ABSTRACT
The impeachment of President Bill Clinton never affected his popularity as chief executive. A significant contributing factor may have been that in the eyes of the public he was not guilty of having abused his power. Such abuse, even though not listed in the Constitution as grounds for impeachment, could have so undermined his authority as to have led to his conviction or resignation. That it did not arise to this level, it is suggested, is due to the way in which Clinton presented himself as a sinner who was showing his struggle against sin publicly. Through this cultural mechanism of displaying his contrition Clinton thus tapped into an American style of coping with a moral failing while still retaining one’s legitimacy in the face of such lapses.
