Stand Up to Cancer - Lost

I was uninspired though.  I didn't want to drone on about the convention -- frankly I've had about as much as I can handle of it for now -- all set, thanks.  So I spent the next couple of hours insomniacally (?) surfing.

I eventually made my way to the online dating website where I have an even more neglected page.  Say what you will, online dating is great fodder for entertainment and endless conversations about relationships.  I could even call it research for the blog, if this blog were going even remotely in the direction of where I initially thought it would when I started it.  I can't say I've been on many dates which have come courtesy of the world wide interweb over the years, but the few I have been on have seemed less painful than some derived from more 'organic' methods. 

Opening my inbox mailbag last night, I found a message... same title as this posting, same all caps style.  This was the body of the message:  "LET ME TAKE YOU TO DINNER."  

Oh, where to begin?  This is the part when my married friends breathe a sigh of relief and think "oh, thank god."  I think my favorite part is the steakhouse/seafood part.  Although, really the entire title itself is pretty hysterical.  On so many levels.  But the steakhouse 'slash' seafood is outstanding.  In case I wouldn't be interested if it were just steak alone, perhaps?  "Oh, but he did mention seafood... hmm... well, that changes things..."  So after recovering from my second giggle fit of the evening, I started to wonder if that email was this particular guy's best trick play, or just a blanket offensive strategy that he's figuring nets him maximum coverage with minimal investment?  Do women respond more or less favorably depending on which restaurant he suggests?  Perhaps he's doing research of his own.  Does he look at each prospective date and decide which joint to suggest?  Hmm... this one looks vegan -- better title it "REAL FOOD DAILY" or "LEAF."  I think I answered my own question on that one...  his profile mentioned RUTHS CHRIS somewhere in a list of favorite things to do.  This guy is obsessed with both the restaurant and constant capitalization.  People who insist upon using all caps -- that's going to have to be reserved for another post.  There's just too much psychology there.  And apparently it's a hot button issue for me since it's the second time I've mentioned it.          

Time out for just a second and please forgive the ADD moment -- but Colbert has Adam Brickley, the blogger who "discovered" Sarah Palin in early 2007 on his show right now.  Hold for my next fit of giggles.  Again, on so many levels...  Quite the talent scout, this one.   Sorry I don't have the youtube link for the interview, but I just looked and don't see it up yet.  Wow, this one's a character...  Guaranteed Brickley's sporting the "hottest vp from the coldest state" button which were all over the convention last night (ugh)... or else he went to Minneapolis to visit the same bathroom stall as Larry Craig...  I'm not quite sure.  Either way, he's super-excited to be a Republican.

Looks like politics just hijacked this posting as well, and my attention span for the evening.  Needless to say, I failed to make a love connection last night -- either with the Republicans or with RUTHS CHRIS.  Sorry for all the yelling.

WOW.  What turned up is so nasty and vile (especially the photos) that we honestly won't repeat it but . . . we will lead you right to it.   

I feel like a barker at the circus, "Come one, come all see the amazing closeted gay Republicans as they post ads on Craigslist exposing their genitals, asking for discreet sex, and generally doing vile and disgusting things during their convention to promote family values.  Yes, you'll see them flaunt their sex pistols, look for orgies, and admit that they are married.  It's a show like no other on Earth!"

Click here but be prepared:

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/search/m4m?query=convention&minAsk=min&maxAsk=max

PS - if your husband or boyfriend is at the Republican National Convention, you might want to consider using condoms from here on out.  

Oh - think I'll run back and check out the girls at W 4 W.    Are female Republicans into secret sex stuff?  We'll see.

*Update:  the only thing I found was a boring ad looking for a blind date for a lonely friend.   Republican lesbians are so sweet.  

Maybe I should have checked the abuse shelters?

young guy in town for the convention, looking for a good time - 25 (near Xcel Center)

Date: 2008-09-01, 6:51PM CDT

Hey guys-

I’m just getting in town for the convention, looking for fellow convention attendees to fool around and have a good time.

No Log Cabin here, nobody knows, so must be discreet.

I’m 5′8, 165 lbs, professional guy, looking for similar. We can grab a beer and talk about why Obama sucks and then get it on.

Hilarious!  In retrospect it was probably a Very Bad Idea for the GOP to host their convention right near the very airport in which one of their sitting Senators, Larry Craig (R-ID) got caught by a cop trolling for anonymous cock in a public restroom.  Seeing as the restroom itself has become a tourist attraction, not to mention being located at the airport that most of your delegates and media will be passing through, might not send the right signal.

Unless the right signal is "Tap twice under the stall and then show America your cocks".

Wonkette: The D.C. Gossip » Blog Archive » A Children’s Treasury Of Republican M4M Ads In Minneapolis St. Paul.

Beema's Week in Review hosted by Abe Lincoln. It seemed appropriate to have the Father of the Republican Party host on the week of the Republican convention. Topics include Sarah Palin and her pregnant daughter, Real World's Kevin Powell, Bill and Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and more.

Don’t forget to enter Beema’s contest for a chance to win your own custom Beema animation. We have had one lucky winner so far. For more details click on the 'Submit to Win' link above.

EdgePhiladelphia:  What do Barney Frank, Elton John and Ellen DeGeneres have in common with Larry Craig, Clay Aiken and Ricky Martin? Well, for one, they’re all obviously gay. Each and every one of them. Gay, gay, gay.

But while the first three came out after years of whispers, the others responded to mounting evidence by burying themselves deep into the sands of denial. Unfortunately, the cozy little burrow they hoped would shield them from further public scrutiny was already occupied by Tom Cruise, John Travolta and Oprah -- and they weren’t budging!

Coming out of the closet used to mean career death for politicians and celebrities. But as times slowly change, those bold enough to declare their true sexual orientation have about the same chance of seeing their lives destroyed as they do of getting an image award from GLAAD.

What does it say, then, about those who continue to entrench themselves in denial? Is this indicative of a certain damaged personality type? And what makes them think they can get away with it? Don’t they realize that America expects the truth about their tawdry sex lives in exchange for our support at the ballot box or the box office?

From the inquisitive public to their evasive targets, everyone involved has an over inflated sense of entitlement. There’s a term for that, you know (especially when it refers to someone else). It’s called narcissism.

Narcissism: The Catnip in the Closet
"Each of us is narcissistic to some degree." says Albert Clayton Gaulden, an astro-intuitive and transpersonal psychologist and founding director of the Sedona Intensive.

We all choose actions that are in our own best interest. But there’s a certain point where self-preservation stops being pragmatic and starts becoming evil. For Gaulden, that tipping point happens around the time "when one begins to shut out the rest of the world and becomes the center of his own universe." With that in mind, he offers this generally true generalization: "All politicians, actors or celebrities have clinical narcissism -- it goes with the territory. Clinical narcissism means one is incapable of being honest with himself. He’s pathologically selfish and self centered."

That’s probably why politicians and celebrities are drawn to the spotlight; not just for the power, but for the constant adulation that comes with it. Gaulden says these attention-getting professions feed those who "are dependent upon the goodwill of others. They survive on the applause, almost like a vampire."

It’s so cliché that it must be true. Just as celebs and politicos are drawn to their professions for the ego boost, they’re also trying in vain to win approval never given to them as children. Gaulden: "From my case studies, closeted men in the public eye more often than not have had a very difficult relationship with their fathers and other men in puberty and adolescence. Their mothers coddled and effeminized them and at the same time reinforced the notion that they must never show their desire to be with a man sexually."

So when a matinee idol or a politician finally reaches the top by catering to a market that demands the opposite of their true selves, there are only two choices: own up, or fight for the status quo. The longer the veil of secrecy has been in place, the more to be lost when it’s lifted. If Ricky Martin or Clay Aiken’s swooning female fans began to ask the hard questions about their involvement with sperm donation and surrogate mothers, their marquee value as objects of heterosexual desire would take a nosedive.

Thankfully, there’s an army of showbiz bottom feeders to perform homo damage control. Gaulden: "Most of these public figures have seasoned publicists and spin doctors to diminish the ill affects of homosexual innuendo. They feel they can get away with it; and this attitude of ’because I can’ is a narcissist’s sense of entitlement."

Tina B. Tessina, PhD (her website) is a psychotherapist and author of author of the book "Gay Relationships." She identifies denial as a logical consequence of the narcissist’s sense of entitlement: "Someone who decides to dig in deeper with secrecy once their cover’s been blown is acting from that sense of invulnerability." Years of successfully dodging close calls, she says, leads to a mental process that keeps the person thinking "that if you just hang tight, you’ll get away with it."

Gaulden notes that "When a politician or celebrity is suspected of being a homosexual, he goes to any lengths to distance himself from the allegation; because narcissists are incapable of seeing themselves as they really are. Some therapists refer to this as the ’Jekyll and Hyde syndrome.’ Both parts are legitimate and real; but only one, the heterosexual pure male persona, is the one that the narcissist can allow the world to know."

But even the best spin and evasive techniques can’t last forever. Sometimes, in the face of overwhelming proof, "They are forced to confess." observes Tessina. "It’s worse, of course, if they’ve been lying or if they’re in a paradoxical situation -- such as a politician who’s gay and speaks out against same-sex marriage. The enormity of the consequences often keeps them straddling the fence as long as possible."

There’s one more Hollywood option for closet cases who opt not to come out. They can get religion -- a religion so freaky and extreme it that it wraps their sexual orientation in a cloak of comparative invisibility. That brings to mind a certain couch-jumping, psychology-bashing, Top Gun known as Tom Cruise. (continue)

McCain Discovered to have Tiny Penis.

APNews/Wilma Dickfit correspondent

August 31^st 2008

One of the recent polls conducted by those who poll people for our news agency discovered that an astonishing ninety-six percent of Americans prefer their president with a penis as opposed to those who do not. Even more astonishing is the recent poll from New York City at the RNC in 2004, the Moral Majority preferred a Super Sized penis as opposed to small, medium, and value size. These facts are concurrent with various factions of Christian Nationalist statistics from collated data collected from the Christian Coalition.

John McCain at the VA attempting to raise his arms above his head.

John McCain has a small penis. This is the one of the other reasons that John McCain has to draw 100% disability from the VA. During one of his last missions to Vietnam, John McCain was secretly subscribed LSD by the military as an experiment. McCain’s hallucinations as a dog led him into instinctual behavior to clean himself. Struggling to find his penis, McCain fell off the couch and broke his neck. Unfortunately, McCain was captured by the North Viet Kong soldiers and was held captive as a gimp for five long years in a P.O.W. camp and dry cleaning facility.

John McCain on right photographed by Charlie in the Hanoi hole called Vietnam.

John McCain is now running for public office and has selected some woman from Alaska to serve under him. Somehow, I cannot and do not want to think of John McCain in that kind of position. There is something vile and morally wrong about a 72 year old man grunting and cursing on top of his running mate. Between McCain and what’s her name they have about two inches worth of penis in length. McCain has about half an inch.

The Alaskan Mistress searching for John’s Weeble Wobble without her glasses.

Courtesy of Keating’s Bahaman Cruise Lines.

McCain should have picked Larry Craig from Idaho as his running mate. At least then he would have had more votes from James Dobson from the Focus on the Family group in Denver. How can you pick a woman VP to get a Religious Right vote when Focus on the Family has more wife beating members than people who believe in Jesus?Christian fundamentalists just hate women for no particular reason. Larry Craig would have been a better selection because he does not like men, but in secret he might try young men, but nobody knows this for sure because Larry has said that he is not gay. The least McCain could have done was pick a running mate with a larger penis. Realistically, if McCain wanted the Religious Right vote, he would have had to have picked a man who is not gay but secretly could be. I think Larry Craig would have made the perfect candidate because he is potentially curious.

Larry Craig and casual longtime friend Mike (Winkin’ Sphincter) Jones Haggard.

(How do you separate the boys from the men in the Religious Right? With a jackhammer.)

This whole campaign has been thrown and the conservative vote has become flaccid and spent because of John McCain’s small manhood. If only in his youth had he paid attention more and stopped using Crisco and petroleum bi-products to stunt his growth. If only John McCain was not so angry and let the blood flow naturally to his pelvis and not his forehead, he could have been a contender. John McCain has left hundreds of thousands of Jesus freaks without a future leader. This means I am going to have to string concertina wire up over my front porch to keep these self righteous evangelicals away from my doorbell.

Swift Vets and POW’s for Truth with McCain during the Charles Keating years.

Recently there has been a lot of support coming from the same candidates that supported George Bush in 2004. They talked a lot of trash about John Kerry because he was a combat Veteran, and spread rumors about Kerry about how he never was in combat. They even confused some retired soldiers in the VFW who usually support real veterans. However, this time the Swift Boat Veteran guys who smear may be selling it hard this time, because they don’t have another Swift Boat Veteran to stab in the back this time. This time they are supporting a guy who spent five long years in a P.O.W. camp. Five years with bamboo shoots under his fingernails and five years with an angry bag of rats on his head, torture, agony, pain, butt rape, and so much more stuff that Hollywood could not imagine. It was probably good that John McCain had a small penis because the VC could not find it to cut it off. Actually, If you think about it. John McCain is not a good canidate for a war time commander in chief because he won't fight to the death. He surrenders and lets Ho Chi Minn violate him in the prostrate position.

Bob Buccannon of Littleton, CO was asked what has been going on in Denver during the DNC. Bob says, A lot of people have been “Jumping the Fence” lately because other party members have testosterone, masculinity, manly man appeal… It’s over for the Right Wing. Not with a bang, but with a whimper.

Dominion? I think not. … and a small penis is why.

]]> http://darkmatter0205.wordpress.com/?p=523 Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:06:48 +0000 darkmatter0205 http://darkmatter0205.wordpress.com/?p=523 Washington, DC - Still stinging from his party's rebukes after being arrested for lewd conduct in an airport mens room, Senator Larry Craig plans to address the Republican Party convention next week from a toilet stall. Senator Craig is not being offered a speaker's slot on the main podium, but will instead broadcast his views via streaming video and YouTube. Craig is currently on a book tour publicizing his new autobiography, "Stalling For Time."

For those of you who are regular readers, you know how I once wrote that I wanted Republican Senator Larry Craig's excuse when caught soliciting a male prostitute in the Minneapolis Airport -- "I have a wide stance" -- to join Marion Barry's "Bitch Set Me Up" as a phrase that should enter the pantheon of every day lingo.

Unfortunately, I don't think I can say the same for John Edward's infidelity excuse:

"She was in remission"

Unlikely to be accepted by the general public

Sen. Pat Roberts (KS) is now the eighth Republican senator to announce that they will not attend the GOP Convention in St. Paul, Minn., next month.

Roberts spokeswoman told the Topeka Capital Journal today that Roberts will be campaigning that week, finishing up his 105 county statewide tour during the convention week.

Original DVD cover.

Four others who've announced they won't be attending are -- Ted Stevens (AK), Elizabeth Dole (NC), Gordon Smith (OR), and Susan Collins (ME). All are running for re-election and are in close races. (Collins may have the easiest race, but she's never been a close ally of McCain.)

Three other GOP senators who are retiring this year have also said they'll skip the St. Paul festivities -- Larry Craig (ID), Chuck Hagel (NE) and Wayne Allard (CO).

And the list could grow. Two more GOP senators locked in tough re-election races -- John Sununu (NH) and Roger Wicker (MS) are still undecided about attending.

(CNN) – Another Senate Republican is officially skipping the party's national convention next month, the latest sign vulnerable Republicans may be wary of linking themselves to the GOP brand this election cycle.

Pat Roberts, the two-term senator from Kansas who finds himself in a closer re-election bid than initially expected, won't be on hand to see Sen. John McCain accept the Republican presidential nomination in Minneapolis, his spokesman Molly Haase confirmed to CNN.

...snip...

Roberts' decision comes a week after Republican Congressional Committee Chair Tom Cole reportedly suggested some embattled Republicans should steer clear of the GOP Convention.

According to a report in The Hill, the Oklahoma congressman also urged Republican lawmakers to feel free to criticize the party -– including prospective future colleagues — citing dismal congressional approval ratings. “These ratings are worse than we had on the eve of losing the majority,” he said. “Don’t be afraid to say you are disappointed in fellow Republicans… don’t hesitate to be anti-Washington, D.C."

I can't seem to get it up for John

Senators, hello, this is not your second cousin's birthday party or a wedding of someone you never met. You can't just send some lame apology and excuse.

So let's see which of you has a VALID reason for being a big Convention party pooper.

ROLL CALL:

Ted Stevens. Busy "fighting crimes"... His own. Okay, well, that makes sense.

And we understand Larry Craig skipping out. He's still in treatment for Toetapaphobia. And flying into Minneapolis and possibly having to face the airport bathrooms there is entirely too traumatic. Stay home with your wife, Larry... Please.

Wayne Allard of Colorado is retiring this year and is still in love with Mitt Romney. Love. How do you argue with that?

Then there's Chuck Hagel, who this summer traveled to the Middle East with Obama. Enough said. Obviously Chuck's really a Democrat in Elephant clothing. Plus Chuck's retiring and his gag reflex goes off every time he even says "McCain".

But what about THIS group?...

Gordon Smith of Oregon who is running as John Kerry friendly? When he called Kerry a "socialist" in 2004? Should we let him off the hook because he's suddenly seeing blue? (Gordon, we rescind your invitation, you you you... Democrat?... Did Hagel infect you?!)

Elizabeth Dole (NC) and Susan Collins (ME) whine that they are WAY too busy campaigning for their own re-elections to attend some convention. Where they'd be seen with other...Republicans. Especially the nominee. Ladies, this sounds a bit like Smith's excuse. This isn't "Survivor". (Well, maybe it is). Okay, you're excused. Especially you Susan, who never really treated John very nicely anyway.

So now what's this about Pat Roberts of Kansas? Also "too busy campaigning"? Sorry Roberts. Find a new excuse.

And John Sununu and Roger Wicker? Where are your plane and hotel reservations? Are you "too busy to Expedia"? And don't even try the campaigning excuse... John, you say your dog died? Was that before or after he ate your homework! Now get thee to St. Paul! And be happy about it!

Or Senator Craig saying to the arresting officer: "Wow, they sure keep these airport bathrooms spotless!"

Max, two years old now, has just gotten caught doing one of his list of a thousand daily things he knows not to do, and is trying to soften up the wrath.
"Paw Paw... Richie-Ryan... Chic-kan nug-gets." I hear it twenty times a day.
But what can ya do?
 

"I now call the quarterly meeting Spouses of Political Philandering Utter Dumbasses (SPPUD) to order.  I'm pleased to announce and introduce the latest member of our club, Elizabeth Edwards. Every four months we get together to commiserate the fact that our spouses egos lead directly to problems with their dicks – namely they can't keep it in their pants."

{loud laughter and catcalls}

"Ever since my husband's behavior with that thong wearing, beret topped, buys her dress at the GAP, willing-to-be-satisfied-with-a- cigar bitch became public, I formed this club. You are my closest friends, the ones who understand the humiliation, the embarrassment, the absolute shame we feel standing next to these jackasses. Oh, and let me tell you something - I would never be satisfied with a cigar - I want the whole cucumber!!!  But of course, with Bill, I settled for a cigarette.

So many of us continue to stand next to these putzes for reasons most people can't comprehend. Not all of us have the balls of Dina Matos, taking her "ministerial" ex to Court, for every buck possible. Of course, she had a child with a man who publicly announced he's a 'gay American' while she was stood at his side, smiling like he was announcing they won the lottery.

By the way, I suspect someday soon, Maria Shriver will be attending our meetings, as I keep hearing that the Gubenator can't keep it in his pants.  Of course, being from the Kennedy clan, she's probably used to that.

But here, amongst other woman who have stood the stand of shame, we can stand together and proudly say, It's Not Me.  It's Him."

{Loud Round of applause}

"We have our usual crowd tonight, starting with our newer member Silda Spitzer. Her husband, former NY governor and serial prostitute user, Elliot Spitzer, is now working for his dad. Silda gave up her career as a high profile lawyer to be mom and pretty sidepiece as her hubby ran for office. And Elliot totally shafted her as she stood at his side, admitting to paying to import a whore from NY to DC."

"Ladies, it is only here that I can be at ease. I still have nightmares about that press conference where Elliot told the world he was paying to have unprotected sex. I don't know why I didn't shout into the microphone – 'you stupid fucking bastard. You dumb, arrogant shit. How dare you?!!!' But I didn't. But I can assure you, he's having protected sex now. With his own hand, because he's not getting anywhere near me ever again. And let me tell you, remember that $4,300 he paid the whore for two hours of sex? Well, to stay at his side – fully dressed, I might add, I'm getting more than that these days. Guess what else? I've got a book deal in the works, and the world will soon learn about his real sexual issues. Did you know he liked me to wave an American Flag over his dick and have me call him Mr. President in bed?"

{laughter and applause}

[Hillary takes microphone again]

"Suzanne Craig, spouse of the Senator with the widest bathroom stance ever, Larry Craig"

{Suzanne waves, and spreads her legs wide to much laughter from the crowd}

"Donna Hanover, the former spouse of former mayor and former presidential candidate Rudy Guiliani."

[Donna grabs microphone]

"Wasn't that a great primary season – oh, except for you Hil, sorry my friend. But boy did Rudy get his ass kicked black and blue! Serves the philandering bastard right. Even better, his own kids didn't vote for him! I feel like a new woman, like the woman I was before I met that limp dicked loser. It really is true. It's him. Not us."

[Hillary forcefully reclaims microphone]

"Our good friend Dina Matos, formerly McGreevey couldn't be with us tonight, as she's sitting by her phone, waiting for the decision about how much money she'll be getting from her soon to be ex husband, the fruitcake, jailbird, pretending to be a studying to be a poverty stricken minister to avoid paying her what she's owed for putting up with his shenanigans. But she sent us a photo, and doesn't she look a lot happier these days?"

{applause, and someone shouts, "we miss you Dina – take him for every penny!"}

"And now, I'd like to introduce the latest member of our little club – the little club that keeps on growing. This classy lady deserved a helluva lot better from her husband, former Presidential candidate John Edwards. Liz here did so much for the man – took massive doses of hormones so they could have more kids at a late age, campaigned at his side while treating for cancer, got him enough press and good will to beat me in the Iowa Caucuses – thanks again Liz {laughing}. And how does he pay her back? With a mistress and a possible love child! It is with dubious pleasure that I introduce Elizabeth Edwards."

{loud applause}

"Hi ladies. It is with a bit of sadness that I join your club. I never, ever thought I'd be here. I always thought I'd be dead before I stood at the side of my man in one of those 'oops, my dick accidentally landed in another woman moments.' And yet, here I am. Just another member of the club.

You all know its been a tough couple of years for John & me. Between the twins, the chad election, the cancer, and the primaries, things in our world have been emotional and hectic. But he swore to me that he would never do anything to publically embarrass me. I guess I should know better than to take a politician on his word. You know, I could almost handle the whole mistress thing if he'd been up front with me.

I'm a reasonably pragmatic woman, I know with all the cancer treatments and dealing with our children and death, I haven't always been the easiest woman to be around. We had a deal. Nothing to jeopardize the dream. But like so many high powered men, that wasn't good enough. Not when there are plenty of women and men willing to do the nasty in whatever way they fantasize. So here I stand. And you know what? It's him. Not me.

Unlike Dina and Silda, I'm not going to write a tell-all book. I'm not looking for money or revenge. I've got better things to do with what's left of my time. I'm going to stand tall and apart from my husband. I'm going to make sure he's so full of guilt that he'll never be able to get an erection for the rest of his natural life. And then, with a little luck, I'll make sure he won't be able to sustain one in the afterlife!"

{wild applause, standing ovation}

{Hillary retakes microphone}

"I love your style, Liz. You can throw in some guilt for me too, after all, if it weren't for your cheatin' man, I'd be winning the White House this year. Instead, I'm stuck waiting for Michelle to join our little club."

{waits for applause to die down}

"Ladies, enjoy the evening and let's hope that we don't get too many more members, we're running out of room here!"

And so concludes our glimpse into last night's SPPUD meeting.

By:  Lauren J. Walter  August 13, 2008

The answer is: Edwards' adultery is not a problem for Obama any more than Larry Craig's importunings should be a problem for McCain. As for McCain's alleged adultery--it's been denied by both parties and I really don't care about the Senator's sex life. I do care about the fact that he is running a campaign filled with lies about his opponent's positions, a campaign that is conducted in a snarky, subversive tone that is entirely inappropriate to American politics. I wish my colleagues would spend more time talking about what a disservice McCain is doing the country and less time "analyzing" why McCain has to tear down Obama in order to win. (If tearing down Obama is the only way he can win--and this should be obvious, but apparently it isn't--McCain doesn't deserve to win.)

In general, I agree with Klein's point that we, the media and the country, are waaaay too obsessed with the sex lives of politicians and whether or not they may have tried a little of the ganja while they were in college (or even more recently).  On the other hand, knowing that this is the case and knowing that nothing remains a secret forever, the politicians should be quicker in admitting to these transgressions, seeking forgiveness from their families and moving on.  Enough with the cover ups.

But my real disagreement with Klein comes with this particular point:

...and I'm profoundly uninterested in what Larry Craig does in the loo.

While I am also uninterested in the details of what Craig was doing in that loo, when any politician participates in an act that they themselves would condemn other people for, it's the hypocrisy that deserves the focus.  Not the act.

ANEMIC ROYALTY

Let me begin by saying that I was a huge supporter of the John Edwards candidacy having contributed to his campaign.  I was angered by his decision to drop out after professing his commitment to take it to the convention.

This new revelation took me aback although one really can never be surprised by others indiscretions especially by those drawn to power or money.  Just the mere fact that Edwards felt the calling to run for the presidency requires a certain, almost indescribable trait.  Call it arrogance or ego or elitism.

“In the course of several campaigns, I started to believe that I was special and became increasingly egocentric and narcissistic.”   - John Edwards on August 8, 2008

I stepped back for a couple of days to digest this story.  All I knew was that I can not condone infidelity.   I also believe that the private lives of couples – in the bedroom – belong in the that couple’s bedroom, which is one of the reasons I am a Democrat

Both he and Elizabeth have stated that he had informed her back in 2006 about the affair which occurred that same year.  This was of course prior to his announcement that he was entering the 2008 presidential race.  He had publicly denied the affair when it came out October, 2007.  And now more than 6 months after he dropped out of the race, the truth comes out. 

The issue of fidelity is a private matter and should never be of public concern – except when you take the time to point the finger elsewhere (which I will get to in a moment)

Does his infidelity make him any less passionate about the middle class, the poor, universal healthcare and the myriad of other issues that had me supporting him?  Would his infidelity make him any less capable as an AG?  Of course not – on both counts. 

"If you want to beat me up — feel free. You cannot beat me up more than I have already beaten up myself." – Edwards in the same statement.

What bothers me is the double standard at play here.  I am referring to the finger waving at the Democrats who get caught and the apologists’ response with the Republicans.  So that is the direction my mind decided to go.  The difference between Democrats and Republicans – when infidelity leaks to the press.

First – the most famous affair.  Bill Clinton.  I am not rehashing this one.  I lived through this 24/7 (thank you cable news) as this droned on ad naseum.  He actually got impeached over this lie.  He lied about an affair while under oath.  And because he lied to us?  Really?  Like I matter?  Boy, were we faux offended – especially the Republicans – like Newt Gingrich and Larry Craig.

Former New York Governor and AG Eliot Spitzer got caught with a hooker.  For that, Republicans and the media went ballistic.  He was threatened with impeachment if he didn’t resign. Spitzer resigned over this and his political career is over.  Current NY Governor David Paterson, during his opening press conference as Governor, announced to a shocked audience that he and his wife both had extra-marital affairs.  I wonder if Edwards had admitted it back in 2006, if he would have even been able to run for president.

Hypocrisy rules the day:  Let’s look at the Republicans in their glass houses.

Former Speaker of the House and current Fox News talking head Newt Gingrich won the hypocrite of the year award back in 1997 as he led the impeachment charge against President Clinton. 

Gingrich’s first marriage was to his former high school geometry teacher, Jackie Battley.  He informed her of the divorce while she was in the hospital recovering from cancer surgery – while he was having an affair with the woman who would become his second wife, Marianne Ginther.  The two were married months after the divorce.

But Gingrich’s story doesn’t end there.  The Congressman who once ran on the slogan “Let Our Family Represent Your Family” had another affair, cheating on Marianne, while the Clinton impeachment was going on.

Here is Gingrich justifying the hypocrisy.

"The standard is: In a court of law should somebody who's popular get away with perjury?  And I drew a line in my mind that said, 'Even though I run the risk of being deeply embarrassed, and even though at a purely personal level I am not rendering judgment on another human being, as a leader of the government trying to uphold the rule of law, I have no choice except to move forward and say that you cannot accept felonies and you cannot accept perjury in your highest officials."

Of course, the other famous impeachment hypocrite is Republican Senator Larry Craig.  I’m not going to rehash this story either even though it was quite funny at the time.  I loved watching this grown man standing in front of the microphone, wife standing behind him pleading with America that he is ‘not gay’ like by admitting that makes everything all right – like by admitting you are gay is just so atrocious.  Just like Nixon:  “I am not a crook.” 

Could you imagine if he had said that he loves his wife but does occasionally give into his desires for men?  Instead, he stood there like a teenage boy.  “I am not gay,” as if that word was the worst thing imaginable.  Yet this hypocrite is still in the Senate running for re-election.  And yes, he is the same person who called President Clinton “a bad boy.  A naughty boy.  A nasty bad naughty boy.” 

Which leads me to Republican David Vitter, whose name turned up on the phone records of the DC Madam.  As a result, we got to see him speaking with his wife standing beside him.  Yes, his wife was the same woman who chastised Hillary Clinton for standing beside her husband after his indiscretions were made public.  Wendy Vitter made the following comment while discussing the resignation of former Louisiana House Speaker Bob Livingston.  He had resigned after admitting to numerous affairs.

"I'm a lot more like Lorena Bobbitt than Hillary [Clinton]. If he does something like that, I'm walking away with one thing, and it's not alimony, trust me."

Vitter is still in the Senate and is still married to Wendy.  It is so easy to cast stones at someone else.

Former New York Mayor and Republican candidate for President Rudy ‘9-11’ Guiliani has been married 3 times.  Briefly, Giuliani started dating his second wife, Donna Hanover while still married to his first wife, Regina Peruggi in 1982.  In 1997, Giuliani admitted an affair with his communications director.  By 2000, he started his affair with Judith Nathan while still married.

I have never heard Giuliani point fingers at anyone else, but the Republicans and the media didn’t seem to mind Giuliani’s lifestyle during his run for the White House.  Only the voters took issue with this one-dimensional candidate.

The other Democrat I came up with is former New Jersey mayor Jim McGreevey.   He admitted publicly that he was gay, his wife standing next to him.  He admitted to having an affair and then resigned.  What I find interesting is – he resigned.  Democrats admit to affairs – straight, gay or with a prostitute and they resign or get subjected to moral outrage.  Republicans, after they are caught – whether they deny or admit – refuse to resign and defiantly stay in office and still run for re-election.  These are also the same ones who are offended by others indiscretions.  I have a difficult time with this logic. 

The name I’ve saved for last is presumptive Republican (surprise) nominee John McCain.  I wonder if we’ll be hearing more details of this story.  McCain and his first wife, Carol were married prior to his capture.  While a POW, Carol was involved in an automobile accident which left her disabled.  McCain was having an affair with Cindy prior to his divorce from Carol.

There was also a leak (similar to the October 2007 Edwards leak) involving McCain and a lobbyist.  It came out in February and like the October Edwards story was talked about for a couple of days and then forgotten. 

The issue here isn’t John Edwards, the former one-term Senator.  This story hands the media their salacious story during this boring part of the campaign and it give the 'right' something to scream about and something to deflect our attention from their weak presidential candidate and the political pendulum that is swinging away.

But the real issue is the hypocrisy of the Republican right.  The Democrats are asking ‘how is the Edwards affair different from McCain.’  That is a very interesting question.  If the McCain affair gains traction with the media, watch the Republicans moral outrage rise.

Let me conclude by saying that I detest these types of stories.  I wrote about it because of my admiration of both John and Elizabeth.  I also wanted to bring light to the obvious Republican hypocrisy.  I am not judging any of these people or saying that one is worse than another.  I am identifying and criticizing the hypocrisy of the reaction.

John Edwards, pictured with the wedding ring he doesn't respect.

Friends, PolitiPornsters, there truly are Two Americas.  There's the one America where John Edwards is the champion of the poor, the irrepressible mouthpiece calling and warning us that class warfare in our country is prevalent despite the media's ignorance of it.  Then there is another American, the one where John Edwards is an AssHat!  One of these Americas is based on perception, whilst the other is based in reality.  Nope, you haven't entered the Twilight Zone, you've entered the AssHat Zone.

In the AssHat Zone, one can repeatedly deny having an affair.  You can hide-out in a public bathroom at 3:00AM.  BTW, John Edwards can't answer that 3:00AM phone call at the White House, he's locked himself in the bathroom.

In the AssHat Zone, a man will cheat on wife who is universally admired for her grace, courage and intelligence.  Were it not for the cancer, I'm certain that Elizabeth Edwards would be on a potential list of VP's for Obama.  Imagine that ticket...Obama and E. Edwards.  That would truly be something to contend with.  But, I digress, we have AssHat business to perform.

Now, we here in North Carolina are dealing with a double dose of Two Americas or perhaps Bizarro America.  Only in Bizarro America would a man find it necessary to step-out on a woman like Elizabeth Edwards.  Equally unsettling, is that in Bizarro America...freakin' Clay Aiken fathers a child (Albeit by artificial insemination)!  I'd think that Clay Aiken doing it naturally with a women would somehow count as "artificial" if you get my drift.  Again I digress but please blame the "Clay Aiken" digression on my friend Varmint.

In closing, John Edwards you are an AssHat!  You've made the National Enquirer look respectable!  Despite the AssHat, you have a chance to redeem yourself.  Take responsibility for the kid.  Oh, and please, please, please go away!  Maybe you Larry Craig, David Vitter and Mark Foley could form a support group.  Perhaps you could call it "Lying AssHats of America - An Organization of Hope for AssHats."

Oscar Madison: Now kindly remove that spaghetti from my poker table.
[Felix laughs]
Oscar Madison: The hell's so funny?
Felix Ungar: It's not spaghetti, it's linguini.
[Oscar picks up the linguini and hurls it against the kitchen wall]
Oscar Madison: Now it's garbage.--The Odd Couple, 1968

One of the funniest movies ever! And speaking of garbage....
From The Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

The Republican brand is in the garbage

There's only one thing worse than being a member of Congress these days – being a Republican member of Congress.

Original DVD cover.

According to the latest Gallup Poll, Congress' job approval rating has dropped to 14 percent – a record low for the survey. That's a figure that qualifies President Bush, with a 31 percent approval rating, for American Idol.

...snip...

Eighteen months ago, a Democratic majority took control of both houses of Congress. And a curious footnote to the latest Gallup data is that Democrats actually give Congress an even lower rating than Republicans or independents.

An opposition party with a sliver of insight and shred of principle would easily be able to capitalize on this sentiment. That party is not the Republican Party of 2008.

In the 51-49 Senate, Republicans are struggling – not to net enough seats to put Democrats back in the minority but, rather, to stave off enough losses to prevent Democrats from obtaining a filibuster-proof 60-vote majority.

...snip...

How is this happening? How is it possible for Republicans to face electoral disaster at the hands of summer vacationers Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid?

The easy answers are George W. Bush and Iraq. But those are only partially correct.

...snip...

A first-year marketing student could identify the real problem – the Republican brand is in the garbage. Credit John McCain's maverick reputation and stands on ethics and earmarks for his ability to thus far fight Obama to a draw in the polls. Every candidate whose name on the ballot is followed by an "R" is running at a disadvantage. And it's not difficult to understand why.

Begin with Tom DeLay, R-Texas, Mark Foley, R-Fla., Duke Cunningham, R-Calif., Bob Ney, R-Ohio, Larry Craig, R-Idaho, Rick Renzi, R-Ariz., and now Ted Stevens, R-Alaska. That's a partial list.

...snip...

But a campaign theme of "We're no worse than the other guys" has all the appeal of a trip to Siberia with Jack Abramoff.

...snip...

If Republicans had shown zero tolerance for corruption, opposed careless government projects, affirmed a prohibition against earmarks and declared a new conservative compact, it would have provided a sharp contrast for the American people.

Instead, the Republican leadership has delivered more of what caused the 2006 electoral wallop. They shouldn't be surprised if the results in 2008 are no different.

I disagree with a lot of what this guy, Jonathan Gurwitz, says, but what fun to see what conservatives are wringing their hands over! :lol:

John Edwards: Who's Your Daddy?-  One jealous fit, a slip of the tongue, and a Republican hopeful's political career is down the drain.  The ex-mistress of former presidential candidate John Edwards said Saturday she will not participate in DNA testing to establish the paternity of her daughter.  Rielle Hunter's lawyer, Robert Gordon, says his client is a private individual who is not running for public office and that she wishes to maintain the privacy of her and her daughter.  "Rielle is therefore making no statement now or in the future," Gordon said in a statement. "Furthermore, Rielle will not participate in DNA testing or any other invasion of her or her daughter's privacy now or in the future " (Politics: Who's Your Daddy).  On Friday, Edwards admitted to having an extramarital affair with Hunter in 2006 but denied that he was the father of Hunter's 5-month-old daughter. Edwards offered to take a paternity test to prove he is not the father.  Hunter's decision means that the issue of who the father is remains an open question.  Hunter's daughter, Frances Quinn Hunter, was born on Feb. 27 this year, and no father's name is given on the birth certificate filed in California. A former Edwards campaign staff member professes to be the father.  Edwards, a former North Carolina senator who was the Democratic vice presidential nominee in 2004, confessed to ABC News that he had lied repeatedly about the affair with Hunter, then 42, who produced videos for Edwards as he prepared to launch his presidential campaign.  In an interview which aired on ABC's "Nightline" on Friday night, Edwards said he would be willing to take a paternity test to put the issue to rest but wasn't sure whether Hunter would be willing to.   In her statement Friday, Elizabeth Edwards said it wasn't easy to find out about the extramarital affair in 2006 but indicated she did not believe that her husband was the father of Hunter's daughter.  Edwards dropped out midway through this year's primaries. He recently endorsed Barack Obama and had been mentioned as a possible running mate.  But as rumors spread of Edwards' possible affair it became clear that he would not likely speak at the Democratic National Convention later this month in Denver.  Sure you backed out Johnny.  You had to because you got caught with your pants down.  Your hired your baby's momma to produce a few campaign slots, on the up and up, then you got kinky and made your own amateur smut films, only you got careless and forgot to wrap things up.  But, this is not the first time a politician went for a walk on the wild side.  First it was Wild Bill's tonsil hockey camp, then Senator Larry Craig goes and solicits a pervert in a Minnesota airport restroom, now this, not to mention 8 years of Little Georgie Bush's b.s. stories.  What's next?  Some prime-time craziness and the true confessions of a political mistresson Gerry Springer?

I wrote about this when the evidence of the affair was already way beyond overwhelming, back when John Edwards was caught visiting Rielle Hunter in a hotel room in the wee hours of the morning.

Up until recently, John Edwards has refused to comment on a National Enquirer story that's been unfolding for over a year. Asked about it on Thursday at an event in New Orleans, Edwards pompously sniffed: "I have no idea what you're asking about. I've responded, consistently, to these tabloid allegations by saying I don't respond to these lies and you know that ... and I stand by that."

Democrat strategist Lanny Davis somehow managed to climb up onto his gigantic moral high horse yesterday long enough to chide Fox News for covering the scandal ("It's a private matter, blah blah blah."). But where was this guy when Republican politicians were getting nailed? It would have been nice if you could have shown up on that high horse of yours then, Lan.

Okay, so John's wife Elizabeth has been diagnosed with terminal, incurable cancer, and the guy that was very nearly our Vice President responded by getting busy with some homewrecker that filmed the pretty boy.

Now, it is something that such a major Democrat player is revealed to be a slimeball and a soulless liar. You've got major liberal donors (e.g. Fred Baron) showing their willingness to financially bail out a creep in the act of being a creep; you've got money games being played, with the mistress and the Edwards staff campaign fall guy (Andrew Young) being moved to mansions to keep the lie going; you've got a Democrat candidate for president and vice president cynically cashing out on the loyalty of those around him.

But the bigger deal about this story is the fact that a slimy tabloid rag is demonstrated to be morally superior to not only this top Democrat, but the major news organizations as well.

The National Enquirer's Barry Levine was on Geraldo Rivera's Fox News program on Saturday pointing out that the Enquirer had "left a lot of bread crumbs way back in October" for the mainstream media, and that during the campaign for the Democratic nomination "all the time the mainstream press is following [Edwards] around, this affair was happening right under their noses."

The New York Times hasn't deigned to cover the Edwards scandal, even when it became blatantly obvious. But these ideologues didn't have a any problem whatsoever literally creating an affair out of scratch to tarnish Republican John McCain. The title of the story itself - "For McCain, Self-Confidence on Ethics Poses Its Own Risk" - shows just how out to destroy McCain's character The New York Times was. And there was no basis for this innuendo hearsay story at all.

And The Los Angeles Times not only refused to run a story in their own backyard when it reflected poorly on a Democrat, but they even went to the lengths of trying to cover up the story in their blog.

The Enquirer has had a whole bunch of ammo last year on this, but the elite media - not wanting to damage a top Democrat during the campaign season - put "the cone of silence" over the story, ala Maxwell Smart. Their silence about Edwards didn't stop The New York Times from running a pseudo-story broadside about a manufactured John McCain affair.

In an unrelated but quite related story, Fox News pointed out yet another example - in its coverage of yet another major Democrat scandal going on - of the leftist bias that now so completely characterizes the media:

Selective Reporting?

We told you about Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick getting out of jail Friday. Thursday, when the Associated Press reported that he had been imprisoned for violating terms of his bond in his perjury case, the AP failed to mention his party affiliation. Kilpatrick is a Democrat.

But back on July 29, when Alaska Senator Ted Stevens was indicted, the AP made his party affiliation clear. The headline read, "Ted Stevens indicted, longest-serving GOP senator." The article included the word "Republican" seven times and "GOP" four times.

Media watchdog Web site NewsBusters.org reports that both "ABC World News" and "NBC Nightly News" also failed to report Kilpatrick's party affiliation.

It's a shame. If you want politically neutral news, don't turn to The New York Times, or The Los Angeles Times, or the Associated Press, or ABC, or NBC. Way too often they can only be counted on to try to help Democrats and hurt Republicans. Nope. If you want honest coverage, you've got to turn to the people that run stories about alien abductions, paparazzi trash, and half-dog, half-human babies.

The funny thing is that, even as major media are now forced to cover the Edwards story (due to prurient interests), they are covering it on very different terms from their coverage of Republican sex scandals. I constantly see the question, "Should we be covering this story? Is it good for society? How is it relevant?" When such questions never occupy the debate in covering Republican scandals. Let me just put it this way: if Sen. Larry Craig in a restroom is a story, then former Sen., V.P. candidate, and Presidential candidate John Edwards in a hotel room is a story as well. Yet we find the media in hand-wringing introspection over the latter when it seemed only to exult in the former.

John Edwards certainly ought to be ashamed. But the press should be hanging their heads as well.

And it gets even worse for Republicans. Of those 12 Democratic seats, only one seat is seriously threatened while a slough of the Republican seats are in real jeopardy. For voters in any of the States where these critical elections are being held, it's time to get just as mobilized and excited about your Democratic Senatorial candidate as you may feel about Obama. This next ballot is especially important for you. For those in other States, I encourage you to donate a percentage of everything you donate to Obama to a few of your favorite Senatorial races. If you really want change, we need Democrats to pick up these seats in the Senate.

In this spirit, I thought I'd make a guide to all of the close races we'll be seeing in the Senate this year. I'll do this alphabetically by State:

Alaska: Nick Begich (D) vs. Ted Stevens (R). Stevens' seat, vulnerable already, recently became more vulnerable after he was indicted on 7 felony accounts for not disclosing huge gifts he got from Big Oil. In other words, he's the typical Republican conservative corporate crony. Begich should win this one, but this is one opportunity Democrats have to capitalize on.

Colorado: Mark Udall (D) vs. Bob Schaffer (R). This is an open seat after Republican Wayne Allard announced his retirement. This is a close race, and an absolutely essential one. Colorado has been swaying toward the blue in recent years, and Schaffer is running a dirty campaign with ads full of falsehoods and lies (in typical GOP strategical fashion). Schaffer is also a corporate crony: he has been pushing oil deals that would harm US-Iraq policy. None of this is to mention Schaffer's close ties to blatant human rights abuses on the Marianas Islands. Why must the Right always be so clearly on the side of evil? We need to get Udall elected here.

Idaho: Larry LaRocco (D) vs. Jim Risch (R). This seat used to belong to Republican Larry Craig. Remember Larry Craig?--Everyone's favorite gay-basher who got busted for soliciting gay sex? Well, after some theatrics, he's gone. But this is still a Red State, and LaRocco has an uphill battle. Risch has a lot more money, but the good news is there are a couple of other conservatives on the ballot, which could siphon away some of Risch's support.

Kentucky: Bruce Lunsford (D) vs. Mitch McConnell (R). This one isn't going to be easy. McConnell is, of course, the Senate Minority Leader, and he has a gigantic funding advantage. Still, the race is within 10 points and making McConnell nervous could shake up Republican leadership.

Louisiana: Mary Landrieu (D) vs. John Neely Kennedy (R). Landrieu has the only incumbent Democratic seat which is in real trouble. Kennedy (who has no relationship to the Kennedy family in MA at all) is being propped up primarily by the fact that a huge percentage of Landrieu's voters were displaced and never returned home after Hurricane Katrina. As a result of the missing African-American vote especially, this should be a tight race. Remember: keeping this seat is just as important as picking up a Republican seat.

Maine: Tom Allen (D) vs. Susan Collins (R). This is an uphill battle for Allen against the incumbent Collins. Like Oregon's Smith, Collins gets elected despite being in a Blue State by running as a moderate. Still, it's essential for Maine voters to understand that their Democratic interests are far better represented by Allen. This one should be really close.

Minnesota: Al Franken (D) vs. Norm Coleman (R). This is one of the fun, high profile races out there. Franken is the former comedian turned Air America progressive radio talker. There really isn't much doubt about Franken's progressive values, since he's been candidly expressing them over the radio for years. Still, this is going to be a very close race, and there's no reason to think Franken's high profile makes him safe; it can hurt him as much as help. Donations to the Franken campaign would be extremely helpful in landing this important seat, which once belonged to the progressive champion, the late Paul Wellstone.

Mississippi: Ronnie Musgrove (D) vs. Roger Wicker (R). Yes, this is a close race: even in Mississippi! This is a battle to finish out Trent Lott's term, which Lott decided to give up to begin a career as a lobbyist instead. Lott had a lot of incumbency power, and some of that will carry over to Wicker. As always: as the African-American vote goes in Mississippi, so goes the democratic vote. Thus, turnout for Obama should help Musgrove here, even though he currently trails in the polls. If you're going out to vote in Mississippi for Obama, remember to vote for Musgrove too! They should be handcuffed together here.

New Hampshire: Jeanne Shaheen (D) vs. John Sununu (R). This is a close one, and an important one. New Hampshire has been leaning further and further into the Blue, and so far Shaheen has a small lead in the polls. Make a donation to her campaign to keep her there!

New Mexico: Tom Udall (D) vs. Steve Pearce (R). This is an open seat after Republican Pete Domenici announced retirement. Udall has 5 times as much cash, has a fair lead in the polls, and he's an Udall: a powerhouse political family. Stewart Udall was basically responsible for every piece of environmental legislation that was passed in the 60's. Tom should continue the legacy.

North Carolina: Kay Hagan (D) vs. Elizabeth Dole (R). This one should be more of a longshot for Hagan than it is. Dole is an established incumbent, but right after the primaries some polls showed Hagan on top. Since then, Dole has re-established her lead, but she's still extremely vulnerable. If the African-American vote gets out, which it should for Obama, Hagan has a real shot. As with all of these races, it is particularly important here: Obama voters all need to turnout for Hagan too.

Oregon: Jeff Merkley (D) vs. Gordon Smith (R). This is my home state and where I'll be voting, so I have a personal stake at getting Gordon Smith out of office. Merkley has been the Speaker of the Oregon House, with a solid progressive background. Meanwhile, Smith is the quintessential political sleaze-ball. When he's up for re-election, he says whatever he must to stay in office. He's made headlines for his ads practically endorsing Barack Obama. But don't be fooled: his real record shows his true colors as a crony for the Bush Administration. He's a moderate in election-year advertisements, but when called to action he's Right whipped. Merkley continues to steadily improve in the polls. But still, it's an uphill battle and he needs all the help we can give him!

Texas: Rick Noriega (D) vs. John Cornyn (R). Polls haven't been taken here in a while, and so the race is difficult to gauge. There's every reason to believe that Noriega could make this race close. Cornyn is vulnerable after atrociously blocking the Medicare Bill. The American Medical Association even vowed to run ads against Cornyn due to his poor record on health care. Noriega is definitely trailing here, but Cornyn has been polling under 50%, which is a sign of vulnerability for any incumbent.

Virginia: Mark Warner (D) vs. Jim Gilmore (R). This is actually an open seat, after Republican John Warner (no relation to Mark) announced his retirement. Mark Warner is a ridiculously popular former Governor of Virginia, meanwhile Jim Gilmore is another former governor who is best known for nearly sending Virginia into bankruptcy with a fiscally irresponsible tax cut. Warner looks like an easy winner here, but never say never. He needs your vote!

In the wake of the John Edwards confession, I've been trying to ponder what makes powerful men think they are above the law? Edwards blamed “an egotism, a narcissism that leads you to believe that you can do whatever you want.” Larry Craig and Rush Limbaugh (both in their mug shots) are just two recent examples of this.

From Plato to Freud we have mapped two powerful forces at war in human consciousness: Eros and Thanatos. Eros is the life instinct, the fount of our culture, our love, our connection to divinity. Thanatos is the death drive which compels us to engage in risky, aggressive and destructive behaviors. The signs of this schizoid war are everywhere though Thanatos seems to be gaining the upper hand. The murder rate begins to climb again. Drugs like crack and meth savage city and countryside alike. Famous radio talk show hosts succumb to the lure of prescription painkillers. Senators risk their life's work for a fling in a men's room. We watch intently as young actresses play with death and addiction. And other addictions like gambling claim many a middle class household and we live as a nation beyond our means. Around the world America's new reputation as an aggressive nation that will use force in a preemptive war, destroys our moral standing in the capitals of friend or foe alike.

Where does this appetite for risky, self destructive behavior--both at the individual level and at the level of the Office of Vice President--come from? Is this becoming more frequent, or has it always been this way?