Page 35 - Historical Dictionary of Political Communication in the United States

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CLEAR AND
PRESENT DANGER
Repeatedly in those days I came across men and women in virtually every denomination
who were committed to the historic biblical faith, believing it was not only spiritually
vital, but socially relevant and intellectually defensible. And yet they had no standard
around which they could rally, and no place they could look for spiritual encouragement
and intellectual challenge. Christianity Today came into being to help fill that vacuum.
Current editor David Neff states that the magazine has engaged "in very little
partisan politics." On the other hand, he said, "we do address major social
issues, many of which have strong political overtones." Myra, now president
of Christianity Today, Inc., which includes eight magazines, says, "Our goal in
Christianity Today is to apply clear evangelical thinking and perspective to the
issues of the day, taking care to be concise, lively, ironic, and thoughtful."

SOURCE: David Neff, "Inside CT—1975: Rescue Operation," Christianity Today, June
1995.
Don Ranly

CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER is a concept introduced by Justice Oliver
Wendell Holmes in Schenck v. U.S. as a condition for justifying suppression.
But as Holmes defined it, it was more nearly perceived danger than clear and
present. Nonetheless, it was the standard criterion in such cases until 1957, when
the Supreme Court overturned the verdict in Yates v. U.S. Yates was prosecuted
for being a member of the Communist Party, but the Court said that neither this
in itself nor abstract discussion of overthrow of the government constituted clear
and present danger. Action was required. That ruling has stood and explains
why few dissenters in the Vietnam era were prosecuted.
SOURCES: Kathleen Thompson Hill and Gerald N. Hill, Real Life Dictionary of Amer-
ican Politics, 1994; Yates v. U.S., 354 U.S. 298, 1957.
Guido H. Stempel III

CLINTON, HILLARY (1947- ) promoted herself in the 1992 presidential
campaign with the same "two for the price of one" theme that had described
Eleanor Roosevelt in the 1940s, but some Americans didn't appreciate the bar-
gain. They registered dismay with bumper stickers that said "Impeach Hillary"
and "I don't trust President Clinton or her husband."
The role of the First Lady has been called the wild card of American politics.
The Constitution provides no job description, but most wives of presidents have
supervised such semiofficial duties as social hostess and homemaker. In polls,
Americans have said they prefer those roles for the First Lady. However, Hillary
Clinton, more than most of her predecessors, has politicized the position.
Magazine coverage of her reflected editors' visions of her as both a 1990s
woman and a lightning rod. She was a wife, mother, and daughter. Social in-
formation described her clothing, hair, and hostess duties. On the other hand,
magazine coverage zeroed in on her reputation and on her political activities.
This is the negative coverage that made her the lightning rod.