T-IE CLINTON Hal
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-IA T-IE CLINTON HAl He could never be a Presidential father figure. WHO: Pat Matrisciana. WHAT 'le passed the yellow-stone Faulkner But Clinton's vulnerability has to do with more Cc arthouse. than being a boomet_Nearly half the electorate The Clinton haters' favorite ;'ve been in that jail right there — polled last November said they questioned the film maker. wHy, A producer When?" I said. President's truthfulness. An independent pros- of Christian-right videos, ` Which time? They trumped up a di ecutor has gained convictions in the Whitewater hat failed to yield at a yield sign. Then scandal, and while the President himself has not Matrisciana arrived in Arkansas up Dy two guys furloughed from pri been implicated, there may be more indictments early in 1994, hot on the heels we: kend pass. I broke one of them's fir on the way. The matter of Paula Jones has moved of Troopergate. He eventually a U. e tool. I said, Who sent you? Clinto in the last six months from the newsletters and S isan McDougal, the former Friend Web sites of the Clinton crazies to the Supreme made 'The Clinton Chronicles,' Wai then being held in the jail for failir Court and the media mainstream. And who can which includes interviews with tify before the Whitewater grand jury. dispute that Bill Clinton's Arkansas was a poor many of the better-known " ;he's treated like a queen," Nich rural state where a network of bigwigs and poli- "Si ;11 get pardoned after the election. ticians at times looked the other way while Clinton conspiracy spinners. has to pardon her or he will be led o: friends cut deals? An estimated 300,000 copies Wh to House in handcuffs." The White House report argues that much of " )evil With a Blue Dress On" cam the Clinton scandal-mongering is ideologically of the video (retail: $19.95) are cas: .ttte player. "That's me on guitar,' driven and that there is right-wing money be- said to be in circulation. saic turning it up. "Not bad for an hind the fanatics, which is true. But it huh?" is hard to imagine, even with the Larry Nichols turned o' money that Richard M. Scaife, a wrong about Susan Mc right-wing publisher, has provided to being pardoned, just as he w disseminate some of the more alarm- when he told me that Senat ing accusations, such scandals visiting Liam Fulbright was a hart' Al Gore or Bill Bradley or even some- who met his downfall with one to their left like Paul Wellstone. per Fanne Foxe. (That wa St' in America r oia sentative Wilbur Mills.) deep, and the argon crazies' in- On election night I call fluence to ---nto that climate. Nearly Nichols from my Little Re pop ation 131.11CYCZ--the---- He'd already done eigh Clayellytki the assassina shows. 'Tonight's a pretty tion of President Kennedy; f in 10 bummer for me," Nich, adults thinks the moon landing was a "There go morals. In the bac hoax. The lines have been blurred by heart you've still got this fe, Oliver Stone's historical visions, when they go into that boot docudramas and "The X-Files." The not going to pull that darn s claim that friendly fire brought down a criminal. At least I can say TWA Flight 800 last summer thrived my part." on the Internet for weeks before Pierre Salinger spoke out about it. MARTYRS AND MURDE "No matter what you decide THE BODY COUNT about Whicewater," says Gene ICHOLS GAVE ME CO?, Lyons, a columnist for The Arkan- rections to a sas Democrat-Gazette and a well- Nbrick" house some known defender of the Clintons, "I from Little Rock that invol- don't think you should conclude ing up to the base of a MOW' that Bill Clinton has done anything to merit two-bit tinhorn politician in Arkansas." When talci g a turn. I was in the bind that this hatred, other than be a symbol of every- the dog hesitated, Nichols shook his head and the it right find themselves in: Nichol thing some people fear and despise about the said, "Even my dogs don't believe me." rilot ; and vengeful, but his inforrnatio modern world. These are tales from the funda- We set off into iown. Nichols, a former jingle usef .1. The directions were good, and mentalist apocrypha. He's been accused of ev- writer, slipped in a tape of himself playing in a kno, ked on the door of the speckled erything but devil worship." soft-rock band, and he said his wife and daugh- rum ,d, dark-haired man with soft gre People seem to want to believe the worst. ter urge him to drop his obsession with the weal ng shorts and a designer basel They don't trust the networks, the newspapers, President. "'Leave this alone, get a regular job, Cam. out and we stood talking in the the Government. They're ready to hear what leave Clinton alone. They're just going to kill next to a motorcycle. Gary Park Larry Nichols has to say. you. They'll try to put you in jail,' " he said smo ed Marlboros and tossed the but "I didn't take on a President," Nichols said as they told him. "I'm telling you, smart says do WOO !en box. A dog came up — Zeus, a he got up to let the dog out. "1 started fighting a that but I can't." had aken in a month before — and P. THE NEW Ye .1( TIMES MAGAZINE / FEBRUARY 23, 'n7,7ST:171`,7r,57,0n7.7Y,!.1,0,,S .