David Gergen, George Clooney Swim In Italy Together (With Gergen Nearly Naked)

David Gergen is clearly a man with many sides to him. We knew that he was a reliable CNN pundit and professional Harvard wise man, but who knew that he is also a raucous partier who loves getting drunk, stripping down to his underwear and hanging with George Clooney?

The world found this surprising fact out when Gergen wrote about his recent experience with the superstar actor in the latest issue of Parade magazine. Gergen clearly felt excitement and appreciation for the rare encounter with the rich and famous.

In an unexpected (to say the least) portion of the story, Gergen describes being "hammered" and following Clooney as he jumped into Lake Como in the early hours of the morning. In an attempt to avoid drenching his clothes before boarding a flight later that day, Gergen wrote that he "stripped down to my skivvies, climbed that darn fence ... and whoa, it seemed like I was 30 feet above the water. One... two... I was in the water by three. It was very dark, a little cold, but terrific." Yes, folks -- that's right. David Gergen basically skinny dipped with America's leading man. (Clooney, for whatever reason, was clothed, surely disappointing millions.)

Gergen — who, may we remind you, has served as an adviser to four U.S. presidents, and has the look and demeanor of your friend's kindly uncle —has not, if Google is any guide, had such debauched moment with any of his other interviewees.

This is, however, not the first time a reporter has taken to the water while on assignment. Anderson Cooper raced Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps on CBS' 60 Minutes after winning eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing games. Cooper evened out the playing field by allowing himself to dive into the pool and use all limbs to swim. Phelps, on the other hand, was limited to pushing off the wall, swimming the entire time under water without breathing, and only using his legs.

Our only request: can Wolf Blitzer or Anderson Cooper please ask Gergen about this episode the next time he's on to ponder the latest polling results out of New Hampshire?

Read the full piece here.

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Comments

[Spartacle12]

04:49 PM on 10/01/2011

I know this is supposed to be a charming story but it just smells to me of the lives of privileged power-brokers so disconnected from the rest of us. How nice that political analyst Gergen is hanging out in a villa with a movie star. Please, David, advise some more Presidents since you are so connected to the lives and travails of 99% of the country.

[Roseberry]

10:11 AM on 10/01/2011

I got stopped by this sentence, and all because I'm an editor and cannot help it. Gotta point it out because it's a bit funny, actually.
"Anderson Cooper raced Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps on CBS' 60 Minutes after winning eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing games." -- Cooper won 8 medals?

[nlkennedy]

09:50 AM on 10/01/2011

Pretty common stuff in my neck of the woods. Break into the public outdoor pool at 3am and hit the high dive. Now that is tight sh**.

[meme2]

08:27 AM on 10/01/2011

He is hailed as the advisor of four president. Take a look a the first three: Nixon, Ford, and Reagan. To stay viable he also advised Clinton, no wonder he caved to Republicans to serve two terms. I thought okay, this is a fair Republicans. Listen to him on CNN. He has with a slight of hand always given POTUS a backhanded compliment and at times when POTUS has delivered important speeches has been dead wrong on how it was received by the general public leaving his foot in his mouth. He is also one of the MSM that wants to say the right and the left are both extremist and does not acknowledge any of the Republicans not working with but obstructing the POTUS. Why is he CNN's senior political analysis. He is not fair in balanced. Throw the Dems a bone every now and then does not cut it for me! They other days when he was talking about the new politicans trying to reach across the aisle everyone he mentioned was a republican so we know that was a lie. He talking about Mark Rubio being one of the rising stars so that lets you know where his head/hair is at.

[hearmeloudandclear]

02:57 AM on 10/02/2011

meme2 -- And your observation is absolutely 100% correct. I've watched the show for YEARS...and frankly the article merely made me yawn. Thanks for your writing so I don't have to repeat it...every single point regarding Gergen is correct; and, anybody who doesn't believe that merely needs to turn on the show.

I will, nevertheless, quote one part that you said: "He is also one of the MSM that wants to say the right and the left are both extremist and does not acknowledg­e any of the Republican­s not working with but obstructin­g the POTUS." That problem of saying "BOTH are wrong, when often times it is one OR the other" blows me away. That's a tactic used when "The Party of NO" is acting up...or better yet - NOT acting at all. That statement then is meant to minimize the negative on the part of the right-winger(s).




VOTE - VOTE - VOTE - Obama in 2012...

[rMatey]

09:18 PM on 09/30/2011

I knew George didn't have a lady, but I never suspected David of that stuff.

[ImWideAwake]

03:07 AM on 10/09/2011

Check out the Gergen video on youtube Bohemian Grove

[planman]

03:15 PM on 09/30/2011

Hey, live a little. If the joys of night swimming have been missing in your life, go for it.

[Thumbody]

11:26 AM on 09/30/2011

Wow wonder what he does at Bohemian Grove.

[signgrrl]

08:32 PM on 09/30/2011

gergen ?

[ImWideAwake]

03:11 AM on 10/09/2011

Yes Gergen, check out the youtube video were he is confronted about it and goes all bizerk

[ImWideAwake]

03:08 AM on 10/09/2011

Makes one wonder whether Clooney has ever been there...at the all boys club in No. Cali

[dmsdzinr]

04:00 PM on 09/29/2011

Gergen, The Combover has GOT 2 GO!

[Milwaukeetj1]

01:54 PM on 09/29/2011

He's human, we all need to go jump in a lake sometime in our lives.

[petit chaton]

09:19 AM on 09/29/2011

Good for you, David! Is Gergen really your last name or perhaps a well earned nickname?

[Spartacle12]

04:50 PM on 10/01/2011

You're trying to be funny but the pickle is a gherkin, not gergen. Duh.

[petit chaton]

10:11 AM on 10/02/2011

You are so smart. Thank you for correcting my attempt at humor. What was I thinking? Who could have made the connection between a gherkin and a gergen? Sure, they SOUND a lot a like, but you're correct that if spelling AND phonetics don't match...well, it's ruined..it's just not there. I mean, suppose I'd asked, "Do you have a gergen up your __?" How could you possibly know what I was really trying to say. So, again, thanks Spartacle.

[Shadow Diver]

08:20 AM on 09/29/2011

Not hating on Clooney, love his work and I don't care about his personal stuff, but everybody that hangs with the guy seems to end up drunk and sick or drunk and missing some clothes.

[Francois Bergeron]

03:24 AM on 09/29/2011

Having a good time with friends is now "news".

[AdmireBucs]

10:49 PM on 09/28/2011

" has the look and demeanor of your friend's kindly uncle"
I don't want to meet your uncle.

[SmolderingRuin]

08:35 PM on 09/28/2011

They say Gergen is a riot at the annual Bohemian Grove meetings. Funny he doesn't want to talk about that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4y8M-HPbzg&feature=related

[muhair]

04:55 PM on 09/28/2011

Really hard to know what to make of this....