The president and the porn star

How would Mr. Welper explain the porn star?

And the centerfold?

Just how would you explain to a ninth grade civics class why the billionaire President of the United States is threatening to sue a porn star for $20 million because she told folks he’d had sex with her and that she was paid $130,000 not to tell about it – just days before the election.

Or the former Playboy centerfold who is going to court to get her “kiss (well, a lot more than just kiss) and tell” with The Donald into the public domain.

Article II of the Constitution is silent regarding the matter.

It’s just not a situation that was discussed in the Federalist Papers.

There are no Supreme Court precedents that directly apply.

So what do we tell the kids?

For that matter, what do we tell ourselves?

OK, the current occupant of the Lincoln Bedroom (or the Lincoln Sofa if Melania happens to be in residence) isn’t the first of the Republic’s Chief Magistrates to have a zipper problem. Tom Jefferson had his Sally Hemmings; “Ma, Ma, where’s my pa? Gone to the White House, ha, ha, ha!” trailed Grover Cleveland into the Executive Mansion. Nan Britton kept Warren Harding from catching a chill when Florence Harding was away, and JFK is reputed to have shared a mistress with Mafia bosses Sam Giancana and John Roselli.

And of course, let’s not forget Slick Willy and the blue dress.

Which goes to show we elect presidents, not canonize saints…

On the other hand, Willy’s confusion over “what the meaning of ‘is’ is” put him on the wrong side of an impeachment vote in the House for fibbing about his horndog habits, and only when Senate Republicans couldn’t rouse sufficient righteous votes did he dodge a forced change-of-address  that would have sent the Come Back Kid back to Arkansas.

And if that’s the payback for dallying under the desk with a White House intern, what’s the proper Congressional response to $130,00 in hush money and a couple of multi-million dollar days in court?

So far, not a lot…

From the looks of it, the only presidential dalliance that would raise the ire of the GOP and their sycophants is a sharp eyed observer’s spotting Hillary making the walk of shame out the back door of 1600 Pennsylvania.

For the Republican righteous who two decades ago went ballistic, bonkers and berserk at the very mention of Monica, Flowers and Jones, Stormy, McDougal, and Zervos barely raise an eyebrow, and hardly a disapproving one at that. And as for the broadcast salvation-for-a-buck artists, they’re just looking at each other, glad nobody’s expecting them to cast the first stone.

And not so much as a tweet from Ken Starr…

It sure looks like the rules have changed, but when I checked “Thou shalt not commit adultery” was still in the Good Book – the one young Falwell and Frankie Graham like to thump – without an asterisk exempting The Current Occupant.

Which means Mr. Welper’s problem is also Pastor Johnson’s.

How do we explain this to the kids?

And if we let this pass with a wink, a nod and a “rich boys will be rich boys,” what does this say about ourselves?

True enough, as humans we’re all flawed; sinful, theologians say from our very origin. But, by tradition, the root of that original sin was the choice to eat of the fruit that gave us knowledge of good and evil -- the knowledge and understanding that sets us apart from all other beings. We can see, know and understand … and that understanding obligates us to judge.

To judge ourselves.

Only fools expect the leopard to change its spots. We knew full well who we were handing the keys to the Executive Mansion. That, I fear, is why this is no real surprise to anyone.

Still, we need to ask:

Are we better than this?

Should we be?

Or not?

Then, explain that answer to our kids.