Bimbo Eruptions

Andrew speculates about what we should make of the weird back-and-forth over whether the Clintons have dirt on Obama that they aren't using:

Here's a more paranoid explanation: at some point in this campaign, if you believe the Washington rumor mill, there may well be some Clinton bimbo eruption stories, i.e. Bill's post-presidential extracurricular activities will come under discussion again. This Novak flap therefore may be a dummy-run for the various responses if such alleged doodoo eventually hits the campaign fan.

I've heard what I suspect are some of the same rumors Andrew has, and obviously it's perfectly credible, given what we know about his character and history, that Clinton would still be tomcatting around. But my question is this: Is it credible that if there were sex scandals lurking out there, waiting to explode on the Clinton campaign, we wouldn't know about them yet? I don't care if Drudge is cozy with the Clintons now, or if Clinton-pal Ron Burkle gets control of every single supermarket tabloid in God's creation - this is the age of TMZ and Gawker Stalker, and I find it hard to believe that someone like Clinton would be able to get away with his old tricks without some alternative, internet-age media outlet getting hold of the dirt. Mainstream outlets (like, say, the LA Times) might have qualms about running with a "Clinton commits adultery - again" story that doesn't have a direct legal or political angle, but there are too many outlets devoted to full-time gossip now for journalistic high-mindedness to keep something like that out of the news. Aren't there? Or am I being naive about the ability of someone as mobbed-up as Clinton to do what he pleases without it leaking online?

Comments

Yes, you are naive. If Slick was able to escape realatively unscathed when he was the mere Leader of the Free World, how can any one touch him now that he is an international Demi God? As his power and his bank account grow, so too does his hubris. The Clintons seem to have completely co opted the media - scandals go away ( see Hsu, and Chinese bus boys with very deep pockets).

Posted by C.S. | November 19, 2007 12:39 PM

Obama MUST respond loudly to the rumor campaign to overcome the Clinton method of planting seeds of doubt. Hillary may or may not have something useful for the voters learn, but is immaterial as long as her media puppy-dogs will spread any rumors she feeds them.
Obama must call her bluff, and make Hillary's cheating methods an issue in the campaign to blunt her "smoke filled room" dealings with the liberal media.
BTW, if you don't think the media is liberal, you haven't seen the new study showing a huge bias toward democrats: "Gallup poll data on the ideological make-up of the public says that 40 percent of the journalists are liberal but only 17 percent of the public is. While 41 percent of the public is conservative, only 25 percent of the journalists are"

Posted by ian | November 19, 2007 1:29 PM

I guess it's not surprising that those afflicted with Clinton Derangement Syndrome would be sitting around, ten years later, once again with one hand on their computer mouse and the other down their pants as they feverishly speculate about Bill Clinton's private life. After all, as Larry Craig said, Clinton is a "nasty, bad, naughty boy!"

That said, c'mon - escape relatively unscathed? He was friggin' IMPEACHED. Most saw it for the hollow, disgraceful, politically motiviated sham that it was, but it did, in fact, happen.

Posted by Woody Bombay | November 19, 2007 1:47 PM

Or am I being naive about the ability of someone as mobbed-up as Clinton to do what he pleases without it leaking online?

Well, you've heard the rumor, and you haven't posted it.

Posted by SomeCallMeTim | November 19, 2007 2:02 PM

My guess: Bill hasn't been faithful to Hillary since leaving office, but his dalliances have been fairly discrete, quiet affairs -- involving a woman (or women) who won't talk. He's probably gotten more careful. So there's simply nothing but rumor and innuendo at this point -- there's no soiled dresses or photographs. He's obviously not stupid enough to send his paramours emails, or be seen holding hands in a restaurant. And remember, he has Secret Service protection, and one happy side-benefit for him is it makes things more difficult for the papparazi. Anyway, this is my guess as to why no big story has broken. And yes, the Clintons are well-liked by a lot of media moguls, and have many friends in high places, so this doesn't hurt, either.

I furthermore suspect they may very well have dirt on Obama. They've probably got dirt on Edwards, Richardson, Dodd, Biden, Giuliani, McCain, Huckabee, and Romney, too. Opposition research is pretty standards these days in American politics. Surely the Clintons possess expertise in this particular branch of the political black arts. So, yes, this, too, helps keep Bill's skeletons in the closet, just as Novak reported. If such a strategy can buy the Clintons another twelve months, they're home free. I don't think anybody would be shocked if, not long after Hillary Clinton takes the oath of office, it is announced the president and first gentleman have agreed to "an amicable separation."

Posted by Jasper | November 19, 2007 2:48 PM

I heard that Hillary crushed Vince Foster's head with her giant thighs and then brainwashed the Secret Service with her mind control laser beams and then staged a suicide for the National Enquirer who she controls because she has dirt on the owner who is owed giant gambling debts by the guy who controls The Atlantic .
At least that's what I heard.

Posted by tgb1000 | November 19, 2007 4:09 PM

That said, c'mon - escape relatively unscathed? He was friggin' IMPEACHED. Most saw it for the hollow, disgraceful, politically motiviated sham that it was, but it did, in fact, happen.

Ross is talking about Clinton's post-presidency escapades, not those that occurred during or before his presidency.

Posted by Mike S. | November 19, 2007 4:38 PM

All of which makes one regurgitate at the thought of another Clinton presidency. Obama's problem is much more being a rather orthodox Democrat rookie than any moral peccadilloes. Hillary's greater problem is that she is still living in the Age of Aquarius, notwithstanding her perfectly bourgeois upbringing.

Posted by Peter Leavitt | November 19, 2007 4:46 PM

Mike S.,

I was quoting and responding to this teeny little bit of nonsense from C.S.:

If Slick was able to escape realatively unscathed when he was the mere Leader of the Free World ...

So, does this particular brand of CDS go away if Hillary and Rudy are the nominees?* After all, Rudy's been as much of a dog as Clinton. With the added bonus of having been married to his own cousin for 14 years. You'd think he was the one from Arkansas.

*Rhetorical question, of course - of course it doesn't.

Posted by Woody Bombay | November 19, 2007 6:07 PM

I believe Clinton's supposed trysts in Canada and certain other romps have been made known. However, I disagree with both sides of the debate here. I don't think his impeachment was about sex, but about the Chief Magistrate obstructing justice and lying under oath to avoid a law that he signed being enforced.

His presumed adultery now is simply sex. He is likely discreet. There is thankfully no Independent Prosecutor or civil law suit in the offing. Without the use of grand juries or civil discovery how will anything ever be more than rumor? As long as he stays away from young flibber-digibits like Monica and avoids poinking the help it should not be a problem. Further, his well-documented preferred sexual acts do not lead to illigitimate children, the other likely source of confirmation of spurious allegations.

Open, flagrant adultery that also leads to law suits is a problem. Discreet asignations done in connection with charitable events are probably not.

Posted by jjv | November 19, 2007 6:21 PM

I can't believe people who are about to nominate Rudy for president can even keep a straight face when talking about Bill's affairs. C'mon. Rudy broke up with his wife on TV. He carried out numerous public affairs well documented by the NY tabloids. Bill only wishes he had the life Rudy does.

BDS has NOTHING on CDS.

Posted by Teresa | November 19, 2007 9:10 PM

Peter Leavitt actually writes: "Hillary's greater problem is that she is still living in the Age of Aquarius, notwithstanding her perfectly bourgeois upbringing."

Hillary has about as much to do with the "Age of Aquarius" as Peter Leavitt does with cannibalizing hitchhikers - well, I hope so, anyway. She's a lifelong careerist establishment type and as far away from the Hippie ideal as Laura (college pothead) Bush is.

But dingbat wingnuts still feel the need to attack the 60s, for some reason. I guess they're just bitter that their own music from that era doesn't get much respect these days.

Peter Leavitt still loves his Sgt. Barry Sadler lp, though.

Posted by MoeLarryAndJesus | November 20, 2007 2:58 AM