Would you vote for a candidate that wasn't "Squeaky-Clean"?

[Seventh Son]

What I mean is, take a candidate that has the ability to right the sinking ship that is US politics. Here's the deal, he's fucked up a few times in his life. Did drugs at one point, been through many failed marriages, likes to party on Saturday night, etc.

Do you care if he has a sketchy past as long as he's open about it, so long as he can actually deliver the goods? I think a lot of time time is spent by politicians attacking other aspects of another politician's past in the hopes of discouraging his potential voters if his record isn't 100% perfect (Which no politician really is). This infuriates, but intrigues me too. I think we worry about thinking that our political leaders should be perfect when its pretty obvious nobody is perfect at all when we could be focusing on what the politician CAN do, and not what he has already done.

If said politician was very open about everything in his past, would you vote for him?

[j]

Don't know whether I'd vote for them, but I'd see it as a plus.

First of all, I understand the argument that certain "personal" details of a candidate's life could be indicative of character flaws, etc.  Obviously, it's gone way beyond that in this country.

However, if a politician was open and honest about past mistakes, possibly objectionable aspects of his lifestyle, etc, that is far more admirable on its own than using deception to appear "squeaky-clean", as you put it.  Unfortunately, all you ever see is retrospective insincere "admissions" and "regrets" after somebody digs up their shit, and we're supposed to buy that as genuine, honest remorse?  It's like the fucking Tiger Woods scandal: he's sorry because he got caught.

I don't care if you used to snort coke or shoot up: that has no bearing on whether or not you are fit for public office.  Copious amounts of dishonesty and deception, however, are another story.

-J

[El Barto]

I'd consider it a big, big plus.  First off, I don't think that any politicians actually have squeaky clean pasts, so trying to present themselves as choir boys only offends me.  More important,  I'd like someone who represents me to be an actual human being.  Somebody who's gone their entire life abstaining doesn't fit the bill, in my opinion.  I'd prefer a candidate who actually did enjoy going out and having a good time.

The same thing goes for sex.  A person who has that standard Christian view on sexuality doesn't even come close to representing my values. 

I didn't like Obama as a candidate much.  The two things that actually did make me appreciate him more was his tendency to bum smokes off of people, and the consideration that he'd probably be the first president in 40 years to bend his wife over the East wing parapet their first night in the White House. 

Vice is human.

[Chino]

Someone who had that many screw ups in their life will have much more in common with the every day American. I would be more inclined to vote for them as long as what they were preaching was okay with me.

I know it's from a movie that was not meant to be take seriously. But this is the type of candidate I'd like to see. Start at the 7:00 mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igg8NYlZZJ8

[PowerSlave]

I would actually be more inclined to support someone like this(depending on their views) than someone that claims to practically walk on water as long as they weren't hamming it up to get "street cred".

The people that act like they're perfect are the ones that scare me more than anything.

[Tick]

I don't concern myself with a persons past and what he did. It comes down to where he is at now. If he has it all together now and has what it takes, I would vote for him. We all have a past and it shouldn't haunt us. Its about the here and the now. Second chances are what life is all about.

[Adami]

I don't concern myself with a persons past and what he did. It comes down to where he is at now. If he has it all together now and had what it takes, I would vote for him. We all have a past and it shouldn't haunt us. Its about the here and the now. Second chances are what life is all about.

Well said blue man.

[William Wallace]

Don't care about previous indiscretions. In fact, provided that he or she had the right platform, I'd like a president who was once known for smoking weed and wielding a 7-string guitar in a metal band.

[ack44]

The U.S. seems to be the only place that goes nuts over politician's personal lives. Probably because they look to the president to also be a type of "moral leader".

[Vivace]

Sure would, if he was the right guy for the job. Just so as long as he's not too dirty.

[hefdaddy42]

I vote for a candidate who isn't squeaky-clean every time I vote.