As anyone who has not been in a coma the last few days is aware, Rep. Anthony Wiener has gotten himself into trouble. After a week of steadfast denial and claims of being the victim of a plot to discredit him, Wiener admitted that he had sent lewd pictures of himself to a woman he met on face book as well as engaged in "several inappropriate conversations" on Twitter. He also admitted to engaging in "intimate sexual banter" with women on the Internet and over the phone. He stated that he did not know what he was thinking when he did so. I am not a psychic and I have never met Weiner but I will venture he knew exactly what he was thinking when conversing with the women he met. What he was not thinking about is that he is a married U.S. congressman and that the chances of him keeping his actions a secret were slim at best. Wiener did not avail himself of one of the discreet high class services that cater to the powerful and famous in Washington. He did not even seduce a staffer. He conducted himself like a hormone fueled teenager and engaged in sexual "banter" and sent lewd pictures of himself to a woman he met on face book.
Weiner's conduct is not simply a matter of ethics. It is a matter of self discipline, character and judgement as well. For a man in Weiner's position, with his tastes and predilections, self discipline is vital. But he did not even have the self discipline to do what it takes to keep his sexual inclinations off the Internet.
Despite whatever excuses Wiener might give for his actions, he did not yield to a temptation. His action was not an aberration as he claimed. He admitted he had engaged in sexual chat with others he had met on line. His action was part of a pattern of behavior. You do not just wake up one morning and decide you want to engage in sexual chat on line and send provocative pictures of yourself to people you meet on face book. Such desires are the product of cultivation and indulgence. Wiener's actions reflect a preoccupation and a weakness of character, not a simple lapse of judgment. Even if he claims, as he inevitably will, that he is suffering from some disorder or another that would change nothing. His conduct was beyond the pale. A letter from his therapist saying he is cured would do nothing to erase the stain he left on Congress.
Wiener's culpability extends far beyond the simple act of emailing lewd pictures of himself to a woman he met on line. Weiner may not have broken any laws but he exercised the poorest of judgement and demonstrated the weakest of characters not simply by committing the actions he did, but by lying about them afterwards. Like so many before him, Weiner decided that when all else fails, tell the truth and throw yourself on the mercy of the public. That might be an effective tactic in Hollywood where character and judgment are are not required to do one's job. But Washington is a different matter. The U.S. Congress is one place where character, self discipline, and judgement are essential: at least it should be.
It would be unfortunate if the lesson drawn from Wiener's downfall is the need for more discretion on the part of politicians in their sexual dalliances. Perhaps the next time character comes up as an issue in an election people should pay closer attention rather than shrugging it off as somehow irrelevant. Wiener lied to the public. He lied to his wife. We call people who lie liars. Why should we trust him if he says he has learned his lesson? Why should we trust any politician who, after being caught in a lie, says he has learned his lesson? Politicians of weak judgement and character cannot be relied upon and, in their efforts to hide their shortcomings, are more often a risk to their constituents than an asset.
It is commonly asserted that how a person conducts himself in private is of no concern to the public. It is asked what business is it of ours if a person is engaged in adultery, frequents prostitutes, or indulges in on line porn out of the public eye? The same question can be asked regarding other moral shortcomings. What business is it of ours if a person lies or exhibits cowardice in private? Does it really matter if a man is covetous, vain, or cheats at cards behind closed doors? The answer is it depends. If the person in question is a U.S. congressman the answer is yes. Vice is vice whether it is manifested in public or private. Immorality and weak character may be hidden or restrained in public but if they are privately indulged they will only become more entrenched. When coupled with a weak will, vice can exceed restraint. Wiener's inability to stop himself from acting recklessly out of his desires is a case in point. Wiener's job is to legislate on behalf his constituents. His constituents should very much care about his character.
If we want to be rid of lurid scandals and unethical behavior in Washington we should either abandon moral and ethical standards altogether or more diligently take the measure the of the politicians we elect. Either way we will wind up with politicians who have nothing to hide. Wiener's actions were not the result of lax ethics or inadequate rules. Neither were they the product of a bad decision. They were the result of questionable character and poor judgement. That is why Wiener is unfit to serve in Congress.
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