanizer" was the first Baby Boomer President instead of someone more "Admirable".
This was the driving force that Howell Raines editor of The New York Times Editorial Board, had against Clinton, Raines was only a couple of years older than Clinton and they both were from Arkansas, Raines used his position at the Times to run aggressive editorials against Clinton and called for special prosecutors anytime that someone made any sort of accusations against Clinton.
 
I was just thinking about this. While the investigative focus would go elsewhere, I doubt it would have turned in to what it did. Likely enough to put Gore over the top in 2000.
 
Last edited:
In the long run, probably nothing. I mean, Bill still got his two terms and Hillary screwed up her run twice just as well without it being mentioned.
 
The investigations into the Rose Law Firm, Travelgate, Vince Foster suicide, and the Paula Jones lawsuit was folded in to the Starr Special Prosecution and anyone of those instead of Whitewater would have triggered a special prosecutors investigation in itself and that would have brought the Lewinsky affair to light.
 
Key question: Why did American conservatives start moving in the direction of conspiracy theory and assuming bad motive circa 1990 to ‘93?

And to me, it’s asymmetrical.

I mean, there’s much more travel distance among American conservatives than American liberals.
 
The investigations into the Rose Law Firm, Travelgate, Vince Foster suicide, and the Paula Jones lawsuit was folded in to the Starr Special Prosecution and anyone of those instead of Whitewater would have triggered a special prosecutors investigation in itself and that would have brought the Lewinsky affair to light.

Was that the case? I thought the inti inquiry was because of Whitewater
 
Key question: Why did American conservatives start moving in the direction of conspiracy theory and assuming bad motive circa 1990 to ‘93?
In a nutshell Newt Gingrich: since he first was elected to the House in 1978 he perfected the "Politics of Personal Destruction" in which anything and everything was used to bring down a political opponent.
In his world a political opponent was not just wrong on the issues but an evil person who was the enemy.
 
Key question: Why did American conservatives start moving in the direction of conspiracy theory and assuming bad motive circa 1990 to ‘93?

And to me, it’s asymmetrical.

I mean, there’s much more travel distance among American conservatives than American liberals.

It's been suggested by some political scientists that after the Soviet Union fell, the American right needed a few enemy and that became the American left.

Then there would had been something else that the Republicans would use like the Rose Law Firm, Travelgate, Vince Foster to get at the Clintons.
I remember even before the 92 election there were bumped stickers that said "Impeach Clinton and her Husband".
We must remember that Whitewater was investigated at least two times before and nothing was found and in the end the only thing that the Starr Special Investigation could get Clinton on was the Monica Lewinsky Affaire.

It's worth noting that the Whitewater Investigation was started by Clinton himself. It was Clinton who asked Attorney General Reno to appoint a Special Prosecutor to investigate Whitewater. Further, it was the Democratic Congress that renewed the Independent Counsel in 1994, and Clinton signed the measure into law. It wasn't just the GOP trying to "get" Clinton, although that was certainly a factor.
 
Key question: Why did American conservatives start moving in the direction of conspiracy theory and assuming bad motive circa 1990 to ‘93?

And to me, it’s asymmetrical.

I mean, there’s much more travel distance among American conservatives than American liberals.
1988: Rush Limbaugh starts his show, Atwater emphasizes social issues in the campaign, and the electoral map shows a "red"/"blue" divide forming.

1990: Bush breaks his tax pledge. Limbaugh uses the anger over this to build an audience.

1991: Bush appoints Clarence Thomas and Anita Hill accuses him of sexual harrasment. This energizes both sides of the abortion debate and starts third-wave feminism. My mom has said that this forever turned her against the Republican Party.

1992: Pat Buchanan primaries Bush on a "Trumpist" platform and has Limbaugh's endorsement. Planned Parenthood v. Casey raises the stakes of the abortion debate. Pat Buchanan makes the "culture war" speech. Clinton benefits from white-collar voters who were hurt by the recession, many of whom would never return to the GOP.

1993: Clinton tries to allow gays in the military and advocates Clintoncare.

1994: The Assault Weapons Ban in enacted, Pete Wilson attacks immigrants in his Gubernatorial campaign, and the 104th Congress is elected. The 104th House makes Gingrich its Speaker and Delay its Whip.
 
Key question: Why did American conservatives start moving in the direction of conspiracy theory and assuming bad motive circa 1990 to ‘93?

And to me, it’s asymmetrical.

I mean, there’s much more travel distance among American conservatives than American liberals.

When the GOP didn't get a 4th Presidential term in 1992. Clearly, Satanic powers were at work!
 
And around ? 1990, the rise of the concept of “political correctness,” mainly as a way to make fun of do-gooders, even if isolated examples were exaggerated, aspects of urban legend, etc.
 
. . . Some other factors was that there was a "Jealousy Factor" that this "Draft Dodging, Pot Smoking, Womanizer" was the first Baby Boomer President instead of someone more "Admirable".
This was the driving force that Howell Raines editor of The New York Times Editorial Board, had against Clinton, Raines was only a couple of years older than Clinton and they both were from Arkansas, . . .
Yes, I think the fact that Clinton was a relatively young man was part of it, too.

Born Aug. 19, 1946, Bill Clinton was only 46-years-old on election day.
 
Top