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A number of unannounced GOP presidential candidates, including family activist Gary Bauer, Sen. John Ashcroft, R-Mo., magazine publisher Steve Forbes, and Gov. George Bush, R-Texas, are pushing the premarital chastity issue. Problem is, to be completely honest on the matter, they would have to retroactively denounce a few of their heroes. History notes that Mr. and Mrs. Pat Robertson had a newborn son a mere 10 weeks after they married, and Mrs. Nancy Reagan gave birth to a child five months after she and Ron were wed.
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Ardmoreite
Are you now, or have you ever been...
By Joseph Spear
In a prescient editorial last February, the Baltimore Sun addressed the matter of where the current fascination with the private lives of public figures is leading us:
''The answer that flows inexorably from the (Kenneth) Starr inquiry, and the prurience of the media in the name of the public interest, would be a requirement that candidates for public office file forms of sexual disclosure, similar to those of financial disclosure, with criminal penalties for failure to tell the whole truth. This may sound stupid, undignified, unworkable or destructive to decent political life. It is where the current frenzy is taking the country.''
Indeed.
Within two weeks of the Sun's prediction, America's self-appointed Master of Morality, William Bennett, declared it would be fruitless for Republican candidates who had dallied outside of marriage to run for the presidency. Said Bennett: ''Notice to Republican candidates: If you committed adultery, I don't think you are going to get the nomination.''
Two weeks later, on ''Meet the Press,'' former veep Dan Quayle assured America that he had remained a faithful husband during his marriage. (Some wondered whether this was a matter of morality on his part or fear that Marilyn would stomp him, but that is neither here nor there for purposes of this discussion).
In May, Rep. Jon Christensen, R-Neb., an evangelical Christian and family-values champion, offered his fiancee's sexual history as evidence of his worthiness for the office of governor. She ''has saved herself for marriage,'' said Christensen of the woman he planned to marry, former Miss America Tara Holland.
This month, the Democratic challenger to Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., signed an affidavit swearing that he had never violated his marriage vows and demanded that Bond do the same. He refused.
A few days ago, Illinois Democrat Gary Mueller, who is running for the House seat held by Rep. Gerald Weller, signed an ''affidavit of integrity,'' in which he formally swore he had never had an adulterous affair; had never had a homosexual encounter; had never been charged with or convicted of a felony; had never abused his wife or children; and had never experimented with illegal drugs. He did it because the press was hassling him with morality questions, he said, adding: ''I only brought it up because of the environment we find ourselves in.''
Ex-Tennessee Governor and GOP presidential hopeful Lamar Alexander was asked on C-SPAN recently if he had ever had an affair outside of marriage. ''No, I haven't,'' he quickly replied.
A few days ago, South Carolina's Republican Governor David Beasley called a press conference to deny 2-year-old allegations of an extramarital affair. Seated beside him were his pregnant wife, Mary Wood Beasley, the former press secretary he is alleged to have been involved with, Ginny Wolfe, and Wolfe's husband. ''Mary Wood and I love each other dearly,'' Beasley said. ''We both have been faithful to one another 100 percent.'' Mrs. Beasley added: ''David and I have a wonderful, faithful, Christ-centered marriage.'' When the news conference ended, the four participants got up and embraced in a group hug.
I could go on, but I'm running out of space. Clearly, we are moving in the direction of an official system of sexual disclosure. ''Have you ever been involved in an adulterous affair,'' the form might say. And, ''Have you ever fornicated?''
Oh yes, that one is coming, too. A number of unannounced GOP presidential candidates, including family activist Gary Bauer, Sen. John Ashcroft, R-Mo., magazine publisher Steve Forbes, and Gov. George Bush, R-Texas, are pushing the premarital chastity issue. Problem is, to be completely honest on the matter, they would have to retroactively denounce a few of their heroes.
History notes that Mr. and Mrs. Pat Robertson had a newborn son a mere 10 weeks after they married, and Mrs. Nancy Reagan gave birth to a child five months after she and Ron were wed.
Copyright1998 NEWSPAPER ENTERPRISE ASSN.
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