In France, it's terribly taboo to link a candidate's governing ability to any aspect of his personal life. Wind of the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky scandal didn't even raise an eyebrow there -- except to prompt questions on why Americans cared so much about what the president did in his leisure time.
But in U.S. campaign politics, every moral decision made by candidates matters, perhaps more than their actual platforms. To many American voters, who the candidate is and what he has done matters just as much as what he stands for.
Drug use -- a touchy subject
A newfound tradition in presidential elections is to uncover candidates' history of drug use. Voters and tabloids alike are interested in knowing if the candidates have smoked marijuana -- or in President Bush's case, snorted lines of cocaine -- and if so, have they inhaled?
After Clinton was mocked for telling reporters he smoked marijuana without inhaling, this year's Democratic candidates have come clean about their youthful escapades. Three candidates admitted to a cheering crowd of MTV viewers that not only had they smoked marijuana, but that they had inhaled it as well.
John Kerry, John Edwards and Howard Dean all admitted to having been "comfortably numb" at one time or another in their lives, but Joe Lieberman seemed to regret having to give a more "uncool" answer at a Democratic debate. There, some might argue, admitting to having smoked a little pot makes one a more down-to-earth candidate.
Kerry -- a down-home patrician
Kerry's campaign staff may have warned him that being an independently wealthy Yale graduate is not the way to connect with the population at large. Thus, he has begun dropping the letter "g" on the end of gerunds so that he sounds more like the common man. He even used the "f" word during a Rolling Stone interview to describe Bush's handling of the war in Iraq.
Kerry, married to ketchup heiress Teresa Heinz, said early on that he would not accept family money to finance his campaign. Instead, he mortgaged his house to come up with the much-needed cash. While arguably more noble than accepting condiment money, it certainly flies in the face of the conviction that one should be able to campaign regardless of financial status. For many would-be candidates, mortgaging one's house would not generate millions of dollars.
Edwards -- mill town to millions
Edwards may not be Robb Report material to the extent that Kerry is, but he still looks for ways to ground himself. The self-made lawyer is quick to remind the public that he is the son of a South Carolina mill worker and mail carrier and has lived the campaign commercial's image of the American dream, pulling himself up by his own bootstraps.
The first in his family to graduate from college, Edwards made his millions as a lawyer. Representing the common man in his fight against the institutional empire has enabled Edwards to purchase his 6,000 square-foot primary residence in Raleigh, N.C., as well as a ritzy beach house on a private island and a politician's pad in Washington, D.C.
Lieberman -- the Republican's Democrat
Lieberman touts a background similar to that of Edwards. He was the first-born child of a bakery truck driver and a stay-at-home mom. He was also the first in his family to attend college. Like Kerry, he did so at Yale University, where he studied politics and economics before enrolling in Yale Law School.
Lieberman is often remembered for decrying Bill Clinton's sexual behavior during the former president's impeachment hearing. Many peg Lieberman, who identifies as an Orthodox Jew, as being overly self-righteous.
Dean -- it's doctor's orders
Dean, also a Yale grad, is the quintessential Park Avenue-native-turned-New Englander. He resides in Vermont, where he and his wife ran a shared medical practice for many years. His wife Judith, also a doctor, has managed to stay outside the media storm for most of the campaign and has shown little interest in abandoning her bucolic river bike trails to take up residence at Pennsylvania Avenue.
Clark -- one of Little Rock's finest
Retired Gen. Wesley Clark may not have broken into the Ivy League, but he is a Rhodes Scholar and a West Point graduate. In the era of Iraq invasions and code orange warnings, Clark is smart to emphasize his vast military experience, especially as he promotes his anti-war stance.
Clark's background recalls Bill Clinton's in several ways: Both are Arkansas natives who lost their fathers at a young age and went on to become Rhodes Scholars.
Kucinich -- in search of lady friend
Apparently reality television has gone so far as to infiltrate even the Democratic primary. Kucinich, twice divorced, admits to fantasizing about the ideal first lady. In an interview, he even prompted the first lady to contact him, if she is out there. To help him find her, several networks have begun a search for Mrs. Kucinich.
Dennis, help is on the way.
And that's the lowdown on the key 2004 Democratic candidates' lifestyle choices and personal backgrounds. For questions regarding New York activist Al Sharpton, just look at his hair.
