This morning I heard a Staten Island Republican ranting about how Vito Fossella's fathering an illegitimate child had nothing to do with his stand on the issues and he should stay in office.
Well, much as I would love to see him stay in office because he'd be easy to beat, it struck me immediately that a.) Vito Fossella's typical Bush "family values" stand and calls for Spitzer to resign mean Vito is a grade A hypocrite; and b.) seems amazing that breaking the law and endangering lives by driving drunk doesn't bother Republicans.
I called for Spitzer's resignation not because I gave a crap what he did with his free time, but because of his massive hypocrisy in prosecuting prostitution while being a participant himself. Similarly, any Republican who feels Vito Fossella's fathering an illegitimate child is ignoring the effect that will have on the life of the mother and child, as well as his own family and the gross hypocrisy that allows him to condemn others while engaging in fun himself. Fossella's family values rhetoric has to be contrasted with the reality of his screwing around, something that was well-known among Republican circles in Staten Island.
This is the Republican glass house problem where almost no Republican comes even close to living up to the standards they demand from others.
Then there is the drunk driving side of the scandal. Vito Fossella broke the law and endangered lives, but Republicans feel there is nothing wrong with this?
The Republican foolishness gets better. THis afternoon someone passed this little email along: (sorry for the formatting glitches)
VIVA VITO!!!!!!!!
LIFELONG STATEN ISLAND ENTREPRENEUR CALLS FOR RALLYS AND PETITION DRIVE TO KEEP CONTROVERSAL CONGRESSMAN IN OFFICE.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
MANHATTAN, NY â MAY 12TH 2008
NATIVE STATEN ISLANDER AND NIGHTLIFE ENTREPRENEUR JOHN âJEâ ENGLEBERT WANTS TO ORGANIZE RALLYS AND PETITION DRIVES IN MANHATTAN TO KEEP NYC LONE REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN VITO FOSSELLA IN OFFICE. ENGLEBERT WILL DONATE SPACE AND TIME IN HIS NYC NIGHTCLUBS (SUZIE WONG SAKI LOUNGE AND PRIME NIGHTCLUB) FOR RALLYS AND SUPPORTERS IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
ACCORDING TO MR. ENGLEBERT ââBILL CLINTON AND GOVERNOR PATTERSON ARE PERFECT EXAMPLES OF HOW ONES GOVERNMENTAL DUTIES SHOULD NOT BE JUDGED BY THERE PERSONAL MISTAKES. VITOS A GREAT CONGRESSMAN AND DRIVING FORCE AND TONS OF STATEN ISLANDERS FEEL THE SAME WAYââ
A LETTER TO VITO FROM âJEâ WAS SENT OUT AND HE HOPES THAT VITOS DECISSION TO STAY ON IS FELT FROM THE PEOPLE THAT ELECTED HIM NOT THE POLITICIANS IN WASHINGTON THAT HAVE NEVER EVEN SEEN STATEN ISLAND.
Well, let me point out to the "Nightlife Entrepeneur" that neither Spitzer nor Clinton endangered lives or fathered illegitimate children (as far as we know). The only common thread among these three individuals was that they all let their penises get the better of their brains. Clinton fooled around. Period. He was neither hypocritical, he has fathered no illegitimate children (with the emotional issues that creates for the "illegitimate" family), and did not endanger lives by driving drunk. Spitzer is guilty of hypocrisy but seems to have fathered no illegitimate children and has not endangered lives driving drunk.
Vito Fossella, who also has also been known to prostitute himself for lobbyists, is guilty of massive hypocrisy, fathered an illegitimate child (leading to divorce for the "other woman") AND endangered lives and broke the law by driving drunk.
Sorry, Charlie. Vito Fossella is worse than Bill Clinton or even Eliot Spitzer, by quite a bit. But please...go ahead. Petition and rally. We dare you. Republicans have been defending even the most corrupt and even pedophilic of their Party. By the rather low standards of the Republican Party, Vito Fossella really is practically a saint. Maybe this "Nightlife Entrepeneur" (who might well be in the know about such things) may realize that the Republicans who might take Fossella's place in Staten Island are even worse. Do they follow in Foley's footsteps? Do they have tastes that would ruin careers if revealed? Just what does this "Nightlife Entrepeneur" know about Staten Island Republicans that makes Vito Fossella look so good to him?
