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Thu 12 Jul, 2007 09:37 am
It is not only Democrats who are calling upon Vitter to resign. However, he has two and a half years to rehabilitate his reputation (and overcome his past hypocrisy).
washingtonpost.com's Politics Blog
Assessing Sen. David Vitter's Political Future
Sen. David Vitter's (R-La.) acknowledgment late Monday that his phone number was among the scores listed in the so-called D.C. Madam's phone records has set off wild speculation about whether the revelation will cripple his political career.
That speculation grew with a report in yesterday's New Orleans Times-Picayune that quoted a former former brothel owner as saying Vitter had frequented her Big Easy establishment. Later in the day, Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt said he had uncovered evidence of Vitter's ties to five New Orleans prostitutes.
It's hardly surprise, then, that a story popped late Tuesday night quoting a member of the Louisiana Republican State Central Committee calling on Vitter to resign.
In other words, the feeding frenzy is on.
Vitter has hunkered down, avoiding all press inquiries and public appearances. He's clearly hoping to ride out the negative press and wait for some other story to come along that sweeps attention away from him. Those who have watched his rapid rise in Louisiana politics believe that a resignation is far from Vitter's mind at the moment.
Vitter began his career in the Louisiana state legislature where he was first elected in 1991. He left that body in 1999 to run in a special election for the seat being vacated by Rep. Bob Livingston (R), who, ironically, had been driven from office (and the top role in the U.S. House) by an affair of his own.
Vitter sought to continue his quick political rise by running for governor in 2003, but he dropped from that race citing family problems. At the time, he denied his decision had anything to do with rumors about his frequenting of Louisiana bordellos. "My wife and I have been in counseling for a few months now," Vitter told the Lafayette Daily Advertiser in May 2002. "Running for governor requires a lot of travel, fund-raising and pressure. We've decided to put family first."
But one year later when Sen. John Breaux (D) decided not to seek reelection in 2004, Vitter quickly jumped into the race. The rumors that had dogged him during his short bid for governor didn't reemerge, and Vitter won easily -- becoming the first Republican to be elected to the Senate from Louisiana since Reconstruction.
So can Vitter survive the D.C. Madam mess?
He has three major factors in his favor.
First, he is not up for reelection until 2010. That means he has roughly two-and-a-half years to rehab his image before he has to face voters. Three years is a long time in politics, and while the issue seems like a silver bullet for Democrats (or a possible GOP challenger) now, it might not be so potent down the road.
Second, Louisiana is a state not unfamiliar with political scandal. The most prominent example was four-term Gov. Edwin Edwards (D), whose campaign slogan in his 1991 reelection race against former Ku Klux Klansman David Duke (R) was "Vote for the Crook, It's Important." Edwards won that race, only now he is incarcerated after being convicted in a racketeering case.
The sheer number of Louisiana politicians who have come under investigation from either state or federal authorities has, frankly, numbed the state's voters to scandal. A story like this could be absolutely devastating to Vitter in a notorious good government state like Wisconsin or Minnesota; in Louisiana, it might well pass for standard fare.
Third, the Louisiana Democratic Party is in dire straits. Their strongest candidate for governor this year -- state Sen. Walter Boasso -- was a Republican until a few months ago. Vitter's 2004 victory, coupled with Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco's (D) struggles in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, have created a power vacuum. Old hands like Breaux seem inclined to stay out of the fray as evidenced by his decision not to run for governor after Blanco stepped aside. A fresh face like former Rep. Chris John saw his image badly tarnished by the less-than-stellar Senate campaign he ran against Vitter in 2004. As the old saying goes, you don't beat something with nothing.
Still, this situation remains extremely fluid. Vitter's style -- somewhere between hard-charging and downright irascible -- has rubbed a number of people the wrong way during his political career, and this is the perfect situation for someone with an ax to grind to do so. The story appears to be spiraling out of control for Vitter, who can only hope to keep his head down and hope it passes. The more revelations like those we saw yesterday, the less chance there is of that happening.
Yeah, of course he can survive it. It's only sex, right? No big deal. Both parties consented. I don't see a problem here. Hypocrisy? Won't be the first or last political hypocrite. (republicans and democrats are both really good at being political hypocrites)
Plenty of people have resigned over this sort of thing -- just adultery in fact without the added onus of prostitution -- so it's not at all impossible that Vitter will.
I don't really think any of these people should resign over this stuff, Democrat or Republican, but the irony is certainly thick in this particular case.
I agree that a politician's personal life is of no moment. Clinton comes to mind. I am more concerned about their job performance, and must admit that I know little of Vitter's. I do think that his hypocrisy is an issue to be considered.
Quote:He's clearly hoping to ride out the negative press and wait for some other story to come along that sweeps attention away from him.
This is the part that just kills me. Why are people so darn interested in this stuff?
The headline in today's paper says "Al-Qaida rebounds, U.S. warns"
If that won't sweep attention away from him nothing will.
CoastalRat wrote:Yeah, of course he can survive it. It's only sex, right? No big deal. Both parties consented. I don't see a problem here. Hypocrisy? Won't be the first or last political hypocrite. (republicans and democrats are both really good at being political hypocrites)
Vitter is one of those loud voices yelling "no amnesty" to those who broke immigration laws. After all, law-breakers must be punished.
But he says has received amnesty from his god and his wife...
But what about the legal consequences, what he did was ILLEGAL.
To me the biggest sin here is hypocrisy. He is "pro-family" but he commits adultery. He is "anti-amnesty" for others who break the law, but when he breaks the law he seeks amnesty.
Browny, you did it again. You managed to bring in the issue of illegal aliens to an unrelated thread. Move on!
ebrown_p wrote:CoastalRat wrote:Yeah, of course he can survive it. It's only sex, right? No big deal. Both parties consented. I don't see a problem here. Hypocrisy? Won't be the first or last political hypocrite. (republicans and democrats are both really good at being political hypocrites)
Vitter is one of those loud voices yelling "no amnesty" to those who broke immigration laws. After all, law-breakers must be punished.
But he says has received amnesty from his god and his wife...
But what about the legal consequences, what he did was ILLEGAL.
And I've certainly got no problem if he should be charged with a crime and prosecuted. If a law is on the book, then those who break it should be prosecuted or the law needs to come off the books. That is my stance on the immigration issue also. We have laws making it a crime to enter this country illegally, and unless those laws are removed those who break said laws should be forcibly returned to their country.
I don't believe position should put one above the law. Simple. So hey, if a DA wants to prosecute Vitter, go for it. But in any case, I stick by what I said that this thing is overcomable (?) by Vitter. Most will see this as simply about sex, which is exactly the tact the democrats took in the Clinton impeachment issue, ignoring the perjury laws that Clinton broke (regardless of how he tried to spin it). So I doubt this will come to much.
Advocate wrote:Browny, you did it again. You managed to bring in the issue of illegal aliens to an unrelated thread. Move on!
Like you are talking lol.
This is hardly unrelated. Vitter is an immigration hardliner and trumpets his leadership role in opposing "amnesty".
His hardline immigration stance is one of the main reasons I dislike him so much. This is as repugnant as his hard-line stance on marriage-- and just as hypocritical.
Allow me to enjoy his uncomfortable situation a little... would you?
boomerang wrote:Quote:He's clearly hoping to ride out the negative press and wait for some other story to come along that sweeps attention away from him.
This is the part that just kills me. Why are people so darn interested in this stuff?
The headline in today's paper says "Al-Qaida rebounds, U.S. warns"
If that won't sweep attention away from him nothing will.
For those of you too young to remember, the Ted Kennedy thing happened at the same time another rather momentous event was taking place: the first moon landing. As it turns out, the Kennedy story got almost as much play.
Quote:
For those of you too young to remember, the Ted Kennedy thing happened at the same time another rather momentous event was taking place: the first moon landing. As it turns out, the Kennedy story got almost as much play.
This story about hypocrisy.
Vitter spends a lot of his time worrying that other people might have improper sex. That's what makes this new revelation so important.
This guy clearly is using "family values" as a cheap political gimmick.
sozobe wrote:Plenty of people have resigned over this sort of thing -- just adultery in fact without the added onus of prostitution -- so it's not at all impossible that Vitter will.
I don't really think any of these people should resign over this stuff, Democrat or Republican, but the irony is certainly thick in this particular case.
Deborah Jean Palfrey is being criminally prosecuted for what the Feds say was a prostitution ring.
Vitter, I would think, holds some responsibility for the laws that make these federal charges possible, no?
ebrown_p wrote:Quote:
For those of you too young to remember, the Ted Kennedy thing happened at the same time another rather momentous event was taking place: the first moon landing. As it turns out, the Kennedy story got almost as much play.
This story about hypocrisy.
Vitter spends a lot of his time worrying that other people might have improper sex. That's what makes this new revelation so important.
This guy clearly is using "family values" as a cheap political gimmick.
Not for the first time, either.
I haven't seen much call for him to resign yet, has anyone else? A Republican state government guy in LA did (who evidently hasn't liked Vitter for a while), that's a bit all I've seen so far though.
Remember - it's Louisiana, after all. Edwin Edwards once declared that the only way he could lose an election is if he got caught with a live boy or a dead girl. Turns out he was right (he and Vitter patronized the same bordello) and what send Edwin packing was egregious corruption.
Prostitution doesn't concern me. I think it is a victimless crime, and the act should be legalized. I imagine that it is effectively legal in, say, New Orleans and Charleston. (I'm joking about the latter.)
If the feds have jurisdiction, it is bit of a technicality (e.g., the ring extended its activities across state borders).
The hypocisy here is extreme, and now Vitter may have little to talk about. His standing in congress is certainly diminished.
Rant of the Day: The Vitters Should Apologize to the Clintons
Posted Jul 12th 2007 1:08PM by Cenk Uygur
David Vitter -- before he got caught having an affair with a prostitute -- said that Bill Clinton was "morally unfit to govern." Does the conservative, Republican Senator from Louisiana now feel the same way about his own adultery (and many years of subsequent cover-ups)? Or would he like to apologize to Bill Clinton for what he said?
He also said that President Clinton should resign because of the "mess" he's created. Does he feel the same way about his own mess?
I think anyone in the state of Louisiana would be crazy to vote for a gigantic hypocrite like Senator Vitter, unless he admits that he has changed his ways and now understands that people's private lives are their own business and that he should have never commented on Bill Clinton's sexual relationships or his cover up of it, since was guilty of the same thing at the same time. We're waiting.
Senator Vitter's wife also felt quite self-proud at the time of the Clinton affair. She said back then, "I'm a lot more like Lorena Bobbitt than Hillary [Clinton]. If he does something like that, I'm walking away with one thing, and it's not alimony, trust me."
Trust me? Interesting. Is Mrs. Vitter planning any staff cuts around the senator's office?
No, it looks like she forgave him after all the tough talk. It looks like judging people is a little harder when the shoe is on the other foot. So, will Wendy Vitter be apologizing to Hillary Clinton for implying she was weak for not ending her marriage or cutting off her husband's genitalia? Which one is it, will Mrs. Vitter follow through on her tough talk or apologize to Senator Clinton for running off her mouth about the Clinton's private affairs? We're waiting.
Advocate wrote:Rant of the Day: The Vitters Should Apologize to the Clintons
Posted Jul 12th 2007 1:08PM by Cenk Uygur
David Vitter -- before he got caught having an affair with a prostitute -- said that Bill Clinton was "morally unfit to govern." Does the conservative, Republican Senator from Louisiana now feel the same way about his own adultery (and many years of subsequent cover-ups)? Or would he like to apologize to Bill Clinton for what he said?
He also said that President Clinton should resign because of the "mess" he's created. Does he feel the same way about his own mess?
I think anyone in the state of Louisiana would be crazy to vote for a gigantic hypocrite like Senator Vitter, unless he admits that he has changed his ways and now understands that people's private lives are their own business and that he should have never commented on Bill Clinton's sexual relationships or his cover up of it, since was guilty of the same thing at the same time. We're waiting.
Senator Vitter's wife also felt quite self-proud at the time of the Clinton affair. She said back then, "I'm a lot more like Lorena Bobbitt than Hillary [Clinton]. If he does something like that, I'm walking away with one thing, and it's not alimony, trust me."
Trust me? Interesting. Is Mrs. Vitter planning any staff cuts around the senator's office?
No, it looks like she forgave him after all the tough talk. It looks like judging people is a little harder when the shoe is on the other foot. So, will Wendy Vitter be apologizing to Hillary Clinton for implying she was weak for not ending her marriage or cutting off her husband's genitalia? Which one is it, will Mrs. Vitter follow through on her tough talk or apologize to Senator Clinton for running off her mouth about the Clinton's private affairs? We're waiting.
Vitter did not go before a grand jury and lie about his relations. He admitted his mistake and has moved on.
Bravo! Green Witch. That is exactly right.
The "Clinton did it" defense has worn thin from all sides.
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