Sex lives of presidents

[strollingbones]

finally something to look forward to:

He told The Daily Beast: 'There’s been a lot left out of history books, and we wanted to be more inclusive. For 35 years I’ve been exposing corrupt politicians, and I wanted to know if our Founding Fathers had the same follies or not.'

Some of the things Flynt reveals in his book are how Ben Franklin helped save the American Revolution by seducing French women, that Dolley Madison slept around, and James Buchanan's gay love affair with a slave owner was a boon for secessionists.

He also claims that Abe Lincoln liked to share beds with men and Eleanor Roosevelt's lesbian affairs helped her become a crusader for equal rights. He also talks about the sexual prowess of Bill Clinton and JFK.

Speaking of his book, Flynt said: 'Don't get me wrong - I'm the first person to defend a philandering president if he can still balance the budget. But I think discretion should play a part in it.'

Flynt teamed up with Columbia University lecturer David Eisenbach to write his book, in order to give it some credibility.

He said: 'I knew no one would read a historical book by a pornographer so I brought him in for the credibility.'

Eisenbach said that many academics scorn books written for public consumption and certainly those dealing with sex lives, 'so I knew this wouldn't help my career,' he admits. 'But there's more to life than tenure.'

Read more: The secret lives of presidents: Larry Flynt reveals sordid details about the sex lives of the founding fathers and beyond | Mail Online

 

[AquaAthena]

"Speaking of his book, Flynt said: 'Don't get me wrong - I'm the first person to defend a philandering president if he can still balance the budget. But I think discretion should play a part in it.'"

I agree with Flynt. I can completely understand how any politician needs to relieve stress in this manner and their occupations put them into constant contact with others with whom they have much in common which can be a powerful aphrodisiac. They are human and can get caught up in the moment. They often haven't seen their wives in weeks and their needs for relief and companionship increase while any principles they may have take a back seat to their humanness. Their infidelities, I can understand and forgive. The betrayal to their loved ones at home, I cannot. Above all, when judging a candidate for political office, I want to know if their vision for my country is in sync with mine.

 

[Baruch Menachem]

Men sharing quarters back in the mid 19th century was normal. Especially on the frontier. Lincoln didn't 'like' sharing quarters. He was a circuit riding atty, hotels in county seats were small, crowded and when the court came to town, space was at a premium.
So this part is just silly.

But Buchanan's affair was notorious even back then. And this one carried policy implications, so it is worth studying.

And JFK's promiscuity also carried policy implications, as he shared a girlfriend to Sam Giaccana. She seems to have been less shared than supplied in return for favors.