The Return of Nightmare on the Campaign Trail Meets Elm Street on Friday the 13th 0
Scott Herhold explores how politicians’ scandals have become transient and passing things
Consider Anthony Weiner, who has announced his interest in running for New York mayor less than two years after an errant tweet showing his underpants led to his resignation from Congress.
Or take Mark Sanford, the former South Carolina governor of “Appalachian Trail” fame, who is now running for Congress in a campaign being undermined by his ex-wife.
I think he’s got something.
Since making a grainy out-of-focus sex tape seems to be the door to celebrity and to success in “reality” television world, I can’t say this trend is surprising. Also, not long ago, politicians’ private shenanigans were generally kept out of the news, unless the pol managed to go out of the way to put himself there. Anyone who remembers the passing of Nelson Rockefeller remembers those days.
What does appall is that many of the scandalous were caught doing those very things which they oppose in their campaigns, especially those on the “family values” side of the aisle.
That the public accepts them back into the political arena rewards them for their hypocrisy.
