Washington File

Deborah Palfrey deserves the Pemberton Award for Good Governance.
Palfrey list is like the black book of 1918.
That trial of the century is deleted from all books.
The list there had 47000 names.
The list here is 46000 phone records.
The listed are not womanisers or machos or ordinary sinners.
They are power brokers, gay, lutheran agitators of all wars.
These wretches are only one dirty cover for the real pimps deep underground.
A curse on kingpins, Justice Charles Darling then and judge Adolph Kessler now.

Noel Pemberton-Billing
Trial of the Century 1918

Should a list of names be published? Depends on whether or not soliciting a prostitute is considered a crime. If so, then all the clients should be considered equally guilty and their names should be available so that they may be punished by the proper legal proceedings. If not, then it's more of a morality issue, where we want to be able to point out the hypocrisy of this or that person's stance on someone else's perceived moral failings. Someone's sexual activities have nothing to do with their political activities, as far as I'm concerned, though it's interesting that the politicians who are the loudest critics of those with sex-related scandals are always the ones who have done something similar.

Is the phrase "family values" code for the hypocrisy of the right? Don't let's hold our collective breath hoping that the voters to the south wake up and smell the coffee.While fussing over who is sleeping with whom, the Bushites and Harperites are goose stepping us towards global warming,environmental degradation, world wide misunderstanding, and an uncertain future for everyone's children.

But, Did Vitter inhale?! Remember, Clinton was also accused of smoking pot. So this does make Clinton doubly dubious in comparison to Vitter, indeed, pious on one count.

;)

Well, Vitter had to take a few days off so his wife could Lorena Bobbitt him (she said she would and faith-and-values people NEVER lie) before he made the announcement that Jesus had forgiven him. So come on, people; he's been bobbitted and forgiven by Jesus. It's over. Back to work. No more to see. "Lighten up," as Mitt Romney and Macaca Allen advise us. Never mind what he did, and does; focus on what he SAYS!

There is,always has been,and will continue to
be politicians who are whoremasters not only in Washington D.C.,but also on capital hill in Ottawa.I say this because these people have fame and power.There are also political "groupies".E.G. Miz.Lewinsky.

Having said that it looks good on this righteous senator
who wanted Clinton crucified because he didn't keep his fly zipped up. At least Clinton led the U.S. through 2 terms of prosperity tried to make peace, and had respect from most of the world leadership.
Not so with the nimrod living in the White
House today!
Personally,I don't care how many partners
the politicians are "doing" as long as it's not my wife and/or someone's young child.
I judge them on their ability to lead a country!

I look at Bill Clinton and at the condition of the United states at the time of his 'indiscretion'. The U.S. was wealthy, no wars were at hand, peace talks were taking place in the Middle East and unemployment was at a low. The present president who touts Jesus, family values and 'staying the course' in the was in Iraq has a country that is not only broke, but has a trillion dollar debt with China and hundreds of millions of dollars with Mexico and is talking of missles in Europe. I think that Bill Clinton had the right idea. George W. Bush is obviously stressed. Because of that, he goes to war and spends money! Bill Clinton was calm and relaxed. The U.S. was prosperous and happy. You figure it out. A little stress relief is a good thing.

Hypocrisy is nothing new and nor will it go away. I could care less who the guy wants have sex with. I felt the same way about Clinton and I feel pretty much the same about Vitter - except that Clinton never claimed to be holier than thou. Thank you Madam Palfrey for exposing Republican pundits for what they really are - liars. Hey, even Nixon wasn't a crook.

Amazing, isn't it, that in the old days the prostitute had her name publicized but the john was allowed to walk free and unidentified? And that wasn't a double standard?

There are two points that I have never seen raised when politicians are caught cheating on their spouses. The first is that politicians swear an oath before taking office. Oaths are supposed to be very important! Breaking an oath is supposed to be very bad! If a person breaks an oath, that person is supposed to be considered an oath-breaker and therefore totally untrustworthy. This is the whole point of the oath! Married politicians in office have sworn at least two oaths in their lives: To their spouses, and to their country! When politicians are caught cheating on their spouses, they get caught breaking an oath. Well-known, totally untrustworthy oath breakers should not be allowed to hold an oath-bearing office! If they are, then the whole oath thing becomes meaningless, which is, in fact, exactly what is happening all around us now! Of course we don't trust our politicians, we don't hold them to their oaths!!! Our sense of honesty and integrity is even worse than theirs cuz we're the boss!! The second point is that condoms are not 100% safe. It is possible to have "safe-sex" and still contract a sexualy transmitted disease, like HIV! If a married person cheats on their spouse, does not tell their spouse, and then has "unprotected sex" with their spouse (which I assume is the norm between spouses) then they have put their spouse at the same risk of becoming HIV positive! If both Become HIV positive, then die of AIDS, and they have children, their children will become orphans! What are the chances? What if you were the spouse and they were your children? Too slim to worry about? A risk worth taking? For what? Politicians who put their spouses lives at risk, and who put their children at risk of becoming orphans, just for a paltry, 10 to 30 minute, sexual gratification session, should not be allowed to keep office! Why hasn't anyone ever mentioned these two crucial points?

Normally, I would accept the argument that "it's a private affair", however the Senator has placed his reputation on his socially conservative values. His hypocrisy is therefore a matter of genuine news and a matter for his constituents, as opposed to an issue between him and his wife (as a social conservatve, I presume that he is married). If you make an issue about your values on an issue, then I believe you ought to uphold them, or in politics face the consequences through the media. For Bill Clinton, by comparison, that was an issue between him and his wife, Hilary Rodham Clinton. For Senator Vitter, he made it also an issue for the public and he has no one else to blame for his political misfortunes.

The hypocrisy is sickening.

Vitter was one of the Senators pushing for Clinton's impeachment. He said at the time: (via Yahoo news article), "Is that the level of moral relatively [sic] and vacuousness we have come to?” If no “meaningful action” were to be taken against Clinton, Vitter wrote, “his leadership will only further drain any sense of values left to our political culture.”

But now, it's just a private matter and no-one should mention it?

Whatt??!! More blatant, ridiculous hypocrisy from a conservative!?!? haha Let me guess... this guy will beg forgiveness from his "Lord" (& his family & the voters), & then go right back to running for office.

Vitter, Foley, etc. are recent examples, there are many others around the world. (And there's not one capital city that doesn't count prostitution as a major industry within it.) It's always the sexually moralizing ones who get caught for this sort of stuff, isn't it? Those that make a point of trying to project the most religiously pious image and those who never fail to try and label their opponents as immoral tend to have the worst skeletons in their closet. Few things in life are as disgusting as hypocrisy - personally I hope Ms. Palfrey releases the name of every puritan hypocrite on her list.

If Bill Clinton was 'morally unfit for office" would not the same apply to Mr. Vitter. Or is he excluded because he is a Republican??/ Why is he not resigning??

Isn't it ridiculous that a list, as opposed to a piece of paper signed after a wedding ceremony determines whether you are or are not a whore, a ho, a hooker, a prostitute, or a fine upstanding man and/or woman?

What I find most interesting are the times, which appear to be a reflection of history, repeating the same apparently stupid mistakes, all of us with common bonds and common bands.

This scenario is as ridiculous as Conrad Black being caught on camera with 13 boxes. I am now quite suspect of Mr. Black's motives. I believe he wanted the world to read and to hear and to discuss what was within those boxes. How better to expose others?

This is what lists are for. This is what tapes are for. This is what recording history is all about. Exposure.

When people get bored with their lives I do believe they go looking for a little excitement; some thrills; communication and exposure.

Man oh man oh man!

Oh Henry ... you're a Champ! We have all been overwhelmed with exposure, for the masses in general I do believe very little sits like a log anymore in our lives. For the millions and millions and millions walking like planks ... frankly, my dear, very few give a damn!

If Bill Clinton was "morally unfit for office" then does it follow that Vitter is also morally unfit to for office? Seems to me to be a slam dunk: at least Clinton only had an affair of sorts, Vitter is breaking laws and engaging in outright criminal activity for his nooky.

Typical of the right wing isn't it? The first to scream family values are often those with the most to hide. My dad always said that those who talk the loudest do the least. I guess that's true of right wing morality.

Well, I'm pretty much of the view that prostitution, like drugs, should be legalised, regulated, and taxed. We certainly won't eliminate either. Also, a number in someone's book is simply that. I could put your number in my book now, but that would be evidence of what, exactly?

On the other hand, I just love it when these family values, christian virtues nut-cases are caught with their breeks hanging about their heels. It really is too much fun! Three cheers for Madame.

Cheers,
dba

I'm always amazed how much airtime and debate sex scandals are awarded. It's as if we are all the proverbial middle aged, sexless housewife hanging out our laundry and gossiping about that new young "shameless" couple who moved in next door.

I could personally care less what any person does with their body or what sort of marital arrangement anyone may have. Unless I am directly involved it is simply not my business.

However, gross hypocrisy and outright lying from a federal politician who as one of the "family values" boys club would have eagerly crucified any democrat he could have on exactly the same issue cannot be tolerated. This latest scandal with yet another "socially conservative" republican will hopefully show the nation the real character of their government.

just insert "black slavery" in place of "prostitution". We are still so very backwards as a society. Far-Right conservative folks like Bush and Harper aren't helping us progress towards global sharing and global harmony much either, and we're running out of time, resources and kindness.
What folks do with their bodies is their business, I prostitute mine every day driving truck.