So a picture of someone's underwear is this exciting?

[PCIntern]

Even in the 50's they had Maidenform bra ads in the newspapers and magazines, showing women with their breasts covered only (gasp) by a bra. And that was the FIFTIES, for Chrissake. Such titillation for these creeps from the right, half of them probably got a tingle-up-their-leg when they saw the shot, and so WTF - whom are they kidding?

Anyone walk down the street lately? People wear so little or so tight especially in this warm weather that it doesn't leave much to the imagination, and it's all shapes and sizes (Hint: Just because it's on the hanger in the store does not mean that you have to buy it.). This picture is the LEAST of what I see in a day.

It's the Fox perpetual motion machine for idjits: prime-time shows which 'undermine' "American values", and FOX News to chastise the public for having thoughts about sex and other 'subversive' subjects.

[PassingFair]

1. It was the story on NPR that I woke up to yesterday. NPR.

Is THIS all they've got on us this cycle?

Really?

[Ian David]

9. National Penis Radio? n/t

[liberal N proud]

2. We are dealing with the reigh wing conservatives

They are still trying to live in the 50's

1650's

[Zywiec]

3. Why would he take the picture in the first place if it weren't exciting to someone? n/t

[peace13]

7. Huh?

He didn't even say that it was his picture. He didn't know if it was a manipulation of something in his bucket. It is less than exciting either way. If a person were trying to threaten someone that would not be the picture to use. I suppose titties in an argyle sweater will be the new porn of the right. Better run through the files to make sure we don't have any of those!

[enough]

4. Mass "Dumbing Down" Courtesy Of 24 Non-Stop "News"

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/things-make-you-go-hmmm-such-mass-dumbing-down-courtesy-24-non-stop-news-and-emergence-capta

[MrModerate]

5. I don't pretend to know the facts about who tweeted (or emailed) the dick-pic . . .

But Weiner, who has always been very media savvy, is sure mishandling this if he didn't do it.

It's the whole Nixon and Clinton thing again: it's not the crime, it's the cover-up. (Not that Clinton or Weiner were in any way guilty of criminal acts, but you know what I mean.)

Weiner's behavior suggests that he did send the pic and is trying to brazen it out. And if "brazen" was all was called for, he could probably make it work. I don't think so, in this case.

If Clinton had said "My relationship with Ms. Lewinsky is a matter between my family and myself and I won't be responding to any further questions on the issue," history would be significantly different. If Weiner (presuming he's the twitterer-in-fact) had said, "this was a misdirected photo and I apologize to anyone who was offended," the next few weeks would be quite different for him (not to mention the rest of his career).

You're right of course -- you see more at a beach in summer (by a long shot) than this picture shows. But context matters. And Americans, who will accept stunning levels of hypocrisy from their politicians with regard to policy and the national welfare, go apeshit over hypocrisy regarding sexual matters.

It's a puzzlement.

[Scuba]

6. Thanks for summing this up...

"Americans, who will accept stunning levels of hypocrisy from their politicians with regard to policy and the national welfare, go apeshit over hypocrisy regarding sexual matters."

[PCIntern]

8. what hypocrisy?

Weiner has said a lot of things bout the RWers, but he never preached sexual mores to them to my knowledge.

[MrModerate]

10. If he did it (and I'm not saying he did) and has been lying about it . . .

That's hypocritical, especially since he frequently paints his opponents as untruthful (which they often are).

[spanone]

15. if

[pipoman]

13. Didn't Barney Frank have an episode of

some inappropriate or unseemly publicity which he acknowledged almost immediately, didn't lie or try to cover up and ultimately he recovered? If, in fact, Weiner did do the photo, it will come out and he will absolutely go the way of virtually every other official who lied to try to save face..that is, disgrace and ultimate loss of credibility.

[pipoman]

11. I don't disagree with the base of what you are saying..

this is a question of appropriateness and expectation of appropriate behavior given one's position in society. Judges don't sit on the bench with tri-colored pastel hair and face tattoos, rockers OTOH...

I'm not saying I believe Breitbart (who, btw, I heard has syphilis). But justification of inappropriate behavior on the part of a public official because, 'everybody else is doing it', isn't a good thing either. I am not saying there was any inappropriate behavior in this case...I really don't know if there was or not.

[CTyankee]

14. You have to take into consideration the constituency that elected him.

He represents a section of NYC that is pretty savvy and liberal. If he's good on their issues, this thing isn't going to matter to them. I get what you are saying, but if he is guilty of nothing more than having a suggestive photo of himself that he took and shared only with his new wife in the first year of their marriage, well, I don't see how that would sink him in his district...

[WinkyDink]

12. You are joking, right? A photo of an erection is NOT WHAT ONE NORMALLY SEES IN ADS. THIS IS A

BIZARRE AND AN OUTRAGEOUSLY DISINGENUOUS "DEFENSE."

[qb]

16. The picture is certainly arousing to some,

but its place is among the millions of other sexual images available on the web to those who wish to look for them... not on CNN.