Sherry Was Just Another Focus Group

At least it proves that the Cold War is truly over. In the old days, a hooker would claim that the john had whispered government secrets into her ear or mumbled the Pentagon’s nuclear attack codes in his sleep. The best that Sherry Rowlands can manage, in alleging breaches of national security, is that Dickie Morris gave her a preview of Hillary’s convention speech, plus advance warning that there might be life on Mars.

As scandals go, it’s pretty pathetic. Who cares whether political consultant Dick Morris had a yearlong relationship with Rowland, who supposedly charged $200 an hour for recreational assistance, as he toiled away in the Jefferson Hotel teaching Bill Clinton how to be a better Republican? Morris’ wife may care, but that’s her business, not ours.

As far as I know, Morris has never made a big public thing about the importance to him personally of family values. So he can’t get hit with a hypocrisy rap the way his boss Bill was in 1992, when Gennifer Flowers took her story to the Star. And if Morris now denies everything, who cares if he’s a liar? He’s not running for public office. He’s not under oath.

In fact, the whole point about Morris is that he doesn’t have any integrity; he is simply the cynical consultant who tells his clients how to get elected. Matters of principle and conscience don’t apply.

There is the question of who set Morris up.

The simplest answer is that Rowlands settled into her dealings with Morris, then at the moment for maximum financial yield went to the Star with her story and supporting documentation. Variants include the possibility that this was a setup from the start, with Rowlands primed by the Star, or by Republican dirty tricksters or--let’s be scrupulously balanced--by liberals in the White House like Harold Ickes and George Stephanopoulos eager to bring Morris down.

The owner of the Star is no stranger to these tacky games. Back in the early 1970s, the Rupert Murdoch-owned News of the World set up two call girls with secret cameras whirring through one-way mirrors, thus entrapping Lord Lambton, at that time a junior Conservative minister in the British War Department. It was alleged that maybe Lambton was conveying military secrets. He resigned forthwith, even though no one for a moment believed he was guilty of being anything more than an ass for getting caught with his pants down.

The problem with these theories is: Why would anyone think there was a big political plus in setting up Dick Morris?

You can see why Bill and Hillary are upset. Who wants topic A to be hookers on the night of the big speech to the American people. Who wants to have the American people reminded of bimbos just when Paula Jones seemed to have fallen down the memory hole?

Morris must be gnashing his teeth at the injustice of being forced to resign at the precise moment when his strategy was being so brilliantly consummated. Since the midterm elections in 1994, he had counseled Clinton to swerve right and capture Republican issues. Let the liberals twist in the wind, he assured the Clintons, they have nowhere else to go.

And thus it came to pass. Clinton is far ahead of Dole, and in Chicago the liberals let Clinton know, night after night, that all is forgiven. In a way, this tempest in a four-poster has left the liberals feeling better than ever. They had come to ascribe some sinister hypnotic power to Morris, whereby Clinton had only reluctantly, and with many a backward glance, been led into Republican apostasy. Now, they exult, Clinton can be Clinton once more, and fight ever more vigorously against the welfare bill that Morris made him sign.

Alas for such illusions! Bill and Dick go way, way back. Clinton met Morris back in 1977 and by the following year had him on retainer. Later, Morris described their “close intimate relationship” as “political tactical soul mates.” Hillary Clinton in particular has admired Morris’ skills. She may be piqued that Morris let Sherry Rowlands read drafts of her convention speech, but she should be forgiving. Even in bed, Morris didn’t pass up the opportunity to try out the speech on one more focus group. And remember, the speech went over big.

I wish the Clintons had stood by their man. Loyalty still counts for something in the public mind.