"Ah, beneath your usual responses. Why don't you address the issue you raised instead of some red herring apples-to-oranges thing?
There is, IMO, quite a difference between knowing something of an issue, or a thing, and knowing a person's character. You have apparently decided that you can judge a person's character by reading newspaper articles about one aspect of their life - or seeing them talk about one aspect of their life on TV.
I disagree."
I was being generous. You want it full bore?
Apparently you are able to make "judgements" about public officials' and persons' "characters" only if you've met them in person. That is beyond absurd.
You haven't met me, dude, but you're making a judgement about me, aren't you?
Presume I didn't meet Bill Clinton (which I did, by the way, but let that go), is my opinion of his character--based not just on "newspaper articles" and "their life on TV"--but on all sorts of other info sources and research...invalid?
What about Paris Hilton (funny, how Bill and Paris should come up right next to each other)...is it "unfair" for me to have an opinion that she is a brain-addled, bad-example, one-dimensional, voracious slut because I haven't met her? (I've had more than enough information on her to form an informed opinion, believe me.)
You can get to judgements on people real fast--faster than most of us realize (read the current book, "Blink," about just that subject).
There is loads of information out there about Mark Felt, from across 35 years. Believe me, it's enough to "judge his character." (And just what is this crap about knowing someone in person before you have a "right" to judge his character? Haven't you ever been fooled by someone you thought you knew?)
When the Tripp story broke, there was loads of information on her--her life, her career, her family. Her response in front of the camera (no matter what the talking heads said over her images).
You got out on the wrong side of the brain today, in my opinion.
But I could be wrong, as I don't know you in person.
Before you respond, could you please get to know me in person? I mean, come on over, sit down, chat a bit...get to know me, man.
Funny, how you don't seem to hesitate at all about making your judgments based upon information that is selected, edited and filtered - and possibly not even true.
But, in answer to your question, I'm not making any judgment about your character. There are lots of folks who I think do or say wrongheaded things, but that doesn't equate to being persons of low character.
As for Ms. Hilton, it would appear to me that you have completely bought into a manufactured image intended - and successfully so, at that - to make Ms. Hilton famous and popular. Perhaps the question that really needs examination is why being perceived as an empty-headed voracious slut is a recipe for fame and success.