I’m getting the same sinking feeling reading about Sen. John Ensign’s “affair” with a staffer that I got reading about David Carradine’s “suicide” in Thailand. Something else was going on….
Talking Points Memo has been been documenting the twists and turns. And there’s the usual hypocrisy angle—Ensign portrayed himself as a big defender of family values—but I’m thinking the story is more interesting than that. Sen. Ensign had an affair with Cynthia Hampton, a staffer. Cynthia’s husband, Douglas Hampton, also worked for the senator. Doug Hampton and John Ensign were reportedly very close and Ensign, at his press conference about the affair, described the Hamptons like this:
“I will not mention any names but the woman who I was involved with and her husband were close friends and both of them worked for me. Our families were close. That closeness put me into situations which led to my inappropriate behavior. We caused deep pain to both families and for that I am sorry.”
Hm. Close friends… inappropriate behavior… hmm…
Are the Ensigns swingers? Were they swinging with the Hamptons?
Admitting to swinging would do more damange to Ensign with his conservative supporters and apologists than “confessing” to your run-of-the-hypocrisy-mill extramarital affair. Most people can wrap their heads around cheating; most people have at least contemplated cheating on their spouses. But sleeping with someone else with your spouse’s permission and/or participation, which involves no betrayal, is viewed as more depraved by conservatives than good ol’ fashioned adulterous behavior. Conservatives can vote for a contrite adulterer. But an unapologetic swinger? (Unapologetic because he has nothing to apologize for.) What kind of message would that send to our children?
So it’s unlikely that Ensign, who nurses presidential ambitions, would admit to swinging. And the apparent estrangement between the Ensigns and the Hamptons does work against my theory. But sometimes swingers have nasty breakups with a couple with whom they’ve been playing.
I’m thinking there’s more—and more damaging—dirt to come on Ensign.
Thank you for returning to what you actually have authority on: sex
There is always more.
@1 You do know that Dan is gay right?
Wow. That’s totally irresponsible speculation from a person who styles himself a member of the press.
I love your work, and your curiosity. And you might well be right. But this is GOSSIP. Not journalism.
Funny, that’s the same vibe I was getting from the various statements and news reports. Think you might be right, Dan.
OMG it’s like the Davinci Code!
And he’ll be there to scoop it.
When I heard that they both worked for him, I instantly assumed hot threeways on his desk.
Psst – @4, Slog is explicitly an adjunct to journalism, not stone cold journalism. Speculation, rumor, satire – it’s all here. Might as well start getting used to it and have some fun, dear.
I always assume the possibility that the partner knows and/or approves of the affair.
Too many people want to believe that when a cheater is “caught” or confesses, their partner MUST have been completely unaware and surprised. That’s BS.
4 ftw
Slog is the Gay ‘Star’, but not as classy…
What are the rules again for digging into someone’s personal life?
I know this is juicy stuff… I know it feels good to watch a political enemy go down in flames… I know hypocrisy is our favorite battle cry…
But this seems to be a matter between this man, his wife, his lover, her husband and his demand for cash. Where do we fit in?
Is hypocrisy really our scarlet letter? That’s the best we can do?
Traditional marriage now = 1 man + 1 woman + neighbors? Who knew?
@12 – We here suffer not fools and hypocrites.
If the couples are now “estranged”, it was more likely 3-way action or a cuckold fetish than swinging. And Mrs. Ensign may have been turning a blind eye to it, as some spouses of cheaters do, but now that it’s public she has to take the “official” stand of victim.
TPM goes into much more damning stuff than swinging. Stuff taxpayers would be pissed about.
Instead of phrasing it as a question, just say, “Ensign is a swinger.” Oh that’s right, that would be libel!
Are you starting and spreading salacious stories about senior Senator’s swinging sexcapades?
Jolly good.
“But sometimes swingers have nasty breakups with a couple with whom they’ve been playing.
I’m thinking there’s more—and more damaging—dirt to come on Ensign.”
Sometimes (so I am told) a swingparty spices things up with a little bisexuality. Could Ensign have herded Hampton’s hog? Licked his lollipop? Received a prostate probe?
And, who with a brain in modern America gives one small shit?
Gosh, people are being killed for political beliefs in Iran. And, I suppose they are still fucking each other … get on it Dan, still fucking each other.
My first thought was that he was having a threesome with this couple…
I will stay tuned!
Yesterday the news said that Mr. Hampton found out about the affair and was blackmailing Ensign.
There’s a Mormon magazine called “Ensign.” It doesn’t mean anything, but there’s some trivia for you.
Obviously, he was primarily having gay sex with Doug. Ensign is copping to the affair with Cynthia (probably just a one-time thing while Doug was out of town) because it’s more acceptable to his right-wing base.
Why not just say that, Dan? There’s just as much evidence for it as there is for your hypothesis.
@18, Male on male action is highly frowned upon at most swinger’s parties. Most swingers are either looking for a swap or a MFF threesome with no “gay shit” for the men. However, the ladies are both free and encouraged to jump each other.
@12 The man is a public figure by choice who has openly supported the ‘morality’ of opposite-sex marriage as opposed to same-sex marriage. We fit in by calling public bullshit on his hipocracy.
@9: Actually, with the exception of Eli, the Stranger staff doesn’t even have a passing relationship with journalism.
and some of you completely lack a sense of humor albeit at the 2nd degree. I am enjoying this post the same as a BJ : HEAVENLY
Let’s not forget that Cynthia Hampton was second-in-command at the National Republican Congressional Committee, put there by Ensign, when her immediate superior, a guy named Ward, was busted for embezzling millions.
Nor should we forget that Ensign and co-rightwing wackjob Tom Coburn share a house in Washington, D.C. owned by that Christian crypto-cult The Family, where Coburn and “other men” allegedly had an intervention regarding Ensign hiding the salami with Mrs. Hampton.
Now we’ve got money, sex and religion swirling around this thing. I hope that there’s an investigative reporter out there willing to go deeper, because this is a really titillating story and it’s at the expense of a bunch of hypocrites.