Henrietta Hay's Column

Masters and Johnson's book "Human Sexuality" created a major stir when it was published not too many years ago. Most of us read it, but we certainly didn't talk about it publicly. In fact, in spite of the sexual revolution, sex was not often a topic of general dinner table conversation until it became political.

Now the question of who is sleeping with whom and when they did it has become the topic of the day, big news and a major political issue. Like most Americans, I am struggling to decide what I think or believe about its importance. After all, we have a presidential primary coming up here in Colorado in just two months. We have one candidate who has been accused of adultery, one who reportedly had an affair with a glamorous movie star and another whom we hear dallied with a famous singer. So far we don't know anything about the sex lives of any of the others, and with a lot of luck we won't find out. If any women turn up in the list, we will simply have to hope they do not turn out to be "manizers."

Anyway, I will have to make a decision on whether to judge a presidential candidate on his/her brains, ability, integrity and knowledge of public affairs, or his/her private life which may well be none of my business. I will have to decide to what extent private life influences public life. I've been watching TV and reading the columns and the editorials and the few news stories. I have not consulted the Star, although I did see the headlines in the supermarket between the chewing tobacco and the beef jerky. I have been picking the brains of the people I talk to with interesting results. There is one solid, nearly unanimous opinion. "Oh sure, I think -- well, no -- well, maybe -- oh, I'm not quite sure how I feel." As Anna Quindlen puts it, "In the last thirty years we've moved from wondering whether it happens to wondering whether it matters."

One of my sources says, "I'm hopelessly square and believe public figures should be held to a high moral standard." Another one says, "A candidate's private life is none of our business." One says, "If he cheats in private he will cheat in public." Another says, "Let's get into the real world. The only perfect people are thee and me." Somewhere in there probably lies a realistic solution to what has become a serious dilemma.

The immediate focus of controversy, of course, is Bill Clinton. But the minute examination of the private lives of public figures has been coming on for a long while. Gary Hart opened up a big can of worms but his case was different. He dared the press to catch him in what we might politely call an indiscretion and then proceeded to be indiscreet. With more street smarts and less arrogance he might have been a very good president but that kind of stupidity is really inexcusable.

And as a nation we are completely inconsistent about what we fondly call our values or public morals, or whatever. Douglas Ginsberg was forced to withdraw his name from consideration for the Supreme Court because it was learned that as a young man he had once smoked pot. Clarence Thomas was confirmed in spite of the fact that half the American people believe that he sexually harassed Anita Hill and lied about it.

George Washington, John Kennedy, Franklin Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower and Lyndon Johnson could probably not have been elected if their sexual history had been had been examined by all of us before their elections. Even Jimmy Carter lusted in his heart. But these men were all good presidents.

So where does that leave us? I think maybe it's time to go back to judging candidates by their ability rather than their sex lives. Maybe it's time to point our insatiable curiosity at something besides the political arena. Or maybe we should tell our kids when they are six, that they must decide right then whether they intend ever to run for political office. If so, their lives thenceforth must be spotless and without blemish. Come to think of it, that's not such a bad idea.

Oh sure, I think -- well, no -- well, maybe not -- oh, I'm not quite sure how I feel!