[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 7 (Thursday, February 5, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H366-H367]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           A MATTER OF TRUTH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I want to take a moment to speak on what has 
been happening in the country lately. It is not about impeachment of 
the President or prosecution of the President; it is about what is on 
my mind and my conscience.
  First of all, for all the clamor in the press and on radio and TV 
about allegations swirling around the President, there has been a 
blanket of silence on the part of many who ought to provide commentary 
on the moral tone of this country. And I am not sure why there has been 
this silence. Perhaps there is a ``do not rock the boat'' feeling. 
Times are good and let us just sweep this under the rug and not focus 
on the moral aspects of this.
  Perhaps the talk of impeachment and prosecution, which I think have 
been gotten out there too early, may have preempted those who might 
have felt obligated to comment on the moral issue and its impact on the 
leadership of the country.
  Their reluctance was not evident in earlier cases. The young woman 
who flew the Air Force B-52s. The military general passed over for 
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. The Tailhook scandal, which touched a 
number of senior Navy officials. Charges against a former Senator who 
resigned. A Supreme Court nominee and a Presidential candidate and 
others brought a tidal wave of comment from every corner of America.
  In America, a person is innocent until proven guilty. But we are not 
talking about a court of law. We are talking about right and wrong.
  We must give the President the benefit of the doubt. But let us not 
say that these things do not matter, because they do. They are at the 
very heart of honor, integrity, character and leadership.
  What a person does in private affects the type of person he or she is 
in public, and a leader has an obligation to take responsibility for 
his or her actions and not try to explain them away or blame others.
  If, indeed, we have lost the capacity to distinguish vice from 
virtue, if we believe that private behavior has no public consequences, 
if we believe that our Nation's leaders do not have to be good or moral 
and righteous men and women who live by the truth, then we abandon the 
very heritage of this Nation.

                              {time}  1445

  I believe America ought to expect more from its leaders, and I think 
most of the American people agree. If, as has been the case for ages, 
kids want to grow up to be President of the United States, then like it 
or not the person holding that title has a special responsibility, and 
we have every right to hold him or her accountable to that duty.
  Saying Americans do not care just does not wash with me. Truth is 
something we have always honored in this country. We teach our children 
from an early age to be truthful. George Washington's birthday is 
coming soon, and we have long told the story about him admitting to 
cutting down the cherry tree, where he said, I cannot tell a lie.
  When any President takes office, there is an implied promise that he 
or she will level with the people, that he or she will be honest with 
them. A solemn bond of trust has always existed between the President 
and its people. And it must always be that way. Every President has an 
obligation to tell the whole truth. If Richard Nixon had told

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the whole truth and had asked the American people for forgiveness, I 
believe he would have been forgiven.
  Today there is a pall of doubt over the Presidency. Not being 
forthcoming with whatever the truth may be leaves doubt about the bond 
of trust between the President and the people and keeps open the 
question of fitness to serve in high office. The only way America can 
put this behind us once and for all is to be assured that when the 
President speaks, he is telling the truth. I hope this President can 
give this assurance. If President Clinton tells the American people the 
whole truth and needs forgiveness, I believe he will be forgiven.
  But let us remember, all of us, all of us err and make mistakes, 
including me. No one, not one is perfect. But for forgiveness and 
healing to take place, there must first be confession and truth, and 
then we can move on.

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