Bush's private life

June 16, 1999

This week George W. Bush was asked intrusive questions about possible youthful indiscretions that he should never have to answer. Whatever Bush did as a young man, in all probability it sheds no light on whether he would make a good president. Reporters had best avoid delving into Bush's younger days unless they can prove that it is relevant to the 2000 presidential campaign.

Neither Grover Cleveland's fathering a child out of wedlock nor Franklin Roosevelt's affair with Lucy Rutherford had any bearing on their work as presidents.

There are certainly questions about Bush's past worth exploring, such as his record as governor and in business. And it is important to determine his influence in his father's administration. Since the younger Bush has not held federal office, this information might provide insight into how he would wield national power.

Gary Hart's extramarital fling in the early stages of the 1988 campaign raised legitimate concerns about his judgment. Voters in the 1996 presidential election would have found it helpful to know that President Clinton was consorting with Monica Lewinsky a year earlier. But absent a link to an ongoing campaign, media trolling for youthful failings is an exercise in sensationalism without redeeming public purpose.