Submitted by Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
Porn king Larry Flynt has issued a new bounty. On Thursday, the Hustler magazine publisher, offered $1 million to anyone with proof of “an illicit sexual liaison” involving Republican presidential candidate, Rick Perry. Flynt is not too particular either, he’ll accept both gay and straight encounters.
Flynt justifies the bounty this way. “I’ve been doing this for 35 years,” Flynt said in a telephone interview with Reuters. “We’ve found running these ads were very successful in finding sources to come forward.” And Flint’s been effective. In 1999, in-coming Speaker of the House, Robert Livingston resigned when Flynt claimed to have obtained knowledge of an alleged extra-marital affair. Livingston had led the Republican fusilade against Bill Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinsky.
The question becomes whether these bounties on the sex lives of public figures are desirable or harmful. Certainly, Flynt does it to generate publicity and hence sales. He claims to be an enemy of sexual hypocrisy and he has uncovered instances of it. But, it is an unseemly practice. The danger lies in the disincentive it provides to genuinely competent people to enter public service. Even without the sexual baggage who wants to subject themselves and their families to the indignities of claims made by persons with political axes to grind.
I am no fan of Rick Perry and his ilk, but it is beyond question he has the right to his publicly stated views — whether he actually believes them or not. Bounties like the ones offered by Flynt coarsen the political dialogue (as if it isn’t sack cloth already) and present a threat to democracy by denying it the persons most able to lead. Were we to cast out as “sinners” every politician with a sexual dalliance in their past we would scarcely have anyone left in Washington to turn the lights off.
Is Larry Flynt serving democracy by ferreting out hypocrites, or is this tawdry business a cancer on the republic? Or does it depend on whose ox is gored? What do you think?
Source: Yahoo News
~Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
What a really incredible piece of writing!
I think Flint’s money would be better spent offering $1 million to anyone who can produce photographs of J Edgar Hoover in drag. Supposedly they exist, there must be a mobster or former FBI agent somewhere who has the photos and needs the money…
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/09/24/1019916/-Herman-Cain-blows-out-Rick-Perry-in-surprise-Florida-straw-poll-victory?via=blog_1 Larry Flynt could spend a lot of money running down the frontrunner of the week.
Woosty’s still a Cat,
This is a clarification and corrections to my earlier post…..
Stick around… You might learn something….there is a lot they don’t want you to know…. This includes media outlets as well as individuals….And one not willing to listen or at least give you the opportunity to express your views…whether they agree with you or not…is really a form of censorship….They can’t have anything other than the status quo….
There are even some on here that are not interested in anything except what they think and say…. The problem with that is if they allowed you to express your ideals this might just challenge what they said or think and therefore them as an individual….and we can’t have that….Hence the statement “if they thought about other people’s views they couldnt live with themselves”…
“Power corrupts . . . yada yada.” The only defense is character. Forget what they say, watch what they do. Examine every chink.
He’s been governor for 10 years. He talks a good game, but name one major policy initiative he has ever implemented.There isn’t any.
He’s a cheerleader, not a leader.
I don’t think he has the competence to pull off an affair.
The better bet with Gov. Goodhair is to follow the money. Doesn’t take a lot of initiative to be bought (or at least rented).
Pete,
I think you could be correct…..
Woodsy,
Stilck around… You might learn something….there is Alot they don’t want you to know…. Even some on here are not interested in anything except what they say…. The problem is if they thought about other people’s views they couldnt live with themselves…
puzzling1, September 24, 2011 at 9:49 am
I agree
but, strangely I am drawn to the discussion….so much more exciting than what they don’t want me to know….
AY
that was about the same time little georgie was going around saying he was “the decider” wasn’t it. guess condi put a little spine in him. even got him standing up to dick (cheney).
This was found on Democratic Underground….I guess he has better press suppression than the current one one in office…..
“A Mayflower Hotel staffer has confirmed that First Lady Laura Bush spent at least one night this past week at the hotel, which is four blocks north of the White House. Mrs. Bush reportedly moved out of the White House after a confrontation with President Bush over his on-going affair with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.” (June 3, 2006 post)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132×2660799
SwM
🙂
Hypocrisy has been this country’s hallmark from George Washington with his “western” land holdings Jefferson with his slaves, Franklin with his women, etc. None of that hindered them from creating an incredible nation.
I expect hypocrisy, in one form or another, from anyone. It’s a human foible as common as picking one’s nose in public. Everybody does it and everybody is aghast when they see someone else do it.
Sexual hypocrisy is so far down my list of importance as to not even register. Now, if one claims to be compassionate but supports the death penalty, then I’m interested. If one claims to support equality but treats minorities with disrespect, then I’m interested. If one poses for pictures holding a plaque for generous charitable contributions but bundled bad mortgages and flimflammed investors, then I’m interested.
Flint may have to pay Rick Perry the bounty if Ricky can’t do any better in the debates in the future.
“rinnnnggggg rinnnngggggg … hello”
“Is this Mr. Flint”
“Yes”
“Is that Rick Perry bounty still valid”
“Yes”
“Boy have I got a whopper for you Larry”
“Who is this”
“Ricky, I just dropped out of the race”
…..
As my father used to say to me after I made a snarky comment to him:” I
may not always be right, but I’m NEVER wrong”.
Following.
Not true. I respect Mike’s opinions. He is one of the reasons I read this blog.