Third, the source. The main proponent of the illegitimate children story is Robert "Say" Macintosh, an outspoken Black activist in Arkansas who cries racism--and bashes Bill Clinton--every chance he gets. For more than a decade, Macintosh has embarrassed those working for racial harmony in the state with out-landish accusations of unfair treatment. He's chained himself to fences outside the State Capitol and burned flags to provoke attacks from ignorant whites.

But Clinton has one of the best records nationally for putting Blacks in significant positions in his administration. Some, such as health care expert Jocelyn Elders, have achieved national attention for their work. Clinton may be a lecher, but he ain't a racist.

THE ANSWER? It seems that it amounts to exactly one hill of beans. More hanky-panky, and he never would have stayed in the Governor's Mansion. Less, and he would give a Clarence Thomas answer--no way, I never even thought about it.

So does all of this have anything in the world to do with Bill Clinton's ability to command American armies or fight unemployment or spark an educational revival? Not really.

Morally, you might be angry with Clinton. Indeed, breaking a commitment to an unwitting spouse is not defensible. But Hillary has never been unwitting. It's likely that she knew about the affairs. (Besides, when have great presidents ever been moral presidents?)

The issue comes down to one of judgment. Clinton had to know it would be politically dangerous to let his loins wander--so why be so stupid? Much of the answer is that he was young and plagued with marital problems. Anyway, the White House wasn't in Clinton's future at the time of the alleged affairs.

Still, this doesn't fly completely given Clinton's ambition and the fact that as early as 1980, he was considered for the top spot at the Democratic National Committee.

So, yes, he made a bad call. He was arrogant enough to think he could get away with extramarital fun--even in the context of an open marriage. Will he make similar bad calls as president? Perhaps, but it's hard to believe that they will harm the country. Besides, no one he's up against for the nomination has a claim to pure judgment.

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) lies on the campaign trail about his deaf brother Frank and talks populist while owning a house in the Bahamas.

Actress Debra Winger used to spend the night in Bob Kerrey's Governor's Mansion in Lincoln and speed around Nebraska in a government car.

Gov. Doug Wilder of Virginia took beauty queen Patricia Kluge on state-paid helicopter junkets and then put the high school dropout on a University of Virginia board.

None of these things is necessarily morally corrupt--but all of it involves bad judgment for a potential presidential candidate.

Will Bill Clinton be president? Not this time. But hopefully it won't have anything to do with accusations of infidelity. Clinton is no Gary Hart. In this case, the candidate does is not at fault morally. And his one-time lack of judgment should not prevent a serious look at Clinton's message--one that might be the key to the White House for the Democrats.

John A. Cloud '93, a Crimson editor, is from Little Rock, Ark. He hopes to work with Kitty Kelley on her next book.

Clinton says he won't answer any "have you ever" questions. Good policy. He has some skeletons. But he's no more of a schmuck than any of his opponents.