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Friday, March 29 2024 @ 07:18 AM CDT

Hypocritical Sen. Vitter

Whited Sepulchers

What makes Sen. David Vitter's story so despicable isn't that he made a mistake (or, more precisely, five mistakes according to the telephone records of an alleged prostitution business). It's that he lived a lie. And that, for years, he used that lie - presenting himself as a model husband, father and champion of ethical and traditional values - to further personal ambitions and his political agenda.
A Harvard graduate and Rhodes scholar, the Louisiana Republican and father of four used his squeaky-clean, family-loving, God-fearing image to propel him from the state legislature to the U.S. House in 1999 and the Senate in 2004.

He was elected to Congress to fill the vacancy created by Rep. Robert Livingston, who resigned amid disclosures of marital indiscretions. One of Mr. Vitter's favored campaign tactics is to skewer what he portrays as the ethical shortcomings of his opponents - their junkets, ties to casino gambling and use of a tax-paid scholarship program.

A foe of abortion, Mr. Vitter last month urged his colleagues in the Senate to devote more federal spending to programs urging sexual abstinence among teens. The best way to avert teen pregnancy, he wrote, is "by teaching teenagers that saving sex until marriage and remaining faithful afterwards is the best choice for health and happiness."

In a June 2006 speech on the floor of the Senate, Mr. Vitter argued for a constitutional amendment against gay marriage. It was "well overdue that we in the Senate focus on nurturing, upholding, preserving and protecting such a fundamental social institution as traditional marriage," he said.

Early this month, Mr. Vitter's Washington phone number was listed among those called by an escort service that prosecutors say was a prostitution ring. Records show the service called Mr. Vitter's number five times from 1999 to 2001 while he was a U.S. representative.

On July 9, Mr. Vitter admitted the number was his and he apologized for committing a "very serious sin in my past." Mr. Vitter then went into seclusion with his family.

On Monday, Mr. Vitter and his wife staged a press conference in their home city of Metairie, La., to announce his intention to return to Washington.

Refusing to take questions, Mr. Vitter denied reports that he had also frequented New Orleans prostitutes. "I want to, again, offer my deep, sincere apologies to all those I have let down and disappointed with these actions from my past," he said. "I am completely responsible. And I am so very, very sorry."

Then his wife took the stage. "Like all marriages, ours is not perfect," she said, adding, "I am proud to be Wendy Vitter." Ms. Vitter then chided the media for hounding her home and family.

There's no disputing the Vitter family - especially the children - has been put through the proverbial ringer. But it was Mr. Vitter who brought the circus home. His sexual transgressions aside, the story wouldn't have been nearly as big if Mr. Vitter hadn't made a political career out of attacking the integrity of his opponents and using the media to portray himself as a staunch champion of family values.

Mr. Vitter has returned to Washington, but his moral authority is officially missing.

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Copyright © 2007, The Hartford Courant

http://www.courant.com


Typical RepubliKON
Typical of Religious Right WingNUTS


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