Clinton’s ‘Moment of Remembrance’

By Joseph Farah

Memorial Day just ain’t what it used to be — at least not since a
military-loathing traitor has held the office of the presidency.

Clinton did his practiced lip-biting, jaw-jutting, somber
impersonation of a commander in chief in the final Memorial Day
observances of his second term. His performance was a doozy.

“Americans never fought for empire, for territory, for dominance, but
many, many Americans gave their lives for freedom,” he said.

Of course, Bill Clinton was not one of these Americans. Not only did
he not give his life in service to his country, he refused to even give
his service. The irony of watching this man involved in wreath-laying
ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery would be laughable if it
wasn’t so tragic.

But it wasn’t so much Clinton’s scripted comments at the event
yesterday that ticked me off. Rather, it was the new Memorial Day
marketing gimmick dreamed up by some genius at the White House.

Did you catch what Bill Clinton asked Americans to do in honor of our
fallen American military heroes? He urged them to participate in a


“National Moment of Remembrance”
for those who died in service to their country — a “National Moment of Remembrance.”

Now let me dissect that for … yeah, a moment.

Do you think the men who died fighting for this country’s freedom in the last 200 years would appreciate Bill Clinton even being involved in ceremonies in their behalf?

Do you think the survivors of those men would appreciate the fact that they no longer have even one full national day of remembrance for their loved ones and the sacrifice they made, but only a moment?

Do you think it would be possible to ask any less of Americans on behalf of these brave men than mere “remembrance”? Notice he didn’t ask for a day of tribute. He didn’t ask for a day of prayer. He didn’t ask for an hour of remembrance. He didn’t even ask for a moment of silence. Just a moment of remembrance.

What else should we have expected from Clinton? Sincerity? Propriety?

Of course not. Clinton adopted the campaign to designate literally one minute — from 3 p.m. to 3:01 p.m. yesterday — “to raise awareness and unite the nation in acknowledging the contributions made by the men and women who gave their lives for our country’s freedom.”

One day is too much, I guess. Now we’ve only got one minute a year to “remember” our fallen heroes. It’s sickening. How can Americans stand by, shake their heads and tacitly accept such a degrading concept?

Maybe they just don’t take it seriously any more. That’s possible. After all, no one believes that Clinton actually tells the truth about anything. It’s all a big show. He’s constantly reinventing himself in a cascading torrent of disingenuousness. In other words, he lies. He lies about anything and everything — for good reason and for no reason.

A perfect example occurred last Thursday but got very little attention over the holiday weekend.

Former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda ran into Clinton at the Sons of Italy Foundation dinner at the National Building Museum in Washington.

Lasorda spoke first — explaining that he never voted for Clinton.

“My father was a Republican, and his father was a Republican,” Lasorda said. “So someone once asked me, ‘If your father was a thief, and his father was a thief, would that make you a thief?’ I said, ‘That would make me a Democrat.'”

Pretty good line. Of course, some of us believe there are plenty of thieves in both parties.

But a few minutes later, Clinton takes the podium and makes no comment on Lasorda’s barbs. Instead, he says something quite amazing.

“I’d like to recognize one of my heroes since I was a kid — Tommy Lasorda,” he told audience members.

After his speech, a beaming Clinton darted over to Lasorda: “Hey, how ya doing? I am so glad to see you,” the president said, giving Lasorda a bear hug.

So what is so amazing about that statement? Well, it reminds me of the statement Clinton once made regarding his childhood memories of churches burning in Arkansas when he was a kid. Neither memory has any truth to it whatsoever.

No Arkansas churches burned when Bill Clinton was a kid. Nor could Clinton have possibly looked up to Lasorda as a childhood hero. Why?

Lasorda pitched in the major leagues between 1954 and 1956. He appeared in a total of 26 games. In his best year, 1956, he lost all four of his decisions. He never won a major league game. His lifetime earned run average was a not-too-impressive 6.15 in 58 and one-third innings. If you don’t believe me,

check the stats yourself.

Lasorda did not become a national baseball figure until he began managing the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1976. In 1976, Bill Clinton was hardly a kid. He lost a race for Congress in 1974 and became Arkansas attorney general in ’76.

Do you see what I mean? The man lies so easily — about everything and about nothing. He lies seamlessly and effortlessly — even when there is no reason for it. Tommy Lasorda his childhood hero, indeed.

Do you think Clinton was any more honest yesterday in honoring America’s real heroes?

Joseph Farah

Joseph Farah is founder, editor and chief executive officer of WND. He is the author or co-author of 13 books that have sold more than 5 million copies, including his latest, "The Gospel in Every Book of the Old Testament." Before launching WND as the first independent online news outlet in 1997, he served as editor in chief of major market dailies including the legendary Sacramento Union. Read more of Joseph Farah's articles here.