Do you remember what politics was like during the Clinton Administration? During that time period, few people I knew were very interested in politics. In fact, the only people I remember being overly energized were Republicans, particularly of the "ditto-head," Limbaugh-listening variety.
However much Hillary Clinton may have been derided for alleging a "vast right-wing conspiracy," there is little doubt one existed. Every little thing was blown into a scandal, tagged with the now ubiquitous "-gate" suffix. Republicans had ten-gallon tinfoil hats on in those days, with all sorts of crazed allegations, even claiming the Clintons had a huge list of enemies killed. The only thing that stuck was no less stupid, and was christened Monicagate.
These many years later, we have a Chief Executive with a long list of scandals, many far more serious than anything Clinton was investigated for. Democrats have been excited again and again that this one would be the one to take Bush down: The Downing Street Memos, Guantanamo Bay, renditions, warrentless wiretapping, blowing the cover of a CIA operative, Fitzmas! None of them ever seems to get even a tenth as much attention as even the dumbest of Clinton scandals. Some even vanish without a trace like Gannongate.
Time after time, if you subject yourself to Right Wing World, you'll hear, "But, but, but Clinton. . . " in response to any allegation against Bush. Anything Bush has done wrong is apparently cancelled out by something Clinton is accused of doing years ago. Democrats marvel that four, five, six, now seven years in, conservatives are still all wound up tight about Bill Clinton.
But get ready folks. The tables are very likely about to be turned. Suppose a Democrat is elected to the Oval Office. No matter who it is, but especially if it is Hillary Clinton, the vast right-wing conspiracy will mobilize. Only this time, they will not be behind the scenes, throwing out red meat only from think tanks. Extremists like Ann Coulter and Sean Hannity are now portrayed as mainstream pundits. There will be no crumb left unswept, no rock unturned. They will be relentless in their scandal-making.
And Democrats, what do we do? We'd be absolutely justified in bringing up the many misdeeds of George W. Bush. But how long will it take them to start making light of "But, but, but, Bush. . .?" It is not going to be pretty.
