JOHN L. SMITH: Ensign's confession shows his conceit has no boundaries - News

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Jun. 21, 2009
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JOHN L. SMITH: Ensign's confession shows his conceit has no boundaries

JOHN L. SMITH
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Judging the Judges - 2008

Tanned and toned, with not a silver hair out of place, Sen. John Ensign went before local reporters Tuesday to admit his affair with a former close family friend and campaign staffer.

It was a moment of political theater that defined conceit, the sort of routine practiced way off Broadway in front of understanding critics and a hometown crowd. While I don't doubt it pained Ensign greatly to stand at the lectern exposed as a self-righteous, family values hypocrite, we know it wasn't character or conscience that led him to return "to Nevada to come forward and explain to the citizens of our state something that I was involved in about a year ago."

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We now know he had just learned his affair with Cynthia Hampton was about to be exposed in the press by the woman's husband, Ensign's former Senate administrative assistant, Doug Hampton.

At the conclusion of Ensign's woefully incomplete press statement, he added, "I will not be taking any questions."

On the contrary, senator. You'll be taking plenty. Whether you choose to answer them could mean the difference between surviving in politics and resigning in disgrace. So far, you've chosen to hide out on political bereavement leave and allow an assistant to comment on your behalf.

First, there's the question of just how hard you were squeezed for money by Doug Hampton, or whether his letter to Fox News prompted your sudden announcement. Whispers and statements from assistants make you look like someone who got tired of practicing checkbook diplomacy.

Your incomplete statement also rekindles questions about why you disappeared from the Senate back in 2002 to fly home amid rumors you'd been caught in an affair with a staffer. That story seems more plausible in light of Tuesday's tortured admission.

Then there's the level of personal betrayal involved here. Start with marital infidelity. Then add the fact the affair was conducted with the woman thought to be your wife's best friend. Not to mention Hampton was on your payroll and was the wife of one of your closest friends and employees.

A "Days of Our Lives" producer would call that scenario too preposterous for daytime TV.

That Ensign fell short of his marriage vows isn't a scandal. All humans have feet of clay. Marriages are hard to keep together. I feel sorry for Ensign's wife and children.

But we don't all run for high public office on the "Promise Keepers" moral superiority platform, as Ensign did. We don't all wave the banners of God, country, and family values while hustling votes. We don't all use our voter-given political platform to vilify others' failings while we're not exactly practicing what we preach.

Ensign in 2004 wasn't shy about wrapping himself in the Federal Marriage Amendment, which sought to change the U.S. Constitution to define marriage as only between a man and woman. The act became a conservative rallying cry and fomented anti-homosexual sentiment.

"It is not right to mold marriage to fit the desires of a few, against the wishes of so many, and to ignore the important role of marriage," Ensign said.

No, we wouldn't want to sully that sacred institution.

Ensign wasn't alone in his criticism of President Bill Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky scandal, and he also took a point-blank shot at Sen. Larry Craig following the Idaho Republican's arrest in a Minneapolis airport bathroom during a gay sex sting.

"We need people who are in office who will hold themselves to a little higher standard," Ensign said.

I grade on the curve on these sorts of things, but I'm not sure Ensign met the minimum requirements for "higher standard." Craig's alleged behavior was sleazy. Ensign admitted nailing a subordinate and family friend.

It was Ensign who abused his position of power.

Of course, he didn't address that as he delivered his Hallmark card to the local press, Nevada voters, and his wife.

Which brings me to the only thing I can say in Ensign's defense: At least he didn't drag his mortified spouse in front of the media in a staged show of support.

He concluded Tuesday's skit with, "I am committed to my service in the United States Senate and my work on behalf of the people of Nevada."

That's the ultimate conceit: John Ensign might still believe Nevadans can't get along without him.

John L. Smith's column appears Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. E-mail him at Smith@reviewjournal.com or call (702) 383-0295. He also blogs at lvrj.com/blogs/smith.

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Please enter your name Name: Please enter your email Email: Please enter a comment COMMENTS : (word count limit is 300) You have reached the maximum number of words allowed Current Word Count: Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background. Johnathan L. Abbinett wrote on June 22, 2009 12:51 PM: If this was just another garden variety adulterous affair - it would mean very little in today's political world - but it is NOT! This is a criminal case of Ensign, as the superior committing (by his own admission) sexual harrassment of a subordinate employee, and given the fact that Ensign continued his sexual harrassment for severa months, it raises the question "Is U. S. Senator, John Ensign, (R-NV) also guilty of the crime of STALKING and being a SEXUAL PREDATOR?" We need a full, thorough investigation of everyone involed sworn under oath - the people of Nevada, and America, have every right to know the truth, the full truth, and nothiing but the truth before Ensign comes up for re-election in 2010! vegas dic wrote on June 22, 2009 12:24 PM: John---Great article. Very well put. However, it's a little too intelligent for most Nevadan's to understand. They think you are just condemning someone for being unfaithful: NO< that's not the case. Sadly, most marriages have at least one partner that is guilty of infidelity. The point in this article is not that Ensign cheated--And not even that he defends marriage and cheats. The point is did he use his political influence. This is no different than some sleaze bag boss who tells his secretary to sleep with him or lose his job Blueberry wrote on June 22, 2009 09:43 AM: Geesh. Most people could care less how many or how often you were nailing staffers. As long as you are doing the work of the people -- just don't make these tawdry affairs the business of the people. PU, we don't want to hear about them. And quit boo hooing about your terrible mistake -- good grief, if it was one night of indiscretion you could say this, but it went on for 9 friggin months! Get over yourself and take it like a man! The only thing you regret is getting the affair published! Plus, don't talk the talk of the Promise Keepers and the sanctity of marriage in public, then turn around and walk the walk of a cad in private. Gary Hart tried this and look where he is today. (Gary Hart who??) The picture next to the definition of hypocrite in the dictionary is now of you, Sen. Ensign, at that press conference. Now, accept that you are an idiot and get back to work (and keep your pants zipped) -- and keep your mouth shut on any discussions of moral values or the sanctity of marriage between one woman and one man... you have lost all cedibility and respectablility on these subjects. Gib wrote on June 22, 2009 01:16 AM: To John L. Smith: I've posted this before but it obviously bears repeating. We need all the voices in Washington DC we can get to combat the form of tyranny being foisted on us by the Obama crowd. Is Sen. Ensign a hypocrite for what he's done? At least he didn't send Uriah to the front of the battle to be killed. All right, that analogy is a bit over the top. My point is, the real problem for not only us but our children and our grandchildren, is what sort of country are we allowing them to inherit? John Ensign being an adulterer is nothing compared with the crushing debt being foisted on our lives by this marxist regime that we foolishly elected. Stop cap and trade; national health care, amnesty, government run banks, insurance companies, auto companies, drug companies, ACORN, TARP pay-offs, and earmarks, et al! Those are the real problems! Why don't you put the same venom in your articles to fight for our freedoms, that you put against John Ensign?? John Ensign is Hard at Work for Nevada wrote on June 21, 2009 09:59 PM: John Ensign is back in Washington DC, hard at work for Nevada! long time resident wrote on June 21, 2009 08:12 PM: Well written John! I guess mister nice hair and his career are over-good riddance hypocrite Ensign-what a disgrace to NV you are! steve wrote on June 21, 2009 07:26 PM: To really and randy, You have it exactly correct. All the Democrats posting below (including the liar Dems like JD) quicky forget that their party isn't any cleaner than the Republicans yet they want to yell "resign" when they support a criminal like Reid and a murderer like Ted Kennedy. What a bunch of fools. really wrote on June 21, 2009 06:01 PM: you are all a bunch of stupid idiots...Conceit!!!! John L. You are a stupid as the rest of the idiots out there.... The way you talk you have never done anything wrong in your life. I fyou say that you have never erred then you are a liar like all the other hypocrits!!!! JOHN ENSIGN IS HARD AT WORK wrote on June 21, 2009 03:37 PM: JOHN ENSIGN ASSURES US THAT HE'S BACK IN DC, HARD AT WORK. UH... THAT'S ACTUALLY THE PROBLEM WASN'T IT? BEING HARD AT WORK? mary goldwater wrote on June 21, 2009 03:37 PM: Senator Ensign, I have lived in Nevada for forty years, and I thought I had seen it all, but you really take the cake for audacity..You must really think that people are a bunch of idiots. We pay your salary, and this is what you give back. Your a wealthy man and obviously a very spoiled one. I think it would be a little humbling for you but clearly neccessary for you to Resign, for the sake of your family and the Republican Party. Don't insult Nevada anymore... Read All Comments