Yeah, my BIL is like that. Back in the late 70's the FBI sting operation ABSCAM trapped several politicians including Rep John Jenerret, SC Democrat. He was caught accepting money on tape and was subsequently convicted. Before he was convicted he ran for re-election. I asked my BIL in a joking manner if he was going to vote for the crook, to which he replied, "Hell yes, at least he isn't a Republican".
To be fair to my FIL, he's a 'vote for the man, not the party' guy although he was raised (no surprise here) in south LA as a Roman Catholic Democrat (he's Cajun). But long ago he voted the party not the man and more often than not post-Jimmy Carter he has voted for the Republicans for President. He voted for Edwards using the 'logic' that Edwards's indiscretions (as far as was known at the time) were sexual, not criminal indictments and that Edwards "did a lot of good for LA," the old Huey Long appeal.
This brings up something my mother told me. She's from Lanett. Her grandfather was a Baptist preacher and her Mom and Dad both worked in the paper mill (West Point Pepperell) making towels and stuff. They were old school "yellow dog Democrats." But you remember what happened in 1960? That's the year the Democrats nominated a Roman Catholic for President - and my great-granddaddy the Baptist preacher, abstained from voting for the only time in his life, using the argument that he "couldn't vote for a Cathlick cause thay'd take orders frum the Vaddican and couldn't vote fer the Republi-cun cause they caused the Great Depression and only curred about the rich."
And I remember John Jenrette, too. Abscam was hilarious to me as a kid - but notice nobody ever brings up that particular scandal. You hear about Teapot Dome, Watergate, even the Keating Five but nobody ever wants to talk about Abscam.
Years ago I read Ed Rollins's book about political consulting, and he talked about how Jesse "Big Daddy" Unruh ran Sacramento. Unruh said that every man had a price, and he would do whatever was necessary to buy the guy off. He said for some guys it was women, some it was money, others it was alcohol. He'd find the guy's particular interest and make sure it got met so that he had mental leverage over most guys. Unruh further told him that every once in awhile there'd be a legislator who was different - they could take all the women thrown their way, drink all the booze, take all the illegal money - and still 'vote their conscience.' But Unruh said even those guys you couldn't buy you could usually rent for awhile. Then he told Rollins his basic political maxim: "What you have to decide is whether you're for rent or for sale."
And yeah - the moment I heard the age of the victim, Sandusky was my first thought.
