Mark Souder of Indiana Resigns Over Sex

[linda22003]

Then again, maybe there is not. Maybe it's just human nature since this moral failing is common to all regardless of gender, race, worldview, religion, ethnicity, political view or sexual preference. Maybe people just find it to be a bigger deal when someone who speaks of good morality falls. Is it worse for Joe Sundayschool to cheat on his wife than it is for a crack dealer?

Yes, because it's hypocritical, especially when the Congressman and his mistress have been advocating abstinence.

[noonwitch]

Yes, because it's hypocritical, especially when the Congressman and his mistress have been advocating abstinence.

Abstinence for everyone but him.

[PoliCon]

Yes, because it's hypocritical, especially when the Congressman and his mistress have been advocating abstinence.

Did I miss something? Is he defending what he did?

[FlaGator]

Yes, because it's hypocritical, especially when the Congressman and his mistress have been advocating abstinence.

He screwed up and he is resigning because of it. How is that hypocritical? I suppose you have never fallen short in regard to one of you principles? Does that make you a hypocrite or just human? If his actions are an example of an ongoing pattern of behavior then he is a hypocrite, otherwise this is just a lapse in judgment.

[Milly]

Ah, well, this gets more interesting by the minute. It would seem that this was not a simple one-time lapse on the part of Rep. Souder but an ongoing affair. The rumors have been circulating for years about this pair but they denied it and were actually pretty discrete (if one can count trysts in the local state parks as discrete).

I must be channeling Alice Roosevelt Longworth today or something.

At any rate, I'm old enough not to expect good behavior out of anyone, seeing as how we're all human, but Souder was downright annoying with his holier-than-thou attitude. I know he's a conservative, but Jeez, walk the walk a little, Bub.

[djones520]

He screwed up and he is resigning because of it. How is that hypocritical? I suppose you have never fallen short in regard to one of you principles? Does that make you a hypocrite or just human? If his actions are an example of an ongoing pattern of behavior then he is a hypocrite, otherwise this is just a lapse in judgment.

The hypocrisy is in the action. You're not absolved of it just because you admit it.

[Milly]

I gotta agree with djones on this one. I know Souder and he's only sorry he got caught. Watching his speech brought back memories of Jimmy Swaggart.

[PoliCon]

The hypocrisy is in the action. You're not absolved of it just because you admit it.

The hypocrisy would be in defending the action. Not being able to keep to high standards is not hypocrisy.

Hypocrisy -
n., pl., -sies.

n. [L. hypocrisis; Gr. simulation; to feign; to separate, discern or judge.]

1. Simulation; a feigning to be what one is not; or dissimulation, a concealment of one's real character or motives. More generally, hypocrisy is simulation, or the assuming of a false appearance of virtue or religion; a deceitful show of a good character, in morals or religion; a counterfeiting of religion.

Hypocritical is Al Gore telling us that we should travel less and when we do travel - do so fuel efficiently when he then travels in a cavalcade of SUVs and on private planes and then defends doing so. It's not just enough that he does not practice what he preaches - that's being disingenuous - but there must be an actual falseness. THAT BEING SAID - If this affair is as long term as some claim - he's pushing well into the realm of hypocrisy.

[FlaGator]

The hypocrisy is in the action. You're not absolved of it just because you admit it.

Did I say that he was absolved because he admitted it? I said that if his actions were a deviation of character I wouldn't say that he was a hypocrite, I would say that he messed up big time. However, if his actions exemplify a pattern of behavior then he is a hypocrite of the worst order.

[chaz]

If everyone who fooled around on their sposed had to resign, I think I'd be running the world, and there would be no problem finding jobs in this economy.