frontline: once upon a time in arkansas: viewer discussion

Dear FRONTLINE,

I have believed for some time that the Clinton's are corrupt. Your report leaves little doubt. It is ever amazing to me that the American people will tolerate this type of behavior from its elected officials. Those who refuse to believe the reality of the corruption and criminal behavior of the Clinton's and others are largely responsible for the decay of our civilization. Keep on exposing the truth and perhaps someday enough of us will wake up to put our country back on track.

Houston, Texas

Dear FRONTLINE,

BRAVO !!!

Your autopsy of Whitewater was a primer for Americans who want to understand matters of concern. It should also serve as a prod to Kenneth Starr. Your act of intestinal fortitude as well as journalistic excellence should bode well for the future of Frontline and PBS; what the misdirected media and jaded public now does with the Clintons is our problem.

Dick Malin

Dear FRONTLINE,

With all the issues to be dealt with and work to be done, it is a shame that some people are still trying to derail the President with an inconsequential error in choice of friends made over twenty years ago.

We have very serious issues at hand with global overpopulation, unprecedented out-of-control consumption of fossil fuels and so forth. The President and Vice President were elected on the issues and so far they have done a good job. Let's get out of their way so they can do what they were elected to do.

Joel Carlson
Fox Island, WA
Fox77@wport.com

Dear FRONTLINE,

I enjoyed the show "Once upon a time in Arkansas," however, I fail to see what is so complex about the Whitewater scandal that causes "the eyes of the public [to] glaze over" as stated by so many of the media.

Perhaps it's their eyes that glaze over! By the way, what planet is Joanne Ostrow from? She seems to excuse any Clinton illegalities by stating "Bill & Hillary did not get rich (Show us the money!)." Correct me if I'm wrong, but the prisons are filled with people who got caught in the ATTEMPT of a crime. Even if you rob a bank and return the money you're still prosecuted for a robbery!

In addition, I'd certainly like to invest $1000 of someone else's money and be given $100,000 in a year without any experience in the stock market. Let's have a reality check! It seems to me, the question that should be asked is: If they're fighting this hard to cover-up a "second rate land deal that we lost money on" imagine what other skeletons are buried in the Clinton closet!

Scary thought, isn't it. How did anyone so ethically challenged become president? If justice is to be served, Hillary should be indicted and Bill impeached, at a minimum!

James Ray
Damascus, MD
summary@erols.com

Dear FRONTLINE,

I was transfixed by Frontline last evening. For the first time, someone has taken the initiative to explain Whitewater to the average person. I came away from it with new understanding. The only thing that does still puzzle me is why is Hillary free??? She very obviously is guilty of fraud and obstruction of justice. And why hasn't Bill Clinton been impeached??? He, at the very least, is guilty of perjury.

I hope I'm wrong, but it seems as if the Clintons can truly get away with anything. Very sad. As for Susan McDougal, PLEASE. This garbage about "I refuse to help the prosecutors case." All the prosecutor is asking her to do is to answer questions. By not doing so, she is not only disobeying a civil authority, she is also trying to shift responsibility. If she won't cooperate, she is right where she belongs. (oh, and my money says that a book by her is certainly in the future.) Thank you Frontline for a wonderful report. I plan on sharing it with many friends.!

Linda Burton
Wrights, IL
Lin123KevB@aol.com

Dear FRONTLINE,

I was more than disappointed with your coverage; I was shocked at the conspiratorial tone of the story, to which the voice of the narrator contributed. The people were treated as nearly one dimensional characters, and the picture of what they did or didn't do was much to thin to give the viewer much understanding or perspective. For example, you mention that Hubbell was convicted of fraud. What kind? Isn't that important? I thought it was for cheating his firm in his billing for his services. Not exactly a crime of national import. You also failed to note McDougal's considerable lack of credibility when interviewing him. And this viewer was left learning little about the Clinton's finances.

It is difficult to understand why you didn't interview on camera the Arkansas newspaperman (his name escapes me) who knows more about Whitewater than probably anyone. He wrote the book "How the Media Invented Whitewater," which exposes the New York Times dishonest reporting of Whitewater right from the start and the incredible way most of the rest of the media fell in line. I have always admired Frontline. But in my judgment your Arkansas story borders on exploitative journalism. I would much appreciate a reply to my criticism.

Sincerely,
Basil J. F. Mott
Dean Emeritus

Dear FRONTLINE,

The Whitewater program was my first encounter with Frontline. What perfect programming! I have long enjoyed KQED in San Francisco, but only now realize that a membership pledge is my duty. Frontline is nothing less than stellar journalism and an incredible gift to viewers. How satisfying to know that in spite of an increasingly chilly climate within the major networks' tabloid news coverage, public television maintains a warm air of professionalism and integrity. The subtle form and concise content of Frontline proves that the truth is dramatic enough without sensationalism. Thank you again and, of course, keep it up folks!

James D. Bonar
San Francisco, CA.
ehaas3@aol.com

Dear FRONTLINE,

I thought your program was excellent. I am a conservative who loves NPR, PBS etc. I enjoy most of the news and special interest stories. On the whole I think that your coverage is tilted to the left. Which I do not mind. This story blatantly showed the type of questionable characters and dealings our President and his wife have engaged in. To be frank, it never seems to amaze me how stupid and easily manipulated the general public is. Clinton is a sleaze ball and this is just one more story to confirm it.

Good Job Frontline!
Kevin Adams

Dear FRONTLINE,

Not so for your show on Whitewater. It seems the producer had a political axe to grind. The allegations against the President and First Lady have been fully explored by Congressional committees and the Special Prosecutor. Your program added little to what has already been revealed. I was curious why the producer felt compelled to show video tapes of Jennifer Flowers and Bill Clinton as a young, gangly looking man with a beard. The effect of this was to impugn his credibility, character and stature as a mature adult and as our President. This, taken together with allegations by McDougal (a man with a and self proclaimed motive of revenge), and damn little other evidence, is supposed to add up to something.

I seems clear that the Clintons were tangentially involved in a failed land deal and fraudulent loan scheme concocted by Mr. McDougal over 25 years ago. Hillary clearly did some legal work for the McDougals. Beyond this, I see little else to the story.

Your program painted Bill Clinton as a bad guy because he never gave McDougal a job after his acquittal. In think it would have been extremely questionable had Clinton given him a job.

Your program also tried to imply that the First Lady deliberately hid documents, and that those documents were incriminating. I think the evidence presented for either point is extremely sketchy.

Mrs. McDougal is clearly an American political prisoner, held in jail for her refusal to cooperate with the Special Prosecutor, who clearly is out to get the President and First Lady with the same sketchy evidence, in what in any other scenario would be considered ancient history. I applaud her courage.

I didn't vote for the President first time around (I voted for Perot. ) However, I did vote for him last time because I believe that he has done an excellent job in office, and is probably the best qualified American for the job, in spite of what I would say has been an unconstitutional assault on the Presidency and the First lady by the Congress, and continued, relentless, unwarranted, irrelevant, and distracting criticism from the Press, your show included.

Sincerely,
Al Burgoon
Columbia, Maryland

Dear FRONTLINE,

What a breath of fresh air! This is the rebirth of investigative reporting! I've been waiting for someone to fully cover Whitewater on TV for more than 5 years. Where was 60 Minutes? Never mind Arkansas, Bill Clinton has friends in high places on Madison Ave. Somewhere I even heard a network exec saying Americans thought Whitewater was boring. Well, your program was the most intriguing I have seen in a long time. Is this the great, wide- ranging American conspiracy?

Thank you for entertaining and informing us with a great program. I look forward to watching all of this season's Frontline series.

Mountain View, CA

Dear FRONTLINE,

Five years into Clinton's administration Frontline finally addresses "You-Know-Who" and "You-Know-Who-Rodham-You-Know-Who's" scandal prior to and in the early days of their corrupt administration.

May-be five years into Gore's administration you lefties will finally examine his illegal fund-raising scam!

I have been talking about this for at least 4 years, and I have alienated my wife and most of her family because it (Clinton's scandals) has (until only very recently) been ignored by the "Clinton sycophantic media". Nobody says to me, "Gee, John, I guess all this nonsense you've been spouting from "Rush" and "The American Spectator" has kind-of turned out to be true"!

I can't believe my taxes go to funding you!

John Carrigg

Dear FRONTLINE,

I must say that it is truly depressing to see how far Frontline has sunk over the past few years. I guess all that Republican pressure to cut off PBS funding has really taken its toll on your integrity.

How about a Frontline investigation into the relentless right-wing campaign to discredit the Clinton administration, and the tacit and active complicity of the media in an absolutely unprecedented 5-year non-stop inquisition into a sitting president? How about an expose of who is behind the likes of Ken Starr and Paula Jones? I don't particularly like Bill Clinton or his policies, but the double-standard of how he has been handled vs. his Republican predecessors is outrageous. You should be ashamed for contributing to this hysteria over minutia.

Frontline used to be the place to look for unique, hard-hitting, investigative journalism --- rooting out stories ignored by the mainstream press. Tonight you were just following the herd and beating the same tired old horse. And what will be your reward for kowtowing to the Republicans? Probably a Republican president in 2000 and an end to PBS funding. Former fans of Frontline may not shed many tears.

SUPPORT PROVIDED BY