Bill's Hero

We know that part of the Man from Hope myth is that a young Bill Clinton set out to make himself a progressive Southern version of his hero John F. Kennedy. Little did we know just how well Bill channeled JFK's spirit.

A new book claims Kennedy used a 19-year-old intern as a sex toy. Interviewed on "Dateline NBC," author Robert Dallek said "her only skill was to provide sexual release for JFK on those trips and maybe in the White House."

But did she ever get her own TV show?

Comments

[dhex]

a lot of the coverage of this story seems to be phrased like "what would any grown man want with a sexy 19 year old girl who couldn't do clerical work?"

[dude]

Can I have a 19-year-old intern too?

[trainwreck]

One reason people believe the president should be a person of high moral standards is the immense power at his disposal, to wage war or seek peace, for example. And so these things personal and public get all mixed up. But is personal, sexual behavior a good indicator of moral decision-making on public matters? Better to focus on the system, and insuring checks and balances, than on the behavoir of an individual. But of course its human nature to worry about who's f*cking who.

[Craig]

Don't overlook the threat of blackmail as a key reason for expecting moral behavior.

If there are consequences to the private behavior (impeachment, divorce, lost chance at re-election, social ostracism) then someone who discovers the private behavior has acquired a lever to use.

In terms of rating the threat of blackmail, "immoral" public behaviour is less threatening than the same behaviour in private... you can't credibly threaten to expose what is already public knowledge.

[Croesus]

Craig,

Well, in France, Chirac's mistresses (as I understand it) are well known. This was always true of the Kings of England for that matter. Its hard for me to think of Charles II, for example, without the public fighting over which mistress he should favor, and getting upset that he was porking a Catholic mistress. Perhaps such a system is better.

[Eric]

"So what? Is this something new? Who cares?"

Ditto. Given what was already known about Kennedy, it would've been surprising to me if it was disclosed that he didn't have an affair with a 19-year-old female intern employed by the White House.

[geophile]

Now I'm just waiting for her to appear on Larry King. She'd be about, what, 63 or so? If Jack were still alive, he wouldn't touch her with a ten foot pole.

[erf]

So what? Is this something new? Who cares?
Make an office so difficult to get into that only people whith a great lust for power get there, and you'll also be selecting for people with powerful lusts in general.

[Croesus]

Well know one that thought that screwing around in the WH was invented by Clinton, did they? Wasn't it Harding who kept his mistress in the WH? The basic difference between these past Presidents and Clinton is that he was caught, and the reason he was caught is due to the media's current willingness to report such sexual encounters (because apparently we think politicians must resemble the "good prince" or something).

[Hank]

Shit, if I were the most powerful man on Earth, the entire White House would be staffed with sexy, young, nubile interns. I think Hugh Heffner would be my human resources consultant. It would be a sin not to.

[Jon B.]

*But as we all know, when a disenfranchised minority (minority defined as "not hetero WASP male") is in an inferior position in a power relationship, true consent cannot be given and all sex is rape.*

I'm sorry, but this is ridiculous. No woman can really give consent to any WASP in a higher social position? All such situations are "rape"? Listen to yourself. That would mean that anyone the president had sex with was raped. I hope you never find yourself in a position to find out what rape really is. I also wish you luck with the homeless man you feel you could properly give consent to. You underestimate women.

[Croesus]

Jon B.,

I think Sandy was being sarcastic. 🙂

[Jon B.]

Croesus,
God, I hope so. But we live in an age where satire is dead. And sarcasm is difficult to express online unless you telegraph the blow.

OTOH, I've talked with far too many women who blame all men for the bad decisions they've made regarding a few. Nothing is impossible.

[Douglas Fletcher]

I think I'd rather have an au pair than an intern.

[boy named kim]

Interns, mistresses, pathetic. A real man has a "pleasure squad."

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2003/01/10/korea/index_np.html

[Elf M. Sternberg]

"Used as a sex toy."

So she didn't get anything out of it at all? Not even the satisfaction of knowing she was one throb avay from the most powerful man on Earth? C'mon, 19 years old isn't a child; she could vote, go into the military to die for her country and even, at that time, had the right to buy alcohol! She, like Monico, knew exactly what she was doing and why she was doing it.

[Sandy]

"19 years old isn't a child; she could vote, go into the military to die for her country"

Weren't women excluded from the military during the Kennedy administration, except for WAVs and such? Certainly they weren't allowed in combat operations.

But as we all know, when a disenfranchised minority (minority defined as "not hetero WASP male") is in an inferior position in a power relationship, true consent cannot be given and all sex is rape. Hence it is sexual harassment even if she enjoyed it and was a willing participant. That's just bourgeois false conciousness.

[Mommy]

Given that JFK was not a hetero WASP male, and it was entirely possible that he was not on top (remember the poor man's health, plus who knows exactly what got him off), perhaps this woman can still be brought up on rape/harrassment charges.

[Croesus]

Elf,

Actually, in 1963, she couldn't vote. It was not until 1970 that the voting age was bumped down to 18 from 21. 🙂

Sandy,

Women were largely excluded from the military except as clerical staff and nurses. And yeah, they made up seperate "units" like the Wavs, and such. In WWII women were used in a lot support capacities though (some really dangerous ones too, like ferrying planes across the Atlantic, and the like). The rise of woman engineer can also be tied to WWII, partly because the federal government spents lots of money training women to be engineers during the war in cram your ass off classes that would last 2-3 weeks, so as to create a good engineering corps within a six month period. There are a couple of really good books on this subject, if you would like to check them out.

[Croesus]

Vijay Signh on Annika Sorenstam playing at the Colonial:

"What is she going to prove by playing? It's ridiculous. She's the best woman golfer in the world, and I want to emphasize 'woman.' We have our tour for men, and they have their tour. She's taking a spot from someone in the field."

"I'll withdraw if paired with her."

http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.asp?page=15101&select=9378

[Consolidation loan]

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DATE: 02/01/2004 08:36:54
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