The Clintons and Their "Vast, Right-Wing Conspiracy"

"Yes, Virginia, it really was a vast right-wing conspiracy."


For Bill and Hillary Clinton, they don't know when to shut up and let go of ridiculous statements. When Bill got caught in the Lewinsky scandal, Hillary tried to brush it all off as a "vast, right-wing conspiracy". She became a laughing stock (at least to half the nation) when it was revealed that the scandal was based in fact. Soon enough, the nation realized that not only was the Lewinsky story true, but that the "vast, right-wing conspiracy" had nothing to do with assigning Ms Lewinsky to the White House or putting her into a relationship with the president. The term has haunted Mrs Clinton ever since-much as if she had professed belief in flying saucers and Martians.

Well, apparently, at least one half of the Clinton team still believes. On NBC's Meet the Press this week, Bill was asked about that "vast, right-wing conspiracy". Does it still exist in regards to President Obama, given the resistance to his policies? Bill should have looked for a polite way to change the subject. Instead, he dove right in affirming that the old VRWC is still out there.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.

Leaving aside any mention of a "vast, left-wing conspiracy" that dogged George Bush for 8 years and the fact that no one called it anything of the sort, it seems that this term is the Democratic talking point to any criticism or resistance to their whole Democratic platform. First, it was the VRWC that was used to try and obscure the sad fact that a president was using the Oval Office as a short-time motel. Now it is used as a convenient excuse to apply to those of us who have the temerity to oppose Obama's policies. At least Bill didn't go down the path of that other embarrassing ex-president, Jimmy Carter, and call it a "vast, racist, right-wing conspiracy" or VRRWC.

I note the fact that Bill Clinton is a lawyer-or was one until he was disbarred for having committed perjury. He should know what the definition of a conspiracy is-at least in American legal terms. A conspiracy occurs when two or more people agree to commit an illegal act and at least one of those persons conducts an overt act in furtherance of the conspiracy.

For you UC Santa Cruz Community Studies majors and future community organizers, I will give an example. Pay attention; you may need to know this someday. Let's say John and Joe agree to travel to Mexico and smuggle heroin into the US by private aircraft. Joe, a pilot, then goes to a small airport and rents a plane (overt act), with which to fly to Mexico and transport the heroin. The conspiracy is complete, and a crime has been committed whether or not the smuggling venture is ever accomplished.

That, Mr and Mrs Clinton, is (in simple terms) a conspiracy. Opposing the policies of the current president is not a conspiracy. Speaking out is not a conspiracy. Tea parties are not conspiracies. Conservative bloggers are not engaged in a conspiracy. Nor are talk radio hosts when they criticize you or President Obama. The Republican Party is not a conspiracy. No, Mr and Mrs Clinton, there is only one conspiracy out there that I am aware of which wants to do personal harm to the President. That would be Al-Qaeda. For you to continue to give credence to the idea of a "vast, right-wing conspiracy" only makes you the object of ridicule.

Keep talking, Bill. Your legacy is sealed.