August 30, 2007 6:39 AM

Power corrupts, and apparently absolute power isn't nearly as much fun as we'd thought

GOP Reeling From Money and Sex Scandals

WASHINGTON (AP) - When it comes to scandal, Democrats could be forgiven for thinking they hit the political jackpot this summer. At Republican expense. First came the disclosure that Louisiana Sen. David Vitter’s telephone number was listed in the records of an escort service. Then Sen. Ted Stevens’ home in Alaska was raided by federal agents as part of a corruption investigation. Now Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho is recanting a guilty plea that grew out of a police undercover operation in an airport men’s room, adding, “I am not gay” for emphasis…. “This is a serious matter,” said the Senate Republican leadership, an understatement for the ages. No doubt, none of this has been good for what some Republicans like to call “the brand.”…. Craig “represents the Republican Party,” Rep. Pete Hoekstra said on Wednesday, a frank acknowledgment that the party may suffer, regardless of the Idaho senator’s political fate…. “I think it’s important for Republicans to step out right now and say, ‘No, this behavior is not going to be tolerated,’” Hoekstra added. Depending on how far that attitude extends, it would mark a change from the recent past, when House Republicans were slow to respond to the scandal spawned by lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

I can remember it as if it was yesterday- the smug pronouncement that Our Glorious and Benevolent Leader © was going to “restore honor and dignity to the White House” and by extension to Washington politics in general. Yeah, right. For the past six-plus years, Republicans have done nothing if not wallow in their own $#!&. Unable to resist the lure of power and easy money (and in some cases sex-gay and straight), they’ve become an embarrassment, both to themselves and everything they purport to stand for. The GOP’s fall from grace would be laughable if it weren’t so sad. This is a party that promised to clean up politics, to make government work, and to protect working men and women from the clutches of Big Government. Well, it was a nice idea, at least….

Larry Craig is merely the latest embarrassment for the party of morality and decency. Regardless of how you feel about Larry Craig, or Bob Ney, or Mark Foley, or Tom DeLay, or Jack Abramoff, or Duke Cunningham, etc., etc., ad infinitum, as nauseum, the reality is that Republicans have a problem on their hands, and they seemingly have NO idea of how to solve it. This is what happens when you have a party populated by seriously flawed human beings, yet you insist on trumpeting your moral superiority.

I suppose I probably should be careful here; after all, if the GOP’s predicament has proven anything, it’s that “holier than thou” is a difficult mantle to wear- and it only becomes harder with time. Even so, Republicans have had their chance, and they’ve demonstrated themselves to be singularly incapable of holding the moral high ground. Isn’t it about time to throw out the Gross Old Perverts??

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This page contains a single entry by Jack Cluth published on August 30, 2007 6:39 AM.

'Cuz it's certainly easier than taking responsibility, eh? was the previous entry in this blog.

Someone tell me why this man shouldn't be President, #3 is the next entry in this blog.

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