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Scandal, it seems, no longer stops politicians in their tracks.
George Santos — who was expelled from Congress last Friday — will reportedly make six figures after just one week as a Cameo star. Donald Trump has been mired in countless trials and controversies — and yet he is still the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination.
This week on “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts reminisce over famous political scandals of yore. From tan suits to yacht affairs, what actually makes a scandal scandalous? And in the Trump era, are there real consequences to messing up anymore? Plus, Michelle Cottle tears down the house with her holiday gift guide.
(A full transcript of the episode will be available midday on the Times website.)
Mentioned in this episode:
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“Checkers speech,” Richard Nixon Foundation
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“Watergate: A New History,” by Garrett M. Graff
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“White House Plumbers,” a five-part miniseries on Max
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“Healthy Holly” book series, by Catherine Pugh
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“All the Truth Is Out: The Week Politics Went Tabloid,” by Matt Bai
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“Bush Encounters the Supermarket, Amazed,” by Andrew Rosenthal in The New York Times
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“A Very Thin Line: The Iran-Contra Affairs,” by Theodore Draper
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“The Final Days,” by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein
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“George Santos Is Earning Six Figures From Cameo Videos,” by Ben Smith and Kadia Goba on Semafor
Thoughts? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com.
Follow our hosts on X: Michelle Cottle (@mcottle), Ross Douthat (@DouthatNYT) and Carlos Lozada (@CarlosNYT).
“Matter of Opinion” is produced by Phoebe Lett, Sophia Alvarez Boyd and Derek Arthur. It is edited by Alison Bruzek. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. Original music by Isaac Jones, Efim Shapiro, Carole Sabouraud, Sonia Herrero and Pat McCusker. Our fact-checking team is Kate Sinclair, Mary Marge Locker and Michelle Harris. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. Our executive producer is Annie-Rose Strasser.