The Answer Man

Q: Are women politicians less susceptible to sex scandals than men?

A: We really can't be certain about this.

Cokie & Steve Roberts, like most syndicated columnists, write in aphorisms, dead certainties.

We have to assume it was Cokie talking to us in her last weekend's column for the D.D.D. when she asserted that congresswomen would be less inclined to be involved in sex scandals than their contemporaries in men.

Most men realize the superiority of women in many departments of life. We also desire them, cherish, and love them.

But let's not go overboard about this.

There is an old adage about sex that says: "It takes two to tango." If there was ever a truism this is it. Using a football analogy..... if the quarterback passes the ball and there is no receiver to catch it, then it is just an exercise in futility.

Cokie quotes the Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, who says: "Women run for office to do something (presumably good) and men run to be somebody."

Now let's consider the aspects in this for a moment: The ambition to be in public office, the arduous campaign, and all the money spent. Should a person be judged harshly if along with wanting to do good, they would also like to be somebody? It would seem to be very human, and not necessarily reserved for men.

If the one purpose for women to enter politics is the quest to do good, then they should be appointed by acclamation to replace men in every office everywhere.

There is considerable evidence both in documentations, biographies, and autobiographies, that women are attracted to men who have power, and/or celebrity. Sometimes you don't even have to look past some small companies where the company chart identifies the chiefs in charge who enjoy some questionable benefits.

When it comes to the big names this situation can run rampant. Politicians have to be a little discreet about this, but star athletes tell of the groupies and celebrity worshipers who dog their paths from playing field to bedroom.

So powerful men - being weak in this department anyhow - may be subject to more temptations than the average guy. And without the receiver there is no touchdown. It's a lousy excuse, but better than none.

There may be a new acronym coming out soon: KWS. In means Kinky Washington Sex.

You go to last paragraph of Cokie's column in which she "rests her case" on the fact that there will no female legislators taking a picture of her private parts and sending it to a youthful male admirer.

Now wait a minute. Most fine women wouldn't even think about it, but there are some girl women who have no reservations at all about displaying their equipment.

You go to some sleazy street in a big city where the joints are, and what do you see advertised? Girls! Girls! Girls! That's what you see. "Strippers," "lap-dancers," "belly-dancers," and "topless bars."

There comes a time of course when most of these girls grow out of this bimbo-ism stage of life. It may be a mental maturity, or maybe the bod just aint what it used to be. What ever the case it is presumptuous of Cokie Roberts to just say emphatically that this couldn't possibly happen with women legislators who are above beyond the petty vices of weak-kneed men. It just aint fair.

The Answer Man will appear on occasion in the Daily Dunklin Democrat, and will provide answers to various and sundry questions about local people, etc. Readers are invited to submit their queries to The Answer Man by e-mailing them to bhunt@dddnews.com.