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Scootaloo

(25,699 posts)

41. I wouldn't call him a predator, either

Sun May 8, 2016, 03:53 PM

May 2016

Sexual predation involves coercion. From all appearances, Bill and Monica were consensual. However the power dynamic made it extremely unprofessional, and set the stage for what could have become a coercive relationship. It certainly led to the public destruction of Monica Lewinsky. Simply put, Bill should have had the professional respect (and personal good sense) to turn her down. If college professors all across the world can turn down the advances of their students, I'm sure the President can refuse an intern.

You're right though, in that it's really one of the smaller parcels in his baggage compartment. It does reflect a recurring character problem of his, that overwhelming sense of entitlement he carries around even to this day, when he's shouting that BLM "supports rapists and murderers"

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If having an affair made you a terrible president... [View all] nolabear May 2016 OP

This is true, but the argument is more insidious and ridiculous. The argument is that if your Squinch May 2016 #1

True dat. And it's doubly stupid for all that. But this was easier to provide a link for. nolabear May 2016 #8

You really shouldn't refer to President Clinton as a fuckweasel. Silver_Witch May 2016 #53

I thought the fuckweasel in question was Trump. moriah May 2016 #61

Yes! nt pnwmom May 2016 #24

An even worse implication: graegoyle May 2016 #43

And if you are Gingrich, you leave your wife while she is fighting cancer to marry that woman. Squinch May 2016 #49

My understanding is... graegoyle May 2016 #77

Oh, shoot, you're probably right! Who can keep the wives he's cheated on straight! Squinch May 2016 #78

Depends on the spin. HassleCat May 2016 #2

I do too. I won't say he'd continue because I don't know him, but yes, it's silly. nolabear May 2016 #9

Anybody else remember Francois Mitterand's funeral? Manifestor_of_Light May 2016 #33

Exactly. Thanks for even more of a run-down. nolabear May 2016 #66

That's not what made Clinton a terrible President. Wilms May 2016 #3

That's beside every point I was making but thanks for playing. nolabear May 2016 #10

It's the subject line of your OP. Wilms May 2016 #16

Yeah, okay. Point taken. nolabear May 2016 #22

It's not so much the affairs, it's the boss screwing subordinates riderinthestorm May 2016 #4

Most powerful man in free world is helpless victim of 23 year old intern! Divernan May 2016 #5

Hillary didn't hurt anyone. Monica and Bill hurt her. n/t pnwmom May 2016 #28

I think they're all responsible for their own actions Dorian Gray May 2016 #68

She did remain quiet. She publicly attacked no one. If you think otherwise, where's your link? n/t pnwmom May 2016 #69

She famously Dorian Gray May 2016 #71

She didn't say that publicly. She wrote it in an email to her friend and she didn't pnwmom May 2016 #74

FDR boinked Eleanor's social secretary. OilemFirchen May 2016 #7

This message was self-deleted by its author Squinch May 2016 #20

No, he also slept with Lucy. I think she was HIS secretary. (In addition to Eleanor's secretary.) Squinch May 2016 #51

This feminist believes that a consensual affair is consensual. nolabear May 2016 #12

So power differential is a problem except for this one place where you do not want it to be Scootaloo May 2016 #30

His serial predation Fairgo May 2016 #40

I wouldn't call him a predator, either Scootaloo May 2016 #41

Unprofessional and ill advised and stupid, yes. But not a simple, back and white issue. nolabear May 2016 #67

Not "subordinates." Only one. And in the 90's there was very little concern pnwmom May 2016 #25

Excellent points. MH1 May 2016 #29

Which was never proven... scscholar May 2016 #60

If it doesn't affect your job performance, it's NOT OUR BUSINESS. Period. It does NOT make you a bad Ghost in the Machine May 2016 #6

And, you know, slaves. nolabear May 2016 #13

Yes, the mowing is a real, literal, pain... but I have to do it. I am glad warmer weather is Ghost in the Machine May 2016 #50

All the women were paid by the right wing for their stories Gman May 2016 #11

Hillary seems to be having an affair with Wall Street... I think that matters. whereisjustice May 2016 #14

This isn't what this thread is about, but thanks for playing. nolabear May 2016 #15

they are going off the rails now Skittles May 2016 #47

And the special at the diner is pancakes. tavernier May 2016 #18

No, affairs don't disqualify you. Affairs with underlings do. Lying to the people does. nt thereismore May 2016 #17

You mean like the way JFK and FDR and countless others did? Squinch May 2016 #21

I don't know enough about them and countless others, sorry. nt thereismore May 2016 #42

Well, you should learn. Because you just said that most US Presidents were disqualified. Squinch May 2016 #48

In the 90's the idea wasn't yet generally accepted that power dynamics precluded a consensual pnwmom May 2016 #26

I don't know what 90's you were living in Scootaloo May 2016 #32

The 1990's. The decade where all the men in Congress turned a blind eye to Anita Hill. n/t pnwmom May 2016 #36

Power dynamics in relationships were well-recognized in the 1990's Scootaloo May 2016 #37

No, it wasn't. The Lewinsky case was the beginning of most people thinking about that, just as the pnwmom May 2016 #38

Maybe it's the first time you thought of it Scootaloo May 2016 #39

Link, please. I can't provide one because that would mean proving a negative pnwmom May 2016 #57

I don't know where you were in the 1990's but most women thought about it a lot. Silver_Witch May 2016 #54

Monica Lewinsky has publicly stated that she went after him and that it was entirely consensual. pnwmom May 2016 #56

and the GOP Speaker of the House who impeached Clinton turned out to be a pedophile. nt TeamPooka May 2016 #44

And every other man at the core of that was having some sort of non-marital affair. nt pnwmom May 2016 #45

It never did before Bill. And Hillary didn't have an affair with anyone. n/t pnwmom May 2016 #55

It was the lying. abelenkpe May 2016 #59

Trump's spouse was unfaithful kskiska May 2016 #19

Ivana and Marla had a fight over the Donald in public gwheezie May 2016 #31

I wonder what the DU bluenoses would have said about JFK's many affairs? (nt) Nye Bevan May 2016 #23

I dunno, but it looks like many would say he was victimized by Marylin, the poor man Scootaloo May 2016 #35

Trump invited his mistress to Aspen along with his then wife gwheezie May 2016 #27

Trump couldn't care less about Bill Clint's affair. procon May 2016 #34

the only people he is scoring points with already have an irrational hatred of all things Clinton Skittles May 2016 #46

This is true! Dorian Gray May 2016 #70

This is 2016! Silver_Witch May 2016 #52

Uh-huh. And in 2016 we shouldn't be blaming wives for things their husbands do. n/t pnwmom May 2016 #58

The affair is not relevant lying under oath is dr60omg May 2016 #62

That's a reasonable point, though I wouldn't consider it disqualifying. nolabear May 2016 #65

Geez, this Hillbot nonsense is pathetic. Monica wasn't the only one. BillZBubb May 2016 #63

Don't you DARE refer to me as a Hillbot. Either make your case or don't but I won't be insulted. nolabear May 2016 #64

Bill Clinton isn't running for office. What a dumb thing to say. randome May 2016 #72

Post removed Post removed May 2016 #76

This message was self-deleted by its author Warren DeMontague May 2016 #73

No, being a serial philanderer makes you a terrible human being. alarimer May 2016 #75

Wasn't it more an issue of lying under oath? Seems so long ago.nt clarice May 2016 #79