I’m sure that many of you have heard the latest scandal in the 2008 presidential election. Republican Senator John McCain reportedly had an affair with female lobbyist, Vicki Iseman, eight years ago. The New York Times broke the story yesterday—with little foundation. In fact, the only evidence The NY Times provides is that they were often seen together and McCain’s staff supposedly tried to keep her away. Needless to say, both parties deny any romantic relationship. But really, so what if he did have an affair? Does it matter? Despite that I don’t believe the story at all, I would feel the same way about it as I feel about Bill Clinton’s previous indiscretions. I couldn’t care less what goes on in a politician’s personal life as long as he (or she) does his job. Presidents have been having illicit affairs since the beginning of our country, and no one cared. It wasn’t an issue that Thomas Jefferson had an affair with his slave, and JFK wasn’t harassed about his affair with Marilyn. So why does it matter now? In this case, where the accusations are entirely baseless, McCain is already attacked. I think that if everyone would stick to real, political issues in choosing our President, we’d end up with the best result, adultery or not!
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Because even if the rumors of sex don't check out. Even if John McCain and this woman were just very close friends, John McCain still used his position as a Senate Committee Chair to enact legisltation which favored his friends clients. And that is not acceptable under any circumstances.
You want to know why it matters? Because the 'father' of Ethics Reform (and incidentally a member of the Keating 5 -- you know, that corrupt group froma a decade ago) has ties to more lobbyists than there are numbers in the Washington DC Phone Book.
Flying on corporate jets? You bet!
Accepting favors from his lobbyist friends (some of whom he may or may not be having Clintonian 'relations' with)? Absolutely!
Doing favors for those friends in return? The Washington Post has an A1 story about it coming out tomorrow.
And you're telling me you don't see a problem with this? Well gee whiz friend, you must be the most trusting person this side of post-honor politics!
Notice how your only defense of McCain is that other people did it, and weren't punished for it. That doesn't make the action right.
My Blog
"We cannot redeem evil, we must combat it." -- Jean Paul Sartre
I appreciate your feedback, but know that I am by no means a supporter of McCain. I understand the issues of the Keating 5, and I am not defending McCain. As far as all his ties to lobbyists that you have mentioned, you would be hard pressed to find 15 senators who do not accept benefits from lobbyists. This post was purely about my opinion that the personal lives of presidential candidates do not affect their ability to act in office, whoever it is about.
Most Senators don't make their "personal honor" an issue the way Senator McCain does. Oddly enough, most don't have as many ties to corrupt lobbyists the way Senator McCain does. Oddly enough, most Senators don't routinely lie about their lobbyist connections the way Senator McCain does.
Now did you bother to read the articles or not?
As for 15 Senators:
Specter, Casey, Boxer, Reed, Whitehouse, Tester, McCaskill, Brown, Sanders, Kennedy, Feingold, Wyden, Pryor, Lincoln, Baucus, Dorgan, and Durbin.
Well, it appears I've gone over.
My Blog
"We cannot redeem evil, we must combat it." -- Jean Paul Sartre
"John McCain still used his position as a Senate Committee Chair to enact legisltation which favored his friends clients."
Did he? If he did, can you show how it was not inthe interests of his consittuants?
A Fact is Always Better Than an Ideal.
Well, I believe that people shouldn't look at all their affairs but i think that they should look at all of the things that he has accomplished and how good of a president he would be.