How is John McCain's Affair Different than John Edwards'?
Cenk Uygur
The Huffington Post
We have this weird notion in America now that if a politician is caught in an affair that his career is done. We seem to be saying that what he did in his private life effects his policies or how he governs. But we all know that isn't true. We know that because almost all of our great presidents, and great leaders throughout history, have had numerous affairs. Obviously it didn't hurt how they governed at all.
I love the idea of someone saying Alexander the Great can't lead his empire because he's cheating on his wife (by the way, doesn't Alexander's bisexuality single-handedly destroy the idea that gays can't serve in the military). How about Genghis Khan? He had so many affairs that nearly 1% of the entire world population has his genes. Not fit to lead? And there have also been men of great compassion who led noble fights while still doing ignoble things in their private lives. We are all human at home.
We have now heard the stories of JFK receiving sexual favors after speeches in his limo and partying with several women on a yacht while his wife was delivering. But those are all in the past -- so they don't count. But John Edwards is caught having an extramarital affair and the overwhelming assumption is that his political career is absolutely over. How does that make any sense?
(Continued here.)
The Huffington Post
We have this weird notion in America now that if a politician is caught in an affair that his career is done. We seem to be saying that what he did in his private life effects his policies or how he governs. But we all know that isn't true. We know that because almost all of our great presidents, and great leaders throughout history, have had numerous affairs. Obviously it didn't hurt how they governed at all.
I love the idea of someone saying Alexander the Great can't lead his empire because he's cheating on his wife (by the way, doesn't Alexander's bisexuality single-handedly destroy the idea that gays can't serve in the military). How about Genghis Khan? He had so many affairs that nearly 1% of the entire world population has his genes. Not fit to lead? And there have also been men of great compassion who led noble fights while still doing ignoble things in their private lives. We are all human at home.
We have now heard the stories of JFK receiving sexual favors after speeches in his limo and partying with several women on a yacht while his wife was delivering. But those are all in the past -- so they don't count. But John Edwards is caught having an extramarital affair and the overwhelming assumption is that his political career is absolutely over. How does that make any sense?
(Continued here.)
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1 Comments:
Edwards is ever the opportunist. He's a lawyer, of course, so opportunity is his nature. But, the problem with any cheating politico is that it is indicative of bad judgement and that type of behavior is open to the most unscrupulous blackmail which endangers the country.
As for Bill Clinton, it's not that he had an affair, it's that he tried to cover them up. Why cover them up? You can't leave yourself open to the sort of blackmail that comes with affairs. JFK was killed, in many respects, because he didn't give in to the blackmail that clouded his presidency.
Assume Edwards became president. Having knowledge that Edwards is weak for beautiful women, imagine what you can extort from an Edwards presidency. Suppose you also know of Edwards extra-marital affairs. You tell Edwards that if you don't for me these things - x, y, and z - I'll go public with your affairs.
So, Uygur misses the point completely. It's not the affair that is damaging to his political aspirations, it's the point that he can be manipulated by just throwing a hot chick at him and take a position of power over him.
Besides, McCain wasn't actively running for president and he was a neophyte senator at the time. The manipulative machinations won't gain anything by exposing a junior senator affair from someone who doesn't wield much power.
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