Sam Adams' Summer of (Breed)love
It is now becoming apparent that Portland Mayor Sam Adams – who was a Portland City Commissioner at the time – lied to Portlanders and the media in 2007 about his relationship with former Oregon Capitol
intern Beau Breedlove.
Will this ruin Adams’ career in a city that prides itself on being one of the nation’s most tolerant?
intern Beau Breedlove. Will this ruin Adams’ career in a city that prides itself on being one of the nation’s most tolerant?
The Willamette Week broke the story on Monday that Adams began a “sexual” relationship with the young man sometime shortly after Breedlove turned 18 in the summer of 2005. A variety of other local media outlets also jumped on the issue.
It is not the fact that Adams had a relationship that is the issue here. In fact, the media seems to be making it pretty clear that the issue is that he lied.
Anyone who has been around the media long knows the number one rule is to never lie. You can sometimes get away with leaving things out, dodging questions, parsing your words, or saying no comment. But for goodness sakes don’t lie. Why? Because when (not if) the truth comes out they will eat you for lunch.
Do you need examples? Here are just a few that come to mind…
-Neil Goldschmidt -- another Portland Mayor -- who dodged the issue of a statutory rape of a young girl for years.
-Bob Packwood who during his 1992 campaign dodged The Oregonian’s research of inappropriate advances toward women only to have them come out in the Washington Post – and boy did The Oregonian want revenge.
-Mike Erickson who could not seem to remember this rule on anything (abortion, Cuba, etc.).
In all these situations the official lost the public’s trust and more or less where knocked from the bully-pulpit their positions or roles in the public eye carried.
What will be Mayor Adams fate? The Crystal Ball is cloudy on this one.
Adams is obviously spinning it that he lied with good intentions as people would never have believed that although he struck up the relationship with a minor, he waited until he was 18 to allow it to become sexual in nature. Thus, there was nothing illegal Adams argues. Here is Adams’ quote:
Will the fact that there was nothing “illegal” give him a second chance with Portlanders? Will the fact that his lie allowed him to remain in -- and win -- the Mayor’s race make voters irate enough to require his resignation?
You tell me. Will the Summer of (Breed)love cause Adams to resign either now or sometime in the future?
It is not the fact that Adams had a relationship that is the issue here. In fact, the media seems to be making it pretty clear that the issue is that he lied.
Anyone who has been around the media long knows the number one rule is to never lie. You can sometimes get away with leaving things out, dodging questions, parsing your words, or saying no comment. But for goodness sakes don’t lie. Why? Because when (not if) the truth comes out they will eat you for lunch.
Do you need examples? Here are just a few that come to mind…
-Neil Goldschmidt -- another Portland Mayor -- who dodged the issue of a statutory rape of a young girl for years.
-Bob Packwood who during his 1992 campaign dodged The Oregonian’s research of inappropriate advances toward women only to have them come out in the Washington Post – and boy did The Oregonian want revenge.
-Mike Erickson who could not seem to remember this rule on anything (abortion, Cuba, etc.).
In all these situations the official lost the public’s trust and more or less where knocked from the bully-pulpit their positions or roles in the public eye carried.
What will be Mayor Adams fate? The Crystal Ball is cloudy on this one.
Adams is obviously spinning it that he lied with good intentions as people would never have believed that although he struck up the relationship with a minor, he waited until he was 18 to allow it to become sexual in nature. Thus, there was nothing illegal Adams argues. Here is Adams’ quote:
"I should have been honest at the time when this first surfaced in 2007. But I didn't believe that given the way that rumors were being spread—about whether I had broken the law by having sex with a minor—that people would believe me."
Will the fact that there was nothing “illegal” give him a second chance with Portlanders? Will the fact that his lie allowed him to remain in -- and win -- the Mayor’s race make voters irate enough to require his resignation?
You tell me. Will the Summer of (Breed)love cause Adams to resign either now or sometime in the future?
Off topic a bit, but in a similar vain, when one is lying they stumble, they stammer, their ass puckers. If you noticed when BHO was taking the oath you saw the former.
But he'd never, never, never lie about whether or not Breedlove was 18 or not at the time, because THAT would have been illegal and THAT would be WRONG - lying, that is - believe him, he'd just never do it.
So follow the logic - Sam will lie about something he did which WASN'T illegal but would always tell the truth about something he did which WAS illegal. He's admitted lying and coercing/convincing Breedlove to lie in order to try to cover his ass (pun intended) over a "minor" (pun intended) issue. Yet out of the same side of his lying mouth assures us of his veracity on the criminal issue.
Well, at least Randy believes him.
I wonder if HIS ass is puckering, too.
Now regarding BHO, if you're going to be a reactionary, please get the facts straight. Obama stopped b/c Roberts stumbled. YouTube it if you don't believe the AP. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hW-_UczVSB8XMtcJ2IB39Q_CVAEwD95R134G1
You swam right into my net. Where in my original post did I write that it was BHO who was "lying"?
Roberts has the problem for administering a shaky oath cause his ass puckered knowing he has, and will have more, cases that BHO is the defendant, to adjudicate in his court.
I'll leave the pondering of puckered asses to YOU, Anonymous. But I think you should sit down before you hurt yourself. It's gonna be a long four years...
Slightly OT, can anyone suggest a good Conservative Blog where the crazies don't hang out!!???
You'll feel right at home.
(sorry I could not help myself)
This is Portland go figure.
Resign Sam Adams Mayor D-PORTLAND OREGON
PS: Hey Sam Where's "NAMBLA" when you need them?
He is a good man who cares for the city.
Enough is enough.
Leave him and his lover alone.
I am proud of him and his service to us all.
I am also kinda cute and would like to meet him someday.
Adams LIED. The sex part is inconsequential. The fact he denied it no less than 3 different times, took out a political opponent (Bob Ball) in an attempt to cover up this lie, AND offered a position to a person with no qualifications in order to shut her up, is reason enough for him to resign.
Celia, if you think this is about sex, you are an imbecile. This is about holding Sam Adams to the standards that we held Sho Dozono, and about making sure that a person who lies more than once, bald-faced, knows his place.
Not to mention that when Portland Police ask you to resign, you have a serious problem.
Celia, as a parting shot, I state to you three words: "Go Get Syphillus".
On the other hand, sometimes it ruins your career. Examples: Gary Hart, John Edwards.
It's hard to make sense of these different outcomes. All three are democrats. Sam Adams obviously hopes to follow the example of Bill Clinton.
Lying about things other than sex obviously doesn't affect a politician's career one way or the other. Hillary repeatedly "misspoke" about dodging sniper fire in Bosnia. Now she gets an appointment as Secretary of State.
Go figure.
Bill Clinton faced the same charge as Nixon, obstruction of justice. Obstruction of justice on a campaign burglary? Obstruction of justice on sexual harassment? Pretty much even money there. But look at who handled it better. Had Clinton not spun it as simply sex he would have been out in a heartbeat. Clinton signed a plea bargain to avoid the obstruction charge, Nixon resigned. But look who spun the whole thing better and largely survived.
John Edwards? He avoided the sex scandal charge not through any brilliance of his own but the absurdity of the press. The story was out there for months, MSM finally covered it when it looked like the scandal rags were about to make them all look like fools for missing it.
Gary Hart? Ok, He lied about sex but was such a complete idiot the press had no choice but to go after him. You simply cant be caught fooling around, then say you have stopped, then dare the press to follow you and do it again.
But, as always, there is an exception - Larry Craig.
Ok, a Republican that the press hated. Sex scandal ( well, toe tapping in a bathroom is pretty much good enough I suppose ). How in the world that man survived that one is beyond me.
Nice timing to admit it on the evening of Obama being sworn in. Hoping this story will just get buried in the news of the day?
Try looking at the people not the party next time around. After all, we should judge based on the content of character, not the color of skin or political party for that matter.