Atlanta Weather

| Traffic

Search
Cynthia Tucker

If politicians behaved like Letterman. . .

7:49 am October 2, 2009, by ctucker

Last night, David Letterman shocked his studio audience when he revealed that he was the victim of an extortion plot. He had had affairs with female staffers, he said, and a man threatened to publicize the affairs if Letterman didn’t fork over $2 million. Instead, Letterman took the blackmail demand to the Manhattan district attorney, and a suspect was arrested.

There is a lesson here for all the politicians who indulge in affairs and then get enmeshed in crooked schemes trying to cover them up. Two who come to mind are John Edwards, former Democratic candidate for president, and John Ensign, Republican senator from Nevada. Both have engaged in cover-ups that are quite possibly illegal; as usual, the cover-up may bring at least as much damage as the original sin.

Edwards is the subject of a grand jury investigation and a tell-all book.

A federal grand jury in Raleigh, N.C. is looking into whether Edwards’ alleged attempts to cover up his affair with campaign worker Rielle Hunter resulted in a campaign finance violation. Meanwhile, a new book proposal by a former aide alleges the once squeaky clean candidate tried to falsify a paternity test and pushed wealthy donors to help silence his mistress.

As for Ensign, The New York Times has a detailed report this morning about the lengths to which he went to seek financial assistance for his lover’s husband (who also happened to be a campaign aide.)

In the coming months, the senator arranged for Mr. Hampton to join a political consulting firm and lined up several donors as his lobbying clients, according to interviews, e-mail messages and other records. Mr. Ensign and his staff then repeatedly intervened on the companies’ behalf with federal agencies, often after urging from Mr. Hampton.

It would be extraordinarily naive to suggest that powerful men learn to be faithful to their spouses. But, at the very least, they should have figured out the hazards of an elaborate cover-up.

  • Print

42 comments Add your comment

SouthernGal

October 2nd, 2009
8:09 am

These are “supposedley” intelligent men…too bad they let the “little head” do their thinking.

Michael

October 2nd, 2009
8:15 am

The nation as a whole is much quicker to forgive sinners who come clean than sinners who try to cover it up. But I can’t remember the last politician who cheated on his or her spouse that came clean without someone threatening to uncover it. At least we’re in a time where the last two presidents seem to be able to stay faithful to their ladies.

News Hound

October 2nd, 2009
8:15 am

Interesting headlines of the day

“THE NUMBER: Unemployment rate to rise…” (hmm, how can this be blamed on Bush)

“Half of babies born in rich world will live to 100…” (this will no longer be the case if Obamacare is passed)

“David Letterman Confession: I Had Sex With Staffers…

$2M EXTORTION PLOT…

CBS Man Arrested… ” (looks like Dan Rather needs money to continue his lawsuit)

ByteMe

October 2nd, 2009
8:17 am

Cynthia: you have a factual error in your open. “He had had extramarital affairs with female staffers” is not correct. He got married in March and has not revealed when the affairs took place, so it’s more likely many of the affairs took place before the marriage.

Dwight

October 2nd, 2009
8:18 am

There is a lesson to be learned here for Ms. Tucker. David Letterman DID NOT admit to having extramarital affairs. He admitted to having sex with staffers. He has only been married since March and there was no timeline given as to when the actual sex took place.

Uh oh

October 2nd, 2009
8:24 am

Looks like the apologists are coming out. Sure, he only married her in March, but how old was their son at that time? Try to paint it any way you want, but it’s still wrong.

If I take anything away from this it’s that David DOES like bush.

Jack

October 2nd, 2009
8:37 am

Letterman’s sorry mess tells me that too many people are watching too much television.

David Letterman Rips the Band-Aid Off

October 2nd, 2009
8:39 am

[...] humiliating? Yes. But under circumstances, Letterman is doing exactly the right thing from a communications perspective. He’s ripping the Band-Aid off himself, all at once – [...]

3rd Party Guy

October 2nd, 2009
8:44 am

Hey Southern Gal, if men didn’t think with their you-know-whats so much, then many women wouldn’t be able to think with theirs. Know what I mean?

Cynthia is right, it would be naive to expect powerful (read wealthy) men to be faithful. Not saying that Letterman wasn’t. It would be great to have some politicians who spew righteousness and virtue to actually have some.

Joey

October 2nd, 2009
9:06 am

Just recalling the Democrat Presidents since I was able to vote. I will let someone else address the Republicans.

Kennedy: Had numerous affairs which our news media knew about and tolerated. Maybe even admired. (I voted for Kennedy.)

Johnson: I don’t know? He was very powerful for most of his time. I suspect he had the women that he wanted to have. (Voted for him once.)

Carter: He admitted lusting in his heart, and I suspect that is as far as it got. (Voted for Carter, but came to regret it.)

Clinton: Swore that he did not have sex with that woman. Also swore that he did not rape or coerce any woman. But made the payments anyway. (Did not vote for Clinton, but contributed by not voting for Bush or Dole.)

Obama: I believe he would never cheat on his wife and family. (Did not vote for him.)

Common Reader

October 2nd, 2009
9:07 am

Cynthia — please don’t propagandize by making false statements which some of your readers will construe as fact: David Letterman has NOT confessed to having extramarital affairs. As I recall, his relationship with his new wife has been an on-again, off-again relationship over many years. Perhaps she never married him during their 23-year-relationship because of his lack of commitment; perhaps it was only after the birth of their child that they finally hashed things out and married just a year or so ago. We don’t know. In fact, with some of his other relationships, perhaps his current wife was actually “the other woman.” Who knows? I don’t. And neither do you. So don’t repeat the error and say “extramarital” until the truth is known. Sheesh.

Tim

October 2nd, 2009
9:09 am

The difference between Letterman and politicians is that Letterman’s not running for anything. He’s not asking for your vote, telling people one thing while doing the opposite, or claiming what he did wasn’t wrong. He’s joked about Clinton and others sleeping around, but he is also known, classicallly so, for making fun of himself.

What’s awful about this is that the source of the information is essentially his personal assistant who used to work on his show and was featured on the show many many times.

Shawny

October 2nd, 2009
9:17 am

Letterman did behave like politicians. He used his wealth and power to get it on with young girls. And to top it off, he admitted it after he was caught. Until it comes out that they are caught red handed, then they come clean.
Edwards is the exception. He got caught and continued to deny it. Heck, he is still probably trying to deny it today.

jconservative

October 2nd, 2009
9:17 am

For whatever reason people sometimes let their brains slip down between their legs. The result is never pretty.

Donovan

October 2nd, 2009
9:18 am

Tucker temporarily dumps the health care scam and writes about the merits of Letterman standing in front of his adoring audience while discussing his sex romps with female staffers. Oh, how courageous! Tucker and Letterman come from a long line of “progressive” thinkers that consider free sex as a normal part of their “progressive” careers. I do believe that Comrade Tucker supported a past president that had “progressive” extramarital sex in my White House. Character is not in the make-up of secular progressives.

sims

October 2nd, 2009
9:49 am

I didn’t hear him say extra-marital…

Jaron

October 2nd, 2009
9:58 am

Shawny how do you know they were young girls? You have no idea what women he had sex with but you come to the idiotic conclusion that they are young… And he didn’t admit it when he was caught, he admitted it when somebody attempting to extort him out of 2 million dollars… Maybe you should read a little more before making dumb comments…

El Jefe

October 2nd, 2009
10:34 am

I just goes to show where our moral compass is.

Hollywood is rallying around Roman Polanski, a convicted child molester(or whatever the charges were), Whoopi Goldberg says it wasn’t rape, rape. But, when it all comes down to the facts, he confessed and was found guilty, then fled overseas. He is a criminal.

Now, Letterman comes out all big and virtuous and says I was wrong, and everyone applauds.

What is happening to this Nation?
Is there no moral fiber left?

Wait, thats right, Morals come from a higher place, a Divine Providence, a Supreme Being, a Creator. We have placed all our faith in men – dang, whatever happened to this country?

Richard

October 2nd, 2009
10:54 am

“It would be extraordinarily naive to suggest that powerful men learn to be faithful to their spouses.”

What a sad statement this is.

Richard

October 2nd, 2009
10:56 am

“It would be extraordinarily naive to suggest that powerful men learn to be faithful to their spouses.”

As my mom used to say, “Expect the worst and you will get it.”

ctucker

October 2nd, 2009
11:18 am

To those readers who have corrected my assertion that Letterman had “extramarital affairs,’ you’re absolutely right:,I have no knowledge of the timeline. So I should not have said the affairs occurred since he’s been married. He and the mother of his child have been a couple, however, for several years.

CC Garnette

October 2nd, 2009
11:19 am

Enter your comments here

In order to have extramarital affairs you have to be married. Neither Letterman or the women were married at the time of their dating. Although they did break one basic code of employment : never get your meat where you get your bread.

don

October 2nd, 2009
11:22 am

david letterman is exactly what we thought he was!!!!!
david – how funny is your life now.

Atlanta Native

October 2nd, 2009
11:36 am

I think Cynthia’s point is that those in power, regardless of party, need to quit being so deceitful. From “I did not have sexual relations with that woman” and the hypocrisies of those who condemned randy ol’ Bill after their indiscretions were eventually revealed, up to the present slew of amoral morons up there.

Dave may be scumbag for what he did, but at least he showed some backbone, as opposed to the invertebrates in Washington.

Wow, I just agreed with and stood up for Ms. Tucker. It’s a first, but it feels OK.

Joan

October 2nd, 2009
11:47 am

I am assuming those staffers worked for him, so I should think this would be construed as sexual harassment in the workplace. I can’t see any other reason a woman would have sex with such an ugly man.

Rascal

October 2nd, 2009
11:59 am

Wow, Almighty Obama failed to sway those with his incredible personality? I guess his world popularity is not so great as he claims. The whole world is laughing at us now. Blessing in disguise, his failure saves the US a fortune in tax dollars, unfortunately, his presidency is going to be one known more for failure. His programs are universally negative for the American people and only his failures can be viewed as positive. What a legacy- “the only successes the American people had while Obama was president were the things he failed to do”(quote from historical view of Obama’s time as czar).

Peggie

October 2nd, 2009
1:27 pm

Obama admitted early on in his campaign that both he and his wife had extramarital affairs. He was doing damage control that appears to have worked. No cover ups, no where to go with the story. Letterman has done the same. Move on, nothing to look at here.

Heidi

October 2nd, 2009
1:42 pm

An awful lot of people are making some big leaps. “He used his wealth and power to get it on with young girls.” Who said anything remotely sounding like that? We haven’t heard anything from any of the women, but if they were on his staff, they were adults.

And to say it was an “extramarital affair” is baseless.

The man did right by coming clean on the offensive and by alerting the authorities. The rest, frankly, is none of our business.

pete

October 2nd, 2009
1:55 pm

He did NOT have “extramarital” affairs. He was married 6 months ago, and the sex ended sometime before 2003.

Dick Morris

October 2nd, 2009
2:44 pm

Leno is up to something or does he stop at drooling over the guest cleavage and legs. He never looks women in the eye. I don’t care what dave does. He’ s funny and never claimed to be squeaky clean as everyone is saying.

Dan

October 2nd, 2009
3:03 pm

I cannot believe what I am reading from one of the leading female liberals in the media. You are willing to give him “kudos” because he is not trying to cover anything up? Before you give him a Man of the Year award, let’s get all the facts. How ethical is it when a person in a supervisory role has sex with one of their employees? Why have none of these women come forward to report this action by their boss? If this producer knew, isn’t there also a very good chance that it was common knowledge and perhaps a private settlement occurred between either Letterman and the women involved or the network itself, years ago? Can’t help but think he will get off with few repricussions and all will be swept under the rug as he gets portrayed as a “victim.” As someone in a supervisory role, I have no doubt that I would lose my job or at least be demoted for such reckless actions that could ultimately leave my company fully exposed for a lawsuit and bad publicity in the press. I’m left to wonder what your reaction would be if this had happened to a Glen Beck or any other conservative talk show host.

The comment about this happening between adults has nothing to do with something like this happening in a business atmosphere. Yes, it does happen all the time and favoritism and lawsuits happen all the time as well. Also, his marital status has no bearing on this as well. He was in a position of authority over these women and unless he undergoes an exreme metamophisis once he removes his clothes, he’s not someone that would be on the sexiest men list. Realistically, I doubt these women would have slept with him if he wasn’t famous, rich, and their boss.

Chris Broe

October 2nd, 2009
3:03 pm

Looks like Letterman was joking on the Appalachian Trail, eh?

shellmate4

October 2nd, 2009
3:54 pm

Enter your comments here

This announcement or confession from Letterman is bogus.
He USED his show, where is the commander….his studio audience and the
television audience. This type of wrong (his, not the extortioner) is not made
to be used for what the CBS Late show is all about. This is not entertainment!
If things like this happen, and they often do, then confess somewhere where there
is not a partial clapping and lauging audience. Confess on another show even!!
Wrong all the way, but obvious money can let you do things that others cannot!

Bev

October 2nd, 2009
4:02 pm

Sexy is not all about looks. Dave has the personality .. the intelligence.. the wit. He knows how to carry himself. Is confident. Is able to laugh at himself. Has a great sense of humor. Is easy to look at and is human. That’s all that matters. Whether he had relations with other women than his wife, is his business / and his wife’s.

Cindy

October 2nd, 2009
4:15 pm

I agree that it’s none of our business. However, if you say that about Dave, then you need to say it about everyone else. Have you seen the woman Dave married; if you have, no further comment.

Pearl Basehore

October 2nd, 2009
4:27 pm

Though I’m a fan of Cynthia Tucker, I must agree with “Dwight” who suggests there is a lesson to be learned about how we “report” news — Letterman admitted to having sex with staffers at SOME time in the past — not necessarily while he or the women were married, therefore, at this point we can not assume the dalliances were “affairs.” Words matter. To compare politicians to performers is a sorta silly non-comparison with no importance nor relevance. Kudos to Dave for not letting the worm get away with the TRUE infidelity in this story.

Common Reader

October 2nd, 2009
4:52 pm

Cynthia — thanks for coming clean on your error on tagging Letterman’s hook-ups as “extramarital.” It appears that the story (if it qualifies as a story) is simply about Extortion. Letterman slept with a few of his staffers, over a period of time, prior to marrying his on-and-off girlfriend. Did any the staffers report their relationships with him as harassment? Were they minors? Were they forced or intimidated into sleeping with him? Are you saying that any time two coworkers of unequal position sleep with each other it’s automatically illegal or immoral? I hope not. Yikes! A lot of people are in a lot of trouble!

Rascal

October 2nd, 2009
6:17 pm

Only a liberal like McKinney could actually excuse Letterman via his admission, when he had no choice after the grand jury forced him to testify. Letterman is a freak and another sign of why Hollywood and liberals in general fail in everything they do, except when it comes to phony BS. Congratiulations Cynhtia on your ‘retirement’ next year. Long live the AJC, RIP 2010

JC

October 3rd, 2009
12:34 pm

“I am assuming those staffers worked for him, so I should think this would be construed as sexual harassment in the workplace. I can’t see any other reason a woman would have sex with such an ugly man”

Just because a person works for you and has sex with you does not make it harassment in the workplace. They were obviously not forced and also its nobody’s business. I’m sure he only told this on his show because he knew it would come out and he wanted to be the one who did it. Everybody is jumping to a lot of conclusions here.

GARY

October 4th, 2009
4:12 pm

Women have always wanted men to change their nature and men have returned the favor in equal measure. The “wrong” here is the expectation that men are monogamous. Monogamy is a human construct which I think came largely from religion. It works well for women who, let’s face it, have much more of a need to “nest” than men. Biology doesn’t change because social, cultural, or religious values dictate that it changes. Men’s brains have evolved and we are “hardwired” to be attracted to fertile women – PERIOD. Edicts from Rome, holy books, laws, social pressure, attorneys, or being threatened with beheading IS NOT going to change millions of years of evolution. The other side of this coin, of course, is that women can get men to do just about anything they want because women have something men crave, oh….so badly. It boils down to a historical pas de deux. There may be many things humans can rise above; biology, honed for millions of years, is NOT one of them. Dave handled this better than most and he is counting on the non-passionate love of his audience who accepts him for being Dave. I predict Dave’s ratings will temporarily skyrocket, a few greedy people and all the attorneys involved will make millions of dollars, and then things will settle down. Once life returns to normal, we will all be asking ourselves – me included – why did we waste precious moments of our lives with this? We should know better than to seek to emulate anyone; especially media icons, politicians, or religionists. To quote someone famous: A grown-up is no man’s disciple.

David from WI

October 5th, 2009
6:10 am

So far this whole thing with Letterman makes less and less sense. If I would have said that I worked for Letterman some time in the past (I didn’t) and that I have proof he slept with staffers (I don’t) and I said this a month ago. How many of you would be surprised or even care. The controversy, If any, would only help Letterman’s ratings and he could use his TV show to defend himself and could milk it for even more ratings.
Why would Letterman even feel the need to CARE what this man says or even feel compelled to pay him one cent or even CARE. Blackmail for something that wouldn’t even be a shocker or over things that would only HELP Letterman if found out is a joke.
The blackmailer himself was not an idiot and yet he used HIS OWN BANK UNDER HIS OWN NAME to CASH THE CHECK. That does not sound like he was afraid of being caught does it? A check for 2 million dollars? Really?
This is an award winning journalist and to think he would not be able to write his tell all book and sell it and earn him far more than 2 million dollars is ludicrous. Even a book advance could bring him a ton of money so why the ‘need’ for blackmail?
It just makes little sense the more details come out.
Sure it might be a case of simple blackmail but it makes more sense that the guy could have been set up by an over zealous DA and Letterman and his lawyer.
Letterman is a TV show entertainer and to think he would be hurt over the allegations of having sex with employees doesn’t add up to me. He never claimed to be a saint in the first place.

Things just don’t add up.

Mr. Rice

January 14th, 2010
2:06 pm

I never blog. I read blogs seldom, but no where in the article did I see the word “extramarital”. I did see affairs and that’s it. We all need not be so self-righteous, for all are guilty of DIRT. Being in power and pronounced in the public eye brings to the table the possibility for dirt to leak. It did and will again. The first man (on this earth) didn’t stand a chance. It was a wrong, but all should be glad YOUR dirt wasn’t aired…at least not yet.