The recent presidential scandal has left some people wondering if the involved political parties can come through the episode clean and respectable.

Iowa State political club members shared their opinions about the manner in which the Republican and Democratic Parties have behaved during Independent Council Kenneth Starr’s investigation.

“Both parties could have done better [in conducting themselves],” said Paxton Williams, co-chairman of ISU Democrats and junior in political science and communication studies.

Williams said he hopes the American public does not equate Clinton’s recent troubles with the Democratic Party.

“Clinton made a mistake, but let’s hope this mistake does not weigh heavily on the party,” he said. “People should not judge the Democratic Party from Bill Clinton’s personal actions.”

Some Democrats do not know whether the outcome will have a positive effect on future elections.

“It certainly has not helped the [party’s image],” said Jim Hutter, ISU Democrats adviser and assistant professor of political science. “It is uncertain whether this will have some, much or no effect in the next election, but it will not be a positive force in helping democrats win.”

However, Nicole Jepsen, College Republican member and senior in elementary education, said she has heard a lot of people are unhappy with the Republican Party because of the way the party has acted during the Clinton investigation.

“There [are] a lot of mixed views out there right now,” Jepsen said. “The news media doesn’t always have a very conservative viewpoint, so there could be a lot of misconception.”

Members of both political parties agree both groups have some rebuilding to do on their images.

“I don’t think any one [party] will come out ahead on either side of the aisle,” said Chad Barth, member of the College Republicans and junior in business. “I think both [parties] are hurting right now, and if anything improves, it will be on both sides.”

Hutter said he thinks the investigation was not fair on either side.

“It is a very partisan, mean-spirited investigation,” Hutter said. “I don’t think Kenneth Starr is an independent council.”

Williams agreed, saying that with political matters, there will always be some biases.

But Jepsen disagrees, calling the investigation fair.

“I defiantly think it was fair. It was conducted in a fair way; it’s not like it was [conducted] behind the public’s back,” Jepsen said.

However, Hutter said most of the hype was because of extensive media coverage.

“I think what we have here is a full-blown feeding-frenzy by the media,” Hutter said. “I’m afraid this is just another in a long series of things that has reduced the public’s confidence in government.”

Such episodes, some political advocates worry, will contribute to furthering the decline of Americans’ interest in politics.

“I hope that this episode doesn’t pull attention away from the more important issues that really affect students and America as a whole,” Williams said.

Barth agrees the scandal has been dominating media interest since the investigation began.

“There’s a lot more pressing issues out there right now than Bill Clinton’s sex life,” he said. “Everything’s been overshadowed by it, and nobody can talk about what’s really important.”

It also is possible negative feelings toward either of the parties could affect the outcome of election 2000.

“Clearly [the investigation] doesn’t help [Vice President Al] Gore’s chances for election, but let’s hope it doesn’t hurt his chances either,” Williams said.

However, some republicans do not want the investigation to affect the 2000 election.

“I hope this Clinton issue will not affect the upcoming election at all,” Jepsen said.

Other political organizations are looking at the scandal as an opportunity for expanding their party.