We get to relive the whole Monica Lewinsky thing in a new book out in February: “The Death of American Virtue.” I had always hoped for Ms. Lewinsky that she could have a regular life, post-scandal. Guess not.
She was hardly innocent, of course, but this was a power thing through and through with the other players in the drama. For some of us, Bill Clinton was one of us, one of our generation and the first politician who made us believe. And then he broke our hearts.
And there stood Ken Starr, like a rabid dog with far too much interest in the details of Clinton’s affairs. (Will we ever look at cigars the same way again?)
So: Happy-happy-joy-joy, we get to go through it all again.
Dating Jesus 
During the trial in the Federal courthouse in DC, the TV trucks had permanent positions on the street, and marked spots for their stand-ups to gabble into their microphones.
ABC, NBC, BBC, CBS–they were all there, and more. One of the trucks had a sign posted in the passenger’s side window: “Nothing to see. Monica is not in here.”
Those journalism wags are funny, considering their only eat coffee as sustenance.
Can’t wait for the movie.
Wild Bill Rides Again!
Bill was never one of “us” to “me.” He never made me believe. All during the campaign, I found him to be a first-class liar. It is sad that someone caught up in that abuse of power, cannot stay out of the spotlight.
I wasn’t a Bill Clinton fan either. Remember Jennifer Flowers, Kathleen Willey, Paula Jones…
But why didn’t any of this MATTER with previous presidents. I’m torn on how much it matters in general but what happened between Kennedy and Clinton that it turned into THIS MESS?
I think it’s related to “Women’s lib” and sexual harrassment laws that have evolved since Kennedy.
I believe that News reporters used to “Look the other way” with the rich and famous. Sports heroes would get a pass as well, but yes, the 24 hour news cycle has a lot to do with it. Increased competition begets values changes. Personally, I prefer an earlier time, when your private life is your own.
Well, the 24-hour news cycle happened, as well. And a lessening of the image of presidents as our version of “nobility.” With all those hours of news to fill, and with a change in our perception of administrators, we dug and dug and dug and found out stuff that shouldn’t have happened, but that we maybe didn’t need to know so much about. Someone told me that Ms. Lewinsky, as she headed toward D.C., said something about “going to get some rug burns with the president.” May be totally apocryphal AND untrue, but as you say, she wasn’t a total innocent. This doesn’t in any way absolve Clinton, he acted really really stupidly.
Reminds me of something I often say, “Turn over enough rocks and something is bound to come crawling out!”
And maybe I was naive about Clinton (I’m sure I was) but he was the first president who made me believe. Maybe it was a good lesson to learn, that people are fallible and you can’t hang your hopes and dreams on any one person.
My journalist friend offered this link to one of her favorite writer’s take on why men cheat:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2009/12/16/notes121609.DTL
Funny!
1. I am bothered that you have a journalist friend. Those people are plum-tacky. 2. This is quite good and funny. 3. Thank you.
What makes you think I’m NOT plum-tacky? I lived with my journalist friend for 4 years, all through college. She also posts all kinds of things about the downward slide of the newspaper industry, but I suppose you hear enough of that already. I won’t pass any of that on.
Yeah, I’m kind of living it, but I’m sorry you can’t find a higher class of friends.
Maybe they’re tacky, but they’ve got that fire in ’em and a lot of heart.
I’m all for tacky, I just hated having to hear the details, I guess. I read the whole Starr Report and thought “There is nothing new under the sun,” a line not original with me.
Thanks! Which reminds me that I used to get his columns via e-mail, maybe I should sign up again.
Did you do something naughty to be dropped?
“Did you do something naughty to be dropped?”
Yeah, I was too trashy for even Mark Morford.
Congratulations!