No, I am not gloating over the Sanford scandal

Yes, I often shine a light on the hypocrisy within the so-called "party of family values".

But no, I am not gloating over the latest Republican sex scandal, this time involving South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford's disappearance, followed by two different stories about his whereabouts, followed by his awkward admission of an extramarital affair with a woman in Buenos Aires.

I feel sad for Sanford's wife and children, for the pain and embarrassment they must be feeling.

And I shake my head at this country's puritanical culture, in which a politician's sex life becomes such a big public media scandal.

Sanford's sexual indiscretions should be a matter between him and his wife. I don't think it's any of my business or yours.

I say that generically.

I am not condoning Sanford's affair, or anyone else's. But, as we've seen time and time again through the centuries and millennia, all around the world, politicians have been able to carry on affairs with no adverse effects on their leadership abilities. (Where there were adverse effects, it was usually because busybodies in the opposing factions decided to drag it through the mud for their own political gain.)

So, in this case, yes, it is another example of the hypocrisy of the so-called "party of family values". But Republicans are human, just like Democrats and Independents and Libertarians and Greens and everyone else. Maybe someday they'll realize this.

And maybe someday we'll be able to just stick to the real issues.