Ted Stevens and Sarah Palin - ethically challenged

Ted Stevens, the long-time Senator from Alaska, has been convicted on all seven counts of an indictment accusing him of failing to report gifts on Senate forms.

Ted Stevens has long thought himself immune from any threat. After all, for over 30 years he has brought home cartloads of federal money for his state of Alaska. And that's probably why not a few people think that in spite of his status as a convicted felon, Alaskans will elect him to the U.S. Senate one more time.


It's fascinating to watch Republican crooks in action. After the jury in Washington, D.C. found him guilty, Stevens said they didn't.

In a debate with Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, Stevens was asked how he was going to respond to John McCain and Sarah Palin, who have both called upon him to resign. Here's what he said:

"I have not been convicted of anything."


Maybe it's the water in Alaska. Or maybe it's the cold weather.

Ted Stevens, duly indicted and then convicted by a jury of his peers, says he hasn't been convicted.

Sarah Palin, after a bipartisan investigation charges her with abuse of power, said that meant she was "vindicated."

Or maybe it's that both Stevens and Palin are unable to differentiate between what is real and what is not.

More likely, I think, is that they are both cut from the same ethically-challenged mold.