U.S. PRESIDENTIAL RACE

It seems John Kerry, the front-runner for the Democratic nomination to challenge Bush for the Presidency, may have had a 2 year affair starting in 2001. No doubt in the States this will be huge news, and could potentially derail his bid for the Democratic leadership.

This is probably going to be slightly mystifying to non-americans. Americans seem to put a much higher moral standard against their leaders than Europeans. In the UK then Prime Minister John Major had an affair with a female mamber of his cabinet, In France President Mitterand openly had a mistress (with whom he had a daughter). In Italy it is assumed that all senior politicians or businessmen have either had affairs or have mistresses - it would be not having 1 that raises eyebrows.

Surely it is his ability to lead the country that people should be worried about, not his private life. Personally I don't care who the leader of a country is sleeping with / has slept with. As long as he hasn't broken the law, what's the big deal?

It's much more of an issue when you get the sort corrupt scumbags they seem to specialise in in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines trying to run a country.