Well, this is how the Republicans seem to do things. Do something stupid or illegal; you're gone.

Contrast that with how Democrats do things:

William Jefferson (a.k.a., "Freezer"): busted by a "sting" operation, yet still in office.

Teddy (Swimmer) Kennedy: still in office.

Barney(Lollipop) Frank: running a prostitution ring out of your home is no big deal; still in office.

Actually, I can't recall any Democrat being called upon to resign from office for much of any reason at all. I wonder why that is?

I suspect it's because Democrats really don't have any moral grounding - unless they "catch" a Bob Packwood or some other Republican that they can carp about.

The singular fact remains that when Republicans find an individual's actions offensive, they take steps to remove him from power. Democrats have never, to the best of my knowledge, ever taken any such steps against one of their own.

Wow, Max, perhaps you've discovered an actionable, American value, still resident in the Republic! "Hyprocrisy sux". Hopeful, that. If Barney Frank were a member of the John Birch society, do you think he would be in office?

Of course Kari brings us back to earth...

Well Lets Don't forget Sandy Berglar and The Chinese Gentleman Hsu The Difference Is That One side Just quits and The other Side Never Had Sex With That Woman. Neither Side Is Worth A damn as far as I can tell.

"Actually, I can't recall any Democrat being called upon to resign from office for much of any reason at all. I wonder why that is?"

Anyone remember Jim Wright or Peg Jolin? Did Rostenkowski serve out his term?

Vitter isn't gone b/c it takes getting caught with a dead girl or a live boy to lose your Senate seat per the old DC saying. Live girls are apparently OK in the GOP, even if you pay for them, apparently.

Larry Craig's parting statement featured that classic Republican denial of culpability, the Unpology.

Announcing his September 30th resignation, the Idaho GOP Senator artfully avoided accepting accountability for his men's room escapades. Instead, he offered the appearance of apology only for their aftermath:

"I apologize for what I have caused. For any public official at this moment in time to be standing with Larry Craig is in itself a humbling experience. I have little control over what people choose to believe."

Craig's evasion is just the latest example of the Republican art of the unpology. Facing recriminations for ethical failings, racist behavior, sexist statements or outright criminality, this new generation of Republican wrong-doers delivers the facade of apology by uttering obligatory words of remorse devoid of actual regret, contrition - or even an admission of guilt.

For more details, see: "The Unpology of Larry Craig."

The unpology is aka the yua culpa.

But while it's true the preponderance of misdeeds and corruption is spectacularly tilted toward the GOP right now, we shouldn't blind ourselves from seeing it among ourselves, either, else we only help to foster it. We should be equally condemnatory of dirt wherever it develops.

Nothing better than seeing a Wild West Conservative spewing God and Country family values eat crow. How's it taste Max; want a little cranberry sauce to go with it???

P.S. The search for Jefferson's evidence was illegal; just like terminating all those Federal DAs without cause...

"P.S. The search for Jefferson's evidence was illegal; just like terminating all those Federal DAs without cause..."

Uh, the DA's are appointed and work specifically at the President's request. Period. And by "all" you mean the eight out of 93 da's? You also keep 100 g's in your freezer?

Your bias has completely blinded you, hell, it's killed you.

And as far as the hypocrisy of a conservative getting nailed for a morality based charge, I guess we all expected Clinton to boff interns since he nailed everything he could get his hands on, so he was consistent, right? Isn't Craigs sex life his personal business? If you are a consistent democrat it is.

The guy sounds like a sleaze, but please, again, dems have just as many or more sleazy bastards too, and they DONT resign.

"But while it's true the preponderance of misdeeds and corruption is spectacularly tilted toward the GOP right now, we shouldn't blind ourselves from seeing it among ourselves, either, else we only help to foster it. We should be equally condemnatory of dirt wherever it develops."

Yes, that is true, as long as there is actual evidence.

Rumor is one thing, an arrest is something else. I still remember decades ago talking with a friend about a woman I admired whose husband was in politics.

The woman said "Well, you know, she is his second wife".

HUH???? I was stunned.

And then I remembered a story the woman I admired had told one day--about being first married, the small apartment, the cinderblock book cases and other such inexpensive furnishing.

I asked, "Does that sound like a second marriage to you? Do you really know when and where he was married? Who told you she is his second wife?"

At that point the friend started to backtrack, "well, someone told me that...."

If someone says "I've lived near enough to that politician all these years to know enough about him and would never vote for him", any person is entitled to that opinion.

But to say there is equal sleaze in both parties is slathering on the propaganda a bit thick.

There are wonderful people in both parties, and there are those who seem to skirt the campaign finance laws and sometimes other lawa as well (like the Congressman who didn't stop for a stop sign and ended up causing a fatal accident).

If someone makes mistakes on a C&E report, they should be investigated and maybe fined. If someone is stopped for drunk driving, that can be publicized. An arrest and statement to police is fair game with a public figure.

BUT, I recall an election in a previous decade where an incumbent had been stopped once for DUI but not arrested. The opponent did push-poll phoning which said, "suppose I told you that --- has been arrested for drunk driving 3 times..". Unfortunately for the opponent, one of those calls landed on the phone of a radio commentator who did a commentary the next day on the evils of push-polls and the inaccuracy of the call.

ddave made the remark "if you are a consistent democrat it is".

I assume ddave means all who believe in democracy believe sex is a private matter even if there has been an arrest and a recorded conversation with police. If he meant members of a political party, he should have capitalized.