Home › Forums › West Seattle Rants & Raves › Men in the public eye/politics
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June 7, 2011 at 12:26 am #599213
OwnerMaryMemberOK… so Clinton, Edwards, Spitzer, Sanford, Schwarzenegger, Strauss-Kahn, … Tiger,and now Weiner (the idiot in NY), can’t seem to keep it in their pants. This list of the misbehaving just keeps growing. Don’t you get it, foremost, its not right. But if that were not enough …. there is a good chance today, you will get caught – and I applaud the press and others for outing all of you. Maybe it’s time to honor your vows and build some moral integrity. While most of the men caught are having affairs with women (so women are not without reproach), but so far political women have not been caught. Come on guys, this is NOT ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR. Whether its having sex with someone not your spouse, or sending pix of you in your shorts, THATS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
June 7, 2011 at 1:26 am #726006
DPMemberOn behalf of all men everywhere, I’d like to apologize.
But since we’re on the subject, and since I can’t seem to control myself, I’m enclosing a picture of me in my shorts.
(Sorry in advance.)
June 7, 2011 at 1:29 am #726007
DPMemberI have more . . .
June 7, 2011 at 1:30 am #726008
JoBParticipantowner Mary..
i think the sexual indiscretions of married men should be left for them to sort out with their wives… public figures included.
it’s none of our business and in spite of all of the insinuations to the contrary.. it has very little to do with their ability to perform their public duties…
that said.. i don’t have much respect for cheating spouses.. period.
June 7, 2011 at 1:48 am #726009
chrismaParticipantEdit: I realize that my original post here was off topic, so I am removing it.
June 7, 2011 at 1:50 am #726010
EmmyJaneParticipantCouple thoughts/questions:
1) Does cheating on your spouse/significant other make you any less effective at your job?
2) Is it any of our business what politicians do during their private time?
3)Is there a correlation between men in power and men who cheat?
My thoughts are 1) Probably not, 2) not unless it affects their job, see number 1, and 3) I think there might be. I don’t have any facts, studies, or basis to come to this conclusion so don’t ask for my 20 page research paper on the subject, but it does seem there might be a correlation between the traits that draw someone toward a political career and the traits that cause someone to cheat on their partner.
I think that if all this crap weren’t as sensationalized as it was, maybe we could concentrate on the bigger issues and CNN/FOX, MSNBC would be talking about something more important right now. It will have to start with not feeding the frenzy.
Just my two cents.
June 7, 2011 at 2:01 am #726011
KatherineLParticipantEmmy Jane, I mostly agree with your conclusions. I do have to wonder, though. Does feeling that you can get away with cheating on your spouse maybe correlate to the feeling that you could get away with appropriating a few thousands of public money for private use? Or other ethical cheats?
June 7, 2011 at 2:20 am #726012
flowerpetalMemberI’ve not followed the Weiner escapades. But I do believe we jump a chasm when we presume cheating. Many couples have understandings about their “extracurricular” activities. A local prominent couple comes to mind.
June 7, 2011 at 2:31 am #726013
OwnerMaryMemberTHANK YOU KatherineL. Yes — men who choose to not honor their marital commitments — thats between the spouses. However, these men are in the public eye – a choice they made. Thus, their screwing around is open for the public eye. What makes these all so despicable is that ALL OF THEM denied (lied about) the affairs or their behavior. Seems to me that if you cheat and lie to your spouse, you will lie and cheat as a politician. You can choose to forgive your husband if he has cheated…. but public servants and those who seek the public trust by being in the public eye, should be held to a higher standard and thus, suffer greater consequences. Seems to me that the public is letting these guys off easy and maybe if we didnt, there would be a greater deterrent toward such behavior.
I only hope that The Wiener is drummed out of office. He clearly has deep rooted problems.
June 7, 2011 at 2:38 am #726014
JiggersMemberThis is so lame.
June 7, 2011 at 2:56 am #726015
maplesyrupParticipantmeh, I don’t care.
June 7, 2011 at 4:28 am #726016
JoBParticipantOwnerMary..
i think it goes without saying that a man who will cheat on his spouse has already crossed the ethical barrier that makes lying about it pretty much a given.
KatherineL and EmmyJane .. i think the sense of privilege that comes with what used to be public service and is now some kind of blood sport for most politicians does make them more prone to sexual excess.
I think their wives should get them all dogs because it is clear to me that they need massive doses of adoration
June 7, 2011 at 5:52 am #726017
cclarueMemberI remember reading something about the percentage of men who cheat relating directly to their income level the higher the income the higher percentage of cheating because the men travel more and have more opprotunity in general to cheat
June 7, 2011 at 10:27 am #726018
jamminjMemberjust not understanding the ‘outrage’ as if this is something new. Think there wasn’t cheating before Twitter? Is it because he’s a politician that causes such anger? Or that he cheated? If its the latter, maybe everyone should be scrutinized as much…. CEO’s, managers, heck even your bank teller. If he is going to lie to his spouse, maybe he’s stealing money!!!! Maybe like random drug tests… maybe we should have random twitter/email outings.
Hey its time for your moratily test – all your electronic info will now be public!!!!
June 7, 2011 at 4:53 pm #726019
DPMemberSome perspective here . . .
Let’s take two extremes of conjugal morality in politics: Clinton and Bush II.
During his term as President, Bill Clinton was doing an intern right there in the White House. Then he lied about it to everyone. Nasty, stupid, and wrong.
Morally speaking, George W. Bush was the opposite of Clinton in many ways. Faithful to his wife (far as we know), said his prayers every night, etc.
Now let’s look at their respective records.
Clinton doesn’t have a huge record of success, but still, lots of poor and middle class people felt he was on their side. Republicans hated him on principle, ‘natch, but he did a few things that pleased even them, like balancing the budget and reforming welfare.
So much for the lecherous Mr. C. And how did the sexually upright Mr. B fare during his term? Oh my, what a busy boy he was! Among other repugnancies, he:
● started a war on false pretenses
● suspended habeas corpus indefinitely
● ramped up “extraordinary renditions”*
● approved illegal wiretaps
● approved torture and extrajudicial killings
and, perhaps worst of all,
● told us these were necessary measures in the (more or less permanent) war on terror.
So yes, while I’d be the first to admit that lechery is not a desirable quality in a politician (or anyone else), still, given a choice between two politicians, one who’s a garden-variety letch and one who’s a wife-respecting, Sunday-school going torturer, warmonger, and subverter of the Constitution . . .
. . . gee, it’s a tough call but . . .
I’m gonna have to go with the lecher.
—Sorry, George. Maybe God will forgive you for torturing people and wiping your a__ with the Constitution, but I just can’t.
Guess I’m old-fashioned that way.
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*To be fair, extraordinary rendition existed under Clinton. It was little used by him, however.
I should point out that Iraq suffered considerably under Clinton-era sanctions as well.
See, it’s not that I think Clinton was a blessing for the world, exactly. He just wasn’t as much of a curse as George W.
June 7, 2011 at 4:58 pm #726020
TDeParticipantMost of your electronic info IS or has the potential to be public already, so it might behoove politicians to behave themselves, given the public’s general dislike of such behavior. That being said, I really don’t care to hear about all the personal stuff politicians do, as long as what they do is between consenting adults. If their wives put up with cheating of any kind, I feel sorry for them but it’s really none of my business. I care a whole lot more about what these elected officials do for the people who elected them.
I find it much more troubling when elected officias like Weiner somehow think they can get away with such weirdness when they broadcast on the internet. I wonder about their intelligence.
June 7, 2011 at 5:24 pm #726021
DPMember. . . as long as what they do is between consenting adults.
Who is this so-called consenting adult anyway?
I’ve yet to meet one.
June 7, 2011 at 6:02 pm #726022
365StairsParticipantWere it not for that tragic day in 1963…we would probably not be speaking so fondly of JFK either. Look at how many different stories of womanizing came out about him after the fact…but we still put his public persona on a pedastal today. He did some great things and not so great things in his term. Then..his brother is involved in national scandal 1969 and 40 yrs. later and we revere him upon his death for all the great public works he did since that incident….
Memories…like the people who own them.. have selective amenesia too.
June 7, 2011 at 7:30 pm #726023
RarelyEverParticipanti very much disagree with the notion that cheating means only “having intercourse with someone not your spouse/committed partner”. cheating starts the moment an individual starts flirting with someone else, and it’s a slippery slope from there.
i don’t understand politician’s spouses who “stick to their man/woman” – once a cheater, always a cheater. but i guess it always depends on the basis of your marriage – did you get married to gain status and/or wealth, or did you get married for love?
i also concur that if a politician cheats in his personal life he’ll likely have no quarrels cheating in his public duties. cheaters are scum.
June 7, 2011 at 8:08 pm #726024
RarelyEverParticipantjust found a great definition for cheating:
“If your SO [significant other] would be deeply hurt, ticked off or kick you to the curb for doing it … what difference does it make what you call it. Get permission first.”
amen to that.
June 7, 2011 at 8:25 pm #726025
LindseyParticipantJust because two people are married doesn’t mean that you automatically know the exact boundaries they’ve set and the nature of their relationship. Sexuality and relationships are not that black and white. It’s obvious here by the different definitions of “cheating” that we all have. Each couple defines cheating for themselves. Let’s not pretend we know what that is.
I think it’s fair for folks to be upset that he lied to the public, repeatedly.
But basically, I don’t care what my representatives do with their sex lives so long as they don’t care what I do with mine.
June 7, 2011 at 8:25 pm #726026
JoBParticipantJune 7, 2011 at 8:28 pm #726027
metrognomeParticipantAnything that gets Sarah Palin and her ‘tour’ out of the headlines is ok with me. Esp. since my juvenile sense of humor is having fun with the Weinermobile headlines.
And, this is a much bigger issue than just pols. This is about anyone, male or female, who seeks out or otherwise finds themselves in a position of power. It is pretty much inevitable that they will then exert that power and their ‘charisma’ will attract those who want power exerted over them or who want to feel important by being near powerful people (religious leaders also seem prone, pardon the pun, to sexual power games.) And then, there is that 10 mins. of fame thing.
Frankly, in our society, I doubt that an ‘honest’ politician (by whatever definition) would last long as s/he would not be able to bring home the bacon that constituents demand (and criticize pols from other parties for doing the same thing.)
I also think the social engineering that religious organizations have achieved over the centuries regarding marriage as a fundamental institution of a civilized society for raising children is in direct conflict with how humans actually function. I am not intending to excuse someone for breaking their wedding vows, but the pressure to be ‘normal’ by being married, having 2.3 kids, etc. is enormous, esp. for elected officials (there seems to be more forgiveness for Hollywood stars, rock stars, religious leaders, etc.)
Of course, a topic this complex is best discussed over several intoxicating beverages rather than here … of course, that may lead to inappropriate flirting, sexting, tweeting hottttt pictures, etc.
btw 365Stairs — to be fair, let’s include an R or two. Since we just celebrated the anniversary of D-Day, how about Eisenhower? Can you imagine what would have happened to him (and the war effort) if he received the scrutiny that afflicts famous people today?
June 7, 2011 at 9:14 pm #726028
metrognomeParticipantforgot to include this link in my earlier post; if you follow the other links in the story, it adds up to an interesting discussion …
http://healthland.time.com/2011/05/17/the-caligula-effect-why-powerful-men-compulsively-cheat/
June 7, 2011 at 10:11 pm #726029
jamminjMemberhttp://www.salon.com/news/anthony_weiner_dny/index.html?story=/opinion/greenwald/2011/06/07/weiner
“This is just pure mucking around in the private, consensual, unquestionably legal private sexual affairs of someone for partisan gain, voyeuristic fun and the soothing fulfillment of judgmental condemnation. “
“Yes, Anthony Weiner lied — about something that is absolutely nobody’s business but his and his wife’s. If you’re not his wife, you have absolutely no legitimate reason to want to know about — let alone pass judgment on — what he does in his private sexual life with other consenting adults. “
“Can one even imagine how much different — and better — our political culture would be if our establishment media devoted even a fraction of the critical scrutiny and adversarial energy it devoted to the Weiner matter to things that actually matter? “
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