What do you consider the worst political scandal of your lifetime?

bojendyk · Jul 14, 2005

While Lewinsky and the recent Rove deal have been pretty good, is there really any competition with Iran-Contra? Not THAT was a god damn scandal!

Thoughts?

Claymore · Jul 14, 2005

Watergate, definitely.

Norsk Troll · Jul 14, 2005

Teapot Dome!

That's right, bitches, I'm 85 years old!

bojendyk · Jul 14, 2005

Claymore said:

Watergate, definitely.
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Watergate wasn't bad, but can you really beat brokering an arms deal with a terrorist-sponsoring country and avowed enemy to illegally fund a war in Central America? Iran-Contra had shredded documents, a pretty secretary, and convictions that were overturned on technicalities--a little bit of everything!

Malaga CF fan · Jul 14, 2005

Iran-Contra, hands down, for now. That one went all the way up to a President who couldn't recall which shoe went on which foot, or whether he had authorized the deal. He probably had the slickest denial I've ever seen, in an address to the nation from the Oval Office, no less.

A few months ago I told the American people I did not trade arms for hostages. My heart and my best intentions still tell me that's true, but the facts and the evidence tell me it is not.
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Get the full transcript of that speech here...

Say what you want about Bill Clinton's slickness, he doesn't hold a candle to Ronald Reagan's benevolent, grandfatherly innocense.

I was born in '75, so Watergate was probably being resolved about the same time I was being conceived. I guess that keeps it out of the running for me on a technicality...

superdave · Jul 14, 2005

What do you mean by "worst?"

I've written elsewhere that behind treason and accepting bribes, the 3rd most impeachable thing a president could do would be to lie to the American people and Congress to take us to war. So that would be MY answer.

Claymore · Jul 14, 2005

bojendyk said:

Watergate wasn't bad, but can you really beat brokering an arms deal with a terrorist-sponsoring country and avowed enemy to illegally fund a war in Central America? Iran-Contra had shredded documents, a pretty secretary, and convictions that were overturned on technicalities--a little bit of everything!
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Yeah, but Watergate caused the Nixon's resignation.

bojendyk · Jul 14, 2005

superdave said:

What do you mean by "worst?"
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Let's define "worst" as a combination of worst outcome and most outrageous evidence of wrong-doing. It should have a good "caught with your pants around your ankles" feel to it, I'd say. For instance, lying about the reasons for waging war on Iraq is a little vague; having your assurances to the American public that you're pursuing diplomacy in Iraq contradicted by a British memo is a bit better.

But whatever definition you want to use is fine with me.

Mel Brennan · Jul 14, 2005

this Administration.

Revolt · Jul 14, 2005

The Bush Doctrine.

IntheNet · Jul 14, 2005

Worst Political Scandal?

Hands Down=> Hillary Clinton elected Junior Senator from New York State! After that every politician, live and dead, in our nation's distinguished history, collectively puked for a prolonged period!

BlueMeanie · Jul 14, 2005

Florida, 2000.

Magpie Maniac · Jul 14, 2005

In my lifetime, it's the lead up to the Iraq war. Definitely. Time will show this to be true, but I don't think people give a ******** nowadays. They'd rather watch American Idol.

bojendyk · Jul 14, 2005

IntheNet said:

Worst Political Scandal?

Hands Down=> Hillary Clinton elected Junior Senator from New York State! After that every politician, live and dead, in our nation's distinguished history, collectively puked for a prolonged period!
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Uh, well, you may not have liked that result, and you may have considered her a carpet-bagger (which I don't), but there's no scandal there.

Riz · Jul 14, 2005

BlueMeanie said:

Florida, 2000.
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I'll second that.

edit: A personal favorite, while not a very "sexy" scandal, would be the passage of the Medicare Reform bill and the bribery and procedural shenanigans leading into the vote at 4am.

Magpie Maniac · Jul 14, 2005

IntheNet said:

Hands Down=> Hillary Clinton elected Junior Senator from New York State! After that every politician, live and dead, in our nation's distinguished history, collectively puked for a prolonged period!
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Your diction is a little awkward. Is English your first language? Just curious.

IntheNet · Jul 14, 2005

bojendyk said:

but there's no scandal there.
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Ask the residents of upstate New York! They were working on a Secession Constitution the day after the election!!!

Yankee_Blue · Jul 14, 2005

Watergate. Iran-Contra. Waco.

ToonUSA · Jul 14, 2005

The thread startes should shoot himself for even throwing Rove into this. How is it a scandal if he has done nothing wrong? Sure, saying anything to a reporter that could be considered confidential is wrong, but he did nothing wrong under the law or anything to warrant his dismissal.

Mine is Clinton boning his intern/secretary (does anyone know exactly what the hell she was) then lying on the stand. How can you say Bush is worse than that? He didn't commit one of the worst offenses in purjury.

Samarkand · Jul 14, 2005

You're 16. (Oh! And learn to spell)

ToonUSA · Jul 14, 2005

Samarkand said:

You're 16. (Oh! And learn to spell)
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You're cute . (Oh! Sorry with a yellow I can't edit my post, but I know it is perjury thanks for caring )

SoFla Metro · Jul 14, 2005

ToonUSA said:

The thread startes should shoot himself for even throwing Rove into this. How is it a scandal if he has done nothing wrong? Sure, saying anything to a reporter that could be considered confidential is wrong, but he did nothing wrong under the law or anything to warrant his dismissal.

Mine is Clinton boning his intern/secretary (does anyone know exactly what the hell she was) then lying on the stand. How can you say Bush is worse than that? He didn't commit one of the worst offenses in purjury.
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A) It's premature to put Rove in this because we don't know yet any of the things you are claiming to know as facts

B) Never mind. You're pegged.

bojendyk · Jul 14, 2005

ToonUSA said:

The thread startes should shoot himself for even throwing Rove into this. How is it a scandal if he has done nothing wrong? Sure, saying anything to a reporter that could be considered confidential is wrong, but he did nothing wrong under the law or anything to warrant his dismissal.
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So there's no scandal then? Is that why the media and the politics forum is talking about it, because it's a nonscandal?

You may not think that it should be considered a scandal (you'd be wrong), but to assert that it's not a scandal at all is ridiculous.

Mine is Clinton boning his intern/secretary (does anyone know exactly what the hell she was) then lying on the stand. How can you say Bush is worse than that? He didn't commit one of the worst offenses in purjury.
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I didn't actually say that Bush was worse than that. I said that Iran-Contra was worse than that.

SoFla Metro · Jul 14, 2005

bojendyk said:

I didn't actually say that Bush was worse than that. I said that Iran-Contra was worse than that.
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To be fair, the thread is about scandals in the reader's lifetime. I think Iran-Contra may pre-date that.

Dante · Jul 14, 2005

bojendyk said:

Uh, well, you may not have liked that result, and you may have considered her a carpet-bagger (which I don't), but there's no scandal there.
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Of course you wouldn't consider her a carpet-bagger, she didn't set up shop in your state.

As for whether it's a scandal, well it's scandalous how little she's done for NY. She cares more about filling her warchest than helping out her state. At least Schumer does things for NY.