Linda Tripp, hero?

[southsider2k5]

This is from yesterday's Trib

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columni...ll=chi-news-col

 

`Deep Throat,' Tripp both have stuff of heroes

 

 

Published June 2, 2005

 

 

With so much attention rightfully being paid to the unmasking of W. Mark Felt as "Deep Throat," the source of Watergate fame, it was time for a cultural experiment.

 

So I typed "W. Mark Felt" into the news bar in Google and pressed the "enter" key.

 

Up came stories about Felt, the former senior FBI official who leaked information to the Washington Post, and articles from that symbiotic relationship that led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon.

 

But cultural experiments must be fair. Otherwise, angry Nixonians could accuse me of liberal elitism, or is that elite mainstream mediaism?

 

To add balance, I typed in "Linda Tripp" next to Felt's name and pressed the enter key.

 

Guess what happened? Not much.

 

No news articles put them in context Wednesday morning, as media spasms roiled over America, birthing thousands of legitimate stories about Felt's heroism and Nixon's crimes.

 

So Felt is the hero. And last I heard, Tripp was being ridiculed about her physical appearance, portrayed by the obese John Goodman on "Saturday Night Live."

 

"You should have predicted that," said Chicago attorney David Schippers, a Democrat who knows something about presidential abuse of power and impeachment.

 

"Felt is treated as a hero, and you know something? He was heroic," Schippers said. "He stood up to power. And Linda Tripp was heroic too. But they destroyed her."

 

Schippers, whose family has been involved in Cook County Democratic Party politics for decades, was the chief investigator for the House Judiciary Committee, which pushed the impeachment fight against Clinton. He argued passionately for Clinton to be convicted.

 

Felt is the former senior FBI official whose information brought down Nixon, a Republican, and forced Nixon to resign.

 

Tripp is the Pentagon employee who secretly taped conversations with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky, which led to impeachment proceedings against President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, who also abused power but did not resign.

 

Both presidents abused their power, lied and connived, and used the hammer of government to smash opponents. One had an unpopular war and inflation. The other was in office when people had fat wallets, as Americans were encouraged to not let foreign policy bother them too much.

 

While hushed reverential tones around Felt are obvious, Tripp has been ignored. When mentioned, she's ridiculed. Why?

 

"Because Felt put down a Republican president. And Linda Tripp nailed a Democratic president," Schippers said.

 

Just so there isn't any mistake, I think Felt is heroic for risking much to protect this country from presidential abuses of power.

 

He had a larger view about the country, and he had his own personal agenda, including his career and the direction of the FBI. No source is perfectly noble, no writers are purely objective, and those who argue otherwise are fools.

 

Yet America owes Felt and the Washington Post a debt. And if his family cashes in on his story, selling book and movie rights to scratch up college tuition for the grandchildren, so what?

 

Nixon used the Department of Justice and the Internal Revenue Service as weapons against his political enemies. Clinton dropped bombs on Iraq when he was impeached and had the leverage of hundreds of mysterious FBI files.

 

Some of Nixon's people were caught and discredited. Some were imprisoned. Nixon resigned, forever and properly disgraced before death. Clinton prospers, is adored by Hollywood and imagemakers, and is without shame.

 

"Felt was a hero. He was at the top of the FBI; if he'd gone to a grand jury, he'd never have been allowed to testify," Schippers said. "It took incredible guts to do what he did. Information was being concealed from the public, from the Congress, and there was only one thing he could do. The only way he could do it was to find a newspaper that had the guts to investigate and print what he knew."

 

Schippers also predicted the line of Republicans gathering to pound on Felt.

 

"They're all over the news, ripping on him," Schippers said. "That's predictable too. He did the right thing. And they hate him for it. They'll discredit him if they can, and that's too bad."

 

And what about Tripp?

 

"She's a hero to me, but she's not a hero to the media," Schippers said. "She was called a liar. She was ridiculed for the way she looked, for her appearance. She was savaged; she was made fun of on television. They destroyed her."

 

Felt was shielded, though he was an FBI official leaking privileged information. Tripp was warned by Clinton's people not to release the tapes. She had no protection, other than those tapes, Schippers said. She was publicly eviscerated and marked for revenge.

 

"If he's a hero, and he is, then she's a hero. They're both heroes. But they're treated differently, aren't they?"

 

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[SleepyWhiteSox]

[EvilJester99]

Deep Throat Linda Tripp?? I thought that her friend Monica was the deep throat....

[Texsox]

Different times, different crimes.

 

What set Tripp apart is she turned in a friend who was confiding in her. While most of us don't have access to information of national importance, we do have friends and we expect them to keep secret the secrets we tell.

[Steff]

Different times, different crimes.

 

What set Tripp apart is she turned in a friend who was confiding in her. While most of us don't have access to information of national importance, we do have friends and we expect them to keep secret the secrets we tell.

 

 

Waaaay different crimes. Not even comparable, IMO.

[HuskyCaucasian]

I just can’t stand the people who are calling Deep Throat a turncoat or someone who betrayed his nation. I'm sorry, but if there is significant illegal activity going on in the government, I applaud anyone who is willing to risk their job and their life to expose these crimes.

 

Now, only if a few people would do the same thing within this administration.....

[kapkomet]

Obstruction of justice is obstruction of justice. Period.

 

Too many people get wrapped up in "it was just a blow job vs. Watergate - waaaay different". Yes, that part is true, but they both tried to conceal illegal actions as a result of an investigation. It doesn't matter what was going on, they both obstructed justice.

[Steff]

Obstruction of justice is obstruction of justice.  Period.

 

Too many people get wrapped up in "it was just a blow job vs. Watergate - waaaay different".  Yes, that part is true, but they both tried to conceal illegal actions as a result of an investigation.  It doesn't matter what was going on, they both obstructed justice.

 

 

 

Puppy pee in your Cheerios this morning..?

[kapkomet]

Maybe.

 

This is a topic that really bugs me because everyone runs around crying about how what the Republicans did to Bill Clinton was wrong. He did it to himself. If he would have just come clean, none of the BS would have happened.

 

But to a point athomeboy points out, every level of government does the same damn thing. They are all a bunch of corrupt bastards.

[southsider2k5]

Obstruction of justice is obstruction of justice.  Period.

 

Too many people get wrapped up in "it was just a blow job vs. Watergate - waaaay different".  Yes, that part is true, but they both tried to conceal illegal actions as a result of an investigation.  It doesn't matter what was going on, they both obstructed justice.

 

 

Exactly. The spin on both of these is ironic IMO.

[Steff]

Maybe. 

 

This is a topic that really bugs me because everyone runs around crying about how what the Republicans did to Bill Clinton was wrong.  He did it to himself.  If he would have just come clean, none of the BS would have happened.

 

But to a point athomeboy points out, every level of government does the same damn thing.  They are all a bunch of corrupt bastards.

 

I agree with that..

 

I also agree that I should stick to my rule of staying out of these threads..

 

By the way... I don't think they are different because of the deception.. I think they are different because of the resulting ramifications.

[kapkomet]

By the way... I don't think they are different because of the deception.. I think they are different because of the resulting ramifications.

That's for sure.

[Rex Kickass]

Obstruction of justice is obstruction of justice.  Period.

 

Too many people get wrapped up in "it was just a blow job vs. Watergate - waaaay different".  Yes, that part is true, but they both tried to conceal illegal actions as a result of an investigation.  It doesn't matter what was going on, they both obstructed justice.

 

Actually, Bill Clinton was acquitted of obstructing justice.

[Texsox]

Maybe. 

 

This is a topic that really bugs me because everyone runs around crying about how what the Republicans did to Bill Clinton was wrong.  He did it to himself.  If he would have just come clean, none of the BS would have happened.

 

But to a point athomeboy points out, every level of government does the same damn thing.  They are all a bunch of corrupt bastards.

 

The GOPers would have made it an issue even if he came clean. What would have saved him was if the blew dress came clean.

 

I do agree that he got all he deserved and more.