During the Clinton Presidency, major political and fiscal capital rallied against the ability of America to turn the corner to a new era of stability and plural advance at home and abroad.
Now famous books and films chronicle "The Hunting of the President" and many Americans see the extent to which the dog got wagged by GOP muckrakers. What remains is a legacy of smear and revenge waged upon the most moderate of modern Chief Executives.
Bill Clinton tried to meet Republicans in the middle of the road and got run over for it. It remains a pattern example of what America's true political paradigm has become, an unbalanced polar sphere gravitated to the right wing by big media money coupled with partisan bias.
The Hillary Clinton campaign now sees the same effort sling more mud her way, already she was arguably the number one target for the majority of his two successful tenures. Items often overlooked today, or even assumed to be part of the political framework from which we debate, include the track record of going after anyone associated with the Clinton family far beyond the bounds of political acumen.
The political has been made personal at a very low level.
Metablogger atrios occasionally rewinds the news reel and examines a closer look at the anti Clinton crowd's high water(waterboarding)mark. Perhaps the lowest point in history of modern electoral Democracy for our country embodies the campaign of former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee to parole serial rapist Wayne Dumond, exemplified as a victim of Bill Clinton, despite the fact Dumond raped a relative of then Gov.Clinton.
Acclaimed journalist Murray Waas has helped make record of this outrageous example of going after Clinton's family, and its terrible collateral result.
The topic was blogged about in the diary you are reading.
The dots connect.
From the Waas piece:
"Dear Wayne," Huckabee wrote, "I have reviewed your applications for executive clemency, specifically a commutation and/or pardon. ... My desire is that you be released from prison. I feel now that parole is the best way for your reintegration into society. ... Therefore, after careful consideration ... I have denied your applications."
Huckabee was able to achieve what he wanted to do in the first place: Release Dumond from prison with no apparent political cost to the governor. The public was told that Dumond was paroled solely due to an autonomous decision by the Post Prison Transfer Board.
Later in January 1996, Brownlee denied that the governor had interfered with the vote and told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, "This was the first time that Dumond had ever submitted a solid release plan." He had told the Memphis Commercial-Appeal the same thing.
In fact, according to a spokesman for the parole board, Dumond had submitted a parole plan in August 1994, January 1995, and August 1995. The August 1994 and August 1995 plans include a request to move to Texas. Dumond did not submit any additional materials in support of his parole application between Aug. 29, 1996, when he was turned down for parole, and the board vote of Jan. 16, 1997.
A spokesperson for the parole board noted that "it is possible letters of protest or of support were received during that time span, but no support documentation was submitted by Mr. Dumond."
It goes beyond that. Someone submitted a "Parole Plan" for Dumond on his behalf, it would appear, from the story linking Waas' coverage.
The Bush RNC backers, Interior Lobbyist Michael Riddle. The Houston lobby, Cheney's insiders are the most likely cohorts.
Need some wood?
http://www.villagevoice.com/...
Yes, the above infamous Village Voice hitpiece on Clinton, that painted Dumond as saintly, cites his wife working as employ to Riddle's law firm.
(url tags would not accept on the story so the above cache link is listed)
So the reference of Dumond's parole leniency requests, that Murray Waas reports of, shares proximity to the Village Voice reference of support the Dumonds got in the form of jobs and perhaps even informal or accredited advisory legal counsel. From a group of Houston lobby powerbrokers, one of whom was a Bush RNC delegate in the 2004 race, comes aid and comfort to the attacker of Bill Clinton's niece.