Republican Religionist Groups And The Hypocrisy Problem-- GOP Adultery Isn't The Same As Democratic Adultery

Jonathan Stein makes a good point in Mother Jones today: "John Edwards cheated on his wife. The media found out about it. John Edwards will not be attending the Democratic convention. Rudy Giuliani used public funds to cheat on his wife and used city agencies to cover his tracks. The media found out about it. Rudy Giuliani will be delivering the keynote at the Republican convention."

When it comes to "moral issues," Republicans use them as clubs-- with the help of their media allies-- to beat up on Democrats. Other than that, they certainly don't take them seriously. If they did, would lawbreakers David Diapers Vitter (R-LA) and Larry Craig (R-ID) still be in the Senate? If they did, would paragon of Republican moral rectitude, GOP charlatan James Dobson, be about to urge his sheeple to support a political hack he has been denouncing for years? You remember earlier this year when he said that under no circumstances would he even vote for either keynote speaker Giuliani or nominee McCain? Earlier he was even stronger in the specifics of his McCain denunciation:

"The Senator is being touted by the media as a man of principle, yet he was involved with other women while married to his first wife, and was implicated in the so-called Keating scandal with four other senators. He was eventually reprimanded by the Congress for the 'appearance of impropriety.' The Senator reportedly has a violent temper and can be extremely confrontational and profane when angry. These red flags about Senator McCain's character are reminiscent of the man who now occupies the White House."

He was talking about Bill Clinton, not his pal Bush. But if he could never forgive Clinton, he's certainly well on the way to not just forgiving, but embracing McCain. Watch Dobson tap dancing over the next couple of months as he tries having his cake and eating it too-- or at least persuading his followers what a man of principle he is. I doubt he'll be as funny as Fox "News'" Hannity as he explains the great moral character of John McCain-- a many who probably has the lowest ethical standards of anyone in Congress-- but... he'll be funny.