Mark Foley in Perspective

Yeah, I know - a powerful man elected to Federal government who can't control his sexual urges and who makes lewd passes at impressionable kids and young adults should be tarred, feathered and abandoned by his political party.

And that's exactly what happened to Bill Clinton.

Oh, wait a minute. That didn't happen. His party rallied around him and a massive defense was mounted to protect Clinton from taking responsibility.

I know Clinton was a President and Foley a Congressman, but it is still instructive to examine the differences in the responses by them and their parties. Clinton first lied about having sexual relations with an intern. When that didn't work he argued about the definition of sexual relations. (He didn't think he had any, when every 10-year old in the country knew what he did met the definition.) And when that didn't work, he mobilized the Democratic party in a very vigorous and successful attack on the messengers; Ken Starr and the vast right wing conspiracy. The Democrats went along with this plan and lost power, while Clinton rehabilitated himself in the public's eye.

Contrast that with the response on the Republican side to Mark Foley. He resigned the next day, the President publicly displayed his disgust and there isn't one Republican leader standing by him. Some might say that what he did was worse and therefore the Republicans had no choice. Really? I haven't read about cigars and stained clothes yet.

Okay, okay, I know, the Republicans would rally behind their president like Democrats did for Clinton. Or maybe not - President Nixon didn't fare too well within his own party. Sure, but what he did was really, really bad and Democrats take responsibility when congressmen go astray too. Oh, you must mean like Edward Kennedy (leaving the scene of a one-car, alcohol induced accident, resulting in the death of his mistress).

Neither party has a monopoly on personal morals, but in this political season it is instructive to view the differences in the ways each party responds to scandals when they occur. For the most part, Republicans take personal responsibility and Democrats attack the messenger in an effort to maintain their position. President Clinton is a hero in the Democratic party and President Nixon was a pariah from the point he was forced to resign. Edward Kennedy is considered an esteemed member of the Senate and Mark Foley will always be a disgraced former Republican member of the House.