Politico Editor Warns 'Unattractive' Members of Congress About Sexual Temptation

Guy Benson | November 16, 2010 5:58 PM

Fat, ugly members of Congress, beware:

In a speech this morning on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” Politico‘s Executive Editor Jim VandeHei shared with Mika and Joe what he has seen time and time again as a reporter covering Congress. He focuses a direct warning to new, unattractive members, namely, the temptation island of hell they could face if not careful.

“I’ve covered the Hill for about 16 years. The effect this place has, especially [on] men who come to Washington who are away from their families and the behavior you see at night is the behavior you often saw from our friends in college. Especially unattractive members of the Congress who have not had women show attention to them maybe since college. They come here. Power is an aphrodisiac. Suddenly they have women who are interested in them. It’s a temptation some can’t withstand.”

The logic here, I suppose, is that really good looking men have grown accustomed to heavy flirtation from a merry-go-round of attractive women. Therefore, VandeHei's argument goes, these lifelong Adonises are less susceptible to succumbing to temptation than their fugly colleagues. Really?

How about this: Power can lead to moral corrosion of all sorts, and everyone in public life should keep their behavior and values in check.