politics as usual

It’s the political silly season. That’s what the pundits are saying. Attack ads are everywhere. Polls are omnipresent. And another politician cheated on his wife. John Edwards, populist dreamboat, confessed to an infidelity that supposedly happened 2 years ago.

I admit, I hoped it was a “fix” job. I mean the National Enquirer does report on alien pig babies being raised in the Gobi Desert (I made that up, but doesn’t it sound like a good story) — so it might not have been true. But it was. And the 24-hour news cycle fizzes with elation. The conflict between Georgia & Russia, Joey Cheek’s inability to go to China as a part of Team Darfur, the soldiers and civilians who died in Iraq and Afghanistan today, the deepening recession — nothing matters but Edward’s sordid little fling.

Now here’s the thing. I don’t want to be painted as belonging to the pro-infidelity lobby (I’m sure one exists somewhere; right over there with the pro-crack lobby in a nod to A. Whitney Brown), but why should it matter? I’ve read lots of debate in the blog-iverse that talks about his hubris, what could have happened had he been the nominee and how this goes to the morals of the liberals (say that in your best Jesse Helms voice, darling). You get the picture.

Let’s look at this for a moment. Isn’t hubris handed out with the kissing the babies and pandering to the money manuals for politicians? As an optimistic cynic, I always hope that the confidence, bravado and skills that take someone into the political arena are bit players rather than marquee performers in the person’s character. Well, sometimes, it works?! Right?

If Edwards had been the nominee, would this have sunk the campaign? I don’t know. Everyone knew Clinton had “issues,” yet he changed the focus of the narrative. Chester Arthur faced “baby Daddy” charges and so did Jefferson — yet each weathered the drama. I think right now people have a few more concerns on their minds than how zipped a Presidential candidate is. Look at McCain, the stories about him were non-starters mainly because he’s completely ignored them, and the media has followed suit.

I’m not quite sure how to counter the degenerate liberal argument. Maybe that’s because I am one, if by that I mean that I’m disinclined to pass judgement on someone else’s marriage. If they are straight up with each other, and that’s all that matters, how they manage their marriage — shouldn’t matter to anyone. Since the beginning of time, men & women/men & men/women & women have negotiated the terms of their relationships to reflect their respective needs. I don’t necessarily need to agree with how they work it out — but to go a little Seinfeld here, “not that there’s anything wrong with that,” that being their choices. As long as it works for them, and doesn’t jeopardize anyone else’s life, liberty and so forth……………

No, here’s where I have a problem. The infidelity doesn’t bother me — the stupidity now, as my Mama would say, “Lord have mercy!” In the “gotcha” world of today’s media, where they report on how much people pay for haircuts, check the garbage for suspicious receipts and care about boxers or briefs — did he honestly think that he could pull this off? What part of 24 hour news coverage did he miss? What was he thinking? And, of course, the answer is he wasn’t thinking with his brain — and, unfortunately, that is truly politics as usual 🙂

mood music: Lovefool (the Cardigans); Afternoon Delight (Starland Vocal Band — why is it always the afternoon for cheating?); When a Woman’s Had Enough (Shemekia Copeland); 50s French Movie (Carrie Rodriguez); Who’s Bed have your Boots Been Under (Shania Twain); Mrs. Robinson (Simon & Garfunkel); If you Wear that Velvet Dress (Bono); I Love Her Too (Aaron Neville); Karma (Alicia Keys); Lay Lady Lay (check out Cassandra Wilson’s version); Frank and Ava (Suzanne Vega); I Should Have Known Better (She & Him [Zooey Deschanel’s duo with M. Ward] covering the Beatles); Love Can be Bad Luck (Was not Was); Another Heartbreak Now (Subdudes); Don’t Come Around Here No More (Tom Petty); Sleeping Single in a Double Bed (Terri Clark’s cover of the Barbara Mandrell classic); Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts (Bob Dylan); and You Give Love a Bad Name (Bon Jovi)

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense. –> Ralph Waldo Emerson

Take care,
Aly