The amazing power of sexual scandals in politics.

[Philosoraptor]

American political history has many examples of powerful politicians brought down by sexual scandals of one kind or another, usually infidelity, public lasciviousness, hookers, kinkiness, etc. Witness the Clinton years, when all the republicans could pin on him was infidelity, something they all do.

I remember a former republican friend of mine complaining about all the attention the repubs were focusing on Clinton's philandering when they should have been focused on his liberal politics. But it was the sexual scandal that did the trick. He was basically upset that they went after him so viciously over an affair.

And some here feel the same way about foley's folly, that too much attention is being given this sleazy story when there are so many other political issues that need discussed.

I'll take the sexual scandal and like it just fine if that's what it takes to get people's attention, after all, payback is a mother fucker, revenge is sweet and what goes around comes around.

This sexual scandal WILL have an effect next month at the polls, the ridiculous and tragic war will have an effect too, and the two issues combined will have an effect. Fine. Let the chips fall where they may.

Remember all the nasty things that were said during the Clinton scandal and throw it in their hypocritical faces. henry hyde said, 'catch the falling flag' as if the union itself were in jeopardy over a blow job. They called Bill a sexual predator repeatedly, now one of their own IS a sexual predator. Stick the knife in, twist it a couple of times and enjoy the ride.

[StClone]

1. Ah, you have a mistaken observation

Foley probably broke laws. Clinton only broke public trust. The scandals are sexual but otherwise considerably different.

[Philosoraptor]

3. true, this is much more salacious

[wakeme2008]

2. IMHO while the Far Right made a big deal over Clinton's BJs

Most men would be dreaming of a 22 yo female dropping and giving them a BJ....

OTOH........

Most females would go crazy about a 54 yo male asking a 16 yo boy to pull out his penis and measure it.


IMHO there is going to be more people upset over Foley than Clinton.

[MrScorpio]

4. Revenge is a dish best served cold

Great post

[cleveramerican]

5. its the cover-up

the conspiracy to withhold it from the one Dem on the page oversight committee for a year.



The sleazy part gets your attention,sure but the failure to re-act with dispatch once people became aware of it is much more damaging to the WHOLE republican party.

Notice it wasn't Dems calling for Hasterts resignation from the speakers chair, it was arch-conservatives.I would love to hear them try to explain this to fundamentalist christian supporters.

the true believers are the ones who will be the most pissed off about this.

Most du'ers already thought republicans were full of it, this is just more evidence for us.

[Lerkfish]

6. The thing is, way too many people are parents and so are outraged

that someone sent their kid to DC, entrusting them to whoever ran the page program, and the republicans failed to err on the side of caution, preferring instead to insulate and protect the potential molester.

This reaches fundies, as well. Whereas fundies might have said about Clinton "I would never cheat on my wife", there's no way they're going to say "I hope someone shields a molestor instead of protecting a child". As messed up as leaders of fundies are, and as much as I don't like fundies in general, the rank and file are usually regular mislead people TRYING to be righteous and do the right thing. There is no way they are going to view child predation in a good light, and there's especially no way they're going to view the coverup as good.

the ONLY option the repubs have, and they know it, is to throw someone under the bus, probably Hastert. This will make the fundies feel as though a sacrifice has been made and then they'll go on with their sheepish lives.

[malaise]

7. Bingo

This is just one page of a gazillion scandals, but this is the one with the teeth.
I'm loving it. They are in panic mode and Rethugs are completely distracted. I heard they had a link up conference meeting last night. Now that the Reynolds $100,000 from Foley is on MSM, the levies of Rethug corruption, sleaze and lack of oversight will leave them drowning in their own fetid water.

This is an absolute dream, even moreso after watching them destroy 900 year old laws last week.

And yes it is the coverup just like the Woodward book is showing. They fugging lie about everything.

Fugg all rethugs.

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