BETWEEN THE LINES: MAKING SENSE OF 'MONICAGATE' INFORMATION PROVES DIFFICULT TASK

While much of the world reels in the latest news of President Clinton and Monica Lewinsky's relationship and its effect on national politics, I tried hard not to pay attention.

Which, of course, is impossible because the news keeps coming. Now Democratic and Republican leaders alike are trying to find some common ground and make sense of what they've learned so far.

I don't think anyone really wants to relive the days of Richard Nixon and the Watergate scandal that led to his resignation. And from the latest news stories, it seems that impeachment hearings are still a little way off for Clinton.

I do think that the President's alleged affair or "improper" relationship has affected our political scene. How could it not? It's about the only story I've seen on the wire services lately.

Kenneth Starr's critics have complained that after seven months the investigation has simply gone on too long. Another complaint is that it has uncovered things about the President's personal life -- things that should have remained private.

Based on things I learned in journalism school, Bill Clinton has no personal life. Privacy is a thing of the past when you become a public figure. And I'd guess that being the President of the United States makes you the most public figure in the nation, possibly even the world.

The whole Monica Lewinsky/Bill Clinton story sounds like a topic fabricated for a raunchy talk show. It's got all the elements -- lawsuits, affairs with much a younger woman and a man in a position of authority and power. It would surely get the ratings during the network sweeps week.

But the really horrible thing about "Monicagate," as it's now being called, is that it's true. The American people are trying to make sense of this mess. And so is the rest of the world.

As far as I can tell, the only result of this investigation and alleged affair is that there are more disillusioned voters in America than ever before.

For some of us, Bill Clinton was the first president we could elect. And he convinced us that his politics would address our deepest concerns. Now what do we believe? And who should we trust if all those campaign slogans and ideals were just lies?

An Associated Press story recently said that most people claimed they were too busy to vote. Turnout for primary elections has been at all-time lows around the nation. Tell me why anyone would want to vote if doing so meant wading through this sort of aftermath?

Clinton said in his national address last week that he was wrong to have such a relationship with an intern. But he never really apologized to us -- those folks who elected him and whose nation he now governs.

I don't think asking for an apology is too much. My parents taught me to say I'm sorry and admit wrong. Surely Clinton's mother did the same.

I don't know much about political science and government except for what I learned in school. But what I do know is simple: Take responsibility for your mistakes and correct them whenever possible.

Maybe it's a lesson some folks in Washington ought to learn.

~Laura Johnston is a copy editor for the Southeast Missourian.