Yesterday, the man who many thought would be Toronto’s next mayor was rocked by a sex scandal of Clintonian proportions. We took the opportunity to ask our readers from across the country about their views on sex and politics.
DailyXY readers spoke loudly – and Giambrone, it turns out, didn’t listen. Though 60 percent of our 300-plus poll respondents believe that the City Councillor should’ve stayed in the race, news broke this morning that he’s pulling out (a move known as politicus interruptus).
As to whether or not his – or any politician’s – indiscretions would’ve hurt his chances of election, readers are split: Just over half of you (52 percent) say you’d be less likely to vote for a candidate with a cheatin’ heart. So it was little surprise that about the same proportion of you – 53 percent – believe that a politician’s faithfulness to his wife reflects his ability to govern.
It’s not, however, that you don’t admire virility in your leaders: Nearly three-quarters of you (72 percent) would have no qualms about electing a bachelor. Which means that Giamboner’s notion – that he needed to present his live-in girlfriend for “political” reasons – was sorely misguided.
Finally, those who dismiss Giambrone as just another egomaniacal, sex-crazed politician should take note: More than three-quarters of readers don’t think politicians are any more likely to cheat on their spouses than regular folks. The difference, they claim, is the scrutiny of the press. One question, however, remains unanswered: Who sends dirty text messages to their mistresses anymore? Did Tiger teach us nothing?
Image courtesy of sharedferret on flickr.
This summary misses the point.
The issue is far less about the former candidate’s sexual affairs than his integrity! He at first denied that he had any such activity. Now, whatever a politician’s sexual proclivities (remember that Jack Kennedy had many mistresses), he or she needs to be forthright about responding to straightforward questions. That is a citizen’s only assurance that elected representatives are faithfully discharging their publicly sanctioned mandate. Sadly, Giambrone fell awry in that important domain.