Everything Gets Gated Now

The flap over Obama's latest comments has been christened "Bittergate". I was thinking that maybe the Larry Craig bathroom scandal should likewise be called Shittergate.

But everything is a gate now. Is this the media's attempt to convince people that Richard Nixon is somehow the father of the American scandal? Of course, the right went to town during the Clinton years coining Travelgate, Monica-gate, etc. So everyone shares blame for the shorthand.

If the current Secdef keeps his nose clean over the rest of his tenure we won't be forced to endure "Gates-gate". But if Hillary doesn't get her way in Michigan and Florida we'll have to hear about "Delegate-gate and "Superdelegate-gate-gate".

Luckily there are over a thousand words for prostitute, so we won't run out of labels for the Springers and Spitzers of the world. After Hookergate, we still have Tartgate, Hogate, Floozygate, Hussygate, Strumpetgate and for those batting for the other team, Midnightcowboygate.

People might forget where it all started. We'll know they did if there's ever another scandal at the famous hotel and it earns the title "Watergate-gate".

This should all put us in mind of the words of Christ who said "Wide is the gate... that leads to destruction, and many enter through it." (Matthew 7:13) We all fall down on the job, so to speak. But the object is to get back up, not to attempt a cover-up.