Quote by Christopher Hitchens
The last time that I consciously wrote anything to 'save the honor of the Left', as I rather pompously put it, was my little book on the crookedness and cowardice and corruption (to put it no higher) of Clinton. I used leftist categories to measure him, in other words, and to show how idiotic was the belief that he was a liberal's champion. Again, more leftists than you might think were on my side or in my corner, and the book was published by Verso, which is the publishing arm of the . However, if a near-majority of leftists and liberals choose to think that Clinton was the target of a witch-hunt and the victim of 'sexual McCarthyism', an Arkansan Alger Hiss in other words, you become weary of debating on their terms and leave them to make the best of it.
Summary
In this quote, the author reflects on their past effort to defend the political Left while criticizing Bill Clinton in their book. They used leftist principles to argue against Clinton's perceived lack of integrity. Despite some support within left-leaning circles, the author expresses disillusionment with the prevalent view that Clinton was unjustly targeted. Frustrated with the ideological divide, they decide to disengage from debates rooted in partisan terms. This quote highlights the author's shift in perspective and their weariness in trying to change the opinions of leftists and liberals regarding Clinton.
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