Politicians' sex lives should be private
By Chelseas Craddock
CAMPUS TALK EDITOR

I wrote in a previous column that we love to watch celebrities fall apart. Unfortunately, it seems that we also love to watch politicians fall apart.

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, here’s the rundown: New York State governor Eliot Spitzer was connected to a prostitution ring. More specifically, he was connected to call girl Ashley Alexandra Dupré. After being caught, he resigned. His replacement, the blind interim governor David Patterson, then stood up at a press conference with his wife where they both admitted to infidelity. This was done in order to cut the story off at the knees so it couldn’t come back later to haunt them.

On one hand, I applaud the Pattersons and their “who gives a damn” attitude — and their media savvy. On the other hand, I don’t care who they are sleeping with!

It was a good idea for the Patterson’s to come out right at the begining and confess their sins to the public, but they shouldn’t have had to. It’s too bad Spitzer couldn’t have walked up before he was elected and said “Hey, just to let you know, I’m going to sleep with a hooker in the future. I just wanted to give you a heads up.”

I can’t remember if I voted for governor, but if I did, I voted for Spitzer. I remember Spitzer’s platform being a strong one. He wanted to legalize gay marriage in New York State and had some other really good ideas. He was seen as a “golden boy.” When it came out that he paid $4,500 to get down and dirty the night before Valentine’s Day — with a call-girl — when he had a Mrs. at home, the whole country went insane. Consider this column my open letter to Governor Spitzer.

Mr. Spitzer, you should not have cheated on your wife. That, I am not OK with. You promised to love her until you died, so stick to the “look but don’t touch” policy when it comes to other women.

As for the rest of it, I don’t care! Who my politicians are in bed with isn’t my business. While I would revel in a good George Bush-Condoleezza Rice sex scandal (preferably without video evidence), I really don’t think the fact that you like to be tied up should have an effect on your job. OK, I kind of do, so let me elaborate.

If you want to be tied up and spanked, ask your wife first before resorting to calling Emperor’s Club VIP. If she feels it’s against God, tell her you can go to confession afterward if it would make her feel better. If you want to explore in the bedroom, your wife should be the first person to whom you go. Going to a hooker when you are in the spotlight is just stupid. You are asking to get caught.

I’m incredibly sick of seeing who people are having sex with being seen as newsworthy. It isn’t newsworthy. The only time a politician’s sex life should be in the spotlight is if it gets in the way of his or her job.

If Spitzer was unable to attend a law-making session because his britches were around his knees and he was entertaining, then yes, your sex life is causing a dereliction of duty and it needs to be dealt with. What you do on your own time, however, is your own business.

I haven’t heard much about Patterson since his press conference. I’m sure he will make a good interim governor. Hopefully, he will stay focused and will be more concerned with the state than with nookie.

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