Local Color

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Cruising my hometown newspaper from a distance this morning, I came across a cliched expression of moral outrage about Anthony Weiner. More specifically, about Nancy Pelosi's refusal to yell "off with his head." [sorry, couldn't resist.]

I commented, but it being the Fargo Forum with a longstanding Republican bias, I don't expect my comment to get thru moderation. I'll be pleasantly surprised. Just in case, here it is:

People who live in glass houses…. David Vitter and diapers and prostitutes. Republican Senator.
Mark Foley and underage pages. Republican Representative.
Chris Lee and craigslist ads for transsexuals. Republican Representative.
Newt Gingrich and infidelity in the House parking ramp and dumping two wives with cancer. Republican. Speaker of the House. Presidential candidate.
Mary Bono Mack and the breast licker being investigated by the FBI. Republican Representative.
John Ensign and the predatory stalking and coerced sex with his best friend’s wife and payoff after. Republican Senator.
Larry Craig. Minneapolis men’s room stall toe tapper. Republican Senator.
And John Boehner. We’ll see how that goes….
The problem with pointing a finger is there’s always more pointing back at you.

Thing is, when either side demands the resignation of an opposing elected official, without consistently demanding the resignation of one of their own, then the same ol' same ol' continues. When the cronies protect their own ... And when the voters stand pat and just vote their party line, then we all deserve what we get.

We need grown-ups. Not coverups. For that reason alone, Anthony Weiner should resign. As should David Vitter. And Tom Coburn. And Charlie Rangel.

UPDATE at 6 p.m.: Call me pleasantly surprised: The blog monitor at the Forum's Area Voices did not censor my comment. And call me so not-surprised: The original blog-poster retorted with the predictable oh-yeah, so-are-Dems....

In the good ol' summertime.... here we are again, media-obsessed with a salacious story. Go read Joe Nocera in today's New York Times. That's a pleasant surprise, too. In the Rich-Herbertless NYT, someone to look forward to reading.

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