Henry Hyde began with, " I call up House Resolution 611 ". Well, actually it began with David " Stormtrooper " Bonior bringing up a motion to adjourn the House, in the continuing Democrat stalling conspiracy. It only caused a 15 minute delay, but that delay was enough for C-Span to play one of the ultimate programmed Democrat apologists, Tom Lantos, whining in the corridoors of the House. Lantos is one of the most bitter old men in Congress, and he is quite fond of elliciting images of the Third Reich and the Jewish holocaust. Shamefully, he and the Whitehouse defenders most resemble the evil images of allegory he so often attempts to use. The clerk read the articles of impeachment that compromise HR-611. The Chairman, Speaker Pro-tempore Ray Lahood, then made a plea for the House to be in order during debate and reinterated the rules against disparaging remarks against it's members in debate ( this came to an end with boos from the Democrats ).

Henry Hyde started off the impeachment debate with a quick over view of the charges and facts, in the case against President William Jefferson Clinton.

Dick Gephardt began with being " disappointed and saddened ". He continued the Whitehouse last gasp tactic of delaying the impeachment vote at all costs. He brought up our troops in combat as a reason not to vote on impeachment today. He didn't mention, that in Nixon's case, we had actual ground troops in individual level combat in Vietnam, during impeachment proceedings. He also failed to mention that troops were in the Gulf, during debate on Bush's deployment policy in 1990. Instead of addressing impeachment issues, he whined about not being able to vote on a possibly unConstitutional and toothless Democrat sponsored censure motion. He did briefly hit some Whitehouse ordered talking points, like accusing the House of abuse of power. It was strikingly similar to previous attacks made by Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee. Ofcourse, a major portion of the minority members had to give the emotional, blame transferring, reality ignoring, illogical speech a standing ovation.

Democrats must have decided on a choreographed dog and pony show including a few elements. 1) They will applaud each of their Democrat members. 2) Bringing up " Republican partisan unfairness in not allowing a censure vote ". 3) Bringing up " Operation Desert Fox " and images of Saddam Hussein. 4) Bring up " the will of the people '. 5) Bring up Newt Gingrich, and 6) Not bringing up any of the charges or evidence in the impeachment debate. I will only list the Democrats who followed this plan, as they all said the same thing in different words ( any Democrats who exerted free will and made statements of note will be mentioned specifically ). David Frost, Bob Menendez, Barney Frank, Rosa DeLauro, Ike Skelton, John Lewis ( doing so in a sermon-like manner ), Bobby Scott ( invoking Nixon ), John Conyers ( echoing the new Democrat mantra of don't " decapitate the President " ), Charles Schumer ( " right wing zealots out to impeach the President " ), Jerrold Nadler, Tom Barrett ( " he failed to tell the truth " ), Marty Meehan, Bill Hefner ( " hate is a terrible thing " ), very sadly I list the John Dingle ' robot ' here ( is he getting old or just beholding to the President? ), Sheila Jackson Lee, Dianna DeGette, Robert Wexler, Steve Rothman ( shamelessly played especially fast and loose with the actual wording of the Constitution ) Maxine Waters ( hit every Whitehouse/DNC talking point in an especially vicious attack on Republicans and Ken Starr ), Vic Fazio, Barbara Kennelly, Zoe Lofgren ( " it's all about sex " ), Joseph Kennedy ( " he tried to maybe trick the Grand Jury " ), Donna Christian-Green, Tony Hall, Major Owens, William Jefferson ( " wild and serious passion aimed at bringing the President down " ), Thomas Manton, Tom Lantos ( invoking more images of Nazi Germany again, ofcourse; how can this guy look in the mirror every morning? ), Carrie Meek ( invoking the specter of civil rights laws ), Jessie Jackson Jr. ( he called the proceedings a second reconstruction and painted the Republicans like slave owners...shame on you, to try to play the race card ), Dave Obey, Louise Slaughter ( attacking Linda Tripp and Ken Starr ), Dale Kildee, Bob Filner, Jim McGovern, Carolyn Kilpatrick, Edward Markey ( attacked Ken Starr ), Ron Klink, Alcee Hastings ( wasn't this guy impeached while a judge? ), Nita Lowey ( I guess I should have included ' attack Ken Starr ' at the beginning of this list; here they go again. ), Henry Waxman ( attacked the investigation ), Albert Wynn, Nancy Pelosi ( attacked Republicans indirectly ), Peter Deutsch ( attacked Republicans ), Lloyd Doggett, Ron Kind, Lynn Woolsey, Tom Sawyer ( " deeply divided vindictive Congress " ), Gene Green, Anna Eshoo, Lane Evans, Dennis Kucinich ( seemed to think the volume of his voice was important ), John Olver, Ben Cardin, Eva Clayton, Sam Farr ( " this is the wrong day and the wrong way " ), Bob Weygand, John Baldacci, Independant Bernie Sanders acted like a dog on a Democrat leash, Louis Stokes, Patrick Kennedy, Danny Davis ( " The nightmare before Christmas " ), Julia Carson, David Skaggs, Carolyn Maloney, Robert Andrews, Tim Roemer, John LaFalce ( played very fast and loose with the truth, in attacking Ken Starr ), James Oberstar, Peter DeFazio, Bob Etheridge, Donald Payne, Ruben Hinojosa, Sam Gejdenson ( another Democrat who thought loudness was important ), Maurice Hinchey, Neil Abercrombie, Luis Gutierrez ( attacked Newt Gingrich indirectly ), Cynthia McKinney ( indirectly attacked Bob Livingston ), Xavier Becerra, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Delegate Eni Faleomavaega ( American Samoa ), Bruce Vento, Corrine Brown ( " This chamber is full of sinners. " ), Frank Mascara, Joe Moakley, William Delahunt, Earl Pomeroy, James Traficant, Chris John, Nydia Velaquez, Charlie Rangel ( words fail me in describing his reprehensible attack on Republicans ), Richard Neal, James Clyburn, John Tanner, Mike Doyle, Bill Pascrell, Gregory Meeks, Jim Moran, Jim McDermott, John Spratt, Ellen Tauscher, Sander Levin, Paul Kanjorski, Bobby Rush, William Coyne, Mel Watt, Vic Snyder, Loretta Sanchez ( attacked Republicans directly ), Marion Berry ( " This partisan insanity must end. " ), Rod Blagojevich, John Tierney, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Lois Capps, David Price, Jim Turner, Eliot Engel, Sanford Bishop, David Minge, Esteban Torres, Karen Thurman, Howard Berman, Jim Davis, Max Sandlin ( he brought up ' lame duck ' Congress ), Brad Sherman, Darlene Hooley, Glenn Poshard, Harold Ford Jr., Silvestre Reyes, Mike McIntyre, Marcy Kaptur, Patsy Mink, Gary Ackerman, and Jay Johnson ( " Sex lies and videotape " ).

Republicans who spoke in generalities; about censure being unConstitutional, the lies of Clinton in front of our court system as being impeachable conduct and that the pending vote should be one of " conscience ", included: Tom Campbell ( " I cannot trust him again. " ), Tom Petri ( " Clinton should be held to a higher standard. " ), Mary Bono, Kevin Brady, Kenny Hulshof, Nancy Johnson, Lamar Smith, Spencer Bachus, Merril Cook, Sue Myrick, Steve Horn ( " Andrew Johnson did not care that he was censured " ), William Goodling, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen ( " lying under oath is an ancient crime of great weight " ), Thomas Ewing ( " The charges are serious and substantiated. " ), Howard Coble, Jim Talent, Cliff Stearns, Scott McInnis ( " The law is the king; the king is not the law. " ), Harris Fawell, Ed Whitfield ( " I have not heard any evidence refutiating the articles of impeachment ". ) Jim Hansen, Jack Kingston, Roger Wicker, John Boehner ( " Where the law ends, tyranny begins - John Locke " ), Rick Lazio, Porter Goss, Sonny Callahan, Chris Cannon ( offered up some quotes from JFK, on the President having to uphold and carry out, the laws of the nation ), Heather Wilson was very sincere, Robert Aderholt, Bill Jenkins, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Charles Bass, Dennis Hastert, Ed Pease ( conducting himself graciously ), Ernest Istook, Rodney Frelinghuysen, John Duncan, Ron Packard, Michael Bilirakis, Marge Roukema, Mark Neumann, Jay Dickey, Don Manzullo, Bob Franks, Wally Herger, Jon Christensen, John Thune ( " you reap what you sew " ), Rick Hill, Dave Weldon, Brian Bilbray, Charlie Norwood, John Edward Porter, Bob Goodlatte, Fred Upton, John Mica, Mark Sanford, Bob Schaffer, Richard Burr, J.D. Hayworth, Joe Knollenberg, James Walsh, Charles Pickering, Benjamin Gilman, Dana Rohrabacher, Wayne Gilchrest, David Dreier, Jim Gibbons, Dave Camp, Bill Thomas, Peter Hoekstra, John Sununu, Nick Smith, Duncan Hunter, Rob Portman, Curt Weldon, Roscoe Bartlett, Richard Baker, and Joe Scarborough ( " Our civilization's order rests upon the rule of law. " ).

Some notable Representitives brought up these subjects and/or made these statements.

Asa Hutchinson ( R ) began the debate in earnest with an examination of Article One, perjury before the Grand Jury. The Democrats continued to make noise, in an attempt to disrupt Hutchinson's presentation. He brought up Democrat warnings to Clinton of, " whatever you do, don't lie to the Grand Jury ". He then listed some of the perjurious statements. " They are not lies to folks at the country club, but to the court ", he added. In response to the idea of censure, " censure is being used as a marketing tool ".

George Gekas ( R ) expained Article Two, perjury in the Paula Jones deposition. He also repeated the mantra of, " vote your conscience ".

Ed Bryant ( R ) said, " We cannot govern the country by polls, but a majority of people think the President should resign ". He said it was not the personal actions of the President, but the cover-up, that was impeachable. " Had the President limited his actions to the oval office, we would not be here today ". Stressing the proceedings were not about sex, he said, it was " what occured after that, the cover-up ".

Rick Boucher ( D ) made his case that " Clinton's conduct, though reprehensible is not impeachable " ( another Democrat mantra ).

Bob Barr ( R ) discussed Article Three, obstruction of justice. " The rule of law is under fire ". " Four Democrat members of the Judiciary Committee have never reviewed any of the OIC referral ".

Duke Cunningham ( R ), ex navy pilot in Vietnam on what the troops were thinking about while proceedings against Nixon were going on, " When the war was going on, I worried about getting back to the carrier alive ".

Lindsey Graham ( R ) addressed Article Four, abuse of power. " What brought us here was not partisanship, but the actions of one man, the President ". " Based on overwhelming facts, the President lied before a Federal Grand Jury ". He then compared article three of the Nixon articles of impeachment, with article four of the Clinton articles.

Charles Canady ( R ) debunked the Newt Gingrich analogy that Democrats were trying to draw by saying, ' It is false to bring up Gingrich, as the committee did not find that he made false statements '.

Steve Buyer ( R ) spoke on censure, characterizing censure as " a fraud on the Constitution ". He called censure by the House, " extra-Constitutional ".

Steny Hoyer ( D ) brought up the possible prosecution of Bill Clinton after he leaves office, as the path to follow in punishing him. Okay, so this isn't a new idea, but at least he didn't attack Ken Starr.

James Rogan ( R ). " The defenders of the President are forced to trivialize felony perjury ".

James Sensenbrenner ( R ) read quotes from the prior Democrat Speaker of The House, Tip O'neal on why a censure vote would not be allowed for Republicans on Richard Nixon. This showed the depths of hypocracy to which the Democrats will sink in defense of their beloved fearless leader!

Tom Bliley ( R ). " In Watergate the President did not committ perjury, this President ( Clinton ) did ".

Bill McCollum ( R ) pointed out that perjury penalties are equal to or greater than those of bribery. He also went though a step by step chronology of Clinton's actions to deceive the court in some detail, reading directly from Grand Jury testimony.

*Peter King ( R ). " Where were the Democrats when they should have risen up in defense of Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas? " He said, " this is a fair day for our Congress, I must vote against impeachment ". Amo Houghton ( R ) was also against impeachment, but for a strong censure. Connie Morella ( R ) didn't think the charges rised to the level of impeachment.

*Paul McHale ( D ). " Members of Congress should tremble at the law ". " I will vote yes on articles one, two, and four ". The Democrats tried to hide Ron Paul ( D ), who said he was going to vote for impeachment.

Frank Riggs ( R ), responding to Democrats playing fast and loose with the truth concerning statements made by Gerald Ford and Bob Dole on censure, " Both Gerald Ford and Bob Dole told me they would vote for impeachment, barring an actual admission of the commission of crimes ".

Jim Greenwood ( R ) felt the need to clear up some Whitehouse media spin ( lies ) on Republican party arm twisting ( which ironically the Whitehouse was heavily engaged in ). He said, " Not once has a single member of my leadership has even inquired which way I would vote ". He also expressed disdain at recent attacks on Tom Delay.

Steve Chabot ( R ). Concerning the Clinton defense offered to the Judiciary Committee he said, " The President made a calculated decision to avoid the facts ". He characterized the defense as " absurd explanations " and " inflamatory rhetoric ". He asked this question, " What message are we sending the youth of America, if we condone perjury, obstruction of justice and abuse of power ". He believes of Clinton, " He has cheapened the oath ".

Bob Inglis ( R ) asked three rhetorical questions. 1) Are we a people of convenience or conviction? 2) Are we a democracy or a constitutional republic? 3) Are we a nation based on truth or a nation based on moral relativism?

As the proceedings went on, the Democrats finally stopped applauding every one of their speakers. They must have finally realized that they were making themselves look like a pack of trained dogs. Twice the Republicans did have to be asked to take their seats, and they behaved themselves after that. I believe that the Democrat wish to censure the President, is an admission of their knowledge of his obvious guilt! Many Democrats brought up Clinton's victories for peace in Northern Ireland, Israel and Bosnia. I think they should check the newspapers and wire services, before putting their feet in their mouths this way ( what does that have to do with his lying under oath? )! The Republicans adopted the strategy of countering each incidence of flimsy or misleading statements by Democrats, with a thirty second clarification of the truth! Jerrold Nader tried to duplicate the Republican strategy, but he could only twist the truth so far before looking rather silly. Mercifully, the proceedings ended at 10:00PM EST and will resume tomorrow morning.

- Bongo ( Did anyone think the Democrats wouldn't try to make the debate a circus? )