---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If Lincoln had an affair with a slave…"
description: "\"If Lincoln had an affair with a slave woman, it would be an outrage, but when Clinton does it with one of his staff, everyone is okay with it.\" — Bob Dole"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da4/bob-dole-8280_affair_if-lincoln-had-an-affair-with-a-slave-wo_2267271.jpg"
---

#  If Lincoln had an affair with a slave woman, it would be…

![“If Lincoln had an affair with a slave woman, it would be an outrage, but when Clinton does it with one of his staff, everyone is okay with it.” quote by Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da4/bob-dole-8280_affair_if-lincoln-had-an-affair-with-a-slave-wo_2267271.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da4/bob-dole-8280_affair_if-lincoln-had-an-affair-with-a-slave-wo_2267271.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da4/bob-dole-8280_affair_if-lincoln-had-an-affair-with-a-slave-wo_2267271.jpg)

> “If Lincoln had an affair with a slave woman, it would be an outrage, but when Clinton does it with one of his staff, everyone is okay with it.”

[Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Double standards in sexual scandals reveal gender bias in public reaction.

**In simple terms:** Sexual scandals are judged differently by gender.

Key Takeaway

Challenge double standards.

Themes

politics gender hypocrisy media

Mood

critical satirical

Type

political social commentary

When to use this quote

- news commentary
- public discourse
- policy debate
- media analysis

Key Concepts

social criticism ethics gender studies

Questions to Reflect On

- How do gender biases shape public opinion?
- What standards should apply equally?

A Different Perspective

Context matters; not all cases are comparable; nuance is needed.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Affair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affair/) [Outrage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outrage/) [Slave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slave/)

## Related quotes

> [Just like President Obama, Hillary Clinton does in fact want to take away your guns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-pavlich/just-like-president-obama-hillary-clinton-does-in-fact-want-to-take/)

[Katie Pavlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-pavlich/)

> [Are you a Democrat because you're a union member? Then why, after eight years of Bill Clinton, does some Chinese guy in Guangdong province…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/are-you-a-democrat-because-you-re-a-union-member-then-why-after-eight/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [I have much better judgment than Hillary Clinton does. There's no question about that. I also have a much better temperament than she has,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-have-much-better-judgment-than-hillary-clinton-does-there-s-no/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [Hillary Clinton does not have to worry about the sirens and the gunshots night. She doesn't worry about it. She's sleeping. She's sleeping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/hillary-clinton-does-not-have-to-worry-about-the-sirens-and-the/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [Hillary Clinton does very well in Pennsylvania generally. I think she connects with the working white people and all kinds of people that normally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-matthews/hillary-clinton-does-very-well-in-pennsylvania-generally-i-think-she/)

[Chris Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-matthews/)

> [Bill Clinton does not inhale marijuana, right? You bet. Like I chew on LSD but I don't swallow it.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/bill-clinton-does-not-inhale-marijuana-right-you-bet-like-i-chew-on/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [ I don't think \[Bill Clinton\] does anything - I don't think it's ill will. I don't think he's evil in the sense that he… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-hentoff/i-don-t-think-bill-clinton-does-anything-i-don-t-think-it-s-ill-will/)

[Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-hentoff/)

> [ All \[Barack Obama \] is doing, instead of working on your jobs and your companies leaving for Mexico and other places, he's campaigning for… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/all-barack-obama-is-doing-instead-of-working-on-your-jobs-and-your/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [I think it's sort of an outrage that companies should have to hire firms to teach the college graduates they employ how to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bok/i-think-it-s-sort-of-an-outrage-that-companies-should-have-to-hire/)

[Derek Bok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bok/)

> [While the principles of our Constitution give just latitude to inquiry, every citizen faithful to it will deem embodied expressions of discontent and open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/while-the-principles-of-our-constitution-give-just-latitude-to/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [“I firmly believe that if we can all approach this topic with open minds, the inevitable result will be a level of outrage that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/i-firmly-believe-that-if-we-can-all-approach-this-topic-with-open/)

[Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/)

> [“A part of a healthy conscience is being able to confront consciencelessness. When you teach your daughter, explicitly or by passive rejection, that she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-stout/a-part-of-a-healthy-conscience-is-being-able-to-confront/)

[Martha Stout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-stout/)

> [Fear is often disguised as moral outrage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-blume/fear-is-often-disguised-as-moral-outrage/)

[Judy Blume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-blume/)

> [There’s my baby!” I cried, quite carried away. “There’s my Poochiekins!” Ammit ran at me and leaped into my arms, nuzzling me with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/there-s-my-baby-i-cried-quite-carried-away-there-s-my-poochiekins/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [The president we have today is a typical Washington politician that's prone to hyperbole and decisiveness and false outrage. And I think it's very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/the-president-we-have-today-is-a-typical-washington-politician-that-s/)

[Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/)

## More by Bob Dole

> [It's going to be hard for someone like me to run for president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/it-s-going-to-be-hard-for-someone-like-me-to-run-for-president/)

[Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/)

> [I will seek the presidency with nothing to fall back on but the judgment of the people of the United States, and nowhere to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/i-will-seek-the-presidency-with-nothing-to-fall-back-on-but-the/)

[Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/)

> [ The California proposition \[Prop. 187\] is one I would agree with. That's the easiest way to put it. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/the-california-proposition-prop-187-is-one-i-would-agree-with-that-s/)

[Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/)

> [A government that seizes control of the economy for the good of the people, ends up seizing control of the people for the good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/a-government-that-seizes-control-of-the-economy-for-the-good-of-the/)

[Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/)

> [I've never known a lot of rich people. It's not my bag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/i-ve-never-known-a-lot-of-rich-people-it-s-not-my-bag/)

[Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/)

> [If something happened along the route and you had to leave your children with Bob Dole or Bill Clinton, I think you would probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/if-something-happened-along-the-route-and-you-had-to-leave-your/)

[Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/)

> [As president, I will fight illegal immigration in order to preserve an appropriate level of legal immigration. At the same time, I believe our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/as-president-i-will-fight-illegal-immigration-in-order-to-preserve-an/)

[Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/)

> [We're trying to get good pictures. Don't worry very much about what I say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/we-re-trying-to-get-good-pictures-don-t-worry-very-much-about-what-i/)

[Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/)

> [I don't know how many people run for vice president and president and lose both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/i-don-t-know-how-many-people-run-for-vice-president-and-president-and/)

[Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/)

> [Something is wrong with America. I wonder sometimes what people are thinking about or if they're thinking at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/something-is-wrong-with-america-i-wonder-sometimes-what-people-are/)

[Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/)

> [I will seek the presidency with nothing to fall back on but the judgment of the people, and nowhere to go but the White…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/i-will-seek-the-presidency-with-nothing-to-fall-back-on-but-the-2/)

[Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/)

> [You read what Disraeli had to say. I don't remember what he said. He said something. He's no longer with us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/you-read-what-disraeli-had-to-say-i-don-t-remember-what-he-said-he/)

[Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/)

> [I think the Republican Party has indicated to everyone who wants to look at us that, you know, we're in the mainstream. We understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/i-think-the-republican-party-has-indicated-to-everyone-who-wants-to/)

[Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/)

> [If there is one clear lesson of our century, it is this: where aggression is tolerated, it multiplies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/if-there-is-one-clear-lesson-of-our-century-it-is-this-where/)

[Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/)

> [I'm not a Gingrich fan. He's just difficult to work with. It's either Newt's way or the highway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/i-m-not-a-gingrich-fan-he-s-just-difficult-to-work-with-it-s-either/)

[Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/)

[Explore all 82 Bob Dole quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/)

## More Affair quotes

> [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/)

[Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/)

> [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/)

[Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/)

> [Our guiding principle was that design is neither an intellectual nor a material affair, but simply an integral part of the stuff of life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-gropius/our-guiding-principle-was-that-design-is-neither-an-intellectual-nor/)

[Walter Gropius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-gropius/)

> [I wonder if it's possible to have a love affair that lasts forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/i-wonder-if-it-s-possible-to-have-a-love-affair-that-lasts-forever/)

[Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/)

> [For a young man to start his career with a love affair with an older woman was quite de rigueur ... Of course, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vita-sackville-west/for-a-young-man-to-start-his-career-with-a-love-affair-with-an-older/)

[Vita Sackville-West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vita-sackville-west/)

> [As long as the state permits itself to interfere in the affairs of literature, literature has the right to interfere with the affairs of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-brodsky/as-long-as-the-state-permits-itself-to-interfere-in-the-affairs-of/)

[Joseph Brodsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-brodsky/)

> [Love is mainly an affair of short spasms. If these spasms disappoint us, love dies. It is very seldom that it weathers the experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/love-is-mainly-an-affair-of-short-spasms-if-these-spasms-disappoint/)

[Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/)

> [The Fundamental Principle that governs - or ought to govern -human affairs if we wish to avoid misunderstandings, conflicts, or pointless utopias, is negotiation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/the-fundamental-principle-that-governs-or-ought-to-govern-human/)

[Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/)

> [My hope does not rest in the affairs of this world. It rests in Christ who is coming again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/my-hope-does-not-rest-in-the-affairs-of-this-world-it-rests-in-christ/)

[Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/)

> [In 1953, the United States played a significant role in orchestrating the overthrow of Iran's popular prime minister, Mohammed Mossadegh. The Eisenhower administration believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/in-1953-the-united-states-played-a-significant-role-in-orchestrating/)

[Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/)

> [Not everyone likes the stable, gradual rise of our country. There are some who are using the democratic ideology to interfere in our internal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/not-everyone-likes-the-stable-gradual-rise-of-our-country-there-are/)

[Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/)

> [The archives recall not one single incriminating incident, not one drunken escapade, not one reported affair, not one spat with a team-mate or reporter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atherton/the-archives-recall-not-one-single-incriminating-incident-not-one/)

Michael Atherton

> [“I ripped the sketch from the wall. "Liar." Edward looked more ravaged than usual. "That is a terrible word, coming from you." "Yup." "And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-jensen/i-ripped-the-sketch-from-the-wall-liar-edward-looked-more-ravaged/)

[Melissa Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-jensen/)

> [For some people, a one-night stand doesn't make any difference in a seven-year love affair. I don't believe the degree of betrayal is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/for-some-people-a-one-night-stand-doesn-t-make-any-difference-in-a/)

[Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/)

> [And what is literature, Rabo," he said, "but an insider's newsletter about affairs relating to molecules, of no importance to anything in the universe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/and-what-is-literature-rabo-he-said-but-an-insider-s-newsletter-about/)

[Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/)

[Browse all 2,218 Affair quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affair/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If Lincoln had an affair with a slave woman, it would be an outrage, but when Clinton does it with one of his staff, everyone is okay with it.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Bob Dole"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/if-lincoln-had-an-affair-with-a-slave-woman-it-would-be-an-outrage/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Affair"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/if-lincoln-had-an-affair-with-a-slave-woman-it-would-be-an-outrage/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da4/bob-dole-8280_affair_if-lincoln-had-an-affair-with-a-slave-wo_2267271.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da4/bob-dole-8280_affair_if-lincoln-had-an-affair-with-a-slave-wo_2267271.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da4/bob-dole-8280_affair_if-lincoln-had-an-affair-with-a-slave-wo_2267271.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If Lincoln had an affair with a slave woman, it would be an outrage, but when Clinton does it with one of…” — Bob Dole",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Bob Dole",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "If Lincoln had an affair with...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/if-lincoln-had-an-affair-with-a-slave-woman-it-would-be-an-outrage/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/if-lincoln-had-an-affair-with-a-slave-woman-it-would-be-an-outrage/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
