Hillary Says She's True-Blue
What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
Hillary Rodham Clinton is facing the sorts of questions that have dogged her husband's political career - questions about her marriage and personal life.
A Buffalo, New York, radio reporter asked the first lady if she'd ever been unfaithful to her husband, particularly with Vince Foster. Foster, you'll recall, was a former White House deputy whose suicide was shrouded in mystery. Rumors that he had some sort of romantic connection with Mrs. Clinton are not new, but asking her about it straight out, is.
"I think those questions are out of bounds," Mrs. Clinton said. But when Tom Bauerle, the morning host for WGR-FM radio, persisted, she said, "Of course, it's 'no,'" And she tried to get back on track: "At some point we all have to say these questions, these speculations, really divert attention (from) what we can do to work together."
Bauerle pressed on, asking if she'd ever used pot or cocaine. "Tom, what did you have for breakfast this morning?" Mrs. Clinton shot back. And "No," in answer to the question.
It's the second time in as many days Mrs. Clinton has been startled by unexpectedly personal questions. On Tuesday, she responded to a rumor that her marriage would end once her husband leaves the White House. She insisted that she expects to stay with him for the rest of her life, and cited the 25 years of experiences she and the president have shared.
This round of questions is a new chapter in Mrs. Clinton's public life. On Wednesday afternoon, a Buffalo reporter asked her if she thought these queries about her personal life are fair.
"Oh, I don't know if they're fair or unfair," she answered. "It is on some peoples' minds, but most of what people talk to me about is the state of their families and their jobs and their schools and that's what I'm going to be talking about."
Mrs. Clinton's official announcement that she's running for the Senate is set to take place on Feb. 6.
As Mrs. Clinton notes, fair or unfair, "in bounds" or "out of bounds," are likely to be moot points as her campaign for New York's Senate seat heats up. While she's hardly gotten kid glove treatment during her years as first lady, she can expect a new order of scrutiny once she's actually running for office.
But is that scrutiny fair? Washington Post media writer Howard Kurz thinks asking Mrs. Clinton if she plans to stay married to her husband is legitimate, but "questions about infidelity, who she's been fooling around with, are completely salacious and appalling and shouldn't be part of what we call journalism."
If Hillary Clinton has any of her husband's political skills, she'll survive even the most uncomfortable questions.
© 2000 CBS Worldwide Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed