Can a US president hide an affair? Or is it just a matter of time until everyone finds out the truth?
Even though the presidents have the resources and power that might theoretically enable them to keep some information about their personal lives hidden, the evolution of technology and the power of the media are making it extremely challenging. Let’s discover together some affairs that took place in the early 20th century, when the internet wasn’t even born, and that tabloids tried to hide.
Numerous presidents are not known just for their actions in politics; their love affairs also contributed to their public image. Americans love to find out stories that seem illegal to debate or talk about.
Sitting on your couch and reading about some of the most powerful leaders’ dramas and affairs can be really entertaining. That is why we did some research for you, and we are ready to share with you everything we found about presidential affairs that never made it to the tabloids.
Here are 4 presidential affairs nobody knew about for a long time:
1 ) Did you know that Warren G. Harding had a secret daughter?
Warren G. Harding became president of the United States on March 4, 1921, and died from a heart attack just two years later. Harding’s short presidency ended on August 2, 1923. Surely, the most interesting story about him is the one Nan Britton wrote in the book called The President’s Daughter. Nan Britton was the president’s mistress, and with the book, she revealed some juicy information about the affair they were having at the White House.
According to Nan, Harding had a preference for having sex in the White House coat closet. The two met in Ohio, his home state, when Harding was running for the U.S. Senate. Even though Nan was 31 years younger and she was just a teenager when they met, they quickly started dating. Their affair lasted for years, and all the juicy details can be found in the book.
It is interesting to observe that none of this information was published when Harding was still alive. The mistress waited for the perfect moment to show the world another face of the presidential lifestyle.
In the book, Nan revealed that she secretly had Harding’s daughter and named her Elizabeth Ann. She also mentioned where exactly the baby was conceived. Before you ask in the comment section, let me clarify! It was on Harding’s Senate office couch.
All these revealed details from his private life made his family members ashamed. Warren G. Harding’s fascinating existence and actions can now be discussed publicly. The family didn’t even take into consideration the possibility of being related to Elizabeth Ann.
Until a DNA test revealed that Harding’s grandniece and grandnephew were second cousins with Britton’s great-grandson in 2015, Harding’s family continued to deny this.
And that is not all; we also found out about another mistress the president had. In 2014, a series of love letters between Harding and Carrie Fulton Philips were unveiled. His family members tried to keep them private for decades but… failed. The reason they didn’t want the letters to become public was the embarrassment caused by the codenames the president used to describe his penis.
If you are interested in finding out more about the secret daughter and Harding’s affair, the audio version of the book can be found on Amazon.
Do you think that Harding’s story is absorbing? Continue reading to find out about Roosevelt’s affair.
2 ) Franklin D. Roosevelt had an affair with his wife’s social secretary
Franklin D. Roosevelt served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death. He is the only president who has served the states for more than two terms.
The president had a long-time mistress, whom everyone found out about right before his death. How did they manage to hide their love? Lucy Mercer was Eleanor Roosevelt’s social secretary for more than a decade before he became president. She helped Eleanor a lot with her social obligations and also served as an extra woman at the Roosevelts’ dinner parties.
In September 2018, after she found some secret love letters in Roosevelt’s luggage, Eleanor confronted her husband about them. Even if Eleanor was completely hurt, the couple stayed together. Divorce was considered, but the main reason they chose to keep the silence and stick together was because they wanted to protect Roosevelt’s career at all costs.
In 1920, Lucy married a wealthy widower with six children. The couple had a daughter, but it is known that nothing kept Lucy away from the president. Their affair lasted until Roosevelt died in 1945. In turn, Eleanor started dating women.
3 ) What would Kennedy choose? A Happy Birthday sung by Marilyn Monroe or an affair with Breakfast at Tiffany’s star, Audrey Hepburn?
Jon F. Kennedy’s most talked-about affair was with Marilyn Monroe. She was an actress and was also considered a sex symbol at the time. Even though everyone believed that they were having an affair after Marilyn sang him publicly Happy Birthday. It was confirmed that they were together just for a romantic weekend in 1962.
It is clear that Kennedy adored having powerful women by his side because another mistress that he had an affair with was the one and only Audrey Hepburn. The Breakfast at Tiffany’s star’s intoxicating laugh and sexiness made Kennedy fall immediately in love.
Marry Galagher was a former secretary at the White House, and she was the one who confirmed the relationship between Kennedy and Audrey Hepburn. In an interview, she revealed that they successfully managed to keep their affair out of the press, which made it much more intense.
The two appeared to be an unlikely pair, especially because of their occupation. Hepburn was a famous actress, and Kennedy was rising through the ranks of the political world. Even if they were seen together, people haven’t thought that they may be romantically involved in a relationship.
Why is the presidents’ sexual life such an interesting subject to discuss?
Well, presidents are seen as moral role models in addition to political leaders. Their behavior is perceived as a reflection of their ability to lead. If a president is involved in an affair and the public finds out, the action can have a significant impact on their political legitimacy.
Also, there is a certain pleasure people may feel when a powerful individual is brought down by their failings. The phenomenon is explained by psychology and is called schadenfreude.
Does the media play a crucial role?
For sure, the media’s role in covering presidential secrets and affairs is very important and has evolved over time. In the early 20th century, the press maintained a level of discretion about the private lives of politicians. A great example is FDR’s affair with Lucy Mercer. The relationship was kept far from the public’s eyes for a decade.
However, things have changed a lot since then. Journalism changed its dynamic in the mid-20th century. A situation that marked a turning point and made the media more aggressive was the Watergate scandal. Since then, the media has done a great job of uncovering presidential secrets and love affairs.
The internet and social media are also playing a crucial role today. Information from all around the world spreads in just a few seconds, making it difficult for public figures to hide anything from the public’s eye.
Before you leave, here is another related article with 6 Incredible Facts Few People Know about John F. Kennedy.
