Jennifer Fitzgerald, born Jennifer Ann Isobel Patteson-Knight (in 1932), is a retired U.S. diplomat who allegedly had a long-term affair with President George H.W. Bush from the time he was United States ambassador to China which continued while he was Vice President and then President. She worked for Bush in a variety of a positions during much of this time, and her influence on Bush has in turn reportedly led to friction between her and others working for him.^[1] She has never spoken about this allegation, and Bush has denied it. 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will take you to a full 1932 calendar). ... Motto: E pluribus unum (1789 to 1956) (Latin: Out of Many, One) In God We Trust (1956 to present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at federal level; English de facto Government • President • Vice President Federal Republic George... This page is about negotiations; for the board game, see Diplomacy (game). ... George Herbert Walker Bush, GCB, (born June 12, 1924) was the 41st President of the United States (1989–1993). ... An ambassador, rarely embassador, is a diplomatic official accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization, to serve as the official representative of his or her own country. ... The Vice President of the United States is the second-highest executive official of the United States government. ... President is a title held by many leaders of organizations, companies, universities, and countries. ...

The rumored affair was first publicly reported in Spy magazine in 1992^[2]. It later led to Bush being personally confronted about it by NBC and CNN, and a front page story in the Washington Post. Bush did not give a direct answer to the question of an affair on these occasions. In a White House press conference he called the allegations "a lie". NBC, the National Broadcasting Company, is an American television and radio network based in New York Citys Rockefeller Center. ... The Cable News Network, usually referred to as CNN, is a cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner[1] [2]. It is a division of the Turner Broadcasting System, owned by Time Warner. ... ... The southern side of the White House The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the United States of America. ... A joint press conference by U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair at the White House. ...

Early life

Fitzgerald was born in England and came to the U.S. with her parents as a child. She has been married once. Beyond that, little is known of her early life. Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the United Kingdom (light green), with the Republic of Ireland (blue) to its west Languages None official English de facto Capital None official London de facto Largest city London Area – Total Ranked...

Fitzgerald and Bush meet

The newly divorced Fitzgerald first met Bush in 1974. She had left a White House position to become Bush's secretary after he was appointed U.S. ambassador to China. Years later, Barbara Bush was still bitter when she complained to author Gail Sheehy that her husband hadn't even noticed that she had stopped coloring her hair.^[2] Divorce or dissolution of marriage is the ending of a marriage before the death of either spouse, which can be contrasted with an annulment, which is a declaration that a marriage is void, though the effects of marriage may be recognized in such unions, such as spousal support, child custody... The southern side of the White House The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the United States of America. ... A secretary is an office/administrative support position. ... An ambassador, rarely embassador, is a diplomatic official accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization, to serve as the official representative of his or her own country. ... Gail Sheehy is an American writer and lecturer, most notable for her books on life and the life cycle. ... Hair coloring products generally fall into four categories: temporary, semipermanent, deposit only/demi, and permanent. ...

She resented Fitzgerald because of the considerable influence she came to have over her husband. Some who knew both George Bush and Fitzgerald called her his "office wife." ^[1]

Later 1970s

When Bush left his ambassadorial post to become Director of Central Intelligence, Fitzgerald went to Langley as his assistant. During this time, Barbara Bush was suffering—she said later—from depression so severe she contemplated suicide on several occasions. ^[1] In the United States, the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) serves as the head of both the Intelligence Community and the Central Intelligence Agency. ... Langley is an unincorporated community in the census-designated place of McLean in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. ... Clinical depression is a state of sadness or melancholia that has advanced to the point of being disruptive to an individuals social functioning and/or activities of daily living. ... Suicide (from Latin sui caedere, to kill oneself) is the act of willfully ending ones own life. ...

Bush and Fitzgerald parted professional company the next year when Bush left the CIA following the change of administration and returned, temporarily, to the private sector. He arranged for Fitzgerald to stay in public service, however, as a special assistant to former Yale University president Kingman Brewster, then serving as U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom. Conveniently, according to Kitty Kelley, Bush's private-sector post as a corporate director required him to travel to London frequently. Fitzgerald also took frequent vacations back to the U.S., which led to her departure from the post after a year.^[1] Yale redirects here. ... Kingman Brewster, Jr. ... Author Kitty Kelley Kitty Kelley (born April 4, 1942) is an American investigative journalist and author of several best-selling biographies of celebrities and politicians--which have led to her international--and controversial--reputation as the first lady of the unauthorized biography genre. ... It has been suggested that Board of Trustees be merged into this article or section. ... London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England and is the most populous city in the European Union. ...

1980 presidential campaign

Bush aide and longtime confidant James Baker reportedly threatened to resign from Bush's 1980 campaign for the Republican presidential nomination if Fitzgerald was in any way involved, due to the strong influence she had on him. ^[1] So Bush reluctantly let her go. Fitzgerald returned as a Bush staff member once he became Ronald Reagan's running mate and the election had been won. James Addison Baker III (born April 28, 1930), American politician and diplomat, was Chief of Staff in President Ronald Reagans first administration, United States Secretary of the Treasury from 1985 to 1988 in the second Reagan administration, and Secretary of State in the administration of President George H. W... This article is about the modern United States Republican Party. ... Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981–1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967–1975). ... A running mate is a person running for a subordinate position on a joint ticket during an election. ...

In that position she clashed with another Bush intimate, future Republican National Committee president Rich Bond. This time he left, after Bush told him he would not make the same mistake twice.^[1] Bush/Cheney, 2004 Campaign Manager Ken Mehlman is the current Chairman of the RNC. The Republican National Committee (RNC) provides national leadership for the United States Republican Party. ... Richard N. Bond is a former chairman of the Republican National Commitee, from 1992 to 1993. ...

Vice presidency

According to Kelley, Nancy Reagan, who disliked the Bushes, liked to tell the story of a March 18, 1981 incident involving the then-Vice President and Fitzgerald. That night, security men suddenly went up to Alexander Haig and William French Smith, then Attorney General, while they were having dinner at the Lion d'Or restaurant in Washington with friends and family. The pair departed hastily, then returned after 45 minutes laughing and shaking their heads. Asked what had happened, they explained that Bush had gotten into a car accident while out with Fitzgerald and needed their help keeping the incident off the record.^[2] Kelley's publisher's fact checkers went to the extent of contacting someone else who attended that dinner, and confirmed the account. ^[2] White House portrait Nancy Davis Reagan (born July 6, 1921) is the widow of President Ronald Reagan and was First Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989. ... March 18 is the 77th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (78th in leap years). ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Alexander Meigs Haig, Jr. ... William French Smith (August 26, 1917–October 29, 1990) was an American lawyer and the 74th Attorney General of the United States. ... In most common law jurisdictions, the Attorney General is the main legal adviser to the government, and in some jurisdictions may in addition have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions. ... A car accident in Yate, near Bristol, England, in July 2004. ...

Other Washington gossip circulated during the 1980s about Bush and Fitzgerald, who served as "executive assistant" to the Vice President. In one widely-told story, Bush had been visiting Fitzgerald one night at her home near the Chinese embassy, when the building she lived in caught fire. The Secret Service refused to even let city firefighters in the building until Bush's departure via a secluded rear exit could be assured. ^[1] Look up Gossip in Wiktionary, the free dictionary The word gossip may refer to: the act of spreading news from person to person, especially rumors or private information: see chat the news spread through the act of gossiping While gossip forms one of the oldest and (still) the most common... MacGyver - 1980s hero The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive. ... For other uses, see Fire (disambiguation). ... USSS redirects here. ... It has been suggested that Firefighter Assist and Search Team be merged into this article or section. ...

In 1984, Bush went to Geneva for disarmament talks. Fitzgerald was one of the accompanying staff. A lawyer from the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency went to her room with some papers for her signature and Bush answered the door. ^[1]After the talks, it was later claimed that the two shared a cottage on Lake Geneva for several days.^[1] Geneva (pronunciation //; French: Genève //, German: //, Italian: Ginevra) is the second most populous city in Switzerland, situated where Lake Geneva (French Lac Léman) flows into the Rhône River. ... Arms control is a broad term alluding to a range of political concepts and aims. ... A lawyer is a person qualified to give legal advice who advises clients in legal matters and represents them in courts of law and in other forms of dispute resolution. ... Scud Missile The U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA) was established as an independent agency by the Arms Control and Disarmament Act (75 Stat. ... Lake Geneva - or Lake Léman, (French Lac Léman, le Léman, or Lac de Genève, German Genfer See) is the second largest freshwater lake in Central Europe (after Lake Balaton), divided as 40% France (Haute-Savoie) and 60% Switzerland (cantons of Vaud, Geneva, and Valais). ...

1988 presidential campaign

Bush reassigned Fitzgerald to be his chief lobbyist to Congress as he prepared to run to succeed Reagan. Her influence persisted after her transfer to Capitol Hill, much to the annoyance of other staffers.^[1]. Capitol Hill is the name of a district in the following cities: Capitol Hill, Denver, Colorado Capitol Hill, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Capitol Hill, Seattle, Washington Capitol Hill, Washington, DC It is also a common nickname for the United States Congress and the politicians who serve it (e. ...

Rumors of the affair were widespread within the political community, and during both the primary and general elections they sometimes surfaced but never became a news story as no one went on the record.

Presidency

After Bush won election, Fitzgerald was transferred to the State Department as deputy chief of protocol. Barbara Bush did not want her in the White House,^[1]. Since James Baker, the new Secretary of State, was the only one who could equal her influence on Bush, the administration decided to put her under his supervision.^[1] The United States Department of State, often referred to as the State Department, is the Cabinet-level foreign affairs agency of the United States government, equivalent to foreign ministries in other countries. ... In international politics, protocol is the etiquette of diplomacy and affairs of state. ... In several countries, Secretary of State is a senior government position. ...

Customs incident

In 1990, Fitzgerald, upon her return from an official trip to Argentina for the inauguration of President Carlos Menem, was found by the U.S. Customs Service to have underdeclared the value of a $1,100 fur-lined raincoat and failing to declare a $1,300 silver fox cape she had bought there. She was fined $648. An inauguration is a ceremony of formal investiture whereby an individual assumes an office or position of authority or power. ... Carlos Saúl Menem (born July 2, 1930) was President of Argentina from July 8, 1989 to December 10, 1999 for the Justicialist Party (Peronist). ... The United States Customs Service (now the United States Customs and Border Protection Service or CBP) was the portion of the US Federal Government dedicated to keeping illegal products outside of US borders. ... The raincoat, a garment worn to protect the upper body from rain, is a compromise between fashion and utility. ... Silver fox can refer to several things: The melanoma-related discoloration of Vulpes vulpes, a genetically determined color phase of the common red fox in which the fur is black tipped with white. ...

As the Washington Post later reported, the State Department disciplined her with a two-week unpaid suspension. Normally such abuse of diplomatic privilege costs the offenders their jobs. Other State employees believed that Fitzgerald earned a comparative slap on the wrist only by virtue of her relationship with the president.^[3] Suspension is a form of punishment that people receive for violating rules and regulations in the workforce and schools in the United States (and some other countries). ...

1992 presidential campaign

After Bill Clinton clinched the Democratic presidential nomination, Republicans made much of disclosures about Clinton's affair with Gennifer Flowers. William Jefferson Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ... The Democratic Party is one of the two major political parties in the United States, the other one being the Republican Party. ... Nomination is part of the process of selecting a candidate for either election to an office, or the bestowing of an honor or award. ... Gennifer Flowers (born January 24, 1950) is one of three women who have claimed to have had affairs with U.S. President Bill Clinton. ...

In an interview with the Boston Globe on May 14, 1992, Michael Dukakis' mother Euterpe Dukakis alleged that Bush had committed adultery, but did not name with whom. The Boston Globe is the most widely-circulated daily newspaper in Boston, Massachusetts and in the greater New England region. ... May 14 is the 134th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (135th in leap years). ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ...

CNN's Mary Tillotson asked Bush the question directly. "I'm not going to take any sleazy questions like that from CNN," he responded, visibly agitated. Later Marlin Fitzwater, his press secretary, told other White House reporters that Tillotson would never work there again.^[4]The next day George W. Bush called her on his father's behalf and said, "The answer to the big 'A' question is N-O."^[4] The Cable News Network, usually referred to as CNN, is a cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner[1] [2]. It is a division of the Turner Broadcasting System, owned by Time Warner. ... Mary Tillotson is the CNN network correspondents who received the following reply from then President George bush concerning allegations of his adulterous behavior, Im not going to take any sleazy questions like that from CNN, Bush spokesman Marlin Fitzwater later said, will never work around the White House again... The Cable News Network, usually referred to as CNN, is a cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner[1] [2]. It is a division of the Turner Broadcasting System, owned by Time Warner. ... Max Marlin Fitzwater (born November 24, 1942) was White House Press Secretary for six years under presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush, making him one of the longest-serving press secretaries in history. ... The White House Press Secretary is a senior White House official with a rank one step below Presidential Cabinet level. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States and a former governor of Texas. ...

The allegations were first made by Spy's long report in its July/August 1992 issue, a free copy of which was placed on the seat of every delegate at the Democratic convention in New York^[5]. A cover story by Joe Conason giving a thousand reasons not to re-elect Bush had as number one, "He cheats on his wife." It named Fitzgerald and singer Jane Morgan, wife of movie producer Jerry Weintraub, as present and past dalliances of the president, as well as discussing other women—without using their names, but giving circumstantial evidence. Spy magazine was founded in 1986 by Kurt Andersen and E. Graydon Carter. ... A delegate is an individual (or a member of a group called a delegation) who represents the interests of a larger organization (e. ... The 1992 Democratic National Convention is one of a series of historic quadrennial meetings of the United States Democratic Party with a primary focus on officially nominating a candidate for the office of President of the United States and adopting a political party platform as a challenge to the platform... Joe Conason is a United States-based journalist and author and is a noted commentator for liberal positions. ... LeAnn Rimes singing in concert A singer is a type of musician who uses his or her voice to produce music. ... Jane Morgan (born December 25, 1920) was an American popular singer, specializing in traditional pop music. ... A film producer oversees the making of movies. ... Jerry Weintraub (born September 26, 1937) is a film producer whose credits include Nashville, Diner, The Karate Kid, and the 2001 remake of Oceans Eleven. ...

One of Conason's sources was allegedly Linda Tripp.^[6]. Her concerns about presidential infidelity would come to haunt the next administration as well. Seven years later, during Clinton's impeachment trial, she told Larry King the allegations of a Bush affair were "ludicrous" and accused vengeful Clinton staffers of spreading rumors about her in retribution. She said simply "No" when King asked her if she had "anything to do" with any discussion of Bush's infidelity. Other than that she has never made any more explicit statement about her claimed involvement. Linda Tripp (born Linda Rose Carotenuto on November 24, 1949 in Jersey City, New Jersey) is an American woman who was a central figure in the Lewinsky scandal of 1998 and 1999 that led to the impeachment and subsequent acquittal of U.S. President Bill Clinton. ... Depiction of the impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson, then President of the United States, in 1868. ... Larry King hosts a nightly television program onCNN. Larry King, (born Lawrence Harvey Zeiger on November 19, 1933) is an award-winning broadcaster. ...

Years later, Conason said that although the headline "oversold" the story, the reporting still held up well.^[7]

On August 11, the New York Post published a front-page story called "The Bush Affair," reporting on a footnote in The Power House by Susan B. Trento (a biography of Washington lobbyist and publicist Robert Gray). The footnote discussed Gray's involvement in Bush's efforts to keep the affair quiet and his presidential hopes alive. It mentioned the late ambassador to Switzerland, Louis Fields, and his awareness of the 1984 lakeside cottage stay in that country. It was the first time that a photograph of Fitzgerald ran next to a story about the alleged affair. August 11 is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... The New York Post is one of the oldest newspapers published in the United States. ... Lobbying is the practice of private advocacy with the goal of influencing a governing body, in order to ensure that an individuals or organizations point of view is represented in the government. ... Public relations is the art and science of building relationships between an organization and its key publics. ... For the usage of footnoting on Wikipedia, see Wikipedia:Cite sources and Wikipedia:Footnotes. ...

For a short time it became a topic of national discussion. The next day, at a White House press conference, surrounded by his family and his 91-year-old mother, President Bush said "I will not respond to it. I have not responded to it in the past." He then continued: "Except to say, it's a lie."^[8] This is the only time Bush has directly denied the allegations.

Fitzgerald's mother, Frances Patteson-Knight, defended her daughter, who was reported to have had a nervous breakdown after the story was published.^[1] "Jennifer is completely tortured by this whole business”, she said. She doesn’t know what to do. She thinks it is all just horrible, horrible." She also criticized Bush, saying that Fitzgerald had been "very hurt by his lack of support" and "[didn't think he'd]...acted like a man here." Although not a medical term, the phrase nervous breakdown is often used outside medical circles to describe a sudden and acute attack of mental illness—for instance, clinical depression or anxiety disorder—in a previously outwardly healthy person. ...

NBC's Stone Phillips was upbraided in the Oval Office for his "bad manners" by the president when he asked about the allegations. The Washington Post reported this with the headline "BUSH ERUPTS!"^[9] NBC, the National Broadcasting Company, is an American television and radio network based in New York Citys Rockefeller Center. ... Stone Phillips (born December 2, 1954) is the lead anchor of Dateline NBC, a newsmagazine TV show. ... The Oval Office is the official office of the President of the United States, in the West Wing of the White House, built in 1909. ... ...

Post-presidency

Two Clinton appointees lost their jobs at State in September 1993 as a result of sharing information from the personnel files of Fitzgerald and fellow Bush appointee Elizabeth Tamposi, who had led a controversial search through Clinton's old passport files during the election, with their coworkers.^[10] The title page of European Union member state passports bears the name European Union, then the name of the issuing country, in the official languages of all EU countries. ...

Since Bush lost his re-election bid, there have been no allegations about a continuing affair. The only public reference made by Barbara Bush to Fitzgerald came in 1990 in her best-selling Millie's Book, a lighthearted account of the family travels over the years from the perspective of their dog. It contains an anecdote in which "Millie" recalls walking into a room and surprising Fitzgerald by carrying her pantyhose in her mouth.^[11].

However, the 1992 media coverage played a part in his son's administration. After winning the presidency in 2000, some of his conservative supporters called on him to reinstate Tripp to her previous position as a reward for what they believed to be her whistleblowing. This was not done, because the Bush family is convinced, her denials notwithstanding, that she leaked details about Fitzgerald to Conason. They will never forgive her, according to former Republican congressman John LeBoutilier, who travels in many of the same social circles.^[4]. A whistleblower is someone in an organization who witnesses behavior by members that is either contrary to the mission of the organization, or threatening to the public interest, and who decides to speak out publicly about it. ...

Fitzgerald has never spoken to the media. She has retired and lives a secluded life.

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m} Kelley, Kitty (September 19, 2004). [1] "Mistress of influence: Bush's 'other wife'" The Sunday Times Review.
2. ^ ^a b c d Conason, Joe (July/August 1992). "Reason No. 1 Not To Vote For George Bush: He Cheats on His Wife." Spy.
3. ^ Schwartz, Maralee; Devroy, Ann and Ifill, Gwen (January 10, 1989) "Bush Office Aide Expected to Get A Protocol Post." The Washington Post).
4. ^ ^a b c LeBoutillier, John (February 12, 2001) (see [[2]]) "Why the Bushes Will Never Hire Linda Tripp."
5. ^ Conason, Joe and Lyons, Gene, The Hunting of the President, St. Martin's Press, New York, NY, 2000, 76
6. ^ February 16, 1999, appearance on Larry King Live; retrieved March 13, 2006.
7. ^ Conason, Joe (February 17, 2004). Opinion Column. Salon.
8. ^ Kurtz, Howard (August 12, 1992). "Bush Angrily Denounces Report of Extramarital Affair as 'a Lie.'" The Washington Post.
9. ^ Swan, Jon (November/December 1992) (see [[3]]) ",Campaign Issues: Jennifer," Columbia Journalism Review
10. ^ Pincus, Walter (September 3, 1993). "State Dept. to Probe Access to Personnel Files," Washington Post; Pincus, Walter (November 11, 1993). "2 State Dept. Political Aides Fired For Disclosing Personnel File Data." The Washington Post.
11. ^ Bush, Barbara (1990). Millie's Book: As Dictated to Barbara Bush. New York: William Morrow & Sons. (ISBN 0688040330)

The Washington Post is the largest and oldest newspaper in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. ... Linda Tripp (born Linda Rose Carotenuto on November 24, 1949 in Jersey City, New Jersey) is an American woman who was a central figure in the Lewinsky scandal of 1998 and 1999 that led to the impeachment and subsequent acquittal of U.S. President Bill Clinton. ... Gene Lyons is a well-known political columnist and co-author of The Hunting of the President, a documentary book, with a supporing film, that describes the massive campaign waged against President Clinton leading eventually to the presidents impeachment and subsequent exoneration. ... The movie is about Bill Clinton. ... Larry King Live is a nightly CNN interview program hosted by broadcaster and writer Larry King. ... Screenshot of Salon. ... The Columbia Journalism Review (CJR) is an American magazine for professional journalists published bimonthly by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism since 1961. ... ... The Washington Post is the largest and oldest newspaper in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. ...

Further reading

• Kelley, Kitty (2004). The Family: The Real Story of the Bush Dynasty. New York: Doubleday. ISBN 0385503245.
• Radcliffe, Donnie (August 13, 1992). "The First Lady's Fighting Words: An Angry Mrs. Bush Lashes Out at Media `Lies' and Attack Politics." The Washington Post.