Why are smart men so dumb? Maybe it’s because they don’t always think with their heads.
Newt Gingrich and U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner, the current national examples of boys-gone-bad, could answer that question.
Gingrich, former U.S. Speaker of the House and a presidential hopeful, had his entire campaign staff walk off the job last week after he had left them high-and-dry while basking on a luxury cruise for two weeks in Greece. Despite his obvious brilliance in legislative circles, Gingrich has frequently damaged his own reputation. Throwing over his first wife, while dying of cancer, for another woman didn’t help. If he would do that to his wife, what would he do to his country? His campaign staff members blamed their defections on his current wife who wanted a Greek cruise more than she wanted to become First Lady.
Gingrich is witty and glib on TV news shows, but he obviously isn’t presidential timber.
Weiner is a New York congressman who had been mentioned as an up-and-coming mayoral candidate. He is married to a glamorous member of Hilary Clinton’s staff, and they were emerging as a power couple. Then he got careless with his Twitter account while carrying on with women across the country over the Internet. A racy photo of himself appeared on his public Twitter feed.
Following the usual script for politicians who get caught, Weiner is checking him in for therapy. Gone are the days when men took responsibility for their actions.
While I frequently disagree with President Obama’s policies, he deserves high marks as a husband and father. No hint of personal scandal has touched him. That’s becoming more and more unusual in Washington politics.

Weed-of-the-Week
Campaign Goes On

My weed-of-the-week eradication program continues on Spillman Road, and the weeds are winning.
First, I targeted pokeberries with good success, then burdock, thistles and dogfennel. Along the way, I’ve blasted some horse nettles, pigweed and others …