Party affliliation is no matter.. They're all slime... - Page 4 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

aklim · #46 08-10-2008, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Botnst

If he has a history of untrustworthiness, that's a problem. But apparently Mrs Edwards didn't or doesn't have a problem.

So maybe they have an arrangement.

If they have an arrangement, is it still untrustworthiness?

B

How did you know that? Maybe they are keeping appearances?

Maybe. Have they said they do?

Of course not.

CSchmidt · #47 08-10-2008, 10:16 PM

"Nobody is saying that they are unfit for office. However, that a person can cheat on his wife makes me wonder what they can do in office. So, if we have a cheater on one hand and a non-cheater on the other, well, it will weigh heavily on the decision as to who I vote for. It is by no means the only factor but it is a factor."

Unfortunately it seems lately we have a choice of "smart and unethical" or "dumb and trying to be ethical". Maybe neither is a good choice and neither is succeeding very well.

On a completely off topic point... perhaps the job of president has grown so much that it is unfair to expect 1 person to do it.

Going back to that dereliction of duty, or name your favorite attack source, there are so many partisan "reports" out there it is hard to believe any of them. Maybe we need another Woodward and Bernstein crowd to filter out all the swift boaters and other groups that poison the honest debates. I wonder if the "swift boater type groups" were put under the same level of investigation as the politicians, how they would hold up. Do we need ethical qualifications and background checks to run political ads? There would probably be a lot fewer commercials out there.

Botnst · #48 08-11-2008, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

How did you know that? Maybe they are keeping appearances?

Maybe. Have they said they do?

Of course not.

I don't know anything other than he told the missus in they are still married.

B

aklim · #49 08-11-2008, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Botnst

I don't know anything other than he told the missus in they are still married.

B

Years ago, when I was in kollege, I had to interview a bunch of swingers for a semester. I can say for certain that such action would piss them off. Lets talk of "normal" people for a bit. Think this won't be an issue larger than say "Honey, I forget to get the gallon of milk you asked me to get."? Lets assume you are like 90%+ of the households. What would you be doing if you had to tell the wife this wonderful news. "Honey, remember what the papers were accusing me of? Guess what. It's true.".

BTW, I do know lots of people who are still married on paper. I even know a couple who was married for several years AFTER the husband cheated on her WITH HER 11 YO daughter. They eventually gave up after it got to be too much for the wife.

Botnst · #50 08-11-2008, 08:16 AM

I'm out of tea leaves.

All I have is this: Mrs Edwards ain't said nuthin' and Mr Edwards says she new a year ago. They are still together.

This brings me again to what I believe is an important point: If Mrs Edwards is okay with it, what business is it of ours?

B

aklim · #51 08-11-2008, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Botnst

This brings me again to what I believe is an important point: If Mrs Edwards is okay with it, what business is it of ours?

B

I would think it is important to know the character of the guy we are sticking in a position of trust, don't you?

Botnst · #52 08-11-2008, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

I would think it is important to know the character of the guy we are sticking in a position of trust, don't you?

The whole point (for me) of this line of discussion is to get at what this revelation informs us concerning character. Central to that issue is whether or not this was a betrayal, and if so, whether the circumstances were such that the betrayal was of great or lesser importance.

I think we can agree that if it was a complete betrayal and then if Mrs Edwards stuck with him only out of political expediency, then Mr Edwards' weakness is a serious issue of character.

Having said that (and hopefully disposed of it)....
If it was not a betrayal to Mrs Edwards, does it still reveal anything important about Mr Edwards?

If it was a betrayal to Mrs Edwards, was there some reason why she (apparently) accepted it and kept it private? Does that reveal anything important about Mr Edwards?

aklim · #53 08-11-2008, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Botnst

I think we can agree that if it was a complete betrayal and then if Mrs Edwards stuck with him only out of political expediency, then Mr Edwards' weakness is a serious issue of character.

Having said that (and hopefully disposed of it)....
If it was not a betrayal to Mrs Edwards, does it still reveal anything important about Mr Edwards?

If it was a betrayal to Mrs Edwards, was there some reason why she (apparently) accepted it and kept it private? Does that reveal anything important about Mr Edwards?

Odds are that she either forgave him or stuck with him for political expediency. That is why I think it is a serious issue of character. Yes, all of them can screw us over. However, all things equal, I'd rather have someone in there WITHOUT a history.

That in future, if he denies something we need to take a very long hard look at it?

That he is lucky that his wife isn't the vengeful sort and doesn't want to wreck his career?

Brian Carlton · #54 08-11-2008, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Botnst

I don't know why politicians (not just Edwards) don't simply say, MYOB. Their private affairs (in every sense of the word) are their own.

Unless they run on the "family values" plank, like Newt did. Then it's fair to dig and pry, IMO.

B

Agreed.

However, the press has a habit of minding everybody's business and there isn't much a politician can do about it.

The real question is how the mainstream press can go forward with such a story without any solid evidence............I don't think they can............and they have nothing unless she talks.

aklim · #55 08-11-2008, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

However, the press has a habit of minding everybody's business and there isn't much a politician can do about it.

You chose that career and took the perks. Don't gripe about the problems that come with it. If you chose to be a mechanic, you can't complain if you get an oil bath every now and then.

Botnst · #56 08-11-2008, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

Odds are that she either forgave him or stuck with him for political expediency. That is why I think it is a serious issue of character. Yes, all of them can screw us over. However, all things equal, I'd rather have someone in there WITHOUT a history.

That in future, if he denies something we need to take a very long hard look at it?

That he is lucky that his wife isn't the vengeful sort and doesn't want to wreck his career?

Now take this one step with me and then I'll let it go.

If Mrs Edwards was okay with it, does that affect the character issue?

aklim · #57 08-11-2008, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Botnst

If Mrs Edwards was okay with it, does that affect the character issue?

In a word "No". Because she forgave him or decided to stick with him makes NO difference. Again, an exception to that is if they had prior arrangements.

If I cheated on my wife and she decided that she would forgive me, does that mean I didn't cheat on her?

Botnst · #58 08-11-2008, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

In a word "No". Because she forgave him or decided to stick with him makes NO difference. Again, an exception to that is if they had prior arrangements.

If I cheated on my wife and she decided that she would forgive me, does that mean I didn't cheat on her?

That's a separate question worth pursuing, IMO.

Let's say I am extremely prudish concerning marriage -- that my wife's virtue is maintained by a burkha and I am enraged by women who swim in bathing suits that reveal nekkid legs and arms and cleavage (oh my!). Mrs B feels the same. In that arrangement, any deviation from absolute fidelity is a betrayal.

In another instance, Mrs B and I are on our 3rd or 4th relationship of convenience and each of us has children by other partners. In this instance, infidelity is probably not especially strongly defined and consequences are rather casual. The betrayal of trust is less.

Does that sound right?

cudaspaz · #59 08-11-2008, 11:15 AM

The allure of a sensual Woman can weaken the strongest of Men.

Not to give any sympathy to Edwards, just speaking from experience.

aklim · #60 08-11-2008, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Botnst

Let's say I am extremely prudish concerning marriage -- that my wife's virtue is maintained by a burkha and I am enraged by women who swim in bathing suits that reveal nekkid legs and arms and cleavage (oh my!). Mrs B feels the same. In that arrangement, any deviation from absolute fidelity is a betrayal.

In another instance, Mrs B and I are on our 3rd or 4th relationship of convenience and each of us has children by other partners. In this instance, infidelity is probably not especially strongly defined and consequences are rather casual. The betrayal of trust is less.

In that case, I will absorb all those offending sights for you. Call it my civic duty.

Yes, if you are talking about that, I would agree that the betrayal of trust is less if it is even there. If you are staying together for the kids or because it is too expensive to get divorced, that is a different story.