Clinton Jokes

Suzanne Garment’s examination of the proliferation of Bill Clinton jokes (Opinion, April 11) raises a more important issue than it attempts to explain--or even consider.

Jokes about politicians have abounded for as long as anyone can remember. Until our more recent “liberated” times, however, the more tasteless of these usually were left to private conversation. Given the utter absence of manners or grace in so much of our contemporary culture, it should not surprise anyone that tasteless jokes about a President have become more or less commonplace in much of the media.

A recent well-known weekend TV show ran a skit about Clinton at the summit with Boris Yeltsin. The theme of this skit was taken from the theme of a widely discussed new film. At the very best, this skit struck me as inappropriate not only for demeaning the office of President in a heavy-handed way, but also because it was so lacking in wit, one of the prerequisites of good satire.

The deterioration of media restraint in this and related matters should raise the caution flag among thoughtful citizens.

The more important issue raised, and more important than whether Clinton’s presidency will be undone by bad jokes, was articulated over a century ago by Daniel Webster: “Liberty can exist only in proportion to wholesome restraint.”

FRANK C. KIRBY

Irvine