I remember the scandal, with all its vituporous penchant, just like it was yesterday. It’s cliché, but so was “I did not have sexual relations with that woman.” Witnessing it all on a 25” color TV during a frigid family vacation in Jamestown, RI, I had no other choice. It was the Clinton impeachment, or ice fishing.

Instead of watching the poor old men stick hooks in slimy fish, I watched the rich old men stick hooks in the slimy President. I fully supported Mr. Clinton and most of his administration, and maintained his sexual pillaging had little to no effect on his occupational competency. As for the motivation, I just figured he’s a horny bastard and isn’t the kind of man that will ever practice complete monogamy.

In other words, he couldn’t keep a commitment—at least to his family. Later, after I went off to college, I learned that Mr. Clinton was Attorney General of Arkansas when he first ran for Governor. Was he simply drawn to stardom, or did he honestly feel the executive branch and the most visible seat in the state would enhance his ability to make change?

Based on my readings and experience with other charismatic individuals, I’d venture that it was a little bit of both. Clinton, although he never started a business, is very entrepreneurial indeed. He managed to conjure something out of less than nothing, Houdini-like; in what may be the ultimate metamorphosis: moderate to Democrat, gay rights advocate to “Don’t ask, don’t tell," healthcare to workfare and back again.

He’s a star, and like any star, his heat burned the issues right off. Heat is what keeps us moving, always to something newer and better and fresher and more relevant. And heat attracts more heat: Lewinsky proved to have a hunger for notoriety herself.

This is a rather shallow, unbalanced diet, however; and that’s what we must watch out for in business. If you think no one knows you’re cheating (on a significant other, business partner, client, employee), think again. If you think stars never burn out, consider that nothing lasts forever—-even the sun will eventually lose its luminance. Remember that we meet all the same people on the way down as we did on the way up. Keep them happy. It’s good karma, and good business.

And if you think that associates will trust you to stand loyal to them after you haven’t to your lover, well—-maybe. But not everyone is Bill Clinton--some of us are Jim Bakker, or (shudder) Bob Packwood. If I were you, I wouldn’t try my luck.