‘High Infidelity’

June 20, 2006

I’m pleased to report that the upcoming issue of the Washington Monthly will feature an article from yours truly, and as of today, the article is available online. (You all should go pick up the issue from newsstands anyway. For that matter, subscribe.)

The topic is an issue that I haven’t overtly mentioned online before and I’d love to get some feedback from readers.

Here’s the gist: for the first time, three admitted [tag]adulterer[/tag]s — [tag]Rudy Giuliani[/tag], [tag]John McCain[/tag], and [tag]Newt Gingrich[/tag] — are planning to seek the Republican presidential nomination. Whereas [tag]infidelity[/tag] was considered a dealbreaker in GOP circles just a few years ago, now the party that presents itself as the arbiter of virtue may field an unprecedented two-timing trifecta. It’s an unusual development that, as far as I can tell, has gone unnoticed by the media. At the same time, however, the Clintons’ [tag]marriage[/tag] remains literally front-page news.

From my article:

Despite the scandalous details [of the Republicans’ affairs], whether the press will air them is still an open question. When it comes to personal morality, liberal commentators have long argued that the press has one standard for Democrats and another for Republicans (and another one entirely for the Clintons). It’s possible that the mainstream media will fail to apply the same scrutiny to the known transgressions of Gingrich, Giuliani and McCain as the Times did to rumors about Hillary Clinton’s husband. But for that to happen, the press will have to resist four powerful political dynamics that will almost certainly be pushing to get the story out.

I hope this piques your interest. Go take a look at the article and let me know what you think.

Will do. The current media will never hold the GOP candidates to the same standard as the Dems, particularly the Clintons. That said, I personally do not believe one divorce should taint anyone (although the underlying facts might matter). However, in the case of at least Giuliani and Gingrich, there are either more than one divorce involved or a number of indiscretions involved. That should definitely be fair game as they are running for the “family values” crowd. I don’t know McCain’s story–anyone care to elaborate?

  • “It’s an unusual development that, as far as I can tell, has gone unnoticed by the media.”

    Not any more! Kudos on the article and I will go read it presently.

  • …the press will have to resist four powerful political dynamics that will almost certainly be pushing to get the story out.

    I hope this piques your interest.

    Yes, it does. You picked your snippet well. Congrats on getting published in the Washington Monthly.

  • Good job, Steve.

    The underlying thread is: Will the MSM fail us again? Saldly, probably so.

  • Bubba, from Steve’s great article:

    McCain was still married and living with his wife in 1979 while, according to The New York Times’ Nicholas Kristof, “aggressively courting a 25-year-old woman who was as beautiful as she was rich.” McCain divorced his wife, who had raised their three children while he was imprisoned in Vietnam, then launched his political career with his new wife’s family money.

  • Loved it.

    Mainstream media bias has gotten a lot of coverage the past few years, but with way too little overall change to show for it. Except for Media Matters, FAIR, and po’d bloggers.

    I really like the way you unemotionally laid out the facts, which are undeniable. I’m all for coming out with facts blazing.

    There could be some delightful schadenfreude involved: win by the Christian Right, lose by the Christian Right.

  • Great Article CB! Wouldn’t it be great if the mainstream media could acutally treat both sides the same…..it’d almost be like living in reality…..wait….there I go again trying to foist reality on the Republicans….but hey I can dream….right?

  • CB — Good article with good points. When we get a little closer to the presidential primaries it might be worthwhile to republish the article here on the blog. I think your article provides a lot of substance for some good LTE’s.

  • CB, very well written article.

    Makes me even more comfortable about NOT voting for John McCain.

    I’m not sure there is a Republican’t who stands a chance of getting my vote.

  • Ed, thanks. Man, leave the wife who kept the family together and sat lonely, suffering, pinning for her MIA soldier for years. Only to be dumped for one of the first young hotties to come along after his release.

    Now, having had time to read the article, I can also say nice job, CB. Keep up the great work, but especially here at the Report. The ORIGINAL Report. (ColBert Report v. CarpetBagger Report–coincidence?)

  • “ColBert Report v. CarpetBagger Report–coincidence?” – bubba

    That’s why Colbert is noble enough to drop the ‘t’ sound when he says the title of his show, so we won’t get confused đŸ˜‰

  • Outstanding article, and you bring up some excellent points.

    I think some of it is the “Watergate” effect — ever since then, the respect for the office of President (and those who inhabit it) has dropped dramatically. Due to this, the media is always looking for some juicy tidbit, some “gotchya” story that will make a splash, while pretty much casting aside the policy issues that will truly define in what direction our country heads.

    But, for some reason, the standard isn’t applied evenly — the left is constantly hounded, while the right seems to be held up on some lofty perch, never to be knocked down.

    Not sure why that is, but there is too much evidence to say it doesn’t happen.

  • “Let’s not bicker and argue about who slept with who . . .” – JC

    That’s “Let’s not bicker and argue about who slept with whom . . .” đŸ˜‰

  • Excellent, CB. Very impressed on you scoring comments from Carrie Gordon Earll of Focus on the Family. Like being on the dark side for a moment I am sure….

  • CB, I’m going to read the article this evening. For now, let me say congratulations on a high profile publication.

  • According to the tabloid, the Globe, Laura Bush spent the night at the Mayflower Hotel recently because she was mad at Bush’s carrying on with Condoleeza Rice.

    When should we expect a New York Times story citing “tabloid reports,” just like they did about the Clintons?

  • My impression of why the poor marital records won’t be a big deal is because of the religious right’s common cop-out: if you’re “saved” you can repent your sins and all is forgiven. It’s those damn infidels that get condemned and go to hell for their sins.

  • One of the things left out on how the bloggers will react is the effort that will be used to silence bloggers, particularly left wing bloggers. This is why we need net neutrality.
    When the main stream media is corporate owned and operated, a few individuals owning newspapers across the land, Clear Channel single handidly distributing talk radio and destroying individual ownership, and cable news parroting what the white house dictates them to say, the one source for individual and non corporate owned media comes from bloggers, and the internet.
    The effort to silence bloggers is underway, and it is up to the people to fight tooth and nail this effort. The internet is the new media source, and it cannot and should not be controlled.

  • if you’re “saved” you can repent your sins and all is forgiven. It’s those damn infidels that get condemned and go to hell for their sins.

    Only if you’re born again. McCain’s an Episcopalian, Guliani a Catholic, and I couldn’t find out about Newt – he apparently isn’t very religious. None of these qualify for the blanket forgiveness evangelicals bestow on the “Born Again”. I think Steve is correct that this may become a hot button issue for the Right, with the Religious Right throwing it weight behind Brownback (a Catholic but a respectable theocrat), Allen, or maybe even Jeb; while the rest of the unholy alliance backs McCain or Guliani as actually being able to win. If this happens the media may be forced to cover it regardless of their beloved double standard.

  • Congrats on your article, CB. Will read it tonight.

    For now, let me just picture what Rove has in store on this issue. Those darling Rethug candidates committed “youthful indiscretions” (youth has no time limit for GOPers, could be as recently as yesterday and the “youth” could have been 45+ at the time, no matter) for which Jesus has long ago forgiven them. Jesus just doesn’t forgive Dems, ya know?

    And what can make the religious right even more apoplectic than adultery–since most of them don’t know all ten commandments anyway…? That’s it! Hillary is GAY!!! And her sham marriage to the philanderer is just a cover.

    The SCLM must, of course, report these allegations–perhaps 10 columns to one–for that is known as being fair and balanced.

    I wish I was kidding.

  • It just shows the hypocrisy of these Republicans touting “family values” and the “sanctity of marriage” while having affairs, divorcing their wives, and trying to impeach former President Bill Clinton for his own adulterous affair.

    Republicans believe only they are entitled to their affairs while making a mockery of true fidelity and the sanctity of marriage–and still think they are able to be an unimpeachable president of the United States–while, with a straight face, saying emphatically they are the only party of “family values,” yet!!!

    They are shameless hypocrites who try to deny those of a different sexual persuasion who truly love one another the ability to marry!!! Actions speak better than words and the Democrats should highlight that in showing they are more responsible and responsive to the true needs of the nation’s citizenry. Let’s restore true democracy to our shores!!

  • Steve – The money quote about how Newt preferred oral sex in his affair so he could claim “he never slept with her” was priceless. I wonder if Newt learned that trick from Bill or vice-versa?

    The Huffington Post has the link to the article near the top of their homepage.

  • CB, great article. I don’t know if you intended it as shot over the bow of the GOP smear machine, but I do believe it may serve that purpose. Anyway, I hope it will make think twice about going after the Dems on this issue.

  • Great article, CB–congrats again. You write: “After enduring the trauma of the Clinton years, and the indignity of John Kerry fending off baseless reports of a fling with a reporter in 2004, it’s hard to imagine Democrats playing nice in 2008, especially in light of the high bar Republicans have set for themselves on “character” issues. ”

    But, sadly, if history serves, playing nice is probably what Dems will do. To my continuing frustration, they simply don’t know how, or won’t, fight these battles. They prefer to take the “high road” and so lose, and lose, and lose again.

  • Newt is Catholic. When he married his third (current) wife, he got an annulment of his first marriage. His second marriage didn’t “count” (to the Catholic church) because it occurred before he got the annulment of his first. Isn’t it slick how that works?!

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