Chris Kemp

With the divorce rate in the United States bordering on 50 percent, most have come to accept single parents and the wedding vows that were broken.

However, when it comes to running for a government office, people seem to be a little less forgiving, and when it comes to running for U.S. President, well forget about it.

And that is precisely the predicament that Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., finds himself in.

Feingold’s divorce, which was made public Tuesday, has some political experts weighing in on the possible implications of a potential 2008 presidential run, which Feingold has indicated interest in.

The announcement was even more damaging because of the fact that it was the second time he has been divorced.

Twice divorced, single and Jewish? Doesn’t sound like a typical Presidential candidate.

The divorce itself wouldn’t be career suicide – Bob Dole and Ronald Reagan, for example, have been both been Presidential candidates with that scarlet letter attached to their chest.

But more people would be frightened about the prospect of a First Lady-less White House than of Feingold’s faith or marriage history.

And so, the political landscape of the United States sends another good man crumbling.

Americans sure have funny ways of voting for their government officials – everything from goofy last names to ancestry to favorite bands.

Congressman didn’t return your e-mail? Vote for the other guy. You once saw his opponent drinking a glass of beer six years ago? Well, maybe you shouldn’t vote at all.

Too often, candidates are voted or not voted for based on aspects of their personal lives that have nothing to do with making policy or leadership ability.

Furthermore, this kind of favoritism does nothing to help the country and drives so many good individuals away from politics.

How many times has this scenario happened:

“Senator Smith, a man with 30 years of government experience, considered a run for presidency, but he took another kid’s lunch money in 4th grade. Now, that kid is writing a book about how violent Smith is and Smith’s opponent even has him on commercials.

“But of course, Smith’s opponent had nothing to do with those commercials.”

Feingold’s personal life has little to do with how effective he would be as a leader. Is Kim Jong II going to say he won’t negotiate with such an “immoral” man?

And not only do candidates not get votes because of their personal lives, but candidates also get voted for or against because of individual constituents’ pet issues.

On the day Feingold announced his divorce, Markos Moulitsas, who runs the liberal blog “Daily Kos,” wrote, “Incidentally, I’m not a Feingold supporter for President. Anyone who attempts to regulate blogs – like he has – is instantly on my (expletive) list.”

Kos made that statement despite the fact that not one politician could fit his presidential criteria and promote his liberal agenda better than Feingold.

And for the record, Feingold, in a blog entry on Daily Kos entitled “Blogs don’t need big government,” said, “the FEC should generally exempt independent, unpaid political activity by bloggers on the Internet.”

Nevertheless, people also got on Barack Obama, D-Ill., just days into the job for voting to confirm Condoleezza Rice as Secretary of State.

Were they expecting Obama to transform into the savior of their party in a matter of days?

You cannot expect that any politician will vote the way you want him or her to on every single issue. Unless you are that politician, there will always be something that your legislator will do that you will not agree with.

The sooner you can see that, the more informed your votes will become.

Instead of focusing on one vote and how your legislator benefited you, look at the whole picture and how legislators’ votes or actions did for all.

True, there is something to be said about whether or not personal issues could affect a politician’s leadership ability.

For example, a scandal or other personal fallout could lead to people around him or her losing confidence or not trusting his or her decisions.

And it doesn’t even necessarily have to be a scandal. Feingold’s Jewish faith may lead some to question a conflict of interest in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.

But that issue alone shouldn’t stop someone from voting for him.

Support a Feingold presidency or not, I don’t care. But don’t make your decision based on his personal life.

Schaaf is a sophomore print journalism major and a news editor of The Spectator.