Once upon a time about a year ago, a man who had been elected to the United States Congress went to Israel and he had ma-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-ybe a little too much to drink and then he went skinny dipping in a big lake because it was really hot that day so maybe some people saw his weiner.
The moral of the story is: “Seriously. Why should anyone care?”
Burt Likko
Pseudonymous Portlander. Pursuer of happiness. Bon vivant. Homebrewer. Atheist. Recovering Republican. Recovering Catholic. Recovering divorcé. Editor-in-Chief Emeritus of Ordinary Times. Relapsed Lawyer, admitted to practice law (under his real name) in California and Oregon. There's a Twitter account at @burtlikko, but not used for posting on the general feed anymore. House Likko's Words: Scite Verum. Colite Iusticia. Vivere Con Gaudium.
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Is it okay if I agree that this is totally un-newsworthy – especially a year after the fact! – and yet still find myself in awe that an elected official decides it’s a good idea to take all of his clothes off in that situation, with that group of people, on that particular trip?
Hey, no harm no foul… but if this guy turns up in some impulse-control-related scandal a year or two down the road, I will not be overly shocked.Report
I have just cross-pollinated my comments. 🙂Report
Totally in agreement with Tod, except to say that I’m more likely to vote for someone who does have a few drinks and decide to jump in the Sea of Galilee than someone who abstains from either activity.
And the Democratic response is a classic of de rigeur political posturing:
“What other inappropriate, embarrassing behavior have Republican Members of Congress been engaged in that Republican Leaders are keeping under wraps?”
Well, I heard that last week, Congressmen Taylor TOTALLY made out with Congresswomen Kathy and Congresswoman Samantha TOTALLY found out and she TOTALLY has a crush on Taylor but he totally doesn’t have a crush on her. AND THEN Congresswoman Kathy went and made out with Congressman Hunter, but Hunter was just using her to get back at Congresswoman Samantha, who had a big keg party when Senator Johnson was out of town and didn’t invite Congressman Hunter.Report
As it turns out, this is not the biggest bonehead play by a Republican Congressman from the midwest to come to light. In the last twenty-four hours, I mean.Report
As they say, the cover-up is worse than the crime. Of course, the crime here is barely a crime at all. Bad judgement, at the very worst. But, yea, no harm, no foul. It would have been wiser if, when asked about it, they just said, “Ya know what? We were having some fun with the locals. Everyone enjoyed a good laugh.” But I can’t really fault them for getting their panties in a bunch about who did or didn’t have panties on.Report
As they say, the cover-up is worse than the crime.
Even when the crime is a lack of cover-up.Report
Booooooooooooooooo…Report
The cover-up is worse than the lack of cover-up!Report
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!Report
Tough crowd.Report
That’s exactly what I was thinking. Covering up a non-issue is something you don’t see everyday.Report
In all seriousness, though, is anyone else bothered by the fact that the FBI leaked this information? I frankly find it brazenly political and outrageous.Report
I think I would find it outrageous, if I didn’t find it so bizarre. You have FBI files and the smoking political gun you leak is… this?
I mean, on principle I’m out raged. But it feels like someone just got told on for putting paper in the glass recycling bin.Report
Now THAT’S significant, MarkT.Report
Did they? The Politico story, which seems to be where this story originated, quotes a Cantor staffer as stating that there was an FBI investigation, and I don’t see anything that quotes an FBI report directly. In fact, it says
The FBI declined to comment on its probe, saying its standard policy was not to comment on such matters.Report
“As for the Congressman’s probe, well, it was just a wee scandal after all”Report
Talking Points Memo is reporting the FBI has a totally different interest in this escapde.Report
If God wanted us to be naked, he wouldn’t have made garments of skin for Adam and Eve when he kicked them out of the Garden.Report
I have zero problem with it. LBJ, the very embodiment of modern liberalism, would frequently swim naked in the WH pool while having strategy meetings with staffers. He was also known to give interviews to the press while laying in bed in his pajamas. This seems tame by comparison.
I agree with Tod though that there may be some impulse-control issues at play here. In 2012 that stuff doesn’t go over well, at least not in the Holy Land.Report
I posted something similar over on the other thread. People used to swim naked all the time. This appears to be the one area where our ideas about prudence have gotten more restrictive over time.Report
This is totally not tznius. I expect the Haredi parties, if not the religious settler movement as well, to repudiate the Republican Party within a matter of days.
I mean … the religious right DID freak out over the “OMG RAHM ATE THE SHRIMPS!” incident a couple of years ago. (If you missed it, here: http://trueslant.com/nealungerleider/2010/05/25/israeli-extremists-attack-rahm-emanuels-seafood-meal/)Report
After all the US has done for Israel, they didn’t want to pay for Rahm’s calamari. Haven’t they ever heard of squid pro quo?Report
There’s a bizarre bit of the Bible, in John 21, where Jesus finds a naked Peter in the Sea of Galilee….Report
At least he didn’t sleep with a woman who’s not his wife. If he had, I’d want to know, because it’s totally my business, but skinny dipping is a private thing between the dude’s naked body and the poor water that has to touch it.Report
Actually, it appears that the initial story is just as fishy (sorry!) as it sounded. Mike Grimm is not being investigated for skinny dipping, he’s being investigated for corruption:
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2012/08/20/fbi-wasnt-investigating-skinny-dipping-in-israel/Report
Well now no one’s going to care.Report
The truth is, they were drunk enough to believe that they too could walk on water.
Sadly this proved not to be the case.Report
I don’t quite get how the Christians in the group thought it would be a holy experience to immerse themselves in the water. Jesus walked on top of it, and when Peter immersed himself it was a great disappointment to ol’ JC.Report
noting that this is in fact another country, but where I come from, people get arrested for public nudity. not that I agree to such laws, in any country (however practical they may be).Report
In principle I agree. But I remember a nude beach in Spain from my Navy days. The hot little 20-somethings were great. The grandmas and grandpas… not so much.
On balance, I and my stomach are in favor of laws against public nudity. Just sayin’…Report