family values

I wonder if this story will get the same media attention as say John Edwards:

Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife, Maria Shriver, separated after she learned he had fathered a child more than a decade ago — before his first run for office — with a longtime member of their household staff.

Shriver moved out of the family's Brentwood mansion earlier this year, after Schwarzenegger acknowledged the paternity. The staff member worked for the family for 20 years, retiring in January.

This really comes as no big shocker, except the fact that this happened ten years ago and Arnie kept it secret long enough to become the Governator. Once again, we have Republican family values in all their glory.

A Tea Party favorite for the U.S. Senate in Ohio has just been indicted by a grand jury for unlawful conduct with a minor:

A New Lebanon man, running for a U.S. Senate seat in Ohio, has been indicted by a Montgomery County grand jury on sex charges.

Eric Deaton was indicted on one count of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. He is accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a 15-year-old girl between March 2006 and March 2007.

Perry Township police said Deaton met the victim at a church where Deaton served as an elder.

Deaton, who is due in court September 14, faces up to 5 years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted.  This isn’t stopping Deaton though. He’s staying in the race and insisting that this is some big political setup:

“I think this is politically motivated,” said Deaton, blaming the indictment on his decision to run for political office.

“The powers that be don’t like that,” said Deaton, who said he intends to stay in the race.

Deaton has been pretty much an unknown in Ohio politics, well that is until now. He has only received a handful of endorsements, but one of those endorsements really sticks out:

Vote Family Values

Perhaps it’s just a day of major irony, but looking at the front page for Vote Family Values, I couldn’t help but notice one of their top news stories:

Well stop the presses! It turns out that the DNC did the unmentionable – they spent money!

“The DNC spent at least $2,204,000 for luxury hotels and caterers,” Heye writes at the top of the e-mail.

While the data the RNC presents is accurate — including $423,000 spent since Tim Kaine assumed the DNC chairmanship at the Mandarin Oriental Hotels and $530,000 at Hilton hotels — it does not include expenses for private planes, or for that matter strip clubs, for which the RNC has come under scrutiny.

The expenses do, however, include limousines — over which Steele, but not Kaine, has been criticized.

During the past year and half, the DNC has paid $4,464 to the limousine service Carey International, $2,861 to Arrow Limousine, $12,000 to Singh Car Service, $33,000 to Premiere Transportation, $1,998 to RMA Chauffeured Transportation and $5,481 to R&R Limousine.

The e-mail also highlights the $262,000 the DNC has spent on fundraising events under Kaine’s chairmanship.

Republicans wondering if Steele is the right man for the job should now have their answer. The fact that he would try and defend the sex club scandal rocking the RNC by saying “well Democrats spend money too” exemplifies the fact that Steele doesn’t even recognize the problem plaguing the RNC right now.

Just the fact that he is trying to compare normal party style expenses with money spent at a sex club should be enough. But it doesn’t stop there. This issue goes beyond the money and into the realm of hypocrisy. It’s not that the RNC spent $2,000 at a sex club – it’s that the RNC spent $2,000 AT A SEX CLUB. The party of family values and against anything gay spent $2,000 at a sex club that features lesbian sex imitation.

Like we didn’t see this one coming:

Carrie Prejean demanded more than a million dollars during her settlement negotiations with Miss California USA Pageant officials -- that is, until the lawyer for the Pageant showed Carrie an XXX home video of her handiwork.

The video the lawyer showed Carrie is extremely graphic and has never been released publicly. We know that, because TMZ obtained the video months ago but decided not to post it because it was so racy. Let's just say, Carrie has a promising solo career.

We're told it took about 15 seconds for Carrie to jettison her demand and essentially walk away with nothing. As we first reported, the Pageant is paying around $100,000 to her lawyers and publicist -- a fraction of her bills. She pockets nothing in the settlement.

And she represents the family values of the right? Now we can all wait and see how long before the tape hits the internet.

Like most I have been very interested in the Mark Sanford story. I think it really highlights the downfalls of the person coined a top GOP contender in 2012. What does it say about the leadership of Stanford when he just disappears for days without letting anyone know where he will be, including his own wife?

I keep thinking “what if a disaster, either natural or man-made, hit South Carolina?” With the governor AWOL, they would not be able to declare an emergency without the extra hurdle of declaring the governor incapacitated. That would really slow up any rescue measures, let alone any needed funding. At best Sanford’s actions should be considered a dereliction of duty, and the Congress of South Carolina should really consider if they want this man to continue leading their state.

Then there is the whole “I went hiking” story he is pushing. As someone who loves hiking, camping and everything outdoors, I never decide to take off without notifying someone. Its just common sense and preparation. What if something happens to me out there? Will anyone know where I am or what I am doing if I break a leg or have a heart attack? This shows the lack of personal responsibility that Sanford accepts, and should be a warning sign to any Sanford supporters that he is not a man worthy of leadership.

And finally there is the family angle to this story. The man didn’t even tell his wife or kids where he was going. The man has four children and just up and leaves on Father’s Day? This might seem like normal “family values” to the party of John Ensign and Ted Haggard, but to people who really understand and cherish family it is just plain creepy.

So with Sanford’s little expedition we see another hopeful for Republican salvation go up in flames. He joins in the ranks of Sarah Palin and Bobby Jindhal. I guess we can start considering Tim Pawlenty a front runner now.

Comes one of their big stars, Republican Senator John Ensign and his admission to an extramarital affair. The affair was with a campaign staffer, who is also the wife of one of his senate staffers. Sounds like trouble in that office! Chris Cillizza has much more.

FOX “News” has an interesting way of describing the current economic problems, especially the taxing of the AIG bonuses

Now where is it that kids get ideas for things like sexting?