Usually I agree with Darksyde. Since I started regularly visiting Daily Kos he has been, and remains, one of my favorite writers.
Even today, I agree with most of what he's saying. It bothers me that the media has seemed to lunge at any hint of a democratic scandal, no matter how private or irrelevent, while ignoring the crimes and corruption of the ruling party. If there's any merit to the reports that something naughty occurred between Billy and a certain Canadian Politician, the press will certainly descend like vultures to tear it apart.
I say let them. It is, after all, a big story, and not just because it's Bill Clinton.
Firstly, cheating on your wife is bad. It's bad when it's the guy down your street, and it's bad when it's the President. It's a flaw, but it's a very human one, and a very private one. During the Lewinski scandal, it appeared to me that the more the public didn't seem to care about whether the President was fooling around, the more the Republicans attacked. They couldn't understand that to the average American, infidelity wasn't an impeachable offence.
The truth is that Americans did not approve of the president cheating on his wife, we just felt that it was a private matter, as it is with the millions of other Americans who have had to deal with the same thing. It's a character flaw, but one we're all at least peripherally accustomed to, and don't necessarily feel dictates the whole of a person's character.
One thing about the affair did bug me, and it pains me as a confirmed liberal to say it. It's an unfortunate issue, but one of standards, and one that I think many other people felt. See... It's not that Monica was unnattractive, really, but jeez! This was the President of the United States, the leader of the free world, the man with the glowing button of DOOM! And he's the cool president, who plays the saxiphone. JFK got Marilyn Monroe, and Bill settled for Monica? I know it's sexist and condescending to even mention it, but look at his wife. She's one of the most powerful politicians in the country, easily his intellectual equal. It's none of my business, I know, but man, he could have done better.... (start angry typing now!)
Well, if reports are true, and Bill was seen in the company of a certain Canadian Parliament member, than we can at least rest assured that he's become more discerning with his affairs.
Take a moment, later, to make a quick search about Belinda Stronach. She's a fascinating woman. A few years ago Belinda burst onto the Canadian political scene by running for the leadership of the newly reformed Conservative party. I mean it when I say burst; the leadership race for the Opposition was her very first election. Se was, however, very well bankrolled. Her father is the owner of Magna International, and before politics, she was its CEO. This is a bigger deal to Canadian political junkies, as Magna is a massively influential company with deep political connections.
She didn't win the leadership, which went to the current Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Harper is part of the far right wing of the Conservatives, Belinda the left (these had been separate parties a couple of years earlier). In terms of American politics, she's politically pretty equivalent to the Clintons themselves.
Increasingly, as the party began to operate, the right wing consolidated much of the power, leaving her isolated and out of the loop. She remained, however, very high-profile. Her combination of old-money, intelligence, and, well, good-looks, kept her prominent in the media and the government.
The big story came when the minority Liberals were pushing through an initiative (I believe the budget, but I'm not sure) that had them facing a non-confidence vote. In a surprise coup, Belinda crossed the floor to accept a cabinet position with the Liberals, saving their government (temporarily) from defeat. This alone is a good news day in Canada, but it soon became even more intriguing. It turned out that Belinda had been involved with Peter Mackaye, second in command to Harper, and a former opponent for the helm of the Conservative Party. The party change, obviously, ended the relationship. Finally, a truly Canadian political soap opera!
This is a woman with serious ambitions. She's only 34 years old, was the CEO of a major steel company, and is currently running for the leadership of the Liberal Party, her second such race since entering politics only three years ago. Despite the change in parties, she regained her seat in the last election, just as her adopted party lost the government, and gained in support. I gaurantee you, if this report, no specifics having been mentioned, is accurate and becomes prominent, her popularity will soar. Clinton is like a rock star here and we treat rock stars well (just ask Mick Jagger, he slept with Pierre Trudeau's wife and is treated like a god here).
As far as it goes, I think this is a pretty safe scandal, and an understandble one. Bill's sex life didn't offend me when he was in office, but it did intrigue me, the way all such public soap operas do.
I don't much like Bill Clinton's politics, nor those of his wife. I do, however, respect their marriage. They are a marriage of equals, partners in the truest sense of the word. Whatever Bill does with his time off, and however Hillary chooses to deal with it, is their business. It is however, a good story, all the more so when it involves a beautiful, ambitious, and powerful Canadian politician.