He Has My Total, Absolute Support — Until Next Week

Ron Brown, former Democratic Party chairman and now the Secretary of Commerce, has been accused of accepting a $700,000 bribe from a Vietnamese businessman. But President Clinton is behind him. “He told me that he hasn’t done anything wrong,” Clinton said of Brown. “I think he’s done a great job, and I have no reason not to believe him.” As the examples below indicate, a person lasts, on average, about seven weeks after such an expression of presidential support.

SCANDAL

Accepting gifts

PRESIDENTIAL SHOW OF SUPPORT

“I personally like ((Assistant to the President Sherman)) Adams … I respect him because of his personal and official integrity.” — President Eisenhower, June 18, 1958

TIME UNTIL RESIGNATION

14 weeks

SCANDAL

Kickbacks

PRESIDENTIAL SHOW OF SUPPORT

“My confidence in ((Vice President Spiro Agnew’s)) integrity has not been shaken — in fact, it has been strengthened by his courageous conduct and his ability.” — President Nixon, Aug. 22, 1973

TIME UNTIL RESIGNATION

7 weeks

SCANDAL

Personal debts

PRESIDENTIAL SHOW OF SUPPORT

“I don’t know of anything illegal or even unethical that ((Budget Director)) Bert Lance has ever done.” — President Carter, Aug. 23, 1977

TIME UNTIL RESIGNATION

4 weeks

SCANDAL

Wedtech

PRESIDENTIAL SHOW OF SUPPORT

“I have no evidence of any wrongdoing on his ((Attorney General Edwin Meese’s)) part in the allegations that are being kicked around.” — President Reagan, May 17, 1988

TIME UNTIL RESIGNATION

7 weeks

SCANDAL

Misuse of government planes

PRESIDENTIAL SHOW OF SUPPORT

“Do we call him ((chief of staff John Sununu)) ‘Nunu’? Yes, I do … My wife has great affection for John, great confidence in him.” — President Bush, Nov. 20, 1991

TIME UNTIL RESIGNATION

2 weeks