But separate the two is precisely what many Democrats did four years ago. At that time, President Clinton’s lies to a grand jury in a federal civil rights lawsuit were excused by his apologists, who said that his behavior was in no way related to his ability to govern.

But now that the shoe is on the other foot, many Democrats have become converts to the idea that the man and his behavior should be linked. But where are the Republican legions who excoriated Clinton then? Surely their highly tuned sense of moral outrage should compel them to lead the charge against Lott now. His defenders use precisely the same language Clinton’s partisans used then: “he’s apologized, so let’s move on and govern,” etc.

Both Clinton and Lott deserve to be shunned, like O.J. Simpson, for their ignorant, repugnant views of women and minorities, but most of all for their contempt for the law and traditions of our republic. If there is any good to come of this, it is that it perhaps intensifies the public’s suspicion that the two major parties stand firm on principle only when it is injurious to their respective opponents.

John Lee,

Lawrence