David Vitter's Soul Searching

If Academy Awards could be given for political ads, Senator David Vitter’s ad espousing, “I failed my family 15 years ago,” would certainly stand tall with “Gone with the Wind”.

The strange part about this recent turn of events is that on the day Vitter registered to run in the gubernatorial election he was stopped in a parking lot by a Baton Rouge TV station newscaster and asked a question about his dealings with prostitutes.  David Vitter refused to answer and allegedly had his campaign folks loudly complain to the station management threatening to pull all Vitter’s ads.  Coincidently, this individual was fired the next day accompanied with a denial by the station that the termination had anything to do with Vitter’s complaint.

Subsequently, David Vitter refused to participate in any future debates unless his staff could see the questions beforehand.  This policy resulted in a series of forums composed of only Scott Angelle, Jay Dardenne, and John Bel Edwards.  

However, as Dardenne and Angelle pointed out in their campaign messages, David Vitter will flip flop on issues just to get elected.  Apparently, that now includes the fact that it’s time for him to address “the ladies of the night issue” since he fears he’s lagging in the polls.  Tragically, this change of heart came too late for the Baton Rouge newscaster for one can only assume he would still be employed if he asked the same question today.  Then such questions were inappropriate, but now they’re OK.

I can’t help but ponder why Vitter uses almost the exact carefully scripted words he used June, 2007, when he first confessed, “I failed my family.”  Cleverly, he never admits to the public just what was “this most serious sin of my life.”  I have to wonder if he has yet internalized the words, ‘infidelity’ and ‘prostitute.’   Words are superficial, but soul cleansing is not.   It takes a great deal of introspection.

Is David Vitter truly sincere this time in his mouthing of words used eight years ago or is it just for political gain to elevate his chances of winning?

 

Some would probably consider all this fuss of little consequence believing Vitter’s personal life has no bearing on how he might govern our state.  Besides, if we live long enough we’ll all make mistakes.  But just maybe it’s symptomatic of a greater personality flaw, for it’s the way Vitter handled the new acknowledgement of his roguery. 

He initially refused to readdress his human failing by treating it as though it never really existed.  He could have just dealt with it when first questioned and moved on.  Instead he let it fester hoping it would go away because he egoistically felt he was above judgement by others.  Vitter also gave the impression that those who continued to accuse him of the questionable behavior should be punished.  All this changed only when his political poll numbers began tanking. 

Additionally,  when one questions some members of the U.S. Congress about the actions of David Vitter some appear to reinforce the notion that he operates with a vindictive code of superiority similar to a governor most Louisianans are glad to be rid of, Bobby Jindal.

Please pause and consider who you really want as governor of this state for the next four years.  Hopefully it’s someone we can be proud of.