Oops, that's my number (Senator Vitter)[MULTI-MERGED] (1 Viewer)

[Broadmoor74]

If we are going to demand the resignation of major politicians who have had affairs, we won't have many major politicians keeping their office.

That's probably one reason why they always think they can get away with it. It shouldn't be tolerated just because it probably happens more than we think.

I really don't see anything wrong with wanting the guy to resign, given the fact that he preaches one thing and does the opposite. He's violating the trust of not only his family (which, I agree, is their problem), but also his constituency.

The kicker is that we're not talking about simple adultery. We're talking about solicitation of prostitution. However it is socially viewed, it's still illegal.

 

[bienv]

Vitter is a hypocrite. He needs to resign.

I expect that you will call on most of Congress to resign then. Shall we start a list of hypocrits in that body?

 

[Broadmoor74]

If politicians start being held accountable for their actions, maybe things CAN change.

 

[bienv]

If politicians start being held accountable for their actions, maybe things CAN change.

If.

 

[mg450]

If your standard is that a public official's sexual sins should be laid out for all of the public to see, then yes, that is true. However, the Clinton supporters have been telling us for years that his indiscretions were a private matter. if Clinton has the right to keep his indiscretions private, then so does Vitter. If Clinton should not have been impeached over sex, as his supporters said and continue to say, then neither should Vitter.

Remember the quote "I did not have sexual relations with that woman"? Clinton certainly didn't out himself due to his own conscious either.

For the record, I don't place much stock in Larry Flynt's muckraking. The man apparently has nothing better to do with his life than cultivate the worst in people.

Man you're a card carrying member aintcha? Drinking the party Kool Aid. Come on man. Read the posts. People are generally being fair. It is clear that in your partisan mindset when you heard about Clinton's affair I bet you were livid with Slick Willy. At the same time I bet when you heard about Vitter's solicitation of several prostitutes, I bet you weren't livid with our boy Dave - I bet the only people you're livid with are Larry Flint and the darn liberals.

Come on, man. Don't drink the Kool Aid. I'm a liberal. But I refuse to drink the liberal punch. Generally, when I hear Kool Aid drinkers speak, it doesn't matter whether I agree with their point or not, I think they are ridiculous and that we won't have real progress in this country until we get past this foolishness.

It's amazing how reactions differ depending on party. Reps adn Dems are the same in that way and just as bad. Dems will defend Clinton to the death and drag Bush for any reason. And Republicans were just as bad with Clinton and are just as defensive with Bush (and now Vitter). Come on. Don't let emotion and team-mindset stand in the way of reason.

 

[mg450]

I expect that you will call on most of Congress to resign then. Shall we start a list of hypocrits in that body?

And come on. Stashing cash in a freezer isn't illegeal. But it is when you're doing it to hide it from the Feds because its a bribe/kickback.

Exrtamarital sex ain't illegal either. It is when it's with a prostitute.

You're so quick to point out that Bill's big problem wasn't sex but perjury - a serious crime. Same with Vitter. His problem isnt sex but soliciting prostitution - a serious crime.

And while you type about how Vitter's personal sexlife and relationship is his business between him, his loved ones, and his beliefs/God - I sure hope you feel consistently with that mindset in terms of homosexual unions.

 

[varanook]

We need to have term limits on all of our leaders. I have never understood how we can place term limits on the President and not on the rest of our federally elected politicians.

2 terms for House of Representives.
3 terms for the U.S. Senate.
25 year term to the U.S. Supreme Court.

I agree with this 100%. That get rid of the "powerbroker status" gained after years in office

 

[RJ in Lafayette]

Yes, prostitution and solicitation are crimes--but so is in some states allowing your 20 year-old child to drink a glass of wine inside your house.

Vitter has to answer to many people for his actions--certainly to his wife, and one feels for his children. But not to me--not at the level of resignation.

To those of you advocating that Vitter resign, my questions:

1. Would it matter if Vitter had simply had multiple affairs rather than used escorts?

2. Would it matter had Vitter never campaigned on social or family values?

What is the outrage principally based on? That he cheated on his wife? That he used prostitutes? That his personal life is contrary to his political statements?

I questioned in an earlier post whether this is old news. To some extent, it is. Perhaps not Vitter using the services of the D.C. Madam. But it has been known for some time that Vitter has not been entirely faithful and that he and his wife received counseling.

I frankly am more upset that people like Larry Flynt are engaging in this game of destroying political opponents regardless of the cost involved and the weapon used.

 

[Broadmoor74]

Yes, prostitution and solicitation are crimes--but so is in some states allowing your 20 year-old child to drink a glass of wine inside your house.

Vitter has to answer to many people for his actions--certainly to his wife, and one feels for his children. But not to me--not at the level of resignation.

To those of you advocating that Vitter resign, my questions:

1. Would it matter if Vitter had simply had multiple affairs rather than used escorts?

2. Would it matter had Vitter never campaigned on social or family values?

What is the outrage principally based on? That he cheated on his wife? That he used prostitutes? That his personal life is contrary to his political statements?

I questioned in an earlier post whether this is old news. To some extent, it is. Perhaps not Vitter using the services of the D.C. Madam. But it has been known for some time that Vitter has not been entirely faithful and that he and his wife received counseling.

I frankly am more upset that people like Larry Flynt are engaging in this game of destroying political opponents regardless of the cost involved and the weapon used.

I guess that's where we don't see eye to eye. To you, Larry Flynt is the wrongdoer who derserves to be bashed.

Personally, I think Vitter is an embarrassment because of this stuff. More than ever, we need our state's politicians to lead us in our post-Katrina quest to rebuild. We need solid people who won't make US look dumb.

And forgive my ignorance, but what's your point of bringing up the laws against underage drinking in one's home?

And just for the record, I do not consider myself a liberal.

 

[bienv]

Man you're a card carrying member aintcha? Drinking the party Kool Aid.

You make too many assumptions. And hyperbole like "card-carrying member" and "drinking the Kool-Aid" adds nothing to the discussion.

I'm not a card-carrying member of anything except for my employer and the Knights of Columbus.

 

[mg450]

I frankly am more upset that people like Larry Flynt are engaging in this game of destroying political opponents regardless of the cost involved and the weapon used.

Haven't those same types that Larry Flint attempts to destroy also attempted to destroy him and his business in the name of family values, religion and morality? What's good for the goose is good for the gander. What comes around goes around. What goes up must come down. It's a two way street. Enough cliches? Point received?

So how can the religious right be upset with a man that they have attacked turning around and attacking them? Let me guess because one side is Right and other is wrong.

 

[mg450]

You make too many assumptions. And hyperbole like "card-carrying member" and "drinking the Kool-Aid" adds nothing to the discussion.

I'm not a card-carrying member of anything except for my employer and the Knights of Columbus.

Go back and read the rest of that pst and respond instead of being conveniently dismissive. When you first heard of Clinton's possible cheating (which turned out to be very true indeed) - tell me you weren't livid. And tell me you were livid at Vitter. Seriously. Be honest.

 

[SaintsFan11]

Yes, prostitution and solicitation are crimes--but so is in some states allowing your 20 year-old child to drink a glass of wine inside your house.

Vitter has to answer to many people for his actions--certainly to his wife, and one feels for his children. But not to me--not at the level of resignation.

To those of you advocating that Vitter resign, my questions:

1. Would it matter if Vitter had simply had multiple affairs rather than used escorts?

2. Would it matter had Vitter never campaigned on social or family values?

What is the outrage principally based on? That he cheated on his wife? That he used prostitutes? That his personal life is contrary to his political statements?

I questioned in an earlier post whether this is old news. To some extent, it is. Perhaps not Vitter using the services of the D.C. Madam. But it has been known for some time that Vitter has not been entirely faithful and that he and his wife received counseling.

I frankly am more upset that people like Larry Flynt are engaging in this game of destroying political opponents regardless of the cost involved and the weapon used.

1. Yes it does matter that Vitter solicited prostitutes. That shows contempt for the law, rather than just contempt for the vow he took before the God he so conveniently envokes at every turn.

2. Yes it does matter that Vitter ran as the family values candidate. His socially conservative stances were essentially the meat and potatos of his campaign. He rebuffed earlier claims that he was involved with the New Orleans Madam as vicious lies, which was a lie in itself, all the while promoting himself as the values candidate. And then he gets involved with the DC Madam. I think that's pretty significant, and I don't understand why you don't.

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

2. Would it matter had Vitter never campaigned on social or family values?.

- This is the crux of the argument. This is why this thread is so long and the media coverage is so intense. I would not have nearly as much of a problem if it was someone like Clinton or Guiliani who never held themselves up as pillars of morality. Vitter should pay with his political career, IMO, because the way he conducts his life is the exact opposite of the qualities he presented when campaigning for office. There is a lot of cynicism directed at public officials- and rightfully so- but guys like this who have the audacity to espouse views on the "sanctity of marriage" and the like while sneaking off to a whorehouse are the scum of the Earth...

 

[RJ in Lafayette]

B74, my point on underaged drinking is that an admission of conduct that violates a criminal statute--regardless of the statute, regardless of the classification of the criminal offense, regardless of when the offense occurred, regardless of whether there was a conviction, regardless of whether a prosecution can take place because of statutes of limitations, regardless of the wisdom of making the conduct criminal--should not necessarily result in the resignation of an elected official.

I don't want to defend Vitter and his conduct. Certainly not on a personal level. But I think it has to be put in some perspective. Again, he obviously has some significant failings and his demons. And it seems to safe to conclude that his marriage was some time was troubled.

But--on a personal level--I don't like sticking my nose in the marriages of other people. And I draw a distinction between personal morality and public morality, as do others, though in different ways. Years ago, in Dick Daley's Chicago, the good mayor sanctioned those who practiced a little corruption, but not those who cheated on their wives.

If you find his conduct unacceptable, vote him out in 2010. Certainly, that campaign has gotten a whole lot more difficult for him.

But yes, I am bothered by our using evidence of personal failings to politically destroy political opponents and am bothered by our modern culture so quickly highlighting the personal failings of the well-known.

And mg, I obviously do not identify with the religious right (and in fact have been critical of the influence of the religious right in American politics and of social values campaigns). I guess here is where I am coming from.

First, I really don't care about the family life of politicians. I care about their intellect, their political courage, their political integrity, their political judgment. I care more that, for example, a Senator with strong doubts about a war would remain silent because of political fear than that a Senator would cheat on his or her spouse become of personal weakness. That's just me, but over the years I am learned to because suspicious whenever a politician wraps himself in his flag or in his family.

And second, I have learned, on the level of personal morality, that life can be awfully complex, and that one should not be quick to judge another person's marriage or children. I realize a big part of this discussion is Vitter's hypocrisy. I agree. He is guilty of massive hypocrisy. But it seems to me that we are talking more about his role as a husband and father than his role as a U.S. Senator, especially for conduct that I think predated his election to the Senate.