Dominique Strauss-Kahn's Johnson Journeys

Dominique Strauss-Kahn

Around this time last year, the prevailing wisdom considered then-International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn (DSK) to be the next French president. He had clout, media savvy, international respect. He "had it all," as Americans like to say. However, such thoughts go against an ingrained skepticism at the heart of Continental European thinking and experience. DSK's recent legal issues bring such sentiment into sharp relief.

The BBC, among other media, reported about DSK's conflict with French prosecutors. It is alleged that Mr. Strauss-Kahn was involved with an organized pimping ring. What's amazing in the story is the various statements DSK's legal defense team has offered on its client's behalf.

While DSK has acknowledged he attended swinger parties in a Lille hotel, he denied paying for prostitutes. As the BBC article noted, the former IMF head "could easily not have known (the women were prostitutes), because, as you can imagine at these kinds of parties you're not always dressed, and I challenge you to distinguish a naked prostitute from any other naked woman."

This unique line of reasoning also included the fascinating statement that the women DSK met "were introduced to him by senior police officers; it was safe to assume, (DSK's) lawyer argued, that policemen do not associate with prostitutes."

A much safer assumption is that big shots such as DSK get "senior police" protection when they're taking a journey with their Johnsons.