The White House as a B&B;

Early in his 1984 campaign for the presidency, former Vice President Walter Mondale was asked how a president can and should maintain the dignity of the White House. “By who you honor,” Mondale said.

That was not long after Frank Sinatra was awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Reagan at the White House. The Sinatra honor caused a few tongues to cluck because of the sometimes unsavory friendships and associations to be found in the singer’s past.

But that possible slip of judgment on Reagan’s part pales beside the pure sleaze of President Clinton’s invitations to fat-cat Democratic Party contributors to spend the night in the second-floor family quarters of the White House as a way of saying thanks, or possibly to oil the way for future giving.

At least Reagan was a longtime friend of Sinatra. From the latest news accounts of the White House sleepovers, it’s not clear whether the Clintons were even acquaintances of all those invited to stay at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

The Times reported this past weekend that at least 577 friends and supporters--and possibly as many as 900--were overnight guests in the Lincoln Bedroom (never used as such in Lincoln’s time) and other rooms upstairs at the White House in the two years before the Nov. 5 election. Administration officials said it was entirely appropriate for the Clintons to host overnight guests. That’s true, up to a point. Reagan and Bush administration sources said the practice of having outsiders stay at the White House was limited, although it is certain that some guests were there because they were avid political supporters and/or heavy contributors to those presidents.

And there is nothing wrong with Clinton playing host to early and longtime backers of his own. That is one of the perks of office. But Clinton and the Democratic National Committee went well over the line in channeling big contributors to the White House like it was a common hotel.

The White House is one of the enduring symbols of our democracy. It was gutted by fire during the War of 1812 but survived to become a beacon of hope through two world wars, the Depression and the Cold War. At this moment in history, however, the White House personifies the worst of political greed and excess.