yet another sexy scandal

Next to be caught with his political hand in the sexual cookie jar, Gov. Spitzer of New York.

This post started as a comment in Jessie's blog, but it got me to thinking about an important distinction...at least in my mind.

It is true. Every time one of these politicians gets wrapped up in a sexual scandal, the players from the other party start calling for his head. The funny thing is, both parties are guilty of this self righteous activity. It just depends on the party of the offender. Whichever party he opposes will call for his ouster. It's that stupid party politics thing that both sides play, and a big reason why I want government officials intruding as little as possible in all our lives. God help us if these are the people we ask to make health care policy.

I mentioned in a comment, that at least this guy stood up and said, "I did it." which, in my mind, makes him less of a slimeball than Bill Clinton, who stood there, looked at me straight in the camera eye and trashed his personal integrity by lying about it all.

Liberals at the time wanted to say that conservatives wanted Slick Willie's head because he was carrying on with an intern. At least for me, nothing was farther from the truth. What went on between Bill, Hillary and Monica was their business, and I didn't care. Bill and Monica did whatever the hell they did. OK, whatever. If Hillary forgives him, move on. That wasn't my problem. My problem came when he held a press conference and lied in all our faces about it to save his skin. That's when I couldn't trust him any more, and didn't see where he should have the balls to ask any world leader to either. If he'd have owned up, or even said, "It's none of your business.", I'd have been OK.

But no...he lied to all of us. I just couldn't imagine something like...a treaty with...oh maybe the French, and some French leader, for whom a trivial matter like a mistress would be no big deal, is watching Bill give his word that the United States will give up this that and the other thing if the French will do that, this and whatever. In the back of Mr. French Leader's mind would have to be...this shithead lied to his whole country over a little affair with an intern. Why should I believe him on this matter, where the stakes are so much higher? Or how about an arms agreement with the Russians, for God's sake. Why would anyone believe anything the guy says? What the guy did with an intern wasn't an issue. That he trashed his word over what he did with an intern was a huge issue. That's something real presidents can't do.

I don't think Gov. Spitzer gets off. Well, yes he does, and at a thousand dollars an hour...bada bing. I mean, he doesn't get off the hook, especially since what he did was illegal. I certainly don't condone what he did. I just give him some credit for sacking up and admitting he screwed up, and not trying to deceive the people he serves any more than he already has.