It’s a little bit incredulity-inducing to read a report of this sort of bad behavior — petty, perhaps, but obviously socially unacceptable — on the part of anyone, but particularly someone in an office which would seem to command a great deal of respect and demand of its occupant at least a modicum of personal dignity. Worse, in a couple of particularly school-on-Saturday moves, the guy tried to “playfully” blame it on his wife. And he managed to work in some self-promotion into his “apology,” too. There’s a bit of egg on the faces of every Kiwi around the world thanks to this dude.
I suppose in the interests of balance and skepticism it would be worth it to get his side of the story. But… I’m not going to do that because I’m quite busy today and I’ve enough life and professional experience with narcissists seeking out positions of power and then using them to impose petty cruelties upon those around them to immediately credit the story. Feel free to engage in armchair psychology of your own as to how a person who feels it is not only permissible but amusing to do something like this winds up as the Prime Minister of his nation.
Burt Likko is the pseudonym of an attorney in Southern California and the managing editor of Ordinary Times. His interests include Constitutional law with a special interest in law relating to the concept of separation of church and state, cooking, good wine, and bad science fiction movies. Follow his sporadic Tweets at @burtlikko, and his Flipboard at Burt Likko.
Burt
Why are you surprised? After billy clinton got BJs from an intern in the Oval office why should even appear on the radar?Report
For conservatives, that is the most heinous act a President can commit, i.e., having sex while being a Democrat.
Every other act committed by his successors, 2008- 2008 of which no one here need be reminded, are simply unfortunate events, mistakes made, youthful indiscretions really, and we should just keep walking.Report
It is sad but typical that liberals keep defending slick. This isnt about sex so much as the propriety of cheating on your wife with an employee and then committing perjury. If you cant see anything wrong then i guess liberals will condone almost any behavior.Report
So just another 19 months or so of this. Welcome 2016 election season. May you rot in heck already.Report
“So just another 19 months or so of this. Welcome 2016 election season.”
You say that like it will go away then.Report
The secret to everything from accomplishing big goals to just getting through life is taking it in bite sized chunks. Just like eating an elephant or a meal at Cheese Cake Depository. I’ll focus on the masticating the tough gristle of the 16 election before gnawing on the fatty deposit what will be everything after that.Report
You can stand anything for 10 seconds.Report
On the one hand, I agree with you that Republicans make a big deal out of Clinton’s sexual indiscretions while ignoring the hundreds of thousands of deaths on the hands of the most recent Republican administration, and that they don’t really care about Clinton’s actions other than as a stick to beat Democrats with.
On the other hand, the most powerful man in the world having a sexual relationship with an intern is absolutely sexual harrassment and abuse of power. The power differentials, with the age difference to compound them, are too great to regard that as just an affair. Was it impeachment-worthy? No. Was it seriously wrong and blame-worthy for reasons above and beyond “cheating on your wife is wrong”? Yes.
Kennedy was far, far worse based on what I’ve read (e.g.: ordering a young female staffer he was having sex with to give a blowjob to another guy), and yet he’s regarded as “glamorous” for it. We really do need a change of perspective.Report
@katherinemw
Why do you keep repeating the liberal lie that clinton was impeached for sex not perjury? Continuing to repeat it wont make it true.Report
So that’s why Biden is forgoing a Presidential run – he’s angling for the Prime Minister of New Zealand gig.Report
Aw man, what did NZ ever do to us?Report
Do we know that this is true?Report
Because the AP reported that he apologized. If it’s a prank, the author pranked the Associated Press and not just Burt Likko.Report
Is this the same AP that brought us “weapons of mass destruction?”Report
@gabriel-conroy
I can confirm it is in New Zealand’s media, so its not a prank.Report
Thanks James K and Burt.Report
Don’t read the story.
Now, picture that a politician is in trouble for repeatedly touching a woman without her permission. In fact, she’s made it clear that she does not welcome his touch, but he persists. What exactly is he doing to her?
Now read the story and realize how far off you were, you pervert.Report