David Brooks: A Republican Senator 'Had His Hand On My Inner Thigh' For A 'Whole' Dinner Party (VIDEO)

Think Progress flags David Brooks telling a fantastic anecdote that supports his recent New York Times column lamenting the loss of dignity in America. Apparently, Brooks was at a dinner party and had the misfortune to sit next to a Republican senator who "had his hand on my inner thigh the whole time. I was like, ehh, get me out of here."

Co-host John Harwood exclaims "what?" while Norah O'Donnell lets loose her trademark guffaw. Sadly, Brooks refuses to identify the touchy-feely senator.

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Comments

[JohnCharlesThomasSimpson]

10:15 PM on 07/14/2009

David. David. David.

We have all suspected your simpy grins and vaporous manners are somewhat less than
what's called for in a so-called true Repub. Why don't you and the equally deftly cerebral Sen. Lindsey Graham both come out together.

Safety in numbers and all that...

[nivek]

08:19 AM on 07/14/2009

It was Strom Thurmond, he thought it was his own thigh.

[RudiZ]

01:22 AM on 07/14/2009

Well, it might have been a 'Thai' dinner party. You only need one hand to eat noodles with chop-stick­s, and maybe the Repub senator was simply trying to keep the free hand warm because the restaurant was unheated,

:-)

[duze]

11:40 PM on 07/13/2009

If he allowed that to happen for even a moment. he's gay. Brooks should stop making it seem as if the senator is the only one that was gay. Fess up stand up straight and come on out Dave.

[imsosure]

11:15 PM on 07/13/2009

David did he rub your happy place or just roam around it?

[grailknight]

07:28 PM on 07/13/2009

Joe DiMaggio, the paragon of misanthrop­y, not dignity. Dave "barfs out" an indignity. He should go on Oprah

[jerryd]

05:34 PM on 07/13/2009

This says more about David as it does the senator. The fact he didn't remove the hand and say something out loud says either he is a wimp or gay.

[JGriffin]

04:37 PM on 07/13/2009

This has to be one of the funniest inadverten­t self-outin­gs ever.

David, anything longer than 30 seconds and a guy clearly isn't minding the male bonding.

How long was this dinner party, exactly?

[jme-SD]

04:31 PM on 07/13/2009

David - and you sat there the whole time without taking his hand off your leg gently and pushing it away, shifting positions, taking a restroom break, saying "did you lose something?­". Talk to women about how to handle these things, David. They've had more practice.

[LostInAmericq]

03:44 PM on 07/13/2009

Ooooooo, just the thought of my hand on David Brooks inner thigh makes me swoon. I want to be a Republican too.

[HCB7562002]

03:27 PM on 07/13/2009

Did I miss something? The hand was there "the entire time?" Palm up or palm down?

I recall some sage advice from long ago. Something to the effect, "it's ok to ask" or, "if you don't ask then don't expect." Something like that. I wonder if the senator might have been asking? And the answer was "ewwwww" which, of course, could easily be mistaken for, "ohhhhhhh" or "mmmmmm." You see the consternat­ion. Poor guy is on the make and spies a likely mate (for the evening) Hand on the thigh is better than flashing it in the neighborin­g stall - at least I would think so. He's encouraged when he doesn't get told, "stop that" or get slapped. And then he hears, "ohhhh, mmmm"

Should have hit him with your purse, Mr Brooks. Works everytime. If you want it to stop, of course. And, of course, with many of the ladies whose thighs (inner) I've tried to caress at inappropri­ate times there's another truth: "the hand, many times, is quicker than the thigh. But not always." Or something like that.

I think you've been watching too much Mark Sanford. There's some things you just don't tell. Ya know?

[geroldf]

03:48 PM on 07/13/2009

Think of the dinner party in Wedding Crashers. sometimes it's more embarrassi­ng to NOT get the hand job.

Stop. Don't. Stop. Don't. (repeat as necessary)

[AntiClast]

03:16 PM on 07/13/2009

I'm always amused when a guy gets upset over an expected sexual approach. They flip out. Gals have to finesse situations like these all the time. It's not comfortabl­e, is it, Mr. Brooks?

[phrogge prince]

01:52 PM on 07/13/2009

I am reminded of my late grandmothe­r talking about a book she'd read, one that was apparently quite racey: "I read that book, and all 900 pages of it were filled with filth!"

[justoverit333]

12:35 PM on 07/13/2009

Why didn't he tell him to remove his hand? He let it
stay there the duration of the party?

[jbs902]

11:52 AM on 07/13/2009

Why doesn't he charge the loser with sexual harrassmen­t then? He's not much of a man if he did not do anything. Seems to me he liked it. How nauseating­, you need a bucket to hurl in after reading and watching this one...