Tuesday, August 5th 1997: It's a five thousand year old story. Power attracts. Power produces testosterone. Power is sexy. Powerful ugly guys can "conquer" the youngest and the best looking women.Well, it's the truth. But no news to you. So why is America so keen on the sexcapades?
Two gender-based answers: Women find it titillating save for a few old cows on the N.O.W. board of directors. Men find it assuring and think of cheatin' heart presidents and big-city mayors as "one of the guys" when they hear about their dalliances.
This week our old buddy Hizzoner the Mayor of the Big Apple Rudy Giuliani seems to have been caught with his fingers in the proverbial honey pot. Rudy Giuliani? Mr. Boring? Doctor Death? The kind of chap that would scare the hell out of you on a foggy night?
One and the same.
According to Vanity Fair, the father of Workfare and the man who delivered us from the ravages of vicious Squeegee Men has been diddling his communications director, Cristyne Lategano, 32 -- for three years no less. 
Rudy, whazzamatter, ain't Donna good enough? Evidently not, and the lovely Donna Hanover aka Mrs. Giuliani, isn't happy. But she isn't talking either. A sure sign that things are rotten at Gracie Mansion.Giuliani is 53 -- old enough to be Cristyne's father.
"My reaction is that it's a scurrilous article," Giuliani said yesterday. "It's untrue." But Rudy ought to put the mayoral moves on Jennet Conant, the author of the Vanity Fair expose' -- what a dish! 
Giuliani said New York City voters would vote this fall on his performance, not on "cheap rumors."
Now they're the same thing.
But he's got it all wrong. Cheap rumors are just what he needs for a landslide. And methinks that Ms. Lategano, Rudy's media guru, knows this. The Mayor isn't exactly an exciting personality, but this revelation certainly adds some spice to his otherwise dull exterior. Of course, Rudy did don a dress and lipstick on stage recently.
That was probably Cristyne's idea too.
Rudy shouldn't worry. New Yorkers love him. He's got a 69% approval rating (pardon the pun) and a 23 point lead on Democrat challenger Ruth Messinger who represents the too-tired philosophy of social responsibility.
Now New Yorkers can go to the polls confident that they're voting for two important American virtues -- cross-dressing and philandering.
I wonder when President Clinton will appear as Victor Victoria at the White House Follies?
© 1998, 1997, American Politics Journal Publications Inc.