Please, enough already

Somebody get this character off the stage

Attorney General Dustin McDaniel addresses the media Tuesday morning during a North Little Rock press conference he called to address his extramarital relationship with a Hot Springs attorney that came to light last month.
Attorney General Dustin McDaniel addresses the media Tuesday morning during a North Little Rock press conference he called to address his extramarital relationship with a Hot Springs attorney that came to light last month.

— PAINFUL. It is hard to think of any other one-word summary for having to watch the live video feed of Arkansas’ attorney general squirming his way through his press conference yesterday, which for some reason he chose to devote to his extramarital embarrassment.

Why the man would subject himself—and the whole state—to such a performance mystifies. Was it the urge to confess? Still again? Better he should confine his confessions to his confessor, or conscience or preacher or friend or just a bartender . . . . Why subject the whole state of Arkansas to this continuing spectacle?

Some subjects are best avoided in polite company, especially when children are present. And especially when his (non)explanations consist largely of a series of inarticulate uhs. He seems as stutteringly incompetent at explaining things as our current govermor, whatever one thinks of Mike Beebe’s politics, is competent.

Our attorney general looked like any other married man caught in a compromising situation. That is, ridiculous. Sir, spare yourself. And if you can’t, have the decency to spare the rest of us.

Why should you want to mention this, uh, character lapse ever again? There’s no need to. Every time you appear on the campaign trail, it’ll be on everybody’s mind anyway. Why call even more attention to it? The less said about some things, the better.

Why would the man want to say so much about this matter, and so poorly? Especially when he lacks the roguish charm some folks saw in a former president who had much the same problem—in multiples. We never saw any charm in it. Monica Lewinsky’s summary description of Bill Clinton—she once referred to him as The Big Creep—seemed closer to the mark. But there’s no accounting for taste, as the old lady said when she kissed the cow. Roguishness appeals to some folks. But why dwell on such matters? Nothing more needs to be said.

By now it surely must be dawning on the state’s Democrats that the surest, shortest description of the candidate they’re being asked to nominate for governor is: loser. In more ways than just the electoral sense. And the more explanations he stutteringly offers, the more evident that much becomes. At this belated point, The Hon. Dustin Mc-Daniel can do himself, his party, and the whole state the great favor of just hushing up about it. Enough already.

Editorial, Pages 16 on 01/09/2013

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