Don’t blame Democrats for Ensign debacle
To the editor:
Once again, the Review-Journal editorial board doesn't allow facts to interfere with its political agenda. Or perhaps its members don't read what is printed on their own newspaper's front page.
Wednesday's front-page story about Sen. John Ensign mentioned a Washington source as saying the senator came clean about his affair because the husband of the woman involved was asking for a substantial sum of money. Yet your Wednesday editorial blamed the Democrats for threatening the senator.
Usually the editorials in the Review-Journal are a little more subtle in their biases, but this time the writers outdid themselves.
Judith Lachance
LAS VEGAS
Bad joke
To the editor:
In response to your Wednesday editorial:
Let me get this straight. Sen. John Ensign wanted Bill Clinton to resign over his extramarital relationship. Then he called on Sen. Larry Craig to do the same.
But Sen. Ensign he should be forgiven for his own affair.
The Review-Journal had better look up the definition of "principled." You guys are a joke.
Tom Pitts
LAS VEGAS
No integrity
To the editor:
Poor Sen. John Ensign is going through tough times. His family is better now that the truth has been brought to the surface (" 'Last year I had an affair,' " Wednesday). He wishes he never did it. Oh, if he could just go back in time, things would be different. We all need to recognize the difficult situation the family is going through.
What planet am I on? Am I the only one who sees this as a betrayal of the highest level possible? Treason with your spouse? The manifestation of a person with no honor or integrity? Is it justifiable if you are having problems with your relationship, which is called a marriage, in which you make solemn promises to never break?
I have no animosity for Sen. Ensign. I do not need to forgive him because he has not sinned against me, only his family and his God.
But why would I want to keep him as my senator? There is no doubt, there are a thousand people or more in this state who could do the job. So why must we keep a person in office who clearly will disregard any and all vows, oaths, promises and commitments for self-gratification?
Are we to believe that somehow this is just an isolated incident? He may have betrayed his family, but surely not us; the citizens of Nevada.
Give me a break. Am I the only one who sees this?
John Aarness
LAS VEGAS
Dysfunctional coalition
To the editor:
The statements and reports regarding Sen. John Ensign's affair with his staffer beg many questions. While the current status of his marriage is purely a matter between the senator and his overly patient wife, his blatant hypocrisy certainly leaves his Nevada constituents whomper-jawed (thank you, Molly Ivins).
My questions:
1) Was his sweetie/staffer actually paid a generous severance when she left the payroll of his federal campaign committee -- and how much was it?
2) Why, in your Wednesday editorial, did you speculate that Sen. Ensign came clean because Democrats were about to reveal this sordid tale, when your own newspaper, in the same edition, reported the shakedown attempt by the senator's former bosom buddy?
3) How can you promote the fiction that Sen. Ensign is a "principled spokesman ... (for limiting government's) ... intrusiveness into our lives," when Sen. Ensign has such a close bond with the religious-conservative faction of the GOP, who are all so eager to use the powers of government to intrude into our most personal choices?
This episode and your coverage of it highlight the nasty fault lines within the dysfunctional GOP coalition.
Kevin Greene
LAS VEGAS
Blame game
To the editor:
I found it so interesting that your Wednesday editorial concerning Sen. John Ensign seemed to be more about those bad Democrats and their betrayal of the public trust, whatever that is supposed to mean. Sen. Ensign cheated on his wife with his best friend's wife. I don't see what the Democrats have to do with that.
This is a man who preaches "family values" to all who care to listen. This is a man who called for a constitutional amendment to ban gays from marrying to protect the sacred institution of marriage.
In keeping with the current Republican hypocrisy, everything is blamed on the Democrats -- even their extramarital affairs.
Florence White
LAS VEGAS
Step down
To the editor:
Sen. John Ensign's private life is not my business, and I wish he had not held a news conference making it so. However, Sen. Ensign has consistently voted on issues regarding the private lives of others and, more relevantly, voted to impeach President Clinton over his 'indiscretions."
The senator was an outspoken member of Promise Keepers but did not keep his vows to his own wife. Show truth in your convictions, senator. The dogs and cats of Summerlin still need you. Resign.
Leila Birnie
LAS VEGAS
