There’s two problems with the “everything’s fair game so your privacy is forfeit politicians” school of thought. Will it drive away those who want to make real changes but are meek, leaving only the self publicists who want to “game the system”?
Also, will this just be used by competing politicians as a weapon to sling mud at the other competitors, truth be damned ?

I believe in the right to be judged on your work and your work alone, no matter what your position.

I also believe in your right to a life outside of work, no matter what your position.

I couldn’t disagree more. Let’s compare Tony Blair and Bill Clinton. One was squeaky clean, the other had some level of infidelity in his marriage. Blair knowingly and repeatedly lied to the public about the most serious thing a politician can possibly lie about – taking his country to war. Clinton is widely regarded as one of the best Presidents of recent times especially with regards to his work after he left office.

In the UK especially, the media are ruthless in seeking out any kind of past indiscretion or any tidbit of salacious gossip or innuendo about a politician. The moral bar is way, way above that of the general population. Aside from the massive waste of time it causes basically anyone with something in their past even remotely out of kilter with traditional values can essentially forget about leading the country.

Most of the time it has absolutely no bearing on how good a leader someone will be and it wastes time and money in maintaining a ridiculous facade and accusations and counter accusations when something comes out which is frankly irrelevant to how good a person is at their job.

DSK doesn’t qualify as an example because in his instance there was criminal behaviour or the accusation of criminal behaviour involved. That’s a different thing. A relationship breakup, affair or past indiscretion isn’t a crime and it’s important to differentiate. The last thing we need now – the very last – it a witch hunt over who got up to what in bed twenty or thirty years ago or who might be having problems in their relationship.

How much is too much though? Do we want US style elections where the clothing choices of Ann Romney and Michelle Obama take up as many column inches as their respective husbands’ policies? And does the desire to reveal all about a politician infringe on the right to privacy of their children? Mick Wallace’s tax affairs and Máire Geoghan Quinn’s salary/expenses are fair game of course, however both also had stories published about their children which I don’t think are fair game. Despite what the author says, I think there is a line.

@ Kate Katharina Ferguson, To be human means there will be days when you make mistakes, when you get it wrong, when your judgement is flawed, regardless who you are. The expectations that the media place on the heads of people is totally wrong. A politican of any colour who is forced to live in a fish bowl and have every word scrutinised is much less likely to be capable of living as you suggest, acting and living by THEIR OWN values.
Allow people to be people, if a politican is corrupt of course this should be reported, but to report every time a crooked word comes out of their mouth is gutter press. The media has huge power and power corrupts more than politicans. Some journallists take on the role of a social conscience and anyone who doesn’t fit into their view is ostracized.
Likewise this obsession of the media of creating celebrities is crazy, they build them up and then usually have to take them down. They give awards (oscars etc) to create superstars out of people who happen to be good at their job. Why is there not huge publicity for global awards for the doctor who helped the most people or the fireman who saved the most lives, Why do we have to put anyone up on a pedestal for doing their choosen line of work.
I think the media has as much or more to answer for as the politicans for the crazy world we live in, although like politicans, there are some genuine ones out there.
Quite often the media appear to spend more time setting the agenda than reporting it

To be honest I couldn’t give a damn what politicians get up to in their spare time. They might wear stockings and suspenders and bondage gear for a good time, or they might play a couple of rounds of a golf. Its not my business. All I care is that in their proffesional capacity they are honest, efficient and capable public representatives and legislators

Right or wrong there’ll always be a market for “that sort of thing” quelle surprise.

Your two examples are flawed. World leaders calling one another names is not private, and Dominique Strauss-Kahn is no more a politician than the head of Bord Gais or AIB.

Political decisions, like any other are made on the spur of the moment

Eh?

Couldnt give a hoot what they do when they off the clock as long as it doesnt impinge on their ability to perform the job (not that most of them do that well, but you know what I mean:-)) and it doesnt hurt anyone else.

Held my breath before reading this & was stunned to find I agree with the consensus in thejournal.ie comments (doesn’t happen often!).
The natural result of prying in politicians’ private lives, & not their political record, is the sort of mud-slinging we get in the States instead of policy debates. I mean, we’re already not great for policy-based debates here!

Very interesting piece, Kate. I believe that politicians, like everyone else, have a right to privacy outside of their working lives. However, I think that if they do something in their private lives that might cause one to question their moral judgement or brings about a conflict of interest (see James O’Reilly) I think of course these facts should be highlighted.

Personality definitely matters when it comes to politics. Witness the results of our most recent presidential election – contrast the fortunes of the charismatic and charming Michael D. Higgins to the stoney-faced Gay Mitchell with the General Election results of their respective parties. I know from my own experience of dealing with local politicians, I’ve come across two polticians from the same party espousing the same policies – while one was arrogant, combative and downright rude, the other was an absolute gentleman, so I know which would be more likely to get my vote.

The question of whether or not personality and private lives should matter more than policy is one thing; logically, it probably shouldn’t. The fact is, voters are all human and are bound to relate to their representatives on a human level, so ultimately, private lives and personality play a huge role in politics.

Theres a vid out there in you tube of Clinton giving arafat a piggyback and its the funniest thing ive ever seen .

Bugger. Just slipped in the kitchen and poured half the sugar bowl into tea. Should I drink it, even though it’s teeth-fittingly nasty, or should I pour it down the drain and make another? The sheer waste would make me feel guilty, but drinking the ghastly stuff would be a penance. Anyway, just tapping away on my birthday present to say that would rather not hear about what our politicians do in the private lives, I would far rather hear about what the do in their public lives. I’m drinking the tea now. It’s a nasty, grainy syrup. But then, I’ve never been an angel, I’m sure I’m due the punishment. Where’s the remote gone?

Dominique Strauss-Kahn – not a politician.

So if Enda Kenny announces that he’s turned vegan, Eamon Gilmore squabbles with his neighbour about the position of a garden fence or Joan Burton runs off with her secretary, I want to hear about it.

The manifesto of a gutter journalist.

Excellent points, Kate. If the Irish media had reported what they and ‘the dogs in the street knew’ about our politicians and planners and developers over the years, we’d have saved ourselves a fortune in legal fees and perhaps even a property-bubble-driven recession.

In France where Strauss kahn from I believe it’s accepted to cheat . Everybody else was making the fuss . The europeans were like what -eva >>…….