Public Office, Private LivesWhere's the Line?

Public Office, Private Lives
Where’s the Line?

John F. Kennedy’s attitude towards marital fidelity was well known to the media but was never disclosed to the public. Even after ample public disclosure in the years following his assassination, the image of John F. Kennedy remains relatively untarnished. Thirty-five years later however, Bill Clinton’s pale imitation of John Kennedy’s personal lifestyle brought him impeachment by congress and almost cost him the presidency. It appears that the difference in the media’s treatment of the two situations can be explained, in part, by the eagerness of the media to treat nothing as being sacred or private, whether or not it really constitutes serious news. Can one argue that one response was more appropriate than the other? Further, should politicians be answerable for the events in their private lives? As a general rule, politicians should be answerable for those activities in their private lives that have a material ...