What to do about David Vitter?

What should the Louisiana Republican Party, Rudy Giuliani, Wendy (his wife), and Bobby Jindal do about David Vitter?

Perhaps, more important, what should David Vitter do about David Vitter?

Within hours, for all of those involved, suddenly the world has become upside down.   

Unquestionably, David Vitter has become the junior Louisiana Senator risking star. He was flying high enough to get air time to help torpedo President Bush’s immigration package, strong enough to virtually anoint Bobby Jindal Governor of Louisiana and attractive enough to be in the running for Vice President, should Giuliani get the Republican nod.

Then suddenly, the earth shook. Vitter became a national figure, not because of immigration, but because of prostitution, and everyone around him now wants to know if they should be around his radioactive glow.

Some prominent social conservative Republicans want nothing to do with him and are pleading for him to resign.  They say Vitter is an embarrassment. One Republican, Vincent Bruno, says Vitter should be a Democrat based upon the way he is acting and says he knows more information not disclosed, yet.   

An awkward Rudy Giuliani was caught in an interview about Vitter claiming he had thousands of campaign workers.  Those were not glowing words about his possible “Number Two” man.     

Wendy Vitter has already promised to use the Bobbitt knife trick when necessary.  Suddenly, Tuesday, the Canal Street Madam discloses that Vitter had been at the brothel and the world wants to know if she is ready for some pruning.

Then, there is Bobby Jindal.  The J-Man hasn’t talked about the issue, in fact, he hasn’t talked about many issue, so far.  Many are begging him to debate (which actually is his strength) but he obviously realizes the issue for now will be Vitter and coattails. 

 But more than anything else, Vitter is not being Vitter.  He has become a recluse.  His staff won’t answer media inquiries.  We have not seen or heard of him since his “God, Wendy and me”  apology.

The bottom line is that Vitter has lost the high moral ground of family values that the Republican Party has prided itself upon and those individuals who are important around him don’t know what to do.  Furthermore, national questions are now being raised about whether David Vitter paid for prostitution services with the D.C. Madam, for the New Orleans Madam and with another New Orleans prostitute—all which could be a crime, if charged and if proven. 

In many cases, Republicans have done the right thing.  When Bob Livingston was outed, he gave up being Speaker of the House.   When Trent Lott misspoke, he lost his leadership.  When David Duke became a threat, the Republicans ostracized him.  Republican officials generally know when to cut even when it really hurts them dearly, politically.

By contrast, in matters dealing with moral turpitude, the Democrats have not taken the high road that often.  When Bill Clinton should have been convicted after being impeached, he received a victory welcome hours later.  Al Gore proclaimed Clinton to be the “best President” in history.  While Bill Jefferson has been indicted, his party has not cried out for his resignation.

So, Vitter, Republicans, Guiliani, Jindal, and Wendy must follow their moral compasses and do what is right for them.  Some of them might feel that the “right thing” for Vitter to do is to take care of his own personal problems and step down.  Various Republicans believe that would be the right thing for the Republican Party and for the State of Louisiana.  Unquestionably, others do not feel the same.  The national feeding frenzy has begun, the story has legs and there might be more converts as the days become more political and as stories begin to drip out. 

There are just too many questions unanswered, too many weird behaviors and as many Republicans are now saying, he is becoming too “damaged goods” to really help the State during this significant time of need post-Katrina.  There are many who have clamored about the woeful reputation of the State of Louisiana on so many issues and once again we now have found ourselves on another bad list instead of one that is good on a very important issue.     

The choices that Vitter, the State Republicans, Jindal, Wendy, Guiliani and others will make are personal and are not easy.  What is certain is that only days ago the republicans appeared to be invincible in many important Louisiana elections.  Their strength, their rock, their inner soul was David Vitter.  Now, in my view, he is becoming their albatross.