Talk about intruding into someone’s private life.
Like other bloggers, I can’t wait until the big liberal media delves into the private affairs of Republican politicians. There’s some good stuff. From Atrios, what you won’t read in the Times today:
Washington, DC, May 23 – Republicans say it is inevitable that some voters would be concerned and even distracted by the numerous personal indiscretions of the various candidates likely to seek the office of president, and express concern about whether they would be likely to repeat such behavior while in the White House.
While former New York mayor Rudi Giuliani’s popularity increased after the events of September 11, pushing his personal issues into the background, Republicans worry he would bring to the White House the kind of activities which marred his tenure at Gracie Mansion.
Giuiliani’s behavior led to a judge barring the presence of Judith Nathan, with whom he began having an affair during his last term as mayor, from the mayoral home. The judge’s order also criticized Giuliani for the emotional harm he inflicted on his children.
Twice-married Virginia Senator George Allen faces questions over claimed sadistic treatment of his siblings and his fondness for confederate memorabilia despite his having grown up in California. While divorce alone may not disqualify him from the ballot in Republican voters’ eyes – they overlooked it in 1980 when Ronald Reagan became the first, and only, divorced man to be elected president – it is still expected to impact his standing with conservative religious voters. Senator McCain of Arizona is in a similar position.
Thrice-married former Speaker of the House New Gingrich also concerns Republicans as he gears up for a potential presidential run. Gingrich, currently 62, began dating his geometry teacher, and future wife, while he was still in high school. He later served her divorce papers at her hospital bed where she was receiving treatment for cancer. He divorced his second wife after it was revealed that he had been having a long-running affair with a staffer 23 years younger than him during the Clinton impeachment saga.
And I’ll add that before Giuliani married Judith Nathan, he was married to Donna Hanover, who he also had an affair with during his first marriage to his second cousin (that marriage was anulled after 14 years).
Jeb Bush, who is widely seen as the heir to the Bush legacy after positive comments from both his brother and father, has his own problems, with widely circulated rumors about affairs in Tallahasee with none other than then-Secretary of State Katherine Harris. It’s an open question whether the conservative Republican base will tolerate his tumultuous family life – his wife Columba was caught in 1999 smuggling clothing and jewelry from France into the US without paying customs duty, and his daughter has been in rehab for cocaine addiction.
Jeb Bush is banking on a tendency towards forgiveness when it comes to the Bush clan. Social conservatives did not penalize George W. Bush for past drug and alcohol use, though a DUI conviction that came to light in the final days of the 2000 election reportedly led to a somewhat depressed conservative vote. George H. W. Bush also paid no political penalty for extra-marital affairs while in office, with a picturesque relationship between him and Barbara holding the American public’s imagination until the end of his one term.
It seems Jeb is hoping the trend holds for him as well.
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I really don’t think this is a partisan issue. Atrios’ post gets at it, to some degree, but he misses the big point.
If Condi runs, there will be nonstop speculation about her personal life. It’ll be completely overwhelming. Any woman who runs for office will be questioned about her life as a sexual being in a way that a man will not be.
It’s not partisanship, it’s patriarchy.
Especially when the woman is as conspicously single as Condi is.
Evidence: Janet Reno.
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