I've just re-read my original post and I cannot see where I have implied that conservative and liberal sexual behavior is different. I doubt if there's any connection, as both Tom and Frank have pointed. Perhaps what I did not make clear enough was that I felt a large number of Rush's fans were conservative Christians, who have strong religious restrictions against pre-marital sex, particularly promiscuous behavior. This is a conscious decision based on doctrinal beliefs, and does not mean those folks are necessarily prudes, repressed, or otherwise pathological in their sexual practices. The same could be said, for example, of Latins, who pride themselves on a healthy and lusty sexual life--within the marriage vows. I also was not making any slurs regarding Rush's sex life, about which I know nothing. All I do know is he uses Viagra, along with millions of men, of all political persuasions, so it's safe to say he has a sex life, or is actively seeking one.

My original question was how would this incident affect those of his constituents who, for whatever reason, do not agree with contemporary attitudes toward sex. Perhaps I have over-estimated the "family values" activists amongst his fans, but, after all, that is precisely what my question was trying to determine.

In short, conservatives are no more likely to be sexually repressed than liberals are likely to be reckless libertines.

As for my own political prejudices, I have always thought of myself as a liberal, perhaps because what some consider "moderate" today is an Eisenhower Republican. Nonetheless, I often do feel uncomfortable and impatient around some of the constellation of beliefs now associated with liberalism. Some of those people are just flakes. A few (not as many as Tom would have us believe) are downright dangerous.

It is a question of contrast, the lunar regolith is the color of freshly laid blacktop, but against the blackness of space it appears a bright light yellow. I believe Jane Fonda should have gone to prison for treason for providing aid and comfort to the Vietnamese enemy. I also believe Ronald Reagan should have gone to prison as well for the same crime, trying to sell weapons to the Iranians. I know they both gave noble reasons to justify their actions, and their partisans dutifully parroted them ad nauseam. But the only real difference is she did it publicly, he tried to get away with it in secret.