Former President Forced to Apologize for Touching a Woman’s Back

I get that the hot, new trending topic is sexual harassment and sexual assault, brought into oh-so ugly focus by the Harvey Weinstein case, but there comes a point where you have to step back and recognize that some may be crying “Wolf!” just to be included.

The latest to hop on the #metoo train is a 34-year old actress, by the name of Heather Lind.

If you don’t know who she is, she stars on an AMC series called “Turn: Washington’s Spies.” That’s all I know about her, myself.

That, and that she’s completely ridiculous.

Lind is accusing former President George H.W. Bush of “sexually assaulting” her.

What did he do?

Apparently, he touched her back during a photo op, four years ago, when he was 89 years old and confined to a wheelchair.

Lind poured out her tale of woe and shame in an Instagram post, after watching the benefit event featuring the five surviving former presidents.

I was disturbed today by a photo I saw of President Barack Obama shaking hands with George H. W. Bush in a gathering of ex-presidents organizing aid to states and territories damaged by recent hurricanes. I found it disturbing because I recognize the respect ex-presidents are given for having served. And I feel pride and reverence toward many of the men in the photo. But when I got the chance to meet George H. W. Bush four years ago to promote a historical television show I was working on, he sexually assaulted me while I was posing for a similar photo. He didn’t shake my hand. He touched me from behind from his wheelchair with his wife Barbara Bush by his side. He told me a dirty joke. And then, all the while being photographed, touched me again. Barbara rolled her eyes as if to say “not again”. His security guard told me I shouldn’t have stood next to him for the photo. We were instructed to call him Mr. President. It seems to me a President’s power is in his or her capacity to enact positive change, actually help people, and serve as a symbol of our democracy. He relinquished that power when he used it against me and, judging from the comments of those around him, countless other women before me. What comforts me is that I too can use my power, which isn’t so different from a President really. I can enact positive change. I can actually help people. I can be a symbol of my democracy. I can refuse to call him President, and call out other abuses of power when I see them. I can vote for a President, in part, by the nature of his or her character, knowing that his or her political decisions must necessarily stem from that character. My fellow cast-mates and producers helped me that day and continue to support me. I am grateful for the bravery of other women who have spoken up and written about their experiences. And I thank President Barack Obama for the gesture of respect he made toward George H. W. Bush for the sake of our country, but I do not respect him. #metoo

So brave, or something.

All she says is he “touched her from behind.” That could be a lot of things. He’s sitting in a wheelchair, so he’s not going to be reaching up to your shoulders.

He’s also elderly, and probably not completely cognizant of minor details, or the latest codes of photo-op conduct.

Whatever the case, it was four years ago, he was a former president, and had no connection to her career, therefore, no power to harm her.

Could it be that her series is over and she’s not exactly an A-lister?

Maybe.

As the article in the Daily Mail points out, she offers no definitive proof. Just her complaint against an elderly man.

So how is the former president handling the accusation?

He has apologized.

A spokesperson for the former president issued an apology, saying Bush did not mean to cause any harm.

“President Bush would never — under any circumstance — intentionally cause anyone distress, and he most sincerely apologizes if his attempt at humor offended Ms. Lind,” the spokesperson said.

What she did seems very much like a complaint of convenience.

She’s not so much a part of the #metoo crowd as she’s part of the #LookAtMe crowd.

And there are plenty of them.

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