The Lessons Of Nannygate

Poor Zoe Baird. Her name has already entered the language as a synonym for trouble. Along with "the Gary Hart syndrome," signifying compulsive womanizing, we now have "the Zoe Baird problem," meaning child-care infractions. Its chief usage is in the accusative: "Do you have a Zoe Baird problem?" That was the question that brought down Kimba Wood as a candidate for Attorney General (even though her answer was "No"). It was also the question that helped pluck the childless and unmarried Janet Reno from relative obscurity to become the President's nominee for the job. No kids, no nanny, no Zoe Baird...