I think we're selling ourselves short if we say that what a political figure does in his personal life doesn't matter. If I'm starving my kids and beating my spouse and stealing money from my employer every chance I get ....and vigorously lying about all of it...you'd hardly argue that I would be a fit CEO "anyway."

If someone is telling me he can be trusted with my millions, shouldn't he be trustworthy with your dimes, as well?

We deserve better than this.

Infidelity is CONCRETE evidence of

-poor judgement,

-poor self-control,

-lack of honor,

-lack of integrity.

Conducting an affair in the midst of a Presidential campaign when the eyes (and cameras) of the world are glued on you smacks of

-plain old hubris.

Add to this the common knowledge that this man's wife was desperately ill, and you'd have to acknowledge that it's evidence at least of

-despicable self-interest and

-abominably low impulse control, and perhaps

-heartlessness, too.

That he lied about it until caught on camera only compounds the damage, so add

-self-interested liar to the list.      

Doesn't exactly sound like a resume for a desirable President, does it?

We all do make mistakes and get caught up in our own selfish whims. Not all of us are trying to lead the world, however. Those who are trying to do so should be exemplary, the very best America has to offer, and not someone about whom we have to say, "Well, he's not THAT bad."

To those who say it's a double standard to not place equal importance on McCain's affair, consider this: time does make a difference.

Five or ten years from now, I hope to listen with interest to John Edwards as he tells me and, more importantly, shows me what he has learned thoughout this ordeal about being a stand-up guy all the way to the core. Experience is not an easy teacher, but it is a good one.

However, to reap the benefits of wisdom gleaned through mistakes takes time and introspection, and neither have had opportunity to blossom in this situation. I do not believe he is unredeemable, only that he hasn't yet begun to redeem himself. Neither lying nor making excuses hastens the process.

To those who don't want to talk about it, please.

This is a story, and it is history. Santayana wrote that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Edwards opened his life to our inspection when he hoped what he had arranged on the coffee table for us to see would propel him to a position of great power. He was mistaken in thinking he could control whether we'd look in the medicine cabinet and whether we'd take the hint when he was ready for us to leave. He let us in, invited us to have a look around. Neither he nor his defenders should be surprised or offended by this scrutiny now.

We should not lionize any candidate but rather be willing to look carefully at both his/her fine points and his/her failings, then make a choice based on the balance. No one is perfect, but some people's imperfections are minor relative to their gifts. (Can't remember anniversary vs. honor, intelligence, and integrity? No problem. Liar, cheat, criminal vs. photogenic? No thanks.)

I believe the list above tips the scales for John Edwards, putting him not in the "out" column, but rather in the "later" column. His life (even his political life) is not over, and if he is judicious, he's not even to the best parts yet. And the wise ones among us will take the lessons he's learning right now to heart so we don't have to learn them painfully ourselves.

The good news is that we can now discuss whether this is important or not. Do we want to be led by people who are no worse than the least of us, or do we want to be lead by those who are the most able of the best of us?

I can tell you which I'd choose.