Tuesday, June 7, 2011

About that Weiner

See, I've tried to avoid the topic, not out of any political desire to see Congressman Weiner spared the scandal, but just because I don't particularly wish to turn my blog into a stream of ribald double entendres, however amusing they may be.  Alas, that ship has sailed.

A few things should be pointed out. One, I'm not sure Weiner broke any law, other than the law of common sense.  This isn't a case like Eliot Spitzer or David Vitter (still a member of the Senate), who got caught using prostitutes.  Two, it matters that Weiner has never built himself on a holier-than-thou, family values facade of BS like a great many GOP cheats and perverts did (Chris Lee, Ted Haggard, Mark Foley, Newt Gingrich, Vitter, Larry Craig, Jimmy Swaggart, etc.).  In other words, there isn't the disgusting air of hypocrisy around Weiner that there was around the guys I just named.

But it doesn't matter that much to me.  Weiner should still resign.  Why?  Because it looks and is creepy.  I'm sorry, if this scandal doesn't fall squarely under the definition of "conduct unbecoming" then that phrase fails to have any meaning whatsoever.  It's about a higher standard existing for our leaders.  It's one thing to cheat on your spouse.  So long as you haven't been parading around as some sort of paragon of virtue and family values, I don't have a problem with adultery, politically speaking.  It isn't a disqualifier.  Sending creepy photos to really quite young women over the internet is another matter.  Maybe I'm making a distinction without a difference, but this Weiner has got to go.*

*Sorry, couldn't help myself.

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