The best thing to be said for the recent press fascination with congressional private parts and virtual affairs is that it spared us interminable discussions of the qualifications of a dog pack of Republican presidential wannabes, currently lined up to make their play for the leadership of the world’s most powerful nation. With nearly a dozen candidates and semi such, the fog of political rhetoric threatens to obscure public media’s view. Better by far the salacious details of Congressman Weiner’s wireless orgies with women whom he never met.

And so the hounds of moral outrage are baying after the New York Democrat and progressive champion in the partisan gladiator games of Capitol Hill.

Somehow his pictorial self-studies so outrage the rest of our elected elite that nothing but his resignation can possibly mollify their rage. No leader of the people should serve once his sexual proclivities are revealed; particularly in front page photos with pixelated censorship.

A few press reports have focused on the several other contemporary sex scandals making news, Lee, Ensign, Edwards, Schwarzeneger, Vinter et al, but nobody seems to be interested in the historical comparisons. From the founding fathers forward, sexual secrets have been prevalent among the nation’s leaders and heroes. Jefferson and his slave mistress, Franklin and his

“Hellfire Club” in Britain, where orgies of the peerage were a regular event, and the suspicious relations between Lincoln and his top aide, all scandals that might well have driven them from public life if the current standards had been in play in those halcyon days.

My question is would the nation have been better for driving them from office? Or would England have benefited from scorning Nelson’s affair with Lady Hamilton? Could Eisenhower have won in Europe if he had been caught in bed with his WAC driver? Would Vietnam have been shorter if Lyndon’s sometime salacious solicitations of female reporters had become public?

Before the neo puritans among the democrat leadership dismiss one of the few in their cadre with courage enough to fight for the principles the party claims to champion, let them ponder the tactical loss it will cost to preserve the pretense of sanctimony yet again. If internet fantasy porn is what drives Anthony Weiner to take on the fascist insects who prey upon the people, bring it on Facebook!

“Travus T. Hipp” is a 40-year veteran radio commentator with six stations in California carrying his daily version of the news and opinions. “The Poor Hippy’s Paul Harvey,” Travus is a member of the Nevada Broadcasters Hall of Fame, but unemployable in the Silver State due to his eclectic political views. He can be reached at cabalenews@aol.com.