Mr. President, How do You Spell Dignity?

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It was a gentle but unmistakable nudge President Obama gave Representative Charles B. Rangel recently, suggesting in an interview three weeks ago that Mr. Rangel, 80, should retire to “end his career with dignity.”
At a tense and sometimes fiery candidates’ forum Monday night, Mr. Rangel shot back that it was not his dignity the president should be worried about.
“Frankly, he has not been around long enough to determine what my dignity is,” Mr. Rangel said of the 49-year-old Mr. Obama. “For the next two years, I will be more likely to protect his dignity.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/24/nyregion/24rangel.html?nl=nyregion&emc=ura1

Wait a second, maybe I have the wrong definition of the word dignity. Let’s see: Dignity- according to the first two definitions from dictionary.reference.com says,
“1.bearing, conduct, or speech indicative of self-respect or appreciation of the formality or gravity of an occasion or situation.
2.nobility or elevation of character; worthiness: dignity of sentiments.”

Yeah that sounds about right to me. Please explain to me how you can use the word dignity with a politician of Rangel’s stature? Rangel, a man “in the know” suggested he would have to protect the president’s dignity…makes sense to me.

What doesn’t make sense is how the American public keeps lowering its expectations and standards for its elected representatives. It like some parents who say they can’t handle their children like someone else is responsible for their bad behavior.

Our president believes that this man wrapped in ethical and financial scandals can end his political career in dignity? That sure speaks about the level of playing field that Washington adheres to. Where is the self respect that should make politicians caught in lies, step down because they understand the importance, or gravity of public office? Blagojevich, are you getting this?

Mr. Rangel is a disgrace, and he has been connected with scandal and unsavory behavior many times in his 20 terms in office. He could be the poster boy for term limits in fact. Come on New Yorkers, wake up, get some guts, and instead of looking for government to take care of you-you take care of the government by cleaning house this next election!