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May 23, 2013
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 AIDS Czar Caught With His Pants DownPosted on May 3, 2007BOSTON—I don’t need to give the “D.C. Madam” a whole lot more attention. After all, editorial pages don’t have sweeps weeks. And the client lists she’s dropping into the media maw may have as many flaws as the beauty advice she gave her workers to use “fat cream for the thighs.” Besides that, I try to heed the words of the Mother-of-us-all when judging the private lives of public people. Susan B. Anthony herself once said, “If a man’s public record be a clear one, if he has kept his pledges before the world, I do not inquire what his private life may have been.” But I do think even Susan B. would give me a dispensation on the subject of Randall Tobias. The deputy secretary of state resigned last Friday after admitting he was a client of the service described on the Web as “a high-end adult fantasy firm which offered legal sexual and erotic services.” The 65-year-old married man did not admit to having sex with those women, but said he had the $300-a-visit “gals come over to the condo to give me a massage.” It was, he said, like calling for pizza. Well, Tobias was not just your everyday CEO-turned-bureaucrat. This is one time that “private life” and “public record” are as tightly wedded as a pizza and its toppings. As the first global AIDS czar, Tobias oversaw American public policy for foreign private lives. He was in charge of doling out sexual morality with the money. Advertisement Any country that wants money from George Bush’s America has to follow the ABCs of our policy prescription: A for abstinence, B for be faithful, and C for condoms only if you belong to a high-risk group that flunks A and B. So far, a full third of the prevention money, more than $100 million, has been spent for abstinence-until-marriage programs. Tobias was often praised as a good manager. If he was not an ideologue, he sure played one on TV and in congressional hearings. When he was finally caught on the wrong list, it wasn’t the ABCs that made him resign. It was the H for hypocrisy. I realize that the right wing fumes about sexual immorality while the left saves its highest dudgeon for hypocrites. One blogger inducted Tobias into the pantheon of right-wing hypocrites this way: “Joining a dishonor role that includes anti-child predator predator Mark Foley and anti-homosexual homosexual Ted Haggard is Deputy Secretary of State Randall Tobias, a pro-abstinence zealot who couldn’t abstain from enjoying the services of D.C. Madam Jeane Palfrey’s escort service.” But there’s something worse than hypocrisy, surely worse than finding another bureaucrat who can’t practice what he promoted. It’s an administration willfully rolling out programs that don’t work. It’s policymaking that’s evidence-proof. Just two weeks before Tobias’ sorry exit, there was a definitive report on abstinence-only education in this country. The $1.5 billion that has been thrown into teaching abstinence-until-marriage has made no difference in delaying the onset of sex. That’s no difference, as in zero. The believers continue to insist that abstinence is the only 100 percent sure way to prevent pregnancy and disease. But 95 percent of Americans have sex before marriage. In real life, that’s a 95 percent failure rate. As for our AIDS programs, both the Government Accountability Office and the Institute of Medicine report that the abstinence-only earmarks on AIDS prevention funding are undermining success. Why are we exporting our failures to become theirs? For the past six years, the Bush believers have been drawing ideological blueprints in Washington—whether for Iraq or for the homeland, in foreign policy or domestic. When this money doesn’t pave the way to success, their solution is to widen the road into a highway. When that doesn’t get us any closer to the destination, they widen it into a superhighway and call it a surge. In his book, “At the Center of the Storm,” former enabler and belated reformer George Tenet writes, “Policymakers are entitled to their own opinions—but not to their own set of facts.” If that’s true for the policies in Iraq, it’s true everywhere. Tobias was hoisted on his own pizza. The price he’ll pay for his “gals” is humiliation. But the biggest flaw in the world of this president and his enablers is not hiding their eyes from human frailty. It’s refusing to face facts. Ellen Goodman’s e-mail address is ellengoodman(at symbol)globe.com. © 2007, Washington Post Writers Group  TAGS:
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By sam123, November 22, 2008 at 5:56 am Link to this comment
According to the Borgen Project, just $23 billion annually reverses the spread of AIDS and Malaria. Put into perspective, the Bush administration has already spent $340 billion on the Iraq War.
Report this===============================================
Sam
<a href=“http://www.addictionlink.org/drug-rehab-center/minnesota”>minnesota drug rehab</url>
By bruce, September 20, 2007 at 6:08 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
dont tase me bro! keep your tasers out of poopers and you all will be fine
Report thisBy Trish, May 29, 2007 at 2:38 pm Link to this comment
AIDS is spread by contact with bodily fluids - not just sexual [hetero, too], but blood-to-blood, blood-to-wound, transfusions, & passage thru the birth canal. And possibly by kissing with open wounds in the mouth [doesn’t matter what the genders of the kissers are]
I don’t understand why anyone would be interested enough in the bedroom activities of people they don’t know to try to legislate against consensual bedroom activities. People do things that others might find gross in their bedrooms every day, and all our lives go on regardless.
Report thisBy maxlight, May 28, 2007 at 10:41 pm Link to this comment
I thought AIDS was passed around by guys sturring their man thing around in the poop of some other dude. What does that have to do with getting a massage?
Anyway what is wrong with moral behavior, is there something stupid about not getting a desease?
Did you jokers go after Clinton for smoking cigars?
Report thisBy PaulMagillSmith, May 6, 2007 at 7:13 am Link to this comment
Organized religion is all about controlling OTHERS yet there seems to be a lack of SELF control involved in the upper echelons of their administrations.
Report thisBy Victor Berry, May 6, 2007 at 5:24 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
I support the behavior of Randall Tobias. After all, what are you supposed to do if you overdose on Viagra, Levitra, or Cialis? Call for emergency medical help of course. But in this day and age of consumer-driven health care, Tobias is to be commended for seeking a cheaper alternative than a hospital emergency room visit.
Obviously, his “stoned” member was in need of a serious massage. Whether the escort massaged it with her hand, mouth, or vagina is not important. The important thing is his priapism was cured before structural damage was done.
Now, Tobias can enter a drug rehab center to treat his addiction before he progresses on to crack or meth.
Report thisBy Trish, May 5, 2007 at 9:02 pm Link to this comment
Would Tobias be so reviled if not for the neocon-religious alliance’s campaign to dictate the personal sexual & recreational behavior of adults, based not on whether the behavior damages others [playing with explosives in an urban setting] but whether personal, private behavior violates the dictates of some religions practiced within this secular nation [sex with one’s chosen nonmarital partner]?
The most appalling thing about people like Tobias is that they really believe that if the little people smoke reefer and have lots of lovers, it hurts our society, but that they are so important, that whatever physical/emotional release they feel they require helps them to serve our society - i.e. keep harassing, fining and jailing the little people for private, adult behavior.
Worst of all, while our government insists that its job is to police the private behavior of adults, they also insist that it’s not the government’s job to help disaster victims, the needy, disabled people or children. Our emergency response to the 1916 SF earthquake was better than Katrina. It is possible.
Report thisBy rowdy, May 5, 2007 at 7:06 pm Link to this comment
HE SHOULDN’T HAVE RESIGNED. HE SHOULD HAVE DONE WHAT ALL GOOD HYPOCRITES DO. GO INTO KKKRISTIAN REHAB. IT DID WONDERS FOR MARK FOLEY AND TED HAGGARD. AFTER ALL THEIR MICKEY MOUSE GOD IS ALL FORGIVING.
Report thisBy maxlight, May 4, 2007 at 4:32 pm Link to this comment
“If to do were as easy as to know what were good to do, chapels would be churches and poor men’s cottages princes palaces. It is a good devine that can follow his own instruction. For I could easier teach twenty than be one of the twenty to follow my own instructions”. Wm. Shakespeare. Merchant of Venice
Good advise is still good advise, the folly is in not following it.
Report thisBy Dale Headley, May 4, 2007 at 2:02 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
One side benefit of this brouhaha is that the blabbermouths at Fox News are exposing their hypocrisy. They are defending this guy on the basis of his transgression being a small thing. Granted! But is this what they were saying about Clinton during his involvement with Monica Lewinsky. Of course not. Clinton getting faux sex from a willing adult was an impeachable offense for them. Randall Tobias, on the other hand who illegally paid for REAL sex (despite his ludicrous claims to the contrary) is being hounded by the “liberal mainstream media.” Not only that, but whereas Clinton’s indiscretion was strictly personal and did not impact policy, Tobias was going around the world sanctimoniously pushing abstinence only programs and preaching against prostitution. I don’t know whose hypocrisy is worse, his or Fox News’.
Report thisBy RAE, May 4, 2007 at 12:56 pm Link to this comment
“Just as it ($394 BILLION) could easily end malnutrition and provide education for everyone in the world…”
If true, this is about the saddest thing I’ve read this week. Imagine - for LESS than the cost of the Iraq “war” we could have funded an attempt to better humankind that would go down in the history books as one of the greatest humanitarian efforts ever made.
All that money and opportunity completely wasted by profound human stupidity.
Report thisBy Lee, May 3, 2007 at 10:04 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Fouling up the division between church and state is the issue.
Moronic religions can preach whatever they want. It’s a free country. But not with my tax dollars.
Hope these idiots get raptured up real real soon.
Report thisBy DennisD, May 3, 2007 at 8:26 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
So much for restoring honor, decency and integrity to the White House, George Dubbya Bu$h style. Is anyone even keeping count anymore.
Report thisBy euni84, May 3, 2007 at 4:05 pm Link to this comment
According to the Borgen Project, just $23 billion annually reverses the spread of AIDS and Malaria. Put into perspective, the Bush administration has already spent $340 billion on the Iraq War. Obviously, something can be done to combat AIDS if this adminstration really wanted to. Just as it could easily end malnutrition and provide education for everyone in the world for less than the cost of the war.
Report thisBy Leefeller, May 3, 2007 at 3:44 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
The good old boys need to learn some basic things from the Democrats. They should never use their real name when calling a hooker. Being loaded with integraity, forthrightness, I guess they just could not lie.
Report thisBy QuyTran, May 3, 2007 at 2:26 pm Link to this comment
Bush = Czar
Report thisBy THOMAS BILLIS, May 3, 2007 at 12:47 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Hold on a minute.There is nothing in the abstinence pledge about hookers.Is sex with a hooker really sex.Don’t we all know it is really a business transaction.This administration really beleives in free trade so what is the problem.I am more concerned with Tobias’ mental health.Did he realize for the 300 dollars he could have gotten laid rather than a massage.For an exta 100 dollars he could have gotten a really cool haircut.So my fellow christians let us pray that Tobias regains his mental health and gets full value for his 300 dollars.
Report thisBy Jerry, May 3, 2007 at 12:08 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Point of order: Ellen Goodman writes for the Boston Globe, not the Washington Post, though she is syndicated by the Post Writers Group.
Report thisBy Marisa, May 3, 2007 at 12:05 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Wow. The czars sure do love their prostitutes. From Wolfowitz to Tobias, the men appointed by W have shown little courage, tiny brains, but big guns. Idiots. These were men in charge of alleviating the world’s suffering, I guess Tobias’ exit is a little more noble than Wolfowitz. What’s funny is that Wolfie did the same exact thing, paid for sex. Moral, indeed.
Report thisBy RobertBennett, May 3, 2007 at 11:29 am Link to this comment
Especially when measured against the muckraking standards of Truthdig and The Washington Post, this is a fairly thoughtful essay.
“Tobias was hoisted on his own pizza.”
Americans is the land of ‘pizza’. We are a nation based on temptation.
The Economy Must Grow
And so ‘pizza’ must be very easy to come by.
We say we don’t want children tempted by cigarettes and alcohol, and we say we want to reduce our consumption of oil, and then we offer all of it at countless thousands of gas stations across America.
This is not to say we should ban anything. The War on Drugs is proof positive that ‘banning’ things in a free Nation only makes the situation worse.
But regulation would be welcome. We could dramatically limit the opportunities for ‘pizza’, without eliminating it. We could keep our freedom, and reduce the call of temptation.
But….
The Economy Must Grow
..and so we won’t.
Peace,
Report thisBob
If I were President, I would….
http://thespiritandthestone.squarespace.com/display/ShowJournal?moduleId=1240661&categoryId=107877
By Frostedflakes, May 3, 2007 at 11:06 am Link to this comment
Is there anyone that has been appointed by this president forthright or competent? The entire administration lacks integrity. Bush and all of his ilk should be removed from office immediately.
Report thisBy KISS, May 3, 2007 at 8:17 am Link to this comment
Yet, as the connivers of religion are busy scurrying away from the light of discovery, New believers are being cajoled and brought into the the beliefs. Phony statistics and lies prevail and the gullible eat it up. Ted Haggard, and Randall Tobias soon will join the ranks of Swaggert and Jimmy and Tammy Baker and how many more? But the new crop, just as deceiving and corrupt, will proudly take their place and be welcomed by the faith biased dementiated.
Report thisAnd where is our President? He is peddling more lies, hypocrisy and fictional stories of faith.
By QuyTran, May 3, 2007 at 7:51 am Link to this comment
DC Madam mansion is exactly looking like the State Department building where the “blowjob” was shown from top down to bottom.
Report thisBy Christopher Robin, May 3, 2007 at 6:55 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Iraq War Czar, Food Safety Czar, Homeland Security Czar, Intelligence Czar, AIDS Czar, Drug Czar, Manufacturing Czar, Budget Czar, Airport-Security, Regulatory Czar, Trade Czar, Education Czar Counterterrorism Czar, Katrina Czar
Czars link:
http://news.google.com/archivesearch?q=Bush+czar&btnG=Search+Archives&hl=en&um=1
Definition of “Czar”
Entries found for
“Czar”
czar n
1. See tsar
2. a person with great authority, power, and control
3. a despotic and autocratic leader
These Republi-con’s sure love their “Czars” don’t they? They set policy, scr*w up, then when it’s beyond shreds and the public’s fed up….
“A Czar is Born!”
Who are we paying with our tax dollars and electing? Czars?
A Czar picker?
Report thisIf you are idiot enough to still vote Republican, I hope no calamity comes your way. Because this incompetent ,arrogant, greed driven crowd is the ruination of our country. Or will it take a collapse of the stock market for you Republican fools to look around you and realize what is happening?
By James Yell, May 3, 2007 at 6:33 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Oh, Dear! It isn’t the dirty little secrets that are the problem, it is the pushing of agendas against other people for actions, one is committing themselves.
The Republican’s have made great noise as the overseers of public morals and personal behavior and in office have stolen, lied, and killed for un-warrented profits and political control. The sad thing is there is still a large group of Americans who want daddy to make all their decisions for them. Which to me means Fundmentalist Religion, tied to the Cult of Personality, which leads to people of at lest average humanity, finding themselves drinking purple cool-aid in Guyana or leading a family group out to a barn to kill them all because their leader told them that Jesus said to do it. A fairly clear explaination of why the war in Iraq is wrong, wrong, wrong.
Report thisBy Verne Arnold, May 3, 2007 at 5:59 am Link to this comment
So many versions of this story; can we really be surprised, shocked, outraged, offended, or just plain disgusted?
Report thisAt 62, I can say with certainty I have never seen such a complete clown show from any single previous administration. Never have so many gotten so much so completely F****D up! Bush is truly without a peer in this segment of American history.
The DEATH is shattering!