Amanda, it looks like you were right that
what you called the “Age of TMI”
is going to affect how well politicans can control their images-and force voters to reevaluate their expectations of pristine politicians.
The latest candidate to find that out the hard way is Krystal Ball (not a joke), a Democratic congressional candidate from Virginia. A blog just posted a batch of photos of Ball and her then-husband
enjoying themselves at a costume Christmas party
six years ago. And by “enjoying themselves,” I mean she was fellating the Santa-red dildo on his nose.
Like Christine O’Donnell in Delaware
, Ball quickly ‘fessed up to what she called an “embarrassing” incident and said she hoped people would examine the real issues. But she a step farther than O’Donnell-rather than just accepting responsibility for a youthful indiscretion and moving on, Ball challenged the idea that the pictures ever should have entered the public sphere. “Of course, I am embarrassed by these photos; that was the whole point of these political operatives when they put them up,”
Ball told the
Richmond Times-Dispatch
.
“But more than just embarrassed, I’m angry!”
She also has some advice for young women-and it’s not to avoid costume parties. “I have a message for any young woman who is thinking about running for office and has ever attended a costume party … or done anything stupid on camera,” she said. “Run for office. Fight for this country. Don’t let this sort of tactic deter you.”
