The John Ensign Affair: Another look into the world of the frivolous and nonessential.

Another many of a kind useless story that just wastes bandwidth and gives opposing sides talking points and "I told yah so's."Without further adieu, The John Ensign Affair.

From the Fix.

UPDATE, 5:55 p.m.: Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) has acknowledged an extramarital affair with a campaign staffer in a statement released by his office. "I deeply regret and am very sorry for my actions," said Ensign. He is expected to announce the affair at a press conference at 6:30 pm tonight. The affair, which was with a woman who worked for both Ensign's re-election campaign and his Battle Born leadership political action committee, began in December 2007 and ended in August 2008. Ensign's wife, Darlene, said that the couple's "marriage has become stronger" and added: "I love my husband."

Yawn...oh I am sorry, I was falling asleep.

Anyways in timeless and predictable fashion bottom feeding Proglodytes took some time off form more serious issues like Health Care or Iran falling into the grips of a civil war to fire some shots across the bow of a GOP 2012 hopeful.

Now in reading their drivel I came across an interesting quote which for some reason sent my Libdar off, I smult propaganda. Call it an innate ability to detect a twisting of facts or a generation of bullshit from half-truths.

Before I move on with the sidebar of the highly "interesting" and "life-ending" Ensign affair, let me air out one caveat. Is Ensign a scum bag for cheating on his wife? Hell yeah, no more of a scum bag than FDR, JFK, RFK, Bill Clinton (Although he might have a reasonable excuse and its name is Hillary.), Vitter, or Edwards. Nevertheless, he has one thing in common with all of these men, regardless of political affiliation, they are imperfectable and stupid. A category I could easily fall into as well as any other "man" in the world.

Now onto the freak show. It was this quote which I found on the progressive blog, Think Progress, which caught my eye.

“I came to that conclusion recently, and frankly it’s because of what he put his whole Cabinet through and what he has put the country through,” Ensign said Thursday, becoming the first member of the Nevada delegation to call for Clinton to quit. “He has no credibility left.”

That seemed awfully bold and quite stupid of Ensign to remark this blatantly about Billy Bob's affair. My very first thought was that the comment was incomplete or out of context. Wouldn't you know, it was a specific reference to Clinton's lying, not his affair. Here is the whole text of what Ensign was quoted as saying.

WASHINGTON -- Rep. John Ensign, R-Nev., thinks President Clinton should resign rather than face possible impeachment.

"I came to that conclusion recently, and frankly it's because of what he put his whole Cabinet through and what he has put the country through," Ensign said Thursday, becoming the first member of the Nevada delegation to call for Clinton to quit. "He has no credibility left."

At a Jan. 23 meeting between Clinton and Cabinet officers the president denied allegations of a sexual relationship with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Cabinet members rallied behind the president after the meeting, telling the media they did not believe the allegations. Since then the president has admitted to an "inappropriate relationship" with the young woman.

"Think about it. He sent taxpayer-paid staff out to lie for him, and that is a misuse of office," Ensign said.

The House plans to vote today on how to release the report it received this week from independent counsel Kenneth Starr concerning the president's behavior. Ensign and Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., said they favor a limited disclosure that will protect innocent people whose names might be included in the report's appendices.

This might seem small to most and even an isolated instance but Think Progress has done this minimalist propaganda bullshit before. In fact, before they offer up Ensign's quote they provide a link to a another 1998 article which highlights a debate between Harry Reid and Ensign. Implying to the reader that this is the source and context of what he said. However, in the article that this statement is "insinuated" to be drawn from it doesn't even appear.

So where did they get it and why didn't they post the original source? It isn't that hard, I found it in about 30 seconds.

Now, you might ask, "Mike, you idiot, why are things this insignificant, important?" Small out context comments like this can be used to manipulate public opinion on a myriad of topics. I am 100% sure that both sides of the aisle use this same technique to influence constituents and like good sheeple, they bite .

The only reason I bring this up is to point out to people who want to be truly informed, don't always take what you read at face value. Always be skeptical and investigate if you have the time. If this kind of garbage is happening on a small level, imagine the crap that is being fed to you on matters of even greater importance. God forbid we concentrate on something that is a little more criminal on the political scene, like a pol taking bribes.

Finally, as the Libbie O'Tards like to say, "It's a teaching moment." :)