The Fight for Power

The Fight for Power is the fifth of sixteen policy alcoves among the Clinton Library museum exhibits. The alcove was edited by two Clinton advisors, John Podesta and Bruce Lindsey, and approved by Bill Clinton. The text presented in the alcove acknowledges a "serious mistake" on Clinton's part in engaging in a sexual dalliance with White House intern Monica Lewinsky, and admits that he had "not been forthcoming" when challenged about the relationship.

In defending the president's mistake, the exhibit presents the argument that presidential opponents used the scandal to feed "the media's hunger for constant scandal, real or imagined," and launch a 1998 impeachment witch hunt to "deny the very legitimacy of the president's election." Among the evidence presented is the Arkansas Project funded by Richard Mellon Scaife for digging up embarrassing information about the Clintons.

One placard states Clinton's case frankly: "The impeachment battle was not about the Constitution or the rule of law, but was instead a quest for power that the president's opponents could not win at the ballot box." Another placard announces: "In this combustible climate, the congressional Republicans took the politics of personal destruction to a new level, using the subpoena power to investigate Democrats, attack them in a number of public hearings and attempt to change popular public policies by discrediting the president and members of his administration personally."

References

• John F. Harris, "Unity Shines in the Rain at Clinton Library Dedication," Washington Post, November 19, 2004.