The Daily Iowan: 1998

Washington business lost in Clinton scandal

Many feel the media attention is overshadowing more important national issues.

By Kevin Ho The Daily Iowan

While the media obsesses over the lewd details of President Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky, Washington lawmaking continues without fail and, now, without notice. "Let me stress that Congress is still getting on with the business at hand," said Doug Wagner, press secretary for Rep. Jim Leach, R-Iowa.

"The general public may not be aware of what's going on in Congress though." Coverage of the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal has overshadowed almost all other congressional business, Wagner said, including the lack of a federal budget for the next fiscal year, the lack of a cogent Russian policy and a looming farm crisis.

With pornographic legal reports on the Internet and R-rated testimony on TV, all eyes have been averted from the normal congressional process, which is problematic, UI journalism and mass communication Professor Judy Polumbaum said. "It's interesting that the news media are continuously engaging in mea culpa -- my fault. They seem to be continually self-criticizing themselves for wallowing in the whole Clinton-Lewinsky matter even as they continue to do it," she said.

Various forces, including economic considerations and cultural behavior, drive what the media decides to cover, Polumbaum said. "It's very troublesome," she said. "Journalists are caught in a pressure cooker. After all, people read what you give them. However, journalism is a reflection of culture. "In terms of finding a solution to all this, it's very hard. I think journalists with the discretion to make editorial decisions and placement need to dig in their heels and write the other stories against the tidal wave of Clinton-Lewinsky." Polumbaum said readers should be wary of members of Congress who manipulate the media's attention to their own ends.

But amidst the flurry of accusations and calls for impeachment, many politicians say they are trying to brush aside the scandal and focus on the business of politics and the business of winning elections. "Our staff is not preoccupied with the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal," Wagner said. "I've read most of the Starr report, but that's been on my offtime. I can swear on a stack of bibles that I haven't devoted any worktime to it."

UI journalism senior Courtney Brummer, who describes herself as a politically involved student, said increased media coverage of the scandal is justified. "With the media today we can't suppress anything," Brummer said. "It (the scandal) has definitely been the focus of the media. It is definitely within the public interest though. After all, he is the public officer. The fact of the matter is that he lied to the country."

Brummer said Clinton's humiliation from the media was, in part, punishment for his actions. "I know in other countries other leaders may have affairs, but if they lie about it to the public then there's hell to pay," she said. "Clinton is being publicly humiliated, but he brought that on himself." Brummer said she doubted that younger voters were being turned off to the political process in the country by the media's coverage of the scandal. "People need to get involved with politics. Rather than bitch about it, they should do something about it," she said.

"They need to be involved because there are so many other offices out there that make the laws and rules that affect our lives every day."

Title: Page: 1A Date: 9/23/98