Saturday, December 19, 1998 -- WASHINGTON, D.C./NEW YORK -- The first half hour of today's impeachment debate climaxed with a bombshell from Bob Livingston.

But before the "big one" dropped, the rhetoric flew...

At the opening of debate, James Rogan declared the sentence first -- "perjury" -- without a trial, let alone a fair examination of the evidence, let alone any indication in the Articles of Lynching that spells out the specific instances of alleged perjury.

Jerry Kleczka supported censure and leaving allegations of Presidential wrongdoing to the courts.

Bob Barr spoke about "accountability," "the rule of law" and a "pattern of activity." Sadly, he did come clean about his own accountability for addressing a white racist organization, the tricks he used as an ex-prosecutor in Georgia to "Streamline" the rule of law, and his own pattern of activity in licking whipped cream off the naked breasts of strippers (or, for that matter, his "discussions" with American Spectator).

Juanita McDonald said "wrong way, wrong day" -- the wrong way to deal with the President's behavior, on a day Americans put their life on the line in the Middle East.

Bob "The Gigolo" Livingston "regret[ted] the enmity and hostility" in the House, and said he "wanted to cool the tempers" which have spilled over.

Really, Bob? Then why in hell did you let Tom DeLay, one of the meanest hatchet men in the GOP, run the House during a power vacuum that you and Gingrich "created?" Not only are you a cheater, Livingston, you are a longwinded hypocrite.

Livingston rambled on, making conspicuous mention of MSNBC ("Make Sure Nobody Believes Clinton"). He then elaborated on revealing his cheatin' heart, saying "I could not lie."

But he lied for decades, as did Henry Hyde.

He talked about oaths, "...so help me God." He neither dared mention that defendants have rights when confronted by hostile questioning.

When he suggested to Clinton that "you may resign your post," two outbursts of boos, hisses and catcalls from Democrats stopped his yammering for about a half-minute. "I set an example that I hope the President will follow."

Then he dropped the big one -- he will not be Speaker of the House. He tearfully told the assembled House he will resign from Congress six months into the 106th Congress.

This was a gambit to prompt calls for Clinton to resign. It will fail -- Clinton will not allow what would be in essence a move away from Constitutional rule to Parliamentary rule by answering to the political whims of a partisan Congress. It will also fail because Clinton answers to the entire citizenry of the nation, not some district in Louisiana, and is still supported by a vast majority of them.

And it will prompt the President to mount not only an even more fierce defense of Clinton, but a more vigorous exposure of the visible and invisible hands out to get Clinton as a payback for Bork, Thomas, Gingrich and Whitewater.

All hell broke loose on the news networks seconds after Livingston tearfully announced his decision. Pundits and correspondents alike were caught completely off guard, and practically stammered as they all searched for words to describe a shocker about which they had not been briefed on background.

Tim Russert looked and sounded shaken -- mostly because this completely unexpected development might just knock the wind out of the impeachment sails.

All the talking heads we "surfed" past were beside themselves. Meanwhile, over on MSNBC, Maria Shriver cornered the surly George Gekas and confronted him about word from at least one unnamed moderate GOPer that members of the leadership had threatened to "break legs" if the moderates strayed from voting for impeachment. Gekas looked like a deer in the headlights as he gave a jittery denial that such a thing happened.

We also caught a few comments by Lanny Davis on CNN. He seemed oblivious to the fact that this was a tactical ploy on the part of Livingston and the GOP leadership.

On the floor, Tom DeLay gave a weepy tribute to his departing confederate (no pun intended, folks) -- then recounted Gingrich "putting principle above politics" (when in fact he tucked his tail between his legs and fled knowing that his own dirty laundry was about to bury him -- as it likely still will).

And the talking heads continued to turn to GOPers and Congressional leaders over the Livingston resignation, and word came that Joe Lockhart would be making an announcement from the White House. It was just after 10:20 AM.

Rep. Chris Cox claimed that "we should raise the standard of [the President] to that of his troops" -- a ridiculous assertion by Cox. is he claiming that the President should have less rights than other Americans? Our women and men in uniform volunteer to be held to an ultra-high standard. To demand the President to be held to a "uniform code" is a strawman argument that makes no logical sense.

Marty Meehan vented a minute of flustered spleen: "God help this country." We've never seen him this frustrated -- or inarticulate.

Dick Armey gave a mumbling, rambling statement about "our brave armed forces" and "triumphing over tyranny" --then went into the same song and dance about oath and "the truth, the whole truth, yadda yadda" and "the rule of law."

Been there, done that, Dick.

If we don't face the crisis, he said, "we would have one standard for the government and another for citizens."

We were in hysterics!! As if we don't ALREADY have this situation!!

At that moment, the networks cut in with footage of another air attack on Baghdad, literally half a minute after which Joe Lockhart began speaking.

Lockhart said the President "Was disappointed [and] enjoyed working with Livingston... As you all know, the President has spoken out forcefully about the politics of personal destruction... it has to come to an end, and it has to soon. In that respect, the president calls upon the speaker-elect to reconsider." Sam Donaldson interjected obnoxiously that Livingston had called on Clinton to resign.

So what, Sam? That's NOT the point! We went back to C-SPAN.

The time was 10:42.

Dick Armey was still talking. His ambling speech had been interrupted by real news. "We're all saddened by it, but we will complete our work on this day... This vote is about the character of our country."

Some spin -- it's a vote on the lack of character of hard-right GOPers and aiding and abetting the unseen hand.

Helmet-haired Bill McCollum elected to use the variation on the Rogan Gambit -- sentence first, one-sided so-called "evidence" as support.

On CBS, Dan rather spoke with Zoe Lofgren on Livingston's resignation. "I don't think this is warranted... I would ask him to stand up to the embarrassment... I do not want pornographer Larry Flynt determining who serves in Congress." And Clinton shouldn't resign: "He would empower extremists to take out a President they don't like... This whole thing reminds [voters] of the Kennedy Assassination, only they're doing it to themselves."

Then Bob Schieffer reported that Rep. Zach Wamp had told him Livingston had surveyed House GOPers yesterday about whether his indiscretions might be a handicap -- and a large number said yes.

Meanwhile, back on the floor, the House moved to close debating. Dems had 8+ minutes left, Republicans 5+. Both sides agreed to close, with Conyers calling David Bonior.

Bonior praised Livingston and criticized "the politics of personal smear... we must not let it continue... We must stand up and refuse to give into it, whether it is Bill Clinton or Bob Livingston... You should not allow a campaign of cynicism and smear to force you to resign -- and you should not have called on the President to resign."

He then accused the GOP of trying to do with impeachment what they couldn't do at the ballot box. he dug at the GOP for trying to hound Clinton from office. And then he told the "lame duck Congress" how he felt about the impeachment -- that it lacked legitimacy and public support, and that he deplored the lack of an option to vote on censure.

Conyers then recognized Tom Barrett. He recounted his "naive" hope that deliberations would be bipartisan -- and hoped that the current deliberations would not be either. "We are consuming ourselves" and destroying America's government. "Please, let us recognize the gravity of what we are doing... after he leaves office he should remain vulnerable to... criminal and civil penalties... I again offer the olive branch for the sake of this country... please, let us work together. This country will not accept a partisan solution."

He then accused the GOP of trying to do with impeachment what they couldn't do at the ballot box. He jabbed at the GOP for trying to hound Clinton from office. And then he told the "lame duck Congress" how he felt about the impeachment -- that it lacked legitimacy and public support, and that he deplored the lack of an option to vote on censure.

And Bill Delahunt followed. He pointed out the hypocritical GOP position of "voting our conscience" -- then lambasted them for the hypocrisy of not allowing Dems to vote their conscience in favor of censure.

John Lewis, an orator of real power and talent, spoke of a thunderstorm as a child, and the family gathering and holding hands to ride out the storm. as LaHood tried to gavel him into silence, Lewis shouted "We must stand together and hold our hands" in the midst of the storm. He got a huge ovation from the Dems and the gallery.

Hyde spoke as if giving a eulogy of the "loss" of Bill Livingston -- then started harping about "private acts and public acts" and oaths. Of course, Hyde broke his own marriage oath -- he has plenty of experience in broken oaths and families. He claimed that "the rule of law" would be undermined by "the cheapening of the oath" to tell the truth -- and said something about "when you have a serial violator of the oath who is the chief law enforcement officer" [a nice tying together of two spin talking points]. he then called censure "impeachment lite" -- a ridiculous claim -- and said "we cannot punish him... we have no power to do it [because] the Constitution give us no power to punish him" -- another lie because the Constitution does not PREVENT an agreed-to punishment.

He then disingenuously accused the Dems of not calling witnesses -- when the fact is that the GOP set up the hearings so no such thing would be allowed -- then claimed that the Democrats were calling lame duck when they were saying hurry up some months ago.

Boucher moved for "a motion to recommit with instructions" -- to enter a censure resolution, which clerk Paul Hays read, and Boucher, in his comments, recounted Hyde's comments of fairness, commending Hyde for his fairness and regretting the majority on the committee blocked it. Boucher argued that impeachment was created by the founder to be used in times of national emergency, and censure was the legal and appropriate way for Congress to react to Clinton's conduct.

Boucher yielded to Dock Gephardt.

He recounted yesterday's denunciation of "slash-and-burn" politics and call for reconciliation. He recognized Livingston as a good and honorable man, which yielded over a minute of sustained applause. Gephardt said he believed his decision "is a terrible capitulation to the terrible forces that are consuming our political system and our country. And I pray with all my heart that he will reconsider his decision." Peter Jennings on ABC had the nerve to ask Cokie Roberts for her "instant take" -- cutting into Gephardt, at which point we want back to C-Span to hear Gephardt's crucial comments on "destroying imperfect people at the altar of unattainable morality." he said the America is "being held hostage to the politics of smear and fear... Say no to impeachment."

He received a standing ovation from the Democrats, after which he called for healing to prevent "the spiral to death of representative democracy," and for a bipartisan censure resolution to start the healing. "Enough, let us step back from the abyss... May God have mercy on this Congress."

Three minutes of standing ovation by the Democrats followed.

>From the sublime to the ridiculous -- Charles Canady argued the motion "must be rejected... because we do not sit in judgment of the President for his sins." Oh, brother! Canady claimed that impeachment is the only method of punishment allowed in the Constitution -- when nothing could be further from the truth. He claimed that "your consciences do not trump our constitution... why have you not done what is within your power and... within your caucus censured President Clinton?"

Simple, Charlie -- it would have fueled your impeachment coup.

Around 12 noon, mother nature added a dramatic twist to the impeachment coup scenario. C-SPAN was knocked off the air in Manhattan due to satellite dish problems. Time-Warner Cable shifted it to another channel not long after from another feed -- but without warning (we did not learn this until 12:30, when we called them).

And the introduction of the censure resolution triggered further heated rhetoric on the floor. It was almost too painful to watch -- as Republicans couched their authoritarian bullying of minority Democrats who might dare to diminish their impeachment coup with a censure alternative.

So we took a break for lunch and channel-surfed -- bits of the increasingly rancorous debate alternated with some of the most obnoxious punditry, tainted with barely suppressed glee about the "certainty" of the impending impeachment. Over on CNN, Judy Woodruff was talking with a person we could not identify describing an impending -- and strictly symbolic -- walkout by Democrats after the expected defeat of the censure resolution.

The remaining drama would play itself out nearly as predicted: the censure resolution was defeated along party lines. The Democrats walked out in symbolic protest -- to the cheers of Clinton supporters waiting outside the House near the Capitol steps.

But the GOP Neo-Nazis would not be denied their blood feast. Rep. LaHood -- an ironically appropriate name -- gaveled the House back to order for a vote on the first of the four articles.

The voting was carried out in an orderly manner -- not unlike that of an execution by lethal injection.

The first article -- alleging Clinton lied under oath when he testified before Independent Reichscounsel Ken Starr's grand jury about the lurid details of Lewinsky's dalliances with him passed 228-206. Five Democrats voted for that article -- Taylor (MS), McHale (PA), Hall (TX), Stenholm (TX) and Goode (VA) -- and five Republicans against -- Shays (CT), Souder (IN), Morella (MD), Houghton (NY) and King (NY).

As the Reep vote count hit 220, a sinking feeling hit everyone watching in our New York office. "That," said one of our guests, "will be known as one of the greatest Pyrrhic victories in our nation's history."

It did little to dispel the gloom, though. For a brief, dark moment, evil, hate and greed had triumphed. And there will be payback, not only for those behind this attempted coup but the entire GOP. Even the voices of moderation and sanity in the party will have to face the consequences of a circle of hard-righters who not only ignored the will of the vast majority in America, but chose to sucker-punch back for the rebuke they justly suffered last month at the polls.

The vote on Article II -- dealing with allegations of so-called perjury in the Paula Jones deposition -- surprised even us. It failed 229-205, with a large number of Republican defections. There is tremendous suspicion this afternoon that the DeLay leg-breaking squad let this one "slip away" because it would provide Clinton's team with a damn good reason to call a number of shadowy figures involved in the plan to trap Clinton in a sex lie.

Article III -- charging Clinton with so-called obstruction of justice by allegedly "tampering" with witnesses and taking other steps to conceal his affair with Lewinsky -- passed 221-212. Twelve Republicans defected --

Article IV -- accusing the president of so-called abuse of power when he was trying to prevent Starr from nosing into Clinton's sex life, was defeated by a huge 285-148 vote.

We stuck with C-SPAN, primarily after channel-surfing past Russert putting on his most unctious "I told you so" tone as he spoke after the first article passed. And after the fourth article was defeated, we switched back to MSNBC and CNN to watch two busses filled with House dems head over to the White House.

As the camera panned to Clinton slowly exiting the White House, the commentator on CNN could not resist making light of "the President apparently wiping tears from his eyes" -- as if having feelings about the trashing of constitutional rule is a sin. Clinton approached the cheering reps with a broad smile> He looked ready for a fight.

The worst was over -- in fact, two of the articles had vaporized.

"I thank the few brave Republicans," he said, "who withstood enormous pressures to stand with them for the plain meaning of the Constitution and for the proposition that we need to pull together, to move beyond partisanship, to get on with the business of our country...

"What are we going to do now? I have accepted responsibility for what I did wrong in my personal life, and I have invited members of Congress to work with us to find a reasonable bipartisan and proportionate response. That approach was rejected today by Republicans in the House, but I hope it will be embraced by the Senate. I hope there will be a constitutional and fair means of resolving this matter in a prompt manner.

"Meanwhile, I will continue to do the work of the American people. We still -- after all -- have to save Social Security and Medicare for the 21st century. We have to give all our children world-class schools. We have to pass a patients' bill of rights. We have to make sure the economic turbulence around the world does not curb our economic opportunity here at home. We have to keep America the world's strongest force for peace and freedom."

Clinton was choosing to emphasize the real issues that trouble Americans -- not Bob Barr's "Real Americans" who act out of hate and greed, but average people who work hard for -- and deserve -- opportunity and security.

"We must get rid of the poisonous venom of excessive partisanship, obsessive animosity and uncontrolled anger. That is not what America deserves. That is not what America is about...

"I ask the American people to move with me -- to go on from here to rise above the rancor, to overcome the pain and division, to be a repairer of the breach -- all of us -- to make this country as one America what it can and must be for our children in the new century about to dawn."

Make no mistake, these were fighting words -- not to duke it out with hatemongers, but to fight to make real issues priority one again. the GOP Neo-Nazis have used the sham "high crimes" to distract from the real issues.

But it will take the efforts of all Americans of good will to get the nation back on track.

The right wing is collapsing under the weight of their own hypocrisy, hate and greed. Gingrich and the Contract on America are over (well, maybe not if the Justice Department moves against GOPAC). Livingston has relegated himself to the back bench and early retirement. DeLay is under investigation for allegedly helping another politician develop ways to avoid campaign finance laws. Lott has aided and abetted a white supremacist group. Burton is a proud daddy. Hyde is a homewrecker. Canady -- you read it here first.

Keep feeding them more rope. They'll all hang themselves.

-- The Editors