Who’s worse? Foley got caught talking naughty with an 18 year old male during work hours. Originally it was reported that Foley was chatting with an under-age male, but now reports are coming out that the male person involved was actually 18 at t…

I love politcs. I know that convention dictates that we all disparage politics, belittling the people who engage in it and questioning the sanity of those who closely follow it, but my three-year run as a blogger makes demurrals less……

Well Michelle et. al, lemme tell you folks something: I’m sick of being better than this! All of this stifling intelletual analysis is making me nauseous.

Of course this isn’t relevant! Of course this is shameless guttersniping! But guess what, folks? We (republicans/conservatives) didn’t start it. They (liberal-progressives/democrats) did. I’ll be happy as a freakin clam if our side ends this once and for all.

Come to think of it, I’d love to see more of this nationwide, if for no other reason than that it would give us a perfect reason to revolt and kick out all the incumbents on capitol hill. Who’s with me? HURRAH!

The Book??? The quotes were carefully lifted from 4 different books. Read the press release again. Better scurry to your local library if you want to read the books by Monday…

but in case I miss it, what is the context that YOU see this in?

I wrote a rather detailed comment about the context of the quotes at about comment 50 of this thread. Scroll up, if you actually care.

But Allen, by releasing all the info without just mentioning Webb’s writings has sunk to his level.

He can kiss the Presidency goodbye.

There goes another Candidate that I used to respect. Joins Lindsay Graham on my shit list.

At least we still have Condi.

I bet Virginians now wish that they had a third party.

And while I am adult enough to reconcile the description of the acts of a character in a novel as not representative of the behavior of the novelist himself, and while this kerfluffle would have ZERO impact on my vote if I lived in Virginia, this is a case of the Democrats being hoist by their own petard.

The Democrats started this crap.

They wrapped themselves in a white cloak of hyprocrisy, pointed self righteous fingers at Hastert and Reynolds and ALL Republicans over some IM text messages from a disgraced congressman who, at least, had the decency to resign when confronted (unlike Frank and Studds), and then used it to try, with the media’s open and obvious assistance, as a pry bar to separate believers from the Republican party in a transparant attempt to suppress the Republican turnout next month.

So any whining about the unfairness of this by the Democrats ought to be ignored.

Further, if this causes the audience that the Democrats were targeting with Foley to view Webb with disgust, and give them the self justification necessary to hold their noses and vote Republican, while driving away religious Democrats (if there are any), then so be it.

They, the Democrats, have sown the wind and now they reap the whirlwind.

As far as your children having an open view of the world as it is… Sorry, I find that doubtful with a hate infested parent such as you. Call back after the kids do a slumming tour of Southeast Asia or even the Middle East

Wow, hate infested? That’s origional. I prefer “moderatley intolerant skeptic” myself.
Context it all you want, wrong is wrong.
And if you have to ask if it’s right or wrong, most likely it’s wrong.
And I’m the bad guy for wanting ELECTED OFFICIALS to be of HIGHER STANDARDS the the population? People who DESERVE my respect?
Look, he writes several books with questionable content, then runs for office. That’s fact.
His violent/abusive/ graphic content comes back and bites him in the butt, that is also fact.
I feel I stand with the majority of people that will say the picture he paints in his novels are indeed needlessly graphic in first light. Sickening in hindsight.

I see the context Mr perv Webb wrote in. And by Monday I will have read the book in question but in case I miss it, what is the context that YOU see this in?

Gross!

This topic has made me sick!

I am calling HAZMAT! Right now!

Thankfully,

I do not have to vote for, or against, Webb!

Wwwwhhooooppiiiiieeeeeee!!!!

Remind me to keep my son, and daughters, away from these people!!!!!

Thanks!!

William

CBarker on October 27, 2006 at 12:58 PM

I take it that you have read NONE of Mr. Webb’s books. I find your ire to be ignorant as you have no idea of the context in which he places the events that you find so distasteful.

As I said in my initial comment, it is my belief (based on my many readings of his books), that he is pointing out the degredation of societies, he is not condoning the acts he describes.

Do you get it now? Or not…

I’m not kidding. This, after three weeks of condemning Foley and calling for Hastert’s head.

Somebody shoot my ears off.

How about we tar and feather the “perv” then set him on fire. Would you feel better… one less “perv” in your world!

I stated before that I was surprised that he was running for public office and that I would never vote for him. Not good enough for you! Need to punish the “perv”, need to cast him from American society. After all, he brings up topics you find repulsive.

Burn baby, burn. It feels so good!

I give up.

God I hate when conservatives act exactly like the ridiculous stereotypes that liberals paint. This whole thread is proof that both sides of the political aisle can willingly turn their minds off when the partisan blinders are on.

I repeat: this is just a DU thread of a different flavor.

Professor Blather on October 27, 2006 at 12:54 PM

Honestly Blather, I don’t care what you write. Nor will I condemn you for what you write. But know this:

If you ever decide to enter politics, whatever you write for public consumption becomes fair game for discussion in a political campaign. And if you campaign in a party that tries to make a sex scandal (e.g., Foleygate) the centerpiece of its campaign, then don’t be surprised if graphically sexual depictions in your own writing are later used against you.

It may seem unfair to you, but that’s just the way it is. As AP said above, if a Allen (or any Republican) had wrote these same things, it would be page-one-above-the-fold in the NYTimes. If so, then it’s fair game to call Webb to the carpet for the same thing, especially in a political season when Dems tried to make Foleygate their campaign theme and when Webb has run an exceptionially dirty campaign himself.

Karma.

Politicians in “absolute laboratory conditions” vote their morality or conscience. We elect politicians not to stick the finger in the air and see how the wind is blowing as in taking polls but to lead. We choose a politician because we TRUST his or her judgment. The politicians in most cases are voted for because they share the morality and views of the majority of the people who voted for them (it is suppose to be that way when the public has a selection). Politicians live within constraints, not free to be any way they want. Politicians can’t publicly live out his sexual fantasy in most areas of our country, unless you maybe from San Francisco, Madison, New York City or Massachusetts..

Yet, An example of the Politician whose inner mind comes out to the public and affects our views of him is Bill Clinton, Mark Foley or Barney Frank. They have their loyalists but doubt based on their behavior they would win a nationwide office and in some places local offices.

A writer has no public constraints as a politician. On paper a writer doesn’t have to have any morality. A writer can write whatever he or she chooses. A writer has to in most cases do what the public expects of the writer or the writer might not sell books. I am not referring to people who write books that end up in their desk drawers, but people who do it for a so-called living. If the writer has to follow what a politician is held to, a writer would have problems writing. The writer if turning politician or political commentator would be overly conscious of not getting elected or not representing the people in the district. The writer not only writes about what we see but about what’s in the conscience, in the mind we don’t see. Politicians do not have to publicly display the inner mind or even need a conscience. If a writer wants to become a politician or discuss political issues, he or she is restricted on what the writer can write so it will not distract future views and appearances of the person.

A conservative writer, can’t go out and write about her inner fantasy about being a porn star, then be taken seriously by readers when she talks about moral behavior. What one fantasizes in ones own mind doesn’t mean what one does in reality, just a dream kept to oneself, but writers let us in on their fantasies in many cases. Controlling oneself rather than acting upon our fantasy is considered normal behavior.

When the writer becomes the politician, all is out on display for all of us to see. We can see what a “perv” an individual is if that’s the case, the inner character is out there. People have the right to write what they want to write, even if I do not think it is moral or proper behavior they are inputting into their characters and events. Yet, upon writing, should be conscious of the consequences of their writing. I do not object to Mr. Webb writing a book, if that’s his thing, cool. He should be able to write it, but since he turned politician, the book exhibits to the voter his inner conscience and his version of morality. He is expressing what HE is tolerant to, his morality. I would be first in line defending the man’s right to write. This does not mean I have to buy what he thinks and think highly of him. He could be a perv and pond scum as far as I and the voters think, and not vote for him. We know too much or maybe more than we should, perhaps too much material to mess up our views of the person. That so called “perv” writer, can in living his or her life not actually exhibit such behavior. Knowing you have to get elected, affects what you write. Knowing that people read your writings because of your views affect what you write too.

God I hate when conservatives act exactly like the ridiculous stereotypes that liberals paint. This whole thread is proof that both sides of the political aisle can willingly turn their minds off when the partisan blinders are on.

I repeat: this is just a DU thread of a different flavor.

Webb wrote about inappropriate sexual acts in novels, which he wanted to sell to the public for profit, and as far as we know he never lived out his fantasies.

Gay men and straight men fantasizing about sex is a natural phenomenon. Men fantasizing about sex with under aged boys are judged as unnatural, unlawful and perverted by society. Some act on their fantasies, be they natural or perverted, while others do not.

As far as I know, it is not a crime to think or write about an illegal act. It becomes a crime when the thought or word transcends to the physical act. This being the case, what is the difference between Foley and Webb?

I did.

but Psycotte’s post above is an attempt at doing the same thing.

Back on topic, I agree with Ms. Malkin.