President’s Admission

* The president has demonstrated that he will tell the truth (or as little of it as he can) only as a last resort (Aug. 18). Then he attempts to distance himself from his misrepresentations by attacking the prosecutor and asserting that the matter is purely private.

Misuse of power--the “improper” relationship occurred in the White House and with an employee of the government Bill Clinton commanded--is never a purely private affair; nor is lying to the American people an excusable “lapse of judgment.”

LEE L. BLACKMAN

Palos Verdes Estates

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* I wish every American would ask themselves one question before commenting on President Clinton’s “lie” to the American people. Would you tell the truth about an extramarital affair if asked in front of your spouse? Since the majority of people in this country would lie about an affair, it truly is unfair that some Americans want to have a president who is not human.

Psychologists and Dear Abby usually say that it is best to remain silent about an affair that has ended to prevent hurting the other spouse unnecessarily. When can we stop paying Kenneth Starr? He’s wasted way too much money.

KAREN NYHLEN

Los Angeles

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* Dear Mr. President, how dare you try to portray yourself as a victim in this matter? Had you simply apologized for lying to me I might have been able to retain some respect for you. But by diluting your admission of guilt with accusations against the special prosecutor who exposed your lies reduces you to a weakling who will do or say anything to save his own skin.

Yes, the president should have a private life. However, sexual relations with a co-worker in one’s place of employment has nothing to do with one’s private life. So don’t ask me to feel for your family. You lied to them even before you lied to me! No one is asking you to be a role model--someone to look up to. But don’t make us have to look away.

PAUL LUKACS

Cerritos

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* We’ve had presidents who turned a deaf ear toward AIDS sufferers because it seemed at first to be a gay disease. We’ve had presidents who condoned the slaughter of Indians and the enslavement of Negroes. Now we get someone who admits to having a consensual and wrongful sexual affair and over this issue we begin to wave our morality flag. And if you think Clinton is the first president to lie to the American people, then you must live in Disneyland.

DOUG HALL

Culver City

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* If indeed President Clinton is guilty of perjury and obstruction of justice, he should be removed from office. It is too bad that Starr didn’t grant full immunity from prosecution for Monica Lewinsky when her former attorney (William Ginsberg) requested it seven months ago. This situation may have been resolved six months ago rather than lingering on as it has.

Also, if Starr’s office is hung up on detailed sexual activity, I suggest they tune in on the Spice channel on cable TV or access the porno Web sites on the Internet. As for the congressmen who want nothing but the best for the American people but don’t want to be influenced by the public opinion polls: You can’t have it both ways.

HERB SIMON

Studio City

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* During President Clinton’s vehement denials and so-called confession to the nation, he spent too little time telling his redefined truth and accepting responsibility; too much time rationalizing his behavior and accusing his accusers. That’s what guilty people do.

Clinton has thoroughly deceived, embarrassed and humiliated the country. He has degraded the presidency to a candy-man charade and a gang of political parasites. If his criminal behavior is substantiated he should be impeached and removed from office so the taxpayers will not have to support a presidential impostor for the rest of his life.

DANIEL B. JEFFS

Apple Valley

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* Is it possible to stay focused on what the grand jury investigating Clinton is really about? It’s not about extramarital affairs or an “inappropriate relationship.” It’s whether or not the president lied under oath about matters that are not related to national security. This is what’s really at hand here. The presidency may be an institution, but it’s not above the law. If the president did indeed lie under oath, then the appropriate action should be taken. Let’s stay focused.

SAUL A. WASHINGTON III

Twentynine Palms

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* Call it what it is: absurdist news. Before and after President Clinton’s silly little confession Monday, TV viewers were treated to the most moronic comments from many of the news people and their guests. With great solemnity certain hosts asked their guests “What makes Mr. Clinton do it?” And then the guests tried to give us deep psychological insights. The truth is that Clinton does what he does because he likes girls. There’s no more to it than that.

Many men probably now regret the hours they spent in singles bars instead of in the real meat market--politics.

H. MILLARD

Costa Mesa

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* I continue to support the president 100%. Yes, he did a wrong thing and sought sexual gratification outside of marriage. Yes, he denied this under oath. However, I am appalled that people do not comprehend that the actions of Linda Tripp and Lucianne Goldberg and the ego gratifications of conservative pseudo-Christians are more evil and grave than any sexual peccadillo, even denied in court.

“Woe to that person by whom scandal comes!” This refers to the perpetrators of scandal, not to the doers of scandalous acts. I was taught that sins of the tongue were far more serious than sexual sins, due to the calculating nature of these wrongs. I pledge myself to oppose conservatives with every breath and ounce of my strength. They have sacrificed the presidency, the first family and the country to their insatiable appetites for character assassination.

The Lewinsky matter was consensual and never should have become public. She was not suborned to lie; she chose to deny the affair under oath.

CATHERINE WRIGHT

Los Angeles

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* In Clinton’s “confession” to the American people, he gave new meaning to the definition of apology: Blame Starr.

DONALD HIRT

Paso Robles

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* I’m offended and annoyed that President Clinton’s “apology” was so hedged and cramped. He never admitted to lying to anyone, he “misled” us again about his previous sworn testimony, he never apologized at all for his perjury under oath (although he did take time to rationalize it). He said he’s sorry for his “private” behavior with respect to an extremely subordinate 21-year-old (a firing offense in any corporation), but then proceeds to blame others for the sordid outcome.

That’s not an apology. That’s just more of the same denial. Denial in the political sense, and denial in the psychological sense. He still doesn’t get it.

KEVIN MURPHY

Los Angeles

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* Now that Starr has browbeaten our president and embarrassed our nation, isn’t it time that he just go home?

ANNE HUDSON

Huntington Beach

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* Bill Clinton is the elephant in America’s living room that some people still claim they cannot see!

JOAN DOWNEY

Thousand Oaks

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* I resent the comments of Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and others who suggest that it is only White House “spin doctors” or those with “a script” who are concerned about Starr’s abuse of process.

I am a citizen who is not a particular fan of Bill Clinton. Nevertheless, I believe Starr has pursued a political vendetta fueled by poor judgment. I am offended that the dignity of my government has sunk so low. It is an abuse of process for the federal government to spend $40 million to fund a federal inquisition into private sexual relationships.

Invasion of personal privacy is oppressive government. As a citizen I object to the tactics employed by Starr and company. Starr has dragged the American executive through the mud. I blame Starr for that; almost everyone I know feels the same way. I suspect there will be a huge backlash this November.

JESSICA K. FRAZIER

Santa Monica

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* Forty million to find out he was unfaithful to his wife. Mr. Starr, I want my money back. When he sells weapons to our enemies (like Reagan/Bush), give me a call.

JOHN PALMIERI

Beverly Hills

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* Very few of us (except for Starr) care about the relationship the president had with Lewinsky. The Times should accept responsibility for its role in the disproportionate media coverage of the matter. What the press has been doing for the last seven months is inappropriate and, in fact, wrong. How long will your readers have to wait for an apology?

JOHN MONSEN

Glendale

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* I hope that nobody with any intelligence fell for Clinton’s contrived mea culpa. It was a weak and transparent attempt to craft an “I am the victim” speech around the polls that he has relied on so heavily throughout his presidency. Clinton is only a victim of his own lack of integrity. There is no hope for him. He is a man without honor, without integrity, without conscience. His record in these areas speaks for itself.

This is truly a low point in the history of the American presidency.

STUART PENNINGTON

Chino Hills

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* The public life of the president is not 24 hours round the clock. He has his private life too. If he fails in temptations, it’s because he’s human. Even if he had lied, it’s because some mean-spirited Republicans had been hunting him for too long (I am not a Democrat). He has done more good deeds than many presidents before him; he is still my president! (And, I don’t want anyone to hurt him.)

STEVE LAU

Huntington Beach

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* Congress watched tobacco executives, with raised right hands, lie about habit-forming ingredients in cigarettes. Give Clinton the same punishment. Forgive him also.

BERNARD BASS

Los Angeles

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* As a former liar myself, I can assure you from this point on Bill Clinton will be one of the most honest politicians we’ll ever have.

CATHERINE M. O’BRIEN

Altadena