President Clinton should have been standing right there when Attorney General Janet Reno stood up and - I almost said "manfully" - took responsibility for the planning that resulted in the deaths of nearly 90 people in the Branch Davidian compound at Waco.
One can only admire Reno for her straightforward performance. The suddenly unavailable president deserves less.This is an age of finger-pointing. Blame must be assessed for everything, even when, realistically, there is none. Out of that comes blame-avoidance.
Clinton's involvement in the Branch Davidian affair is peripheral - and should have been. People can understand that.
According to Reno, this dialogue took place before the raid:
The president: "Have you carefully considered (the plan)? Have you looked at everything? Do you feel like this is the best way to go?"
Reno: "Yes sir. It's my responsibility, and I think it's the best way to go."
The president: "Well, OK."
Even on the basis of that limp affirmation, responsibility passed at that moment to Clinton.
Well, only sort of, according to White House communications director George Stephanopoulos.
"Certainly he is responsible," said Stephanopoulos, "but it's the attorney general and the FBI that have operational control over this."
It's precisely that kind of never-make-a-two-cushion-shot-when-you-can-make-it-three reasoning that will irreparably harm Clinton's presidency. The American people expect their president to speak from the heart, even when he's wrong.
Clinton needs protection from his overly crafty, too-smart-for-their-own-good handlers, or pretty soon the people won't be able to tell the difference between them and him.