Two boos
Sir: I must finally express exasperation over the ongoing utter disrespect shown by cer- tain of your writers towards President Clin- ton, his wife, and occasional members of his staff.
I should start by saying I recognise the politics of your core audience — to which you must periodically pander (pun intend- ed). Also that few could enjoy good satire more than I, and that some rudeness, in support of satire, may be completely justi- fied. Thus, barbs aimed at Clinton in, say, Private Eye, may be viewed with hilarity. I believe them, however, to be sheer mean- ness of spirit when it comes to supposedly serious pieces in The Spectator. 'Portrait of the Week' used frequently to refer to the former press secretary as 'someone called Dee Dee Myers' — knowing full well her position, of course, but the obvious infer- ence being 'Isn't Dee Dee a ghaaastly American name?' Taki, of course, routinely refers to President Clinton as 'the draft dodger', but when that particular scribe fre- quently goes on to boast of his own drunks, indiscretions and infidelities, perhaps it matters little.
But now it's Paul Johnson's turn. Though Mr Waugh rarely had a good word for any- thing or anyone American, this latest occu- pant of 'And another thing' manages, in the space of two paragraphs, to describe Presi- dent Clinton as 'crooked', 'mendacious', `insular', 'ignorant', 'cowardly', 'unco- ordinated', 'deeply frivolous', 'stained', 'dis- credited' and `worthless'; Mrs Clinton as a `malign mentor, given to lying and skuldug- gery'. (Spectator 23 March 1996).
Doesn't care for them much, does he? His crassness aside for a moment, one might expect that in an article, the thrust of which was: 'Can't expect America to look after us in the 21st century', Johnson might offer a few facts in support of his hysterical and scandalous insults. Not a bit of it! Some might consider his to be powerful prose, but I doubt I am alone in condemn- ing it as downright offensive. And this, as is so often the case, from one who professes Christianity! Though I am admittedly a mere C of E man, no Christ from my Bible would have written thus!
I greatly enjoy the majority of your writ- ers, so I shall avoid the temptation to close with a pythonic 'Cancel my subscription forthwith!' But please, a word in the ear of Messrs Johnson and Theodoracopulos. Michael Hooley
1520 Adams Avenue, St Charles, Illinois, USA
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