Ex-insider shares take on White House mess

By Krishanti Vignaraha

Although he now spends his time working on Yale's public image, B. Jay Cooper, Director of the Office of Public Affairs, has insightful perspectives on the scandals surrounding President Bill Clinton, LAW '73.

Cooper served as deputy press secretary to Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush, DC '48, before moving on to become director of communications for the Republican National Committee from 1989-1993. In fact, during his foray into politics, Cooper became acquainted with current White House press secretary and spin doctor Mike McCurry, whom he now considers to be an old friend.

With experience as both a political figure and a member of the media, Cooper can examine political scandals through both lenses. Prior to his role in politics, Cooper was a reporter and columnist at the Waterbury Republican America for 10 years.

Cooper views the role of White House press secretary as "very much like being a reporter." One of his most important responsibilities as former deputy press secretary was to sort truth from rumor, and in the process, to exercise extreme vigilance in the effort to ensure absolute accuracy. "What you say has to be dead-on right because you're addressing a large, important audience--citizen voting groups, Congress, the stock market and the business industry, foreign governments," Cooper said.

With investigations still pending over old issues such as Whitewater and campaign finance and new accusers such as Monica Lewinsky and Katherine Willey going public with tales of sexual relations with the President, Cooper said that the Clinton administration is navigating very turbulent waters as White House spin doctors work fervently to monitor the public's perception of the Presidency.

Commenting on the scandals surrounding Clinton, Cooper said, "It's a hard question if you're not sitting there. It's difficult to be a spokesman on an issue unless you know the truth. I can't specifically address the issues because I don't know the truth." But assessing the White House's management of recent situations from a political standpoint rather than an ethical one, he believes that McCurry and the White House are handling it very well. "They are dealing with so many issues: Whitewater, campaign finance, investigations of cabinet members. They're in a really difficult spot and they are dealing with it as best as anyone can."

While Cooper does not agree with some of the tactical decisions made by the White House, he also finds fault with some of the actions that Special Prosecutor Kenneth Starr has taken in his investigation. For example, Cooper criticized some of Starr's choices in the selection of witnesses for testimony. At the same, time, however, Cooper acknowledged that he is not privy to all the facts and inside information.

Cooper speculated that the scandals have had a large impact on Clinton's administration. "They have to have an effect. Human nature tells me that," he said. Based on his own experience in the White House as well as knowledge from outside sources, Cooper estimated that a large portion of Clinton's staff is occupied with the scandals--several dozen lawyers and a number of presidential advisers.

"Sure these scandals hamper the White House; [the administrators'] time and effort could be spent elsewhere," he explained. "But they don't put the country in danger." Cooper maintains that major policy decisions have not been affected by the scandals; he cited, for example, Clinton's diplomatic handling of the situation with Iraq.

Nonetheless, Cooper asserted that the confusion surrounding the Clinton scandals has taken its toll on the public. "From the perspective of a citizen, both sides of this, the White House and the press have done things that don't necessarily go well for the government and society, in the present and in the future. When we are no longer caught up in the day-to-day with allegations, we as a people can determine what is politics and what is truth," he said.

Cooper points to Clinton's unfaltering public approval ratings as a good indication of the White House's successful handling of the media. But he does not attribute this entirely to their damage control--a stable economy, low unemployment, a booming stock market, and relative peace and tranquility are all major factors.

"People's lives are good. Around people everything is alright so there is less focus on the country's leadership. If the economy went tumbling, his numbers would come down," Cooper said. Nevertheless, he speculated that "if there was a dramatic turn in the investigation with some smoking gun, maybe there would be an impact."

Photo collage by Patrick McGarvey.

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