from Scholars and Rogues, via AlterNet:
Forget Sen. Vitter’s Penis: Follow His Money
By Denny Wilkins, Scholars and Rogues. Posted July 13, 2007.
While the media has given extensive coverage to GOP Sen. David Vitter's sexual indiscretions, the real scandal is his dealings with money and politics.The mainstream media has been all over GOP Louisiana Senator David Vitter -- The New York Times, The Washington Post and CNN. Sex sells, so they’re selling it -- and doing a disservice to their readers and viewers.
It’s a story played over and over again in Congress (Wilbur Mills, anyone? Fanne Foxe?) A senator or member of Congress paints himself (or herself) as a vision of moral rectitude and gets caught with his pants down (or her skirt up). Literally.
So Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) paid for sex. Big deal. All this “sex sells” coverage may drive ratings, but it detracts readers and viewers from far more important issues. Politicians would rather have the press focused on their sexual peccadilloes than on their financial affairs while in service to their constituents.
Sen. Vitter’s “serious sin” has nothing to do with sex. It’s the sin far too many senators and members of Congress seem to commit with corporate abandon: “Give me money to get elected and I’ll make sure you go to the head of the line for federal cash.”
Sen. Vitter served three terms in the House before he won the 2004 Senate race against Democrat Chris John with 51 percent of the vote. He raised $7,192,566 for that race, of which $1,386,220 came from PACs and $4,980,125 from individuals.
Since 1998, Sen. Vitter has generated $12,354,936 in contributions to his House and Senate campaign committees. .....(more)
The complete piece is at:
http://www.alternet.org/story/56772/