The Associated Press reported today on the impact of Edward's affair on his political future. The prognosis for recovery looks grave.
"No one in the Democratic Party would want to be publicly associated with him,"
said Merle Black, a political science professor at Emory University in Atlanta.
"Edwards is really damaged goods at this point." (source)
A friend and I had a heated debate over the weekend about the John Edwards, Kwame Kilpatrick, Bill Clinton, that Down-low former New Jersey governor, and (insert all other high-profile adulterers you can think of here) adultery scandals. We had a difference of opinion about how much of a political figure's personal life is really our business.
My friend could not understand why what a man does in the bedroom should affect his job, especially if it doesn't affect his job performance. He pointed out that if a politician is doing great things for the city, state or country, why should it matter that he has a chick on the side? Shouldn't he get credit for all the good he does? After all, Edward's reportedly has been a strong advocate for the poor. Isn't the affair between him and his wife, who says she knew and forgave him? (Yeah, they all say that in front of the cameras.)
For me, the bottom line is trust. I'd like to be able to trust my elected officials to do the right thing. Adultery, in any form, is a sign of weakness. It shows that a person is not able or willing to use sound judgment in the face of temptation.
These are people who stood before God and vowed to be faithful to their wives and families. If he can't do the right thing by his own wife and family, how can I expect him to have my best interest and the best interests of my family - people he has never met - at the forefront of his decision making? How can we be sure that when they stand on inauguration day, place their hands on the Bible and swear to do the right thing that - like on their wedding day - they are not telling a big, fat lie? How do we know that they won't go over to some foreign country and sell out America for a harem of virgins and a six pack of beer?
In most cases, I'm all for people keeping their dirty laundry to themselves. It is humanly impossible for me to care less about who the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker are sneaking around with. However, when your lust-and-stupidity-driven decision-making skills are crucial to the lives and livelihoods of hundreds, thousands or millions of people, including my family, it's my business.
I don't want to end up in poverty or at war because some idiot wanted to impress his mistress.
My friend could not understand why what a man does in the bedroom should affect his job, especially if it doesn't affect his job performance. He pointed out that if a politician is doing great things for the city, state or country, why should it matter that he has a chick on the side? Shouldn't he get credit for all the good he does? After all, Edward's reportedly has been a strong advocate for the poor. Isn't the affair between him and his wife, who says she knew and forgave him? (Yeah, they all say that in front of the cameras.)
For me, the bottom line is trust. I'd like to be able to trust my elected officials to do the right thing. Adultery, in any form, is a sign of weakness. It shows that a person is not able or willing to use sound judgment in the face of temptation.
These are people who stood before God and vowed to be faithful to their wives and families. If he can't do the right thing by his own wife and family, how can I expect him to have my best interest and the best interests of my family - people he has never met - at the forefront of his decision making? How can we be sure that when they stand on inauguration day, place their hands on the Bible and swear to do the right thing that - like on their wedding day - they are not telling a big, fat lie? How do we know that they won't go over to some foreign country and sell out America for a harem of virgins and a six pack of beer?
In most cases, I'm all for people keeping their dirty laundry to themselves. It is humanly impossible for me to care less about who the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker are sneaking around with. However, when your lust-and-stupidity-driven decision-making skills are crucial to the lives and livelihoods of hundreds, thousands or millions of people, including my family, it's my business.
I don't want to end up in poverty or at war because some idiot wanted to impress his mistress.
