The Tiger

There's been quite a bit of press lately about the doings of one Mr. Tiger Woods and whether his inability to avoid roadside hazards should keep him from being a respected member of the golfing community. There's been all kinds of talk about the guy "disappointing all the young people that looked up to him."
I'm a nurse, and I've worked with quite a few nurses who have personal lives. I honestly don't think that their conduct at home makes them a better or worse medical professional. Likewise, Mr. Woods is still a great golfer, just as he was a great golfer during all this time when he was putting around.
So why has he lost all his sponsors? Why does he no longer get paid to pretend he loves to shave with Gillette razors or dress up in Nike dresses or eat Sony televisions? It's because he's now more famous for being a guy who cheats on his wife than he is for being a golfer.
Well, maybe that's unfair. He's famous for being a golfer who cheats on his wife. . . a LOT.
The same thing is true about politicians. If a politician gets caught cheating, people stop liking or voting for him. Why is that? It's not like people can't do their job and be unfaithful at the same time.
Well, I think it's a matter of trust. When you're a public figure, with responsibilities that impact the lives of other people, you have to a least appear to be good person.
Honestly, that's one of the things that made me prefer our current president over his opponents in both the primary and general elections. That Hillary lady stuck with he unfaithful husband for what seemed to me to be political reasons. That McCain fellow dumped his wife after he got back from war for a much younger, buxom beer-heiress. That Obama guy seems to be a fairly devoted husband and father. That might not make him the best president that ever lived, but it's a step toward being a good person.