Opinion: In today’s pages: Hookers and Hillary
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Columnist Rosa Brooks explains what the Spitzer scandal means for the Clinton candidacy:
This gets to why this scandal has the potential to be more than just distracting and uncomfortable for Clinton. Spitzergate -- and Hillary’s ambivalent response so far -- reminds us that Bill wasn’t the only member of the Clinton family who let women down when he was in the White House. Remember 1992? Hillary got in hot water for telling ’60 Minutes’ that ‘I’m not ... some little woman, standing by my man like Tammy Wynette.’But later, as Bill’s career became mired in scandal after scandal, it became all too clear that Hillary was willing to tolerate pretty much anything he did.
George Washington University’s Patty Kelly thinks Spitzergate could have another effect -- convincing Americans it’s time to decriminalize prostitution. Contributing editor Timothy Garton Ash says Britain needs to define what it means to be British. And columnist Patt Morrison argues for our right to gripe.
The editorial board explains the battle of the brass that may have felled Adm. William J. Fallon...
The animosity between the two top military men was personal (Petraeus reportedly thought Fallon was trying to micromanage him). It was political (Petraeus is President Bush’s favorite general, while Fallon’s views put him increasingly at odds with the administration). And it was strategic (Petraeus’ mission is to win in Iraq, while Fallon feared an extended heavy presence there would sap U.S. strength needed to deal with other global challenges).
The board also says elephants shouldn’t be used as props for kiddie science shows, and says the Toni Locy case could convince Congress to finally pass shield legislation for journalists.
Readers react to Michael Scheuer’s Op-Ed on upping the shock and awe. L.A.’s Douglas Bland sums up Scheuer’s case: ‘So, in a nutshell, we’ve already lost their hearts and minds, so let’s kill them all. I think we’ve lost our hearts and minds.’