Just vote for stuff that helps the nation and the rest is up to you.

Yes,for example the voting record of a person who supports legislation detrimental to gays, while he himself is probably gay, just to placate his far-right constituency.

And that goes direcvly to what you say:”… it is the substance of a person's mind…that matter.”

Exactly!!

No, tidbits, it's not about sex, it's not about “if the guy lounges around in women's underwear watching NASCAR every Sunday.” And it's not about being a “cross dresser.”

It's about character!

When Bill Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinksy was exposed in public, John Ensign, the Nevada Republican, now a possible contender for the next presidential race, declared it “an embarrassing moment for the country”. He also went on to say about Clinton: “He has no credibility left.”

Now it is Senator Ensign's turn to bring embarrassment on himself and his party with his admission yesterday of his infidelity with a former staff member, known to be Cynthia Hampton.

Much is being made of Ensign's hypocrisy: he is a member of an evangelical church promoting fidelity, he has spoken out about the illicit sexual behaviour of other politicians, and he represents the conservative right of the Republican party that upholds the values of the family and heterosexuality as central to its political platform.

As for the hypocrisy angle, we are all hypocrites at some level at some point in our lives. Show me a politician who has never been hypocritical.

Having lived in NV for four years, I always regarded Ensign as a “do nothing”, “go along, get along” pol. At least he has finally done something noteworthy, other than funneling federal money to every military base that flanks a brothel in central NV.

Frankly, I don't care if the guy lounges around in women's underwear watching NASCAR every Sunday. But, I do care how he votes. Kudos for making that point, Marc. And, yes DER, life would be more pleasant if the right would stop the holier than thou routine.

Still, it is the substance of a person's mind, not his/her sexual inclinations, that matter. Michael Harrington, author of “The Other American”, one of the most influential books on poverty in America was, purportedly, a rascal of a cross dresser. That does not denegrate the power of his intellect or the influence of his work.

So, a politician got laid. Didn't know ya had in ya, John. Now, you and your wife go work this out…in private. The rest of us should be tracking your voting record.

I'll say the same to you as I said to Patrick on a similar post.

It is NOT about the sex, or whatever sleaze. It's about the hypocrisy:

“It's not the mistakes people make. Everyone makes mistakes. Both Democrats and Republicans.

It's the sheer hypocrisy that is so blatant. People who condemn gays, demonize gays –even legislate against them–performing gay acts or being gay themselves. You know who they are

People and a Party who so loudly and righteously tout moral values, family values, religious values, then totally ignore/trash those concepts and commit heinous acts.

Is this perhaps the reason we no longer hear the loud, shrill, self-righteous clarions of family values, moral values, “compassionate Conservatism” ?

Yes, I know, one doesn't have to be “pure” to promote pureness

But when so many of those “promoters” and enforcers of our morals turn out to be totally impure,amoral, they begin to lose some credibility…”