The least of his transgressions

December 6, 2009 in Max Baucus, Montana

by Pete Talbot

Hypocrites are the worst. Sen. Larry Craig railing against gays and then trying to get sex in a Twin Cities airport men’s room. Rep. Mark Foley, chairman of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children, who sends sexually explicit emails to House pages. Conservative Sen. David Vitter and S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford … and on and on.

So Sen. Max Baucus pales in comparison. He’s never been an in-your-face family values guy. And if the time line he lays out is true, his indiscretion occurred while both parties were separated from their respective spouses.

But still, to advance the name of your lover for Montana’s U.S. Attorney? To quote a Washington Post columnist: “boneheaded.”

In some respects, this scandal is almost refreshing. Hey, Max is a human being, not just an automaton for the banking, insurance and health care industries. You see, I hold Max accountable for much more egregious behavior:

– His lame health care bill (Howard Dean called it “the worst piece of health care legislation I’ve seen in 30 years.”).

– His vote to repeal the estate tax.

– His cop out on cap-and-trade.

– His Bush tax-cuts-for-the-rich.

– His Medicare prescription drug vote.

– His “aye” on the bankruptcy bill.

– His Iraq War complacency.

– His 70 percent approval rating from the Chamber of Commerce.

All the while saying he’s doing “what’s right for Montana.”

So this latest is just the icing on the cake. And it’s another slap in the face to Montanans.

(UPDATE: Daily Kos sheds some more light on the subject. Hat tip to David Crisp at Billings Blog.)