A reader writes from Germany:

Hey guy – I am on this journalism list serve and they claim that the Oregonian actually printed this on its cover (initially). Is that right?

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Dunno, but here’s what’s in today’s Oregonian:

The editorial boards of The Oregonian and The Portland Tribune have advice for Portland Mayor Sam Adams, whose new administration is being engulfed in a sex scandal: Resign.

Why?

We don’t believe the public makes much of a distinction when it comes to a man over 40 having sex with either a 17-year-old or an 18-year-old. And it makes no difference if the teenager is male or female – it’s sexual opportunism, pure and simple.

So—it doesn’t matter whether Adams committed a crime, it just matters whether the editors of the Oregonian and the Tribune find his sex life distasteful.

Brend an Kiley has worked as a child actor in New Orleans, as a member of the junior press corps at the 1988 Republican National Convention, and, for one happy April, as a bootlegger’s assistant in Nicaragua....

65 replies on “Everybody Makes Mistakes”

  2. @45

    Whether a person is a self-hater or not is a personal problem. Whether they construct an ever-expanding web of lies to hide the existence of a LTR is a public problem if you are a public official.

    This is what is wrong with DADT. Not that closeted military members are self-hating or whatever, though they might be. The problem is that when you live a lie you have to keep making up new lies to go on top of the old lies. And you can be blackmailed. That is the issue.

    Nobody has a right to ask what you do in private, but most reasonable people think you ought to be open as to who your significant other is. If their very identity is a secret, you have no choice but to start making a house of cards to hide it. That’s all I’m saying.

  4. Thank you, @45. If a politician has a thing for twinks, or getting spanked, or role playing, and doesn’t disclose it during their campaign, I don’t think you can fairly call them a closet case. What should Adams have done? In his first speech announcing his candidacy, should he have “come out of the closet” and said, “And I want you all to know that I’ve had sex with an 18 year old boy. Three times, in these locations, and in these positions. I hope I have your vote!”

  5. @52

    But what does that say about a person who is able to live that life of lies? What do you believe and what do you dismiss as “exaggerated truths”

  6. @54, what should he have done?

    He should have aggressively admitted that he was proud of the relationship.

    ” I was involved with so and so from the period of x date to x date, contrary to what is being asserted, he was of legal age at that time, I find him to be a wonderful person, think the world of him and still have the privilege of calling him a friend”

    next question..

  7. here are some of the reasonable justifications coming from those who think he ought to resign. (please note none of them deal with the statement “he must be forced to resign”. this is not a legal matter, really.)

    1. he lied for political expediency. because of this, one might question his ethical qualities. not that he would lie all the time… but what else would he lie about if he felt the truth might be misunderstood?

    2. he has demonstrated that he made poor choices in the recent past. it might not be illegal, but when voting for someone, they evaluate the entire picture. this doesn’t mean someone has to be a saint. but just like i won’t buy something off craigslist if i don’t trust the person for whatever reason, so too might i not vote for someone if i feel they are making completely legal but poor decisions.

    3. someone who changes their story (from no sex to yes sex, but under 18) might be lying about the under 18 part. this isn’t making up a strange new story, as that was the initial accusation. yes, innocent until proven guilty, but the fact that he started off with a lie does not bode well for him, nor does it instill confidence in those he is now asking to believe him.

    i don’t think he should resign, but i don’t have a horse in this race. were i his gay opponent, perhaps i would feel differently.

    i also think there is some bias because he’s gay behind some people who choose #2 above. it’s difficult to say, though. people love a sex scandal if it’s illegal, legal, gay or straight.

  10. Paul in Ballard: I think you have a very unrealistic view of politicians. I’d love to meet some that meet your standards, but I don’t think they really exist — maybe a Comptroller somewhere or a good-hearted Highway Superintendent — but generally speaking, few politicians are completely honest and even fewer lead lives that everyone in this country would approve of.

    Also, I continue to assert it’s really not anyone’s business.

  11. These attacks on Sam Adams are 100% anti-gay.

    Beau Breedlove was an ADULT. Breedlove worked for the Oregon state legislator in congress and Adams worked at the Portland mayor’s office, 60 miles away. There was no abuse of power. What they did was ok. The reason Sam and Beau mislead was because of reaction just like this.

  12. Problem: When asked, during an election, instead of saying “none of your business” or “Yes, we did. What about it?” He lied. And he asked the young man to lie.
    I’ve been waiting since 1998 for a politician to say “none of your business”. Say it and let the cards fall where they may.
    That’s part of the deal of running for office. If he isn’t ready for this kind of scrutiny, maybe he’s not ready to be mayor.

  13. Amazing to see people, like you, Brendan Kiley, shamelessly hiding behind the issue of a whether or not a crime was committed. Sound familiar? It is ~ it’s the same tactic used by Bush and Cheney for the last 8 years.

    #9, YES, Adams used “mentoring” as a smokescreen. He sure did. Here’s what he said in September 2007 (Blue Oregon, 9/18/07):
    “I told my staff, ‘This is a 17-year-old. Make him feel welcome. Keep an eye on him,’ ” said Adams, 44. “I listened to his story. I tried to offer my own perspective, given my own background. I could’ve just said, ‘This looks bad, so I can’t help you.’ But I wanted to help….. If someone comes to me looking for advice or perspective, I want to be able to offer it. At the same time, I’m very careful. I set boundaries.”

    Not only was it a smokescreen for the affair, he actually exploited the “smear” for his own gain in his campaign. Don’t just read the WW article, read his “Open Letter to Portlanders” from Fall 2007, where he shamelessly exploits the smear as a lead-in to his public service to the issues of gay youth:

    http://www.commissionersam.com/node/2801

    He didn’t just deny something, he boomeranged it to the political bank. Two days ago, I felt a heck of a lot sorrier for him than I do now. HE SHOULD RESIGN.

  14. And why do people keep ridiculously claiming that those calling for Adams to resign are anti-gay? Have you forgotten that an overwhelming majority of us just voted him in to be our mayor? Who are you kidding? Are are you just not thinking?

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