Page 604 - WhyAsInY

Why (as in yaverbaum)
run and, in particular, how Tate was doing in his interim job. In my most diplomatic phrasing, I allowed that Tate’s style was not one that I might have wished from a leader and that—by virtue of his actions and per- sonality—he was causing discord and was seen by many as undermining the mission of the agency, although—I allowed—that obviously was not his intention. Kathy, with whom I had discussed Tate at length, grew tired of what she must have viewed as my pussyfooting circumlocutions and interrupted with one memorable phrase. In non-Kathy-like style, she impatiently interjected with the immortal statement “Face it, Gene. He’s a real asshole.”
I can’t say that that off-the-cuff conversation had any real effect (though I like to think that it did), but it is the case that, months later, Tate “withdrew his name from consideration.”
A Stain on the Record
One more thing: It happens that Bill and Hillary Clinton had invested, with James McDougal and his wife, in a now infamous failed Arkansas vacation-home development venture known as “Whitewater.” It also happens that McDougal controlled Madison Guaranty Savings and Loan, which made the loan pursuant to which Whitewater was purchased. Because Madison Guaranty became insolvent, the RTC became the owner of its assets, including, of course, the Whitewater loan. Soon there- after, when the RTC examined the actions of Madison and its officers, one of its criminal investigators named the Clintons as witnesses in con- nection with James McDougal’s alleged illegal borrowing from his thrift.
So, this being Washington, the situation was perfect to ripen into a scandal. In true Washington partisan style, the possible wrongdoings in connection with the Whitewater investment led to the appointment of a Special Prosecutor, which, in turn, somehow led to Clinton’s statement “I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky,” which, in its turn, led to his impeachment and the near paralysis of Washington for about two years. I had absolutely nothing to do with the
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