Giuliani Defends, Employs Priest Accused of Molesting Teens

[JohnOfSheffield]

I think you're misstaking NY for France. Try telling a NY wife that her husband is sleeping around on her, I don't think she'll opt for your "no big deal" reaction.

You REALLY don't know anything about French women, do you? I think you are referring to any American, Spanish or Italian wife, not French, definently NOT a French wife.

 

[jonks]

You REALLY don't know anything about French women, do you? I think you are referring to any American, Spanish or Italian wife, not French, definently NOT a French wife.

Well a few things:

One, I was being slightly facetious, I don't think there's many women in any culture who'd be overjoyed to hear of their husband's sexual indiscretions outside their marriage bed.

Two, I do know some french women including my cousin's wife, and no, I don't think she'd be happy to hear such news either.

Three, it's my understanding the French are far more tolerant of politicians' sexual liaisons, extramarital affairs, etc, so long as they are kept within the bounds of discretion. I mean, the French found the whole Lewinsky scandal amusing rather than disturbing.

Article with NSFW picture of Carla Bruni:
http://www.francetravelguide.com/carla-bruni-frances-first-lady.html

Romance with the French President

The French President’s love life fired up the pages of the tabloids recently when photos turned up of him and his new girlfriend, former model and singer Carla Bruni, gallivanting on beaches, taking day trips to EuroDisney and visiting the pyramids appeared all over the international press. Even the French, who are notoriously much more “anything goes” when it comes to affairs and romantic entanglements than the often prudish Americans, were fascinated and a little horrified that their President, Nicholas Sarkozy, was divorcing his wife and having a whirlwind romance with a super model.

Who is this Bruni, anyways?

For the French, extra-marital affairs are almost expected. I mean, this is a people who had kings openly give castles to their mistresses and scoffed at Americans for making a big deal out of the Monica Lewinsky scandal in the United States. I mean, in France, you see boobs all over the television, sexuality is a relatively open subject and former French President Francois Mitterand’s mistress and wife stood side by side at his funeral in 1996. But people weren’t so sure how they felt about this affair being conducted so publicly. And, was this model and singer really qualified to be the first lady of France? Especially when a nude photo of Bruni auctioned for $91,000 out of Chrsities auction house in New York, some were worried that the model didn’t embody the makings of a first lady. Add to the mix Sarkozy’s ex-wife (who he left for Bruni) seen looking demure and oh so Jackie Kennedy-esque and people were bound to talk. Who is this Carla Bruni anyways? Is she the “French Diana” or she simply a husband stealing woman in search of fame and power?

and

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0KNI/is_12_8/ai_80233940/

AMERICANS are usually considered Puritanical compared to the FRENCH. But a 1992 study showed that in France, 20 percent more men and women were faithful to their spouses than their American counterparts. There is one important caveat, however: The French are more tolerant of extramarital affairs. Michelle, 24, has known about her father's mistress for years. "She's almost a part of the family," she says. "I've met her. My mom's met her. Everyone just accepts her presence in our lives."

and:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/feb/14/france.features11

 

[JohnOfSheffield]

Well a few things:

One, I was being slightly facetious, I don't think there's many women in any culture who'd be overjoyed to hear of their husband's sexual indiscretions outside their marriage bed.

Well, unless they are politicians, celebrities or religious, they'd just throw them right out of bed, i think that goes for most nationalities.

But French women are fierce, they'd fuck you up before throwing you out.

 

[Fern]

That defense didn't work for Dukakis, who merely supported the furlough program and had zero direct interaction with Horton's parole at all. Tons of intermediary people were responsible for the process leading to Horton's release as well. Dukakis' involvement was that he vetoed a bill that would have prevented 1st degree murder convicts from being furloghed. Had that bill passed, Horton wouldn't have gotten out. In contrast, Huckabee personally commuted the sentence of his guy, without which the guy would not have been parole eligible. The bigger sin is that Huck is a Republican, who is supposed to be tough on crime, so this act runs counter to GOP narrative.

If it comes up at all, it will be a bigger fish in the GOP primary than it would in the general election, since the Dem's narrative is rehabilitation so it would be very tin-sounding for a dem candidate to rip a GOPer for giving a crook a second chance. But I would expect the GOP primary contenders will bring this issue up.

I tend to agree with jonks on this one; even though it was twenty years earlier and the perp did get a tremendously bad deal at sentencing, I think this comes back to haunt Huckabee if he runs again. One of my problems with Huckabee was his commuting of thousands of sentences, thus guaranteeing that he had no time to examine any of the cases. Shame, really; he did marvelous things with education and supports the FairTax.

Are you guys familiar with Huckabee's story on this commutation?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,578427,00.html

I'll give an overview:

1. The kid was convicted at age 16 for two crimes, neither if I remember were violent. He was given 108 years. Huckabee just commuted (reduced) his sentence to 47 years, hardly lenient.

Later, the guy violated parole but the prosecutors screwed it up and he remained out of Ark jail. Huckabee had nothing to do with that.

Later still, the guy racks up 8 felonies in Washington, including the rape of a 12 yr old girl. Yet in WA they let him out.

The guy wasn't out because of some 'leniency' program Huckabee approved or supported. It looks to me like 9 times after the guy was paroled, he should have been in jail/prison but wasn't - none of which had to do with Huckabee.

You may recall I'm no fan of Huckabee, I think he's probably a nice guy but I don't support him as a politician, and I'd like to see politicians held accountable, but this is nuts.

However, if he commuted thousands of cases I can see some 'heat' (in fact I seem to remember that complaint against him in the 2008 campaign); but I can't agree to pinning this on him nor do I think it will stick.

Fern

 

[jonks]

Are you guys familiar with Huckabee's story on this commutation?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,578427,00.html

I'll give an overview:

1. The kid was convicted at age 16 for two crimes, neither if I remember were violent. He was given 108 years. Huckabee just commuted (reduced) his sentence to 47 years, hardly lenient.

Later, the guy violated parole but the prosecutors screwed it up and he remained out of Ark jail. Huckabee had nothing to do with that.

Later still, the guy racks up 8 felonies in Washington, including the rape of a 12 yr old girl. Yet in WA they let him out.

The guy wasn't out because of some 'leniency' program Huckabee approved or supported. It looks to me like 9 times after the guy was paroled, he should have been in jail/prison but wasn't - none of which had to do with Huckabee.

You may recall I'm no fan of Huckabee, I think he's probably a nice guy but I don't support him as a politician, and I'd like to see politicians held accountable, but this is nuts.

However, if he commuted thousands of cases I can see some 'heat' (in fact I seem to remember that complaint against him in the 2008 campaign); but I can't agree to pinning this on him nor do I think it will stick.

Fern

Fern, that's way too long to explain to the voting electorate either in a debate or in a 30 second ad spot. Nuance is not on a politician's side in explaining how he isn't to blame. Either way, Huckabee was the REASON the guy was eligible for parole, even if as a 16 year old he deserved the commutation. Yes, he commuted the sentence to "only" 47 years, but by reducing the sentence Huckabee singlehandedly made the convict eligible for parole, made it possible for others to release him, made it possible for him to commit those future crimes.

I mean, how easy is it to put up an ad that says [ominous voice] "Mike Huckabee commuted the sentence of Maurice Clemens, who then went on to commit rapes, and he eventually killed four police officers. Mike Huckabee, wrong on crime, wrong for America. This ad paid for by the policeman's union of widowers."[/ominous voice]

I don't think Huck's reply ad is going to have much punch explaining the actual chain of events that still starts with him commuting the sentence.

Dukakis had zero to do directly with Horton, but they hung it around his neck as if he'd signed a get out of jail free card with Horton's resume sitting on his desk. I have serious doubts that the specifics of Huckabee's defense will interest many primary voters.

And I'm not blaming Huck, I find the connection rather tenuous as well. But politics is not a fair game, and I think he's going to get hit for this if he runs.