February 16, 2018

"In January, 2017, [Karen] McDougal had her breast implants removed, citing declining health that she believed to be connected to the implants."

"McDougal said that confronting illness, and embracing a cause she wanted to speak about, made her feel increasingly conflicted about the moral compromises of silence. 'As I was sick and feeling like I was dying and bedridden, all I could do was pray to live. But now I pray to live right, and make right with the wrongs that I have done,' she told me. McDougal also cited the actions of women who have come forward in recent months to describe abuses by high-profile men. 'I know it’s a different circumstance,' she said, 'but I just think I feel braver.' McDougal told me that she hoped speaking out might convince others to wait before signing agreements like hers. 'Every girl who speaks,' she said, 'is paving the way for another.'"

The last paragraph of "Donald Trump, a Playboy Model, and a System for Concealing Infidelity/One woman’s account of clandestine meetings, financial transactions, and legal pacts designed to hide an extramarital affair," by Ronan Farrow in The New Yorker.

Trump's spokesperson says he did not have sexual relations with that woman, Karen McDougal.

Are we supposed to care about all the extramarital affairs of politicians again? Is that what #MeToo is turning into? Why?! Because there was a "system for concealing" it? Should we ruin the professional life of everyone who's committed adultery or everyone who's committed adultery and been good at hiding it? Do we really want to limit the pool of potential elected officials to individuals who have never been unfaithful to a spouse? Or is this just some special huff we're supposed to get into because of Trump?

I haven't read every word of Farrow's article, so please let me know if there's some accusation of physical abuse. I see the word "abuses" in the paragraph I quoted: "McDougal also cited the actions of women who have come forward in recent months to describe abuses by high-profile men." But on skimming, I don't see anything here other than a married man cheating on his wife and covering it up. Trump has never sold himself to us as an icon of chastity, so why am I supposed to care other than that I'm supposed to hate Trump?

If there is one thing that draws me into liking Trump, it's the pressure to hate him.

222 comments:

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WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

"Obama was a terrible president in many ways, but he was faithful to his wife."
)****(
"Instead of dickin' bimbos, he screwed the rest of us."


Yes.

John Pickering said...

As is unfortunately true of Pookie, he attributes a remark to me that was made by Peter.

That simple error dovetails with his support of the vastly flawed and contemptible human in the Oval Office, and provides an example of the sort of "critical thinking" that Pookie has so evidently mastered.



Pookie Number 2 said...

I stand corrected in confusing two thought-free liberals. It must be the absence of any honest insight on either of their parts.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

It is even braver to take on the POTUS.

Just when I think your not worth reading you toss out a side splitter like this! That’s the funniest thing I’ve seen today! “Brave”! Holy crap. As if the DNC-Media complex wouldn’t make ANYONE slagging Trump a hero.

Where was NBC’s bravery when Ronan wrote about Hollywood and Harvey? Fucking unamerican pussies. THAT’S the proof Ronan is brave. That he saw THAT through. Not taking on POTUS. Taking him on is ALL they do on 99% of media 99% of the time.

Francisco D said...

"That simple error dovetails with his support of the vastly flawed and contemptible human in the Oval Office, and provides an example of the sort of "critical thinking" that Pookie has so evidently mastered."

That Pickering twit is sowing political discord. We need a special counsel to investigate.

Reference to an earlier post about the recent indictments.

n.n said...

They caused soi-disant conservatives not just to completely renounce their principles, but to actually delight in mocking them.

Not at all. The issues are involuntary exploitation, superior exploitation, and normalization (i.e. promotion). There has always been an opening for repentance and salvation in cases other than elective abortion. Social progress has dictated a greater requirement for patience and discernment. For example, unlike one-child, selective-child is a cultural progression. So, is [color] diversity, political congruence, social justice wars, etc.

Drago said...

ARM: "I'm a moderate. I preferred Obama."

Pretty much all fans of the Stasi and their tactics do.

Drago said...

John Pickering: "As is unfortunately true of Pookie, he attributes a remark to me that was made by Peter."

"Pickering, Pookie and Peter walk into a bar....."

William said...

There's not much to admire in Trump's morality, but there's much to envy in his sex life........I never held JFK's affair with Marilyn Monroe against him. Theologians have long recognized the Marilyn Monroe exception to the marriage contract. I'm not sure but I believe the Monroe exception clause applies to Playmates of the Year. I don't think the Monroe exception applies to pornstars, but there's some debate on the subject........The Monroe exception does not apply to interns. I think Trump will get away with this, but maybe something more lurid will turn up down the road. I think all Republicans can be grateful to the media for inoculating us to the harm of sex scandals. If it weren't for that Hollywood Access Tape, many would have believed that Trump was the model husband.

Paul Snively said...

Dr. Althouse: Do we really want to limit the pool of potential elected officials to individuals who have never been unfaithful to a spouse?

As if Pence 2020 weren't already looking like a slam dunk.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

The belief that Trump is a 'player' seems debatable. He is a John, who buys whores and apparently skips out on the bill on occasion.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Based on Melania's unwillingness to even hold his hand it seems likely that for the next four years at least Trump is getting about as much sex as the average Trappist monk.

walter said...

If we only we had elected Clinton, Inc.

Trumpit said...

"BTW, is Ronan Farrow anything other than a celebrity gossip and a fluff-headed fairy?"

You are nothing more than ignorance, and bigotry personified. Shut Your odorous trap.

tim in vermont said...

The curse of the unpaid whore. Google it.

Char Char Binks, Esq. said...

Oh, I guess Ronan is also a journo.

Trumpit said...

"Theologians have long recognized the Marilyn Monroe exception to the marriage contract."

Are you commenting from Bellevue Mental Hospital?

Ty said...

The last candidate I voted for was a tax cheating animal abuser who gave women terminal cancer. Trump is practically a saint in comparison.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

I hear you brother, I voted for a muslim terroristic fist bumping Kenyan Manchurian candidate married to a woman with balls.

chickelit said...

I wish Ronan Farrow would stop being so coy about his paternity. I know it's nobody's business but his own but still, enquirer minds want to know.

langford peel said...

It seems that Mr. Pickerings Pussy Hat is just too tight.

Poor guy.

I guess that happens when you have Trump living rent free in your noggin.

Bad Lieutenant said...


John Pickering said...
Another thing that baffles Ann and some of her readers is, why

John Pickering keeps calling the hostess "Ann" when it has been repeatedly explained to him that she prefers "Althouse," which is all the funnier as JP has just objected, pretty heavily, to not being called by his right name.

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