. . . Not the Sexual Pandering of MTV : Why did Clinton appoint the network chief to his crusade against teen pregnancy?

What criteria did President Clinton use in selecting the leaders of his new national campaign to reduce teen pregnancy? Could his appointment of MTV President Judy McGrath have more to do with gaining the support of young voters than with tackling teen pregnancy?

Shortly after his inauguration, President and Mrs. Clinton appeared on MTV and he announced, “I think everybody here knows that MTV had a lot to do with the Clinton-Gore victory.”

Whatever his motives, one has to wonder: What will a network that is notorious for pumping out sexually explicit videos contribute to reducing teen pregnancy?

In his remarks at the kickoff for the national campaign, Clinton said: “We have to work to instill, within every young man and woman, a sense of personal responsibility, a sense of self-respect and a sense of possibility.”

With that in mind, some questions for Clinton and McGrath:

* Will MTV pull programs that promote irresponsible sex and are sexually degrading to women? The popular game show “Singled Out” does anything but promote responsibility, self-respect and possibility. The dating game features men and women who select potential dates based on things like size of breasts and other body parts. The contestants are mocked and degraded. Attempting to woo their “dream date” by introducing themselves as suggestively as possible, contestants say things like, “Hi Susan, I have an 8-inch tongue and I can breathe through my ears” and “Ed, I’m Carly and I like sex really gnarly.” What message is MTV sending with this show? Women are objects. Dating is only about sex. A woman is expected to “put out.” Will this outlook contribute to reducing teen pregnancy?

* How many abstinence ads will MTV air? MTV is notorious for its condom ads, including one featuring a cartoon-like condom that crawls into bed with a couple. How can MTV promote abstinence for teens when the network regularly airs music videos such as “Too Hot” by Rapper Coolio, who instructs viewers: “Everybody and their mother is preachin’ abstinence, but kids ain’t checkin’ for absti-s---. Just put a condom in their hand and hope it don’t bust.”

* Clinton said, “All of us must work together to send a clear message to our young people that staying in school, postponing sexual activity and preparing to work are the right things to do.” How does that sentiment square with a typical day of MTV, which promotes premature sexual activity, not postponing sex? L.L. Cool J’s Top-10 video “Hey Lover” focuses on the pursuit of a teenage girl as he sings, “I gotta take you from your man, that’s my mission. He can’t stop me from having day dreams. Tonguing you down with vanilla ice cream.” In the video “Let’s Play House,” Tha Dogg Pound accompanies their explicitly sexual lyrics with bikini clad women who appear to be at the disposal of the band.

Such examples are only a fraction of MTV’s longtime record of demeaning sex, promoting promiscuity and degrading young people.

If Clinton is serious about using McGrath to teach America’s young people about preventing teen pregnancy, he’s either out of his mind or is hoping once again to “Rock the Vote” in his favor this November.