In a syndicated column over the summer, gossip columnist Liz Smith said that the affair between Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky reminded her of the affair between John F. Kennedy and Judith Exner. Noting that Smith identified JFK’s lover as “the Catholic Judith Exner,” we commented as follows to the press:
“We’re disappointed that the lesbian Liz Smith didn’t identify the Jew Monica Lewinsky the way she did the Catholic Judith Exner.”
Days later Liz Smith said she needed to “explain” herself. What she meant, she said, was to say that “Judith was a devout and troubled believer who never failed to emphasize her pain in being denied the sacraments. I was trying to describe her as she often described herself to me.” Yeah, that’s real close to what she first said.
“No slur against Catholicism was intended,” she opined. Smith closed by saying, “We have all fallen short of glory.”
We trust she got the message.
