Which party is involved in more sex scandals, Democrats or Republicans (who hold office), and why?

All evidence greatly welcomed.

Geez....how far back do you want to go? Thomas Jefferson (Republican) had a mistress and several illegitimate children.

Franklin Roosevelt (Democrat) had a mistress while in office.

Dwight Eisenhower (Republican) had a mistress prior to being elected. I don't know if that relationship continued afterward or not.

John Kennedy (Democrat)...well, we all know now how many girlfriends studly Jack had.

Bill Clinton (Democrat)...we know plenty about Bill, too.

And those were just the presidents. I'd say the two parties are about even.

The Mark Foley scandal, however, is much, much worse because it involves underage pages. This is not just a "sex scandal" - this involved children, and that is a new low, even for a politician.

Which party is involved in more sex scandals, Democrats or Republicans (who hold office), and why?

All evidence greatly welcomed.

Hard to say, I think. Since in the past, it wasn't considered to be anyone else's business, and not fodder for the media.

If I had to guess, I'd say it's really pretty even. Personally, I don't think either party can claim much moral high ground.

About 20 years ago, both a Republican congressman and a Democratic congressman had sex with underage pages. The Republican with a male, the Democrat with a female.

The Democrats and Republicans of today are not the same as the Democrats and Republicans of years ago. Each party's platform has shifted.

But IF the Foley scandal turns up a cover-up by other people, then those people must go also. Foley has paid his price. But I have read about and heard a page say that in 2001, he was warned about Foley. If it was known for at least 5 years, then some other people must bear the yoke of this scandal.

Gary Condit (Democrat) has been romantically linked with Jennifer Thomas, with flight attendant Anne Marie Smith, and with Chandra Levy, the missing intern. Condit, the son of a Baptist minister, was a harsh critic of Clinton's behavior during the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Condit has co-sponsored legislation encouraging the posting of the Ten Commandments in public buildings.

Jesse Jackson had an affair with Karin Stanford, a former professor who was a staffer at the Washington offices of Rainbow-PUSH. Jackson fathered a child with her (born in 1999), while acting as a spirital counsellor for Bill Clinton during the Monica scandals.

Alexander Hamilton, Federalist Secretary of the Treasury and the most prominent member of George Washington's Cabinet, had an affair with Maria Reynolds.

Tim Hutchinson, Republican Senator from Arkansas, carried on an affair with a former staffer, Randi Fredholm. Senator Hutchinson voted to impeach Bill Clinton, by the way.

David Schippers (Republican), chief investigative counsel for the House Judiciary Committee, carried on a long affair with his office manager, Nancy Ruggero. The affair began in the early 1970's, and lasted for a quarter of a century. As Schippers summed up the prosecution's case against Clinton, Schippers' wife looked on. And so did his ex-mistress, and her husband Al. Now that's family values!

Robert Livingston (Democrat), former Speaker of the House, admitted on December 16, 1998 that he had "on occasion strayed from my marriage".

Henry Hyde's (Republican), Illinois Representative, had a mistress named Cheri Snodgrass.Congressman Hyde, supposedly famous for his integrity, now describes the affair as a "youthful indiscretion". In fact, Hyde was 41 when the affair started, and nearly 50 when it ended.

Back in 1977, when Newt Gingrich (Republican) was a professor at West Georgia College, he had an affair with Anne Manning, the wife of another professor. "We had oral sex," Anne Manning revealed. "He prefers that modus operandi because then he can say, 'I never slept with her.'" She added that Gingrich threatened her: "If you ever tell anybody about this, I'll say you're lying."

Democrat Gary Hart's 1988 presidential bid was derailed after an affair with model Donna Rice was revealed.

Wilbur Mills was the long-time Speaker of the House, a Democrat from Arkansas. He had an affair with exotic dancer Fanny Foxe, "The Argentine Firecracker".

Wayne Hays, Democrat from Ohio, ran into trouble after he put his mistress, Elizabeth Ray, on the payroll as a secretary.

Bob Packwood, long time Republican Senator from Oregon, was forced to resign after revelations of his chronic habits of sexual harrassment of women.

Democrat John Tower's nomination as Secretary of Defense was derailed after his long history of drinking and womanizing became public

Senator Strom Thurmond (who switched from the Democratic to the Republican party in 1964) was famous for his opposition to desegregation. However, it was later revealed that in his youth he fathered a daughter by his family’s black maid, Carrie Butler.

Lyndon Johnson ( Democrat) had a long-term relationship with Alice Glass, the girlfriend of Texas newspaper publisher Charles Marsh. Glass broke it off because she opposed the Vietnam war.

James Garfield (Republican) had a brief affair with a Mrs. Calhoun in New York City in 1862. Garfield's wife caught them.

Bob Dole (Republican) had an affair with Meredith Roberts, an Australian-born secretary, from 1968 to 1972. At the time, Dole was still married to his first wife, Phyllis Holden, whom he divorced in 1973. Roberts decided to speak out, she said, because she was offended by the way Dole has been promoting the theme of "family values".

George Bush (senior) is widely believed to have had a long-term affair with one Jennifer Fitzgerald, a retired US diplomat.

Warren G Harding (Republican) had an affair for 15 years with Carrie Phillips, wife of Harding's friend James Phillips.

I still say they are about even.

How do you define Democrat and Republican?

Do you mean an elected official?

Statewide, local or Federal only?

I am a Democrat. Could I be involved in a scandal? And would it count?

If Michael Jackson is a registered Democrat, does he count?

I heard that Michael is thinking of running for congress.

If a Catholic priest is a Democrat and molests his alter-boy, is that counted?

I heard that Michael is thinking of joining the monastery.

Is Pee Wee Herman a Democrat or Republican?

As you all know I am Repblican and I totally agree, if there has been some sort of cover up, they must go. Not acceptable behavior in any sense! This is far too serious of an issue to be swept under the rug... Now if its political hype, thats a different story.

How do you define Democrat and Republican?

Do you mean an elected official?

Statewide, local or Federal only?

I am a Democrat. Could I be involved in a scandal? And would it count?

If Michael Jackson is a registered Democrat, does he count?

I heard that Michael is thinking of running for congress.

If a Catholic priest is a Democrat and molests his alter-boy, is that counted?

I heard that Michael is thinking of joining the monastery.

Is Pee Wee Herman a Democrat or Republican?

She said "in office", TOM. That would indicate that she meant elected officials.

How do you define Democrat and Republican?

Do you mean an elected official?

Statewide, local or Federal only?

Hi,

For the purpose of this thread I was defining "Democrat" and "Republican" as those of each party who hold a public office, not the general public. Any office holder, state, federal, or local will do.

I'd be interested if anyone wants to further break it down into:

1. Scandals involving consenting adults and scandals involving children, and further to that, scandals involving something "unusual" such as crossdressing, gay, fetish, children born out of wedlock, etc.

That being said please don't think by "unusual" I mean "bad" (the only thing I think is "bad" is when children are involved.)

I'm just interested to see the breakdown or Democrats vs. Republicans when it comes to these things. I'm less interested in someone who had an adult, consenting mistress (aka Bill Clinton, Gary Heart) and more interested in things like the Foley case, which is what I would term "unusual" (and bad, because it involves a child).

Thanks everyone!

--Becky

She said "in office", TOM. That would indicate that she meant elected officials.

Sorry. I saw Jesse Jackson on one list and since he was never an elected official, I got confused,

Plus

I thought a little humor couldn't hurt.

I thought a little humor couldn't hurt.

We aren't used to that from you. Warn us next time, okay?

That being said please don't think by "unusual" I mean "bad" (the only thing I think is "bad" is when children are involved.)

You don't think adultery is bad? How about sexual harrassment, (Arnold, for instance)? I think it's okay to say those things are bad. They ARE bad. It's wrong to do those things. That "consenting adult" crap is just that...crap. Just because two adults consent to something does not make it any less bad.

i think they are about even, but it is the party that thinks they are so moral that bothers me, covering theirs up and publicizing the other party's. That is a really bad issue to me.

i think they are about even, but it is the party that thinks they are so moral that bothers me, covering theirs up and publicizing the other party's. That is a really bad issue to me.

As much as it pains me to say this...both parties are guilty of cover-ups and hypocrisy and dirty politics in general.

We aren't used to that from you. Warn us next time, okay?

Maybe some people don't see the humor in what I write, but I use sarcasm and wit, quite often.

Please do not take me any more seriously than I take myself.

Our system says 'INNOCENT' until proven guilty. The media today certainly fell short of that.

For a crime, yes that is true.

But one who pontificates about morality, attempts to pass laws doing what he himself does, describes his own (at the time secret sexuality) in evil terms and as evil, does not have to be prosecuted for any crime to be seen for what he really is and he should not be a spokesman for the causes he has championed.

But most of all, he confessed, so there is no need to believe him innocent. His lawyer referred to Foley's alleged communications. Did Mark Foley or did Mark Foley not admit sending improper communications? If he did, they are no longer alleged, they are admitted communications.

NOTE: There is a difference between a confession in a locked room with interrogators and one made only with your self-interest in question.