Texas Jewish Post (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 52, No. 42, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 15, 1998 Page: 2 of 24
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2 Features
TEXAS JEWISH POST, THURSDAY, October 15, 1998 - IN OUR 52ND YEAR!
Kings And Presidents On Our Minds
Is Clinton’s Scandalous Story Really Analogous to David’s?
i
By Jonathan S. Tobin
TEST HARTFORD — About 15 years ago.
%/%/ movie hearlthrob Richard Gere starred in
▼ T the title role in a major feature film called
“King David.” It was actually one of Gere’s better
performances, ( admittedly that’s not saying much) but
despite some merit and a sincere effort to portray the
events depicted in the Biblical Books of Samuel, the
movie was a gigantic Hop Any thought that Holly-
wood would return to its I950’s penchant for Bible
flicks was put to rest.
But it appears the only thingthe producers of the film
messed up was that their timing was a bit off. If only
they had waited to release it in the Fall of 1998.
Yes, Dovid HaMelech — the great King David — is
much on the minds of his people Israel these days But
instead of ruminating on the symbolism of the Davidic
monarchy which is synonymous with the
sovereignty of the Jewish people over the
land of Israel, as well as with the onset of
the Messianic era, we have other Davidic
thoughts on our mind.
We have been thinking a lot about Da-
vidic indiscretions, and the person gener-
ating them is none other than President Bill
Clinton whose ow n indiscretions have pret-
ty much brought the nation to a standstill
There is hardly a rabbi or an editorial
page that hasn’t seen fit to make compari-
sons between the legendary hero King
David and lhe tar from heroic William
Jefferson Clinton The I Ithand I 2th chap-
ters of II Samuel have probably been read
more in this country in the past month than
they had been in the past decade Those
chapters, of course, tell the tale ol David's
affair with Balsheva. the death of her hus-
band Uriah, the confrontation between
David and the Prophet Nathan over these
sins and David’s penance
That King David sinned grievously, lied
about it and was ultimately forgiven by the
Lord has been seen by many Jews as well
as non-Jews as analogous to Clinton’s di-
sastrous handling of L’affaire Lewinsky.
Moreover they also see the comparison as
somehow mandating that we loo should
forgive and “move on.”
But despite all this promiscuous analo-
gizing, the comparison of Clinton to David
really isn’t fair tocither. On the one hand, Clinton may
be a reckless, self-indulgent, womanizer and a bare
faced liar who has abused the power of his office, but
as far as I know, he hasn’t ordered anyone killed to
facilitate his disgusting dalliances with an intern halt
his age.
On the other, when it comes to accomplishments,
leadership abilities and just about everything else that
historians and writers generally treat as attributes of
greatness. Bill Clinton is no David, son of Jesse. But
for those who can’t get enough of this analogy, we
have composed a chart lining up the two leaders for
closer comparison.
Looking closely at the two. it is readily apparent that
King David is not the sort of person we would be likely
to vote for in a democracy. Although a great military
leader, a just king and an artistic genius, he was high-
handed. violent and not accountable to the people. In
other words, for all of his greatness, he was a good
example of why monarchy is a bad idea. But, he was
chosen not by the people but by G-d, and that makes a
difference. We chose Bill Clinton. If history ultimately
judges him a small man with great faults and few accom-
plishments, that may be as much of a reflection of us, as
David was of our G-d.
King David vs. Bill Clinton
David
Education: Self-taught shepherd
Military experience: Slew Goliath and tens of thou-
sands of Philistines
Highest political office: King of Israel
Greatest political achievement: Uniting the tribes of
Israel
Source of legitimacy:Chosen by G-d and Prophet
We have been thinking a lot about
Davidic indiscretions, and the person
generating these thoughts is none other
than President Clinton'
Samuel
Worst crime: Seduced Bathshcba and killed her hus-
band
Spouse: Michal, Abigail, Bathsheba and many, many
others
Girlfriend: Any Israelite woman with a pulse
Best friend: Jonathan son of Saul
Moral adversary: The Prophet Nathan
Personality: Inspiring leader who struck fear into his
enemies
Musical instrument: Harp
Greatest literary achievement: 23rd Psalm
Famous quotes:“How have the mighty fallen" “Oh
Absalom, my son. my son!" “The Lord is my shepherd"
Legacy: The idea that Israel can be a great nation when
it obeys the Lord
President Bill Clinton
Education: Georgetown, Yale, Oxford
Military experience: Dodged draft
Highest political office: President of the United States
Greatest political achievement: Surviving scandals
and being re-elected
Source of legitimacy: Elected by the people
Worst crime: Perjury, abuse of power
Spouse: Hillary Rodham
Girlfriend: Monica, Gennifer, and any woman in Ar-
kansas with a pulse
Best friend: Vernon Jordan
Moral adversary: Kenneth Starr
Personality:
Charismatic leader who feels your pain
Musical instrument: Saxophone
Greatest literary achievement: None
Famous quotes: “I didn’t inhale" “I never had sexual
relations with that woman — Ms. Lewin-
■H|^Htky”
Legacy: The idea that the president of the
United States can commit perjury and get
away with it.
Another man who might be president
Amid the moral squalor of the age of
Clinton, one man seems to be standing out as
an example of what we really want our
leaders to be like: Sen Joseph Liebcrman.
Liebcrman’soutstanding speech on the Sen-
ate floor denouncing Clinton was an exam-
ple of the best our political system produces.
He has taken some hits for it from partisan
Democrats — including many who have
called me to protest his action. But at the
same time, his speech also set off some
speculation over whether a man like Joe
Lieberman ought to be sitting in the White
House himself. I don’t know how much of
that speculation has its origin in the Sena-
tor’s own office, but Washington colum-
nist and author Ben Wallenberg has taken
up the theme.
Think about it. If the example of the
Clinton mess is the thing we most want to
avoid in our next president, why wouldn't
the religiously observant Lieberman be ex-
actly the kind of candidate who would suc-
ceed in 2000His moderate political views,
vote-getting ability and political savvy are
also pluses.
And unlike other Jews who have risen to high posts in
the government, he is someone who is touch with
Jewish values and supportive of Jewish causes.
Is America ready for a Jewish president? Maybe.
But before anyone gets too carried away with the idea
that an Orthodox Jew from Connecticut can be elected
president, let’s remember the obstacles to such an idea
are formidable. There are two far more likely and
formidable Democratic candidates ahead of him in the
2000 race: Vice President Al Gore and House Minority
Leader Richard Gebhardt. Lieberman is also largely
unknown in most of the country.
Any scenario which places Lieberman in the White
House (or the Vice Presidency) is almost certainly a
fantasy. But the Democrats can do a lot worse in two
years., and probably will.
Jonathan S. Tohm is executive editor of the Connect-
icut Jewish Ledger.
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Wisch, J. A. & Wisch, Rene. Texas Jewish Post (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 52, No. 42, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 15, 1998, newspaper, October 15, 1998; Fort Worth, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth754271/m1/2/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .