Capitol Rap by John Lovell
30 June 2009 | 8:44 am
The personal hijinks of politicians have become endemic in the last several months. LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa left his wife for LA TV Anchor # 1; Mayor Gavin Newsom admitted to sleeping with the wife of one of his staffers; John Edwards confirmed the truth of the National Enquirer stories about his meanderings; Governor Elliot Spitzer, although a lawyer, didn’t understand that there is no such thing as a hooker-politician privilege; Senator David Vitter proved that ignorance of the lack of a hooker-politician was bipartisan; Senator John Ensign is evidently an admirer of SF Mayor Newsom, because, he too, slept with the wife of one of his staffers – a fine example of bipartisanship; Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina is still trying to find the Appalachian Trail (he misses it by taking the Buenos Aires off ramp); and Antonio Villaraigosa has now taken up with LA TV Anchor # 2.
Would former Florida Congressman Mark Foley say that “all of these guys are on the same page.?”
It has been conventional wisdom of political pundits since Bill Clinton finished his Monica enhanced two terms with a 60% approval rate that the private foibles of politicians will not hurt them politically.
CR has spoken to a number of pollsters and campaign professionals who suggest that the conventional wisdom of the pundits is more conventional than wise. As one operative told CR, “Bill Clinton was the exception, it will never happen again, politicians will be held accountable for their personal conduct and personal character.”
An examination of what has happened to the politicians listed above suggests that the operatives, not the pundits, are correct.
Mayor Villaraigosa’s approval numbers plummeted after news of his leaving his wife became known – interestingly, his approval ratings among Hispanic women were dismal. John Edwards has disappeared from public life – the word is that his former campaign manager David Bonier refuses to even return his calls. Elliot Spitzer’s career is non-existent and “Diaper Dave” Vitter (a nickname that stems from some Vitter-hooker email correspondence) finds himself so vulnerable in the upcoming election that Republicans are thinking of running a primary candidate against him. The recent Ensign disclosures prompted the Newsom campaign to look at their collective shoes and say nothing, as his poll numbers lag behind Jerry Brown. And Governor Sanford has become a national laughingstock.
Contrary to post-Clinton pundits, it appears that personal conduct does count for something politically. This may be yet another example of voters having better instincts than the media elite. Ordinary voters get it; if a candidate cannot even keep his word to his spouse, does his word have any value at all?
Would former Florida Congressman Mark Foley say that “all of these guys are on the same page.?”
It has been conventional wisdom of political pundits since Bill Clinton finished his Monica enhanced two terms with a 60% approval rate that the private foibles of politicians will not hurt them politically.
CR has spoken to a number of pollsters and campaign professionals who suggest that the conventional wisdom of the pundits is more conventional than wise. As one operative told CR, “Bill Clinton was the exception, it will never happen again, politicians will be held accountable for their personal conduct and personal character.”
An examination of what has happened to the politicians listed above suggests that the operatives, not the pundits, are correct.
Mayor Villaraigosa’s approval numbers plummeted after news of his leaving his wife became known – interestingly, his approval ratings among Hispanic women were dismal. John Edwards has disappeared from public life – the word is that his former campaign manager David Bonier refuses to even return his calls. Elliot Spitzer’s career is non-existent and “Diaper Dave” Vitter (a nickname that stems from some Vitter-hooker email correspondence) finds himself so vulnerable in the upcoming election that Republicans are thinking of running a primary candidate against him. The recent Ensign disclosures prompted the Newsom campaign to look at their collective shoes and say nothing, as his poll numbers lag behind Jerry Brown. And Governor Sanford has become a national laughingstock.
Contrary to post-Clinton pundits, it appears that personal conduct does count for something politically. This may be yet another example of voters having better instincts than the media elite. Ordinary voters get it; if a candidate cannot even keep his word to his spouse, does his word have any value at all?