Five bucks says the same folks who were gleefully jumping all over Spitzer are going to spend endless airtime wringing their hands about how "the liberal media" are pouncing on poor, defenseless Vitter, and how they (the liberal media) should focus on "issues" rather than "hounding" members of Congress.

Note the particular brilliance on my part that it took to make this rather bold and unexpected prediction. After all, who would EVER think that the conscientious and serious commentators populating our TV and radio would act like so. Inconceivable!

"...how upset do you suppose the Republican establishment would be if a conservative Republican senator were forced to testify in a prostitution case in an election year?", I say this:

They wouldn't be nearly as agitated as they'd be if a DEMOCRAT were entangled in exactly the same situation. Yes, they'd be upset (at least privately) with any Republican who'd stumbled so badly -- but the smell of a Democrat's blood in the water would launch a true feeding frenzy. Hypocrisy stinks, no matter who the hypocrite is, but it's particularly foul coming from sanctimonious holier-than-thou people who preach family values (but only whenever it's politically expedient).

We have had Sen. Vitter, Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, the new N.Y. Governor, and Bill Clinton all staying in office despite sex scandals. We have had Spitzer, that U.S. Rep. from Florida (Marc Somebody), and the N.J. Governor, and Pastor Ted Hagee leaving office for the same sort of scandal.

Mixed results on both political sides. I predict we will go back to a Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell policy on these sorts of scandals. Plenty of skeletons in plenty of closets.

I guess it's off subject, but I wish someone would explain to me why these oh-so-powerful men have to pay. Right or Left, it makes no difference. I mean, can't they get some earnest, young intern, albeit of legal age? Or some woman in a bar? (Or man, if you're of the Craig persuasion.)

If it's about buying people & control, we're sure doing a hell of a job picking good people to lead us! But really, at least Craig and Bill Clinton were after free, kinky sex. I have to admire them for that, on a scale of 'sex I really didn't want staining my brain.'

If you're An Important Guy, you can ignore subpoenas?

It's a shame he isn't up for re-election this year, but having his prostitution mess thrown in the face of the electoriate this fall might help with the House races, especially the4th Congressional District. This is a district that was though to be solidly Republican, but it turns out it is really more concerned with Conservative values than with being affilited with the Republican party. The race is being called highly competetive already, with Demoracts stand a very good chance of picking up the open seat. This kind of moral based scandle may be just the ticket to put Paul Carmouche over the top.

...who's been changing his diapers?

Seriously - can we all just say "fuck you" to a subpoena? Can somebody tell me how Vitter can just "refuse" to testify?

Sounds like they will call Vitter as an 'expert' witness....