* The Rayburn Building December 10th. The first portion of the members get to speak their minds ( or lack of ).

If the House Democrats on the Judiciary Committee had wanted to make a real non-partisan statement, they would have joined in examining the evidence they had before them, with the Republicans. After examining the facts objectively, and finding the President ' guilty ' of provable offenses; if they still wanted to protect Bill Clinton, they could vote no on impeachment on Constitutional grounds. Surprisingly, a few of them seemed to have done just that; I respect them.

James Sensenbrenner ( R ). He stressed truth in judicial proceedings and that perjury is impeachable. He said Clinton didn't admitt anything until the DNA testing came back positive on the dress, and still won't admitt lying. " I cast my vote in favor of impeachment ", he said finally.

John Conyers ( D ). He began the mantra of the day for the so-called fairness cops, with ' the committee is rubber stamping the Starr report '. He invoked the November 3rd election as a mandate. I guess he forgot that the Republicans were still re-elected as the majority in both houses.

Bill McCollum ( R ). Said Clinton's guilt was apparent, and he must vote for impeachment.

Barney Frank ( D ). " He had a private sexual affair and lied about it ". He made a phoney attack on David Schippers, completely misquoting him. Finally he summed up the charges against Clinton as, " The President stands charged with not being significantly graphic in his descriptions ".

George Gekas ( R ). He said, he will vote for some articles of impeachment, but he will vote no on ascerting executive privilege as obstruction of justice.

Charles Schumer ( D ). He softened his stance a bit, saying. " It's all about sex " and " I fear we will be lowering the ( impeachment ) bar for future Presidents " ( if Clinton is impeached ).

Howard Coble ( R ). Talked about the seriousness of perjury.

Howard Berman ( D ). He commended Hyde on how he handled the proceeding. The said the President is guilty, but the conduct is not impeachable. I respect this man's apparent opinion and position, possibly for the first time ever. This is about as non-partisan, as the House Judiciary Committee members get.

Lamar Smith ( R ). He said perjury falls within the same Federal guidelines as bribery.

Rick Boucher ( D ). He turned into another Democrat ' censure weenie '. I suppose he could have been more partisan.

Elton Gallegly ( R ). He thought the President's conduct was calculated, and a series of premeditated lies.

Jerrold Nadler ( D ). He was another ' rubber stamp ' mantra Democrat. He claimed there was no evidence of crimes.

Charles Canady ( R ). He said Clinton lied under oath in a calculated manner. He added, " The Constitution does not authorize the censure of the President for high crimes and misdemeanors ".

Bobby Scott ( D ). What a piece of work. He attacked the committee, saying it was " abusing Congressional impeachment powers ". He said there was no evidence at all; so no impeachment.

Bob Inglis ( R ). He spoke of truth, principle and his Constitutional obligation. He did a really good speech on philosophical relativism. He said everything boils down to whether there is absolute truth, or everything is relative. He said, " Clinton is the epitomy of relativism ". He closed with, " truth matters ". I believe he has this one right. Moral relativism ( or there is no right and wrong, just how you feel about it at the time ) is contrary to civilization, and a return to barbarism.

Mel Watt ( D ). He was extremely partisan, but somewhat eloquent. He did associate himself with Bobby Scott, sadly.

Bob Goodlatte ( R ). " We cannot allow the President to be above the law ".

Zoe Lofgren ( D ). She said Republicans were " obsessed with investigation, instead of legislation ". She tried to threaten the Republicans with a tyranical litany including, " the voters will be out to get you ".

Steve Buyer ( R ). " Perjury and obstruction of justice drives a stake in the heart of the rule of law ". He characterized what the President did as, " C.S. Lewis ' verbacide ' ".

Maxine Waters ( D ). She acted like a maniac, using words like " police state ", " Republican partisan impeachment ", " impeachment tyranny of the right wing ", " anarchy " ( well, what is it, anarchy or tyranny? you can't have it both ways ). She attacked Starr with an incredible wreckless disregard for the truth and Ken Starr's civil rights. Oh well, the fairness cops have turned out to be more like organized crime!

Ed Bryant ( R ). He called on the President to resign.

Marty Meehan ( D ). He blamed the whole thing on Clinton's political enemies. He said Clinton was not guilty of anything, and there for not impeachable. He said the only abuse of power, was on the committee?

Steve Chabot ( R ). " Send the right message and don't Clinton a pass ".

William Delahunt ( D ). He said they were just a lame duck Congress and the members should not defy the will of the people. I think he should take a look around and see who is still in the majority!

Steve Rothman ( D ). He repeated the Whitehouse spin about there being no facts in evidence. No evidence = not guilty? These guys are really way out there!

* December 11th, the remaining members finish their opening statements.

The big question this morning is, whether or not any more Democrats will concede the obvious guilt of the President.

Bob Barr ( R ). ' George Washington has his picture on more things ( money, coins, etc. ) because of integrity '. He quoted JFK, " People are free to disagree with the law, not disobey it ".

Sheila Jackson Lee ( D ). " Let him go..." She invoked Martin Luther King in her attack on Ken Starr. She called Clinton's actions, " avoiding full disclosure ". What universe is she living in? Like the pigs caught on video tape beating Rodney King, the tape of the Clinton Paula Jones deposition proves the President has been blatantly lying through his teeth! She is a disgrace to the civil rights movement, as she seems to ignore the civil rights of Paula Jones!

Bill Jenkins ( R ). " The Congress did not initiate the conduct that brought us here ".

Robert Wexler ( D ). " The President has done nothing wrong ". " The President didn't admitt the details of what he did with Monica Lewinsky ". He still holds on to the tortured definition defense, as the saliva errupts like a volcano from the corners of his mouth. He viciously attacks the OIC, but actually said of Clinton, " he did lie ". He finished with, " he betrayed his wife, not his country ". Sorry, we have now seen the video tape and there was no tortured defintion of the word ' affair '! He called the Republicans on the committee un-American. I think he should take a look in the mirror, to see who is un-American!

Asa Hutchinson ( R ). He said basically, that if Clinton had admitted his wrongs, he would deserve our forgiveness. His actions were not private, he denied the rights of a fellow citizen ( Paula Jones ). He continued his perjury by encouraging the perjury of others. He closed with, " We are a nation of laws, not men ", John Adams.

Tom Barrett ( D ). He said Clinton's actions were wrong, but they are only unproven allegations. His actions do not rise to the level of impeachment. These were the actions of Bill Clinton the man and not Bill Clinton the President. He has suffered humiliation, and should be censured. Sheesh man, not another censure weenie. These Democrats have no shame in trying to rationalize their inaction ( or blind defense ) in concern with their beloved fearless leader. They only want to pass a censure motion, so that some time in the future, they could attempt to expunge it!

Ed Pease ( R ). " Perjury and obstruction of justice are all impeachable and have been proven by a proponderance of the evidence ".

Chris Cannon ( R ). " Our divine rights are subject to mortal attack ". He played a clip from JFK, " Recognize the responisibility of the President of the United States ". Clinton has betrayed his oath.

James E. Rogan ( R ). " We now give degrees to the people who subject us to the lies of spin ". He pointed out, Clinton had to testify about sexual matters in a sex based civil rights lawsuit. " Don't be a slave to the latest polling data ", he encouraged. Democrats urged the President not lie before the Grand Jury, but he did, and this is impeachable!

Lindsey Graham ( R ). " Evaluate who we are as a people, how far we have come in 200 years ". " It is not about sex, but is colored by sex ". " No Democrat ever suggested what the President did was okay, I think that needs to be said ". " I have asked the President to reconcile himself in front of the law...Mr. President, don't bite your lip; reconcile yourself with the law. You have one more chance ".

Mary Bono ( R ). " I must do my Constitutional duty ". " The Whitehouse spin machine tries to place blame on the committee and Ken Starr ". " I cannot allow my decision to be based on polls ".

Henry Hyde ( R ). " Perjury is not sex. Obstruction is not sex. " He said, the committee relied on the facts of sworn Grand Jury testimony and depositions, the Democrats could have called any of the people involved, if they wanted to cross examine them. The rule of law protects us from the abuse of authority. " We have calculated lawlessness, and they would try and take us for fools ". " The significance of the oath cannot and will not be cheapened ". " We seek impeachment, not conviction or censure ". " We are not reversing an election, Bob Dole will not become President, if Bill Clinton is impeached ".

I now have a greater understanding of what the difference between Republicans and Democrats is. Bob Inglis made me think about " political relativism ". The Republicans will keep saying the same thing, whether you like it or not, leaving you to either agree or disagree. The Democrats will take a poll and say what they think is popular.

- Bongo ( How many Democrats does it take to tell the truth? None...they can't. )