The Breakfast Table

In The Home Stretch

You know, Beam, it’s really true: Life is what happens to you when you’re making other plans. Who would have dreamt a year ago we’d be where we are today? There are some words and phrases, for example, we will never hear the same way again:

intern

apology

cigar

blue dress

“pain in my marriage”

“El Schmucko” (which, to be truthful, I had never heard before.)

It is remarkable, if you think about it, that a chubby Jewish girl from Beverly Hills, barely out of college, was the catalyst for a President and a country winding up in the current tumultuous situation. It wasn’t Gennifer Flowers, the Arkansas beauty queen, the Hollywood stars, Dolly Kyle Browning, and a cast too numerous to track down. It was Monica Lewinsky. Wow. He finally apologized, by the way, to her and her family. Talk about being Other Directed. His multiple apologies are so transparent you could wrap iceberg lettuce with them.

Actually, I have no doubt that he’s sorry. I’m certain he’s sorry he picked “that woman” to dally with, and sorry that he was found out, and probably most sorry that even if they don’t remove him–or he removes himself–his Presidency is ruined. He is pitiable now and we are the poorer for it.

Sad, and funny I guess: Mike McCurry opened a briefing with, he said, some happy news. Rahm Emanuel’s wife had a baby. (Well, look, better than Monica having one…) Of course, CNN is ablaze with the sex stuff in the report. Even cable is redacting some lines. I don’t think he’s so much toast as bread crumbs. There can’t be much left of him once Mr. and Mrs. America, not to mention Junior, hear about some of the ways he spent Presidential time–and with a bad back yet. (That’s why he sort of leaned against the door jamb.)

Well, that does it for me, Beam. It has been a treat to bat things back and forth with you these last two weeks. And the news gods sure were good to us, weren’t they? Anyway, the doc and I will look for you, with the shadowy Mme. K., at the Fair next month. And we won’t talk politics or news at all! Well, maybe just for a few minutes…

Cheers. xx Margo