In 1972, two men worked for George McGovern’s presidential campaign. One was the national campaign director. The other worked in Texas with his girlfriend. The first would be elected to the United States Senate from Colorado in 1974, and the latter would be elected Governor of Arkansas in 1978. Both men were highly intelligent, captivating campaigning, and philanderers. Both sought to become president of the United States. One made it, one did not.

            In 1984, Gary Hart finished second in the Democratic nominating process to former Vice-President Walter Mondale. Hart won four more contests, 26-22, and nearly as many voted, Mondale took 38.3% to Hart’s 35.9. One notable memory is when Mondale used a tagline from a popular Wendy’s television commercial and asked Hart “Where’s the Beef?” Mondale lost overwhelmingly to Ronald Reagan that November. Hart was the front-runner for 1988.

            There were many adjectives to describe Hart as well including aloof, contemptuous, cool, icy, loner, and outsider. To use an expression regarding potential presidents, he wasn’t a guy you may want to have a beer with. He may have been a guy you wanted living in the White House. I discovered him in the early eighties when he was a virtual unknown and was impressed by his intellect. In 1986, he gave a lecture mentioning retooling the American military after the Cold War. What? He was foreshadowing Al Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah, and ISIS back them.

            For years, the press had ignored candidates’ and presidents’ personal lives. There were allegations, rumors, and actuality. Sticking with reasonably recent chief executives FDR, JFK, and LBJ probably (don’t laugh) all had infidelities. Gary Hart and his wife Lee had separated twice. In 1987, candidate Hart made one big mistake; He told a reporter “Follow me around. I don’t care. I’m serious. If anybody wants to put a tail on me, go ahead. They’d be very bored.” They did, and an aspiring actress named Donna Rice, as well as a yacht named Monkey Business.

            Two Washington Post named Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward became the most celebrated journalists in the nation when they broke open the Watergate break-in and cover-up leading to the resignation of Richard Nixon. There was now a new model or path, for reporters to gain fame and success. The rules were changing. As smart as Hart was, he didn’t recognize that.

When Bill Clinton announced his candidacy for the presidency on October 3, 1991 (campaigns were shorter then). He had a reputation then as a womanizer. Reporters had heard things, but nothing like the Donna Rice affair when Gennifer Flowers burst on the scene. She came forward and announced she and Clinton had a relationship for a dozen years and even had phone recordings. Here we go again.

The difference was that Gary Hart already showed future candidates, like Clinton, how not to handle such controversy. Matt Bai’s 2014 book All the Truth Is Out, does a fantastic job of detailing Hart’s ‘situation.’ Hart lacked the campaign staff to deflect the accusations, whereas Clinton’s stellar staff did. Hillary Rodham Clinton, the first lady of Arkansas, even went on 60 Minutes with her husband to defend him. She was an astute lawyer and politician as Americans would learn. Lesson learned: It worked.     

            Bill Clinton marred his presidency with another sex scandal. That led to his impeachment, and who knows how that influenced Vice-President Al Gore’s 2000, and his wife Hillary’s 2008 and 2016 presidential bids.

            “What If?” historical analysis is speculative, tedious, and sometimes fun. Who knows if Hart, as the Democratic nominee, could have weathered the attacks that Michael Dukakis could not in 1988. It is a shame for America that his dalliance (s) essentially ended his life as a public servant. He may have made a good Secretary of State or Defense with his knowledge of foreign policy. Hart did do some secondary diplomatic roles during the Obama presidency, but what could have been…