Members of Congress

Portnoy's Complaint, a debilitating syndrome affecting politicians here and abroad, is commonly defined as "strongly felt ethical and altruistic impulses perpetually warring with extreme sexual longings, often of a perverse nature." While we've suspected for many years that most male politicians are afflicted, we have seen its ravages all too clearly in the past week. Weinergate has captured our attention; one would have to live under a rock to not know about the scrawny-necked congressman from Queens, N.Y. whose symptoms are so severe, they could no longer be kept hidden.

I am less surprised that Rep. Anthony Weiner (D) did what he did than I am by the amount of media attention his childish act has received. The same folks who intone soberly about our poor economy and the Middle East mess and the 2012 election are now talking just as soberly about the silly photo of Wiener's weiner posted on Twitter. Heck, even Nancy Pelosi stopped smiling for a minute and has vowed to undertake an investigation into the whole affair. (One wonders what that will involve: Brand of underwear? Length and angle of erection?)

For me personally, Weinergate has been a learning experience: Until now I had no idea one could "tweet" a photo! Or that a photo of a man's erect penis inside his underwear could be considered arousing. Or that by saying "I take full responsibility for my actions" makes just about anything okay. But mostly I am stunned that so much is being written about Weiner's gross indecency and nothing at all about his gross immaturity.