Ten years ago today, the College was thrust into the national political spotlight when Gary Hart -- a contender for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination -- made his first appearance in front of reporters since a published report alleged he was having an extramarital affair with actress-model Donna Rice.
Hart was scheduled to deliver a speech on American foreign policy in Alumni Hall as part of his campaign through New Hampshire, where he sought to cultivate support for the 1988 state Democratic presidential primary.
But just days before his scheduled appearance, The Miami Herald published a story saying he spent the previous weekend at his Washington D.C. townhouse with Rice.
Hart gave his foreign policy address as scheduled to more than 900 people on May 6, 1987.
But it was the events that occurred during a 50-minute press conference at the Hanover Inn following his speech -- the first opportunity reporters had to question Hart since the report was published -- that thrust the College into the national spotlight.
The Dartmouth reported that members of the national news media barraged Hart with personal questions during the press conference.
The former Colorado Senator denied ever having an affair with Rice, but refused to discuss whether he had ever committed adultery.
He acknowledged "I have made a mistake," but said that his error was misjudging how a string of innocent actions would be misconstrued.
"I underestimated the way in which it would be inferred," he said.
When he was still in the Senate in 1984, Hart ran a surprisingly strong campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, faring well in early primaries before eventually succumbing to former Vice President Walter Mondale. Mondale went on to lose to President Ronald Reagan in a landslide in the general election.
Given his strong showing in 1984, Hart was one of the early favorites for the 1988 Democratic nomination.
But conventional wisdom holds that the allegations of infidelity, and Hart's perceived poor handling of them, were the beginning of the end of Hart's 1988 presidential chances.
Government Professor Roger Masters said he believes Hart's affair with Rice damaged his presidential hopes because "his handling of the situation revealed that he wasn't in control of his own behavior."
Constantine Spiliotes, another government professor, said that, generally, "how a politician handles a crisis reveals a lot about his personality."
"If he isn't comfortable with what it reveals, than there are problems," he said.
Spiliotes said Hart's debacle contrasts strongly with then-Gov. Bill Clinton's handling of impropriety allegations involving Gennifer Flowers in 1992.
Spiliotes said Hart had a self-righteous air and an antagonistic relationship with the press, almost daring them to catch him with another women.
Clinton, on the other hand, handled the press better, because he immediately addressed issues concerning his extramarital activities, while Hart originally attempted to avoid the situation, Spiliotes said.
Hart eventually dropped out of consideration for the 1988 Democratic nomination, continually dogged by the charges of infidelity. The nomination went to Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis, who lost the presidential election to Vice President George Bush.
