Double Standards

The latest media frenzy from John Edwards revealed affair is another anectdote that disproves the liberal-media-myth.

Take their treatment of JE's affair, along with any other affair that involved a politician with a D after their name. The pretty boy trial lawyer first denies the affair, then confirms the affair. His cancer-stricken wife and family already knew about it. There might be a love child and most certainly moneys transferred. The result? Media clusterfuck. Not saying he doesn't deserve the bad press or calls of hypocrisy. But really, the relevation that a politician lied?...stop the freakin presses. Isn't lying a job requirement for those folks. Besides, lying and cheating are one in the same. Too bad he wasn't lying about WMD's or Saddam's ties with Al Qaeda or Pat Tillman's death or torture or warrantless wiretapping or....you get the idea....those lies would have been forgotten and called "old news".

But lets take another example. We have a Republican Senator from AZ currently running for president. Had an affair with his current wife (a rich beer heiress) while married with his crippled first wife. Didn't deny it (said it was in the past) in that trademarked "Straight Talk" way. The NYTimes revealed he was banging a lobbyist (Vicki Iseman) who was also lending him corporate jets and who knows what else for legislative favors. Under pressure, the Times retracted the banging part, but not the rest that entailed ethical (and perhaps legal) lapses. The result? Media silence, save a couple low key mentions in the primary season. Not that it matters though. McCains only running for president, as opposed to not running for president, like Edwards. Not running for president is an important position that requires the closest media scrutiny.

Look at Bill Clinton, Dem. Got a BJ in the oval office from a Jewish girl. The result? Impeachment. Disbarred too. He's also been blamed for hurting his wife's chances for the same reason. Can't have another pussyhound in the White House. It worked so badly with JFK and all. Lets have another sexually repressed pres like Nixon. Sorry, sarcasm doesn't work so well when typing.

Look at David Vitter, Repub. Serial hooker-addict, wore diapers and walked on my stilleto-heeled prostitutes, all the while acting as family values man whose wife would lop off his hoo-hoo-dilly if he ever dared to act like Slick Willy. The result? Media silence and a standing ovation from his fellow Republican. Oh yeah, remember the DC madame whose black book revealed Vitter's name? Well, she's been Suicided (not the self-inflicted multiple gunshot suicide, but suspicious nonetheless). That's another story that's worth less print space than John Edwards having an affair.

Look at Eliot Spitzer, Dem. Revealed, through banking transactions (thank you Total, er, Terrorist Information Awareness), that he was spending thousands on call girls. The result? Immediate resignation and the end of his political career.

Look at Larry Craig, Repub. Destined for Mr. Garrison's character in the live-actor remake of South Park the Movie, he rose to fame when it was revealed that he toe-tapped his way to gay sex in airport bathrooms. How classy....and hygienic. His wife and family stood by him as he convincingly stated "I'm not gay" in a lispy tone. The result? Media frenzy for a short while, but he's still on the job. And he's trying to "protect marriage" from the out-of-the-closet gay community by putting forth amendments with that other stallwart of family values, David Vitter. No, I am not kidding...couldn't make it up if I tried.

There's too many more to go through, but you get the idea. If you're Republican and cheat, you weather the short media storm and keep your job. In the case of McCain, the media refuses to mention it (in fact, ABC scrubbed John Edward's mention of it in his recent interview). If you're a Dem and you cheat, media clusterfuck, trumping all other news (including news that the White House fucking forged documents that tried to tie Saddam with Al Qaeda!!!!!), and your political career is over. No, no double standard there.