Press Conferences I Would Like To See

This morning I read that Claudia Cohen died yesterday of ovarian cancer at age fifty-six. Cohen wasn't only a gossip columnist, but also, by virtue of her marriage to zillionaire Revlon chairman Ron Perelman, gossip column fodder, too. Anyway, in addition to providing a bit of an '80s flashback, Cohen's obituary was interesting because it reminded me not only that Ron Perelman must be some piece of work (he chucked his Starter Wife, Cohen, the very attractive Patricia Duff, and, incredibly, the still-smoking-at-fifty-three Ellen Barkin), but also of this:

After her divorce from Mr. Perelman, Ms. Cohen, a Democrat, was romantically involved for about a year with Senator Alfonse M. D’Amato, Republican of New York. In early 1995, at the start of the relationship, Senator D’Amato called a press conference to announce that he was in love. He was, according to news reports at the time, the first senator in the history of the United States to do so.

Al D'Amato certainly knew how to make a statement. I wish all our senators would have press conferences to announce that they are in love. I mean, if Tom Cruise can do it, Aqua Velva Man Fred Thompson could introduce us to his tastefully appointed beloved. Norm Coleman could wax rhapsodic on the many moods of his wife, Laurie. And when confirmed bachelor Lindsay Graham does us the honor of introducing us to his love? Woo-boy!