# Another candidate is lowering the bar \[TN pro-life Republican\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 10, 2012, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-candidate-is-lowering-the-bar-tn-pro-life-republican/637350 "2012-10-10T20:16:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-candidate-is-lowering-the-bar-tn-pro-life-republican/637350/1 "2012-10-10T20:16:13Z")
[Scott DesJarlais](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_DesJarlais) is the Representative for Tennessee’s 4th Congressional district. He is a Tea Party Republican and a Pro-Life advocate. He’s also a doctor who was having an extramarital affair with one of his patients. And when she got pregnant, he pressured her into having an abortion. When confronted with the tape of their phone conversation, DesJarlais’ response was to deplore the way the media is playing “gutter politics”. [Scott DesJarlais, Pro-Life Republican Congressman And Doctor, Pressured Mistress Patient To Get Abortion](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/10/scott-desjarlais-abortion-pro-life_n_1953136.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular) ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-candidate-is-lowering-the-bar-tn-pro-life-republican/637350/2 "2012-10-10T21:01:44Z")
Which is more repugnant? The zealots or the hypocrites? ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-candidate-is-lowering-the-bar-tn-pro-life-republican/637350/3 "2012-10-10T21:15:42Z")
I’m the other kind of hypocrite. I have no family values, support abortion, but can’t get anyone to have an affair with me. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-candidate-is-lowering-the-bar-tn-pro-life-republican/637350/4 "2012-10-10T21:18:52Z")
Maybe if you weren’t in the gutter, the press wouldn’t have to play gutter politics. ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-candidate-is-lowering-the-bar-tn-pro-life-republican/637350/5 "2012-10-10T22:20:09Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > [Scott DesJarlais, Pro-Life Republican Congressman And Doctor, Pressured Mistress Patient To Get Abortion](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/10/scott-desjarlais-abortion-pro-life_n_1953136.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular) I didn’t go to the link, but there should be some sort of award for how that title managed to pack so many “just wrong things” into a single sentence. Doctor/Patient Pro-Life/Abortion Married (presumed)/Mistress AND he’s a Republican Congressman! I’m sure his Church and his mother are very proud of him. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-candidate-is-lowering-the-bar-tn-pro-life-republican/637350/6 "2012-10-11T01:40:15Z")
Also lowering the bar on brains. According to the story, he recorded the phone call to the girlfriend, then later played it for his wife, thinking it would somehow help in his attempt to patch up the marriage. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-candidate-is-lowering-the-bar-tn-pro-life-republican/637350/7 "2012-10-11T01:42:13Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Also lowering the bar on brains. According to the story, he recorded the phone call to the girlfriend, then later played it for his wife, thinking it would somehow help in his attempt to patch up the marriage. Good idea. I think I’ll patch that leak in the dam with explosives. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-candidate-is-lowering-the-bar-tn-pro-life-republican/637350/8 "2012-10-11T02:05:54Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Also lowering the bar on brains. According to the story, he recorded the phone call to the girlfriend, then later played it for his wife, thinking it would somehow help in his attempt to patch up the marriage. “See, Honey? I’m really trying to hold our marriage together. I had my mistress get an abortion and everything. Now do I have to get the gun again?” Not making up that last part. He did brandish a gun during his divorce and threatened to kill his wife and himself. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-candidate-is-lowering-the-bar-tn-pro-life-republican/637350/9 "2012-10-11T03:35:38Z")
His Church is the Episcopalian Church, I am surprised to see. I’m not sure they want him. Usually a Godless Liberal church. On the plus side, his name is kinda cool. But wait. These claims are over a decade old. Repugnant and hypocritical, sure. But do we care now, except in a tabloid-fodder way? A new transcript which only strengthens claims that it seems people already knew? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-candidate-is-lowering-the-bar-tn-pro-life-republican/637350/10 "2012-10-11T04:04:05Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > Which is more repugnant? The zealots or the hypocrites? They often seem to be the same people. Plenty of hypocrites are very, very zealous about applying their “morality” to other people. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-candidate-is-lowering-the-bar-tn-pro-life-republican/637350/11 "2012-10-11T04:10:35Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > These claims are over a decade old. Repugnant and hypocritical, sure. But do we care now, except in a tabloid-fodder way? A new transcript which only strengthens claims that it seems people already knew? The tape of the phone call has just appeared. Granted, somebody has obviously been holding it until election time but the news media is reporting it now because this is when they found out about it. ---
**Author:** ![CJJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@CJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-candidate-is-lowering-the-bar-tn-pro-life-republican/637350/12 "2012-10-11T04:24:07Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > But wait. These claims are over a decade old. Repugnant and hypocritical, sure. But do we care now, except in a tabloid-fodder way? A new transcript which only strengthens claims that it seems people already knew? I guess I could take the time to develop a sound reason why I don’t feel it’s appropriate to support this guy, but I read the article and decided this piece of dirt isn’t worth it. My honest reaction is, I fully support tabloid fodder to the extent it reduces this dickhead’s chances of being elected. I really don’t care if that’s fair or not. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-candidate-is-lowering-the-bar-tn-pro-life-republican/637350/13 "2012-10-11T07:38:17Z")
> [@CJJ](#): > > I guess I could take the time to develop a sound reason why I don’t feel it’s appropriate to support this guy, but I read the article and decided this piece of dirt isn’t worth it. My honest reaction is, I fully support tabloid fodder to the extent it reduces this dickhead’s chances of being elected. I really don’t care if that’s fair or not. I think it’s fair. Family values candidates are establishing a standard. They say people who don’t live moral lives aren’t fit for public office. So when they’re found to not be living moral lives, they should be considered unfit for public office by their own standard. This judgment doesn’t even require you to agree with their standard. Just the fact that they don’t live up to their own standard is enough - if they can’t meet their own standard, what are the chances they’re capable of meeting any other standard? ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-candidate-is-lowering-the-bar-tn-pro-life-republican/637350/14 "2012-10-11T10:45:26Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > “See, Honey? I’m really trying to hold our marriage together. I had my mistress get an abortion and everything. Now do I have to get the gun again?” > > Not making up that last part. He did brandish a gun during his divorce and threatened to kill his wife and himself. Wait wait wait… exactly **how** did a guy who threatened a murder-suicide as the solution to a divorce get elected in the first place?! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-candidate-is-lowering-the-bar-tn-pro-life-republican/637350/15 "2012-10-11T13:50:35Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Wait wait wait… exactly **how** did a guy who threatened a murder-suicide as the solution to a divorce get elected in the first place?! :eek: It’s right there in the OP - Tennessee. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-candidate-is-lowering-the-bar-tn-pro-life-republican/637350/16 "2012-10-11T14:29:39Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > It’s right there in the OP - Tennessee. Lowered him a bar, when he was only three. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-candidate-is-lowering-the-bar-tn-pro-life-republican/637350/17 "2012-10-11T15:55:55Z")
Dammit, now I have that stuck in my head. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-candidate-is-lowering-the-bar-tn-pro-life-republican/637350/18 "2012-10-11T15:59:17Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Wait wait wait… exactly **how** did a guy who threatened a murder-suicide as the solution to a divorce get elected in the first place?! :eek: Same way a family values candidate who made his mistress get an abortion can lead in the polls: accuse your enemies of dirty politics and claim you’re the victim of the liberal media. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-candidate-is-lowering-the-bar-tn-pro-life-republican/637350/19 "2012-10-11T16:28:48Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > Dammit, now I have that stuck in my head. Only if you’re of a certain age. IIRC, Fess Parker died fairly recently. (OK, per Wiki it was 2010) ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-candidate-is-lowering-the-bar-tn-pro-life-republican/637350/20 "2012-10-11T16:31:48Z")
At the Alamo? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-candidate-is-lowering-the-bar-tn-pro-life-republican/637350.md?page=2)