I stumbled across this interesting article from 1987 (!!). It helped me put recent events in historical perspective. The only things that seem to be missing are emails and teenage boys.
Washington Monthly, Jan, 1988 by Steven Waldman
Governing Under the Influence
Deaver Cites Alcoholism as Perjury Trial Defense.
The New York Times, October 3, 1987
Give me a break, I thought. Who's Deaver trying to fool? It just doesn't add up. First, if he was so intoxicated, could he really have survived as a top White House aide or superlobbyist? Second, if he were constantly guzzling scotch as he claims, wouldn't his colleagues have been suspicious? And if he were that blitzed, wouldn't reporters have jumped on the story?
Deaver's defense may or may not have been contrived, but the scenario behind it is plausible. Yes, alcoholics can do their jobs at the same time they ruin themselves. Yes, olleagues can be oblivious to the effects of even heavy drinking. And finally, reporters usually fail to cover the drinking problems of Washington officials. While Deaver's defense is unusual, alcoholism in Washington isn't.
"I suspect," writes former Senator Herman Talmadge, "alcoholism is as much of an occupational disease among politicians as black lung is among coal miners."
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1316/is_n12_v19/ai_6306545%7DIt gets better. Actually, it gets worse.