c. 1998 Religion News Service
WASHINGTON _ South African President Nelson Mandela, with a tongue-in-cheek pledge not to interfere in U.S. politics, told a room full of African-American religious, educational and political leaders Tuesday (Sept. 22) that South Africa and the whole world affirms Clinton for his support for blacks both at home and abroad.
For Clinton, hosting the leader whose commitment to a desegregated South Africa has made him a worldwide moral beacon, was a high _ and positive _ moment in the long political nightmare of his struggle to fend off impeachment.
The evening reception, just one day after the worldwide airing of Clinton’s videotaped appearance before the grand jury investigating his relationship with Monica Lewinsky, was highlighted by supportive comments from Mandela as well as the Rev. Bernice King, daughter of the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and thunderous applause and cheers from the more than 150 people in attendance gathered in the White House East Room..”We do wish to say that President Clinton is a friend of South Africa and and Africa and I believe a friend of the great masses of black people and the minorities and the disabled of the United States,”said Mandela, garnering applause.”Few leaders of the United States have such a feeling for the position of the black people and the minorities.” His comments drew one of many standing ovations during the 45-minute event, and shouts of”Tell the truth!”and”That’s the real truth”from the audience.”We have often said that our morality does not allow us to desert our friends,”he said, bringing most of the audience to its feet again.
Mandela pointed to the warm reception Clinton received on Monday when he addressed the opening of the 53rd United Nations General Assembly.”The applause was spontaneous and overwhelming,”Mandela recalled.”All of us rose to our feet when he came in … that sent a strong message as to what the world thinks.” Mandela said if one judges the reaction to the Clinton scandal by the reaction of the world leaders in that audience,”the United States is completely isolated on this question.” King, who introduced Clinton as”a great leader,”also took the opportunity to voice her support for the president.”None of us is perfect because we all, everybody _ everybody _ from the highest to the lowest, from the news media to Capitol Hill, from pulpits to pews, we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory,”she said.”I think it’s time to leave our president alone.” Her remarks started a series of chants of”Leave him alone”from the crowd, some of whom were wearing red, white and blue”Committed to Clinton”buttons.
Recalling the story of King David, who had Bathsheba’s husband killed so he could have her for himself, she said David admitted his sin and received God’s forgiveness.”David remained king,”she said, getting a standing ovation.”He remained king while God fine-tuned both his circumstance and his perspective.” As King recounted the Hebrew Bible tale, Mandela’s new wife, Graca Machel, reached out her hand to Hillary Clinton and the first lady took it.
President Clinton voiced words of gratitude for King’s words and the audience’s cheers, saying”it is difficult to absorb the depth and breadth”of their expressions.
But he turned the attention away from himself and onto Mandela, who he thanked for”being the person we’d all like to be on our best day.” Clinton said the struggles of Mandela against the racially separatist system of apartheid continue in small ways across the globe.”Apartheid is gone in the law in South Africa, but it is still alive in the hearts of nearly everybody on earth in some ways,”he said.”If we really are seeking some driven wisdom from the power of his example, it will be to do whatever we can, however we can, wherever we are to take the apartheid out of our own and everyone’s heart.” Those in attendance said they believed King’s and Mandela’s words in support of Clinton represented the sentiments of most African-Americans concerning the presidential scandal over his admitted improper relationship with Lewinsky.”We came … for more pastoral reasons than political reasons,”said the Rev. Grainger Browning, pastor of Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church in Fort Washington, Md.”I think the African-American community knows a lynching when it sees one.” Bishop P.A. Brooks II, secretary of the general board of the Church of God in Christ, said he saw the reception as a”tremendous”show of support.”We are forgiving people,”said Brooks, of Detroit.”We forgave George Wallace. We forgave America and continue to forgive America. Surely, we can forgive President Clinton who has done so much for minorities, women and African-Americans.”
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