Or can/should their personal transgressions be used to judge whether or not they are fit to hold public office?
I look at North American or Western politics where a scandal can be the undoing of a political career, even if that scandal is a personal one (the politician had an affair or was involved in less than proper business deal). Mind you it’s not always the case and some politicians bounce back and regain their credibility. I then turn to Indian/Pakistani politics and see that it seems nothing less than current imprisonment can interrupt a political career, where personal or political transgressions don’t seem to be held against the individual.
Simple question - how and on what basis can/do we judge our political leaders - by their professional record or by their personal record also?
Re: Do politicians need to be "better than" the rest of us?
If a personal matter doesn't involve any political favor or shady feelings, then it's their business. If it affects policy or governing then yes it matters. I judge more on their views of politics and how much they match up with my views. And then I decide which way to vote.
Re: Do politicians need to be "better than" the rest of us?
In Pakistan, around 70% of the population living in rural areas vote based on their *bradri *and cast system. I personally wouldn't vote for someone just because he's my chachay ka puttar. About one's personal and professional record, well, both are important in my eyes but I wouldn't care about the trivialities of their immature years, instead I'd judge them based on their political career in last 5 or 10 years.
Re: Do politicians need to be "better than" the rest of us?
I believe leaders should be more down to earth...
Alas peoples expectations can be most unfavourable sometimes... I knew a man once who was the very model of a perfect leader. Okay he did not lead a nation but all leaders have set principles which are pretty much universal. Thing is the guy was very shabby... he turned up looking like a tramp sometimes but ba khuda he was the most down to earth person you could imagine and people followed his orders not becuase he was better than them, but becuase he was like them too.
Now this is not always possible but it is sad how the desparity between leaders and those they lead is so much. For example some world leaders wont turn up to meetings without fancy stuff... while the common people are dying. Thats not to say the leaders should be like the peasants but it would not hurt if the commanders sustenance was the same as his troops.
Re: Do politicians need to be "better than" the rest of us?
Let's look at the following examples - does it affect your opinion and therefore your support of these leaders:
Bill Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky.
Newt Gingrich divorcing his first wife when she had cancer and having an affair while married to his second wife.
Imran Khan having a child out of wedlock and not acknowledging his child until she was much older.
Like I said before - these are personal transgressions, but do they make you judge the person as not being morally fit to lead a country. After all a man or woman who can't be faithful to their partner, who's to say they would do right by their country.
Re: Do politicians need to be "better than" the rest of us?
I believe most people and myself cant help but judge our leaders on thier personal and public stances.
The transgressions would depend on severity and the timeline in which they come. For example if some politician made a mistake years ago while he was not yet in office or even a politician then one has to see how things developed. With Clinton he lied while in office. Thats serious and would make him totally unreliable as a leader. Not sure about Gingrich but if he did that while in office again it reflects much more badly.
With Imran Khan his transgressions may well be many and naturally people like me are still cautious of a person like that due to his personal character. However when ones private mistakes happened in the past and that person now struggles for a better future than perhaps we can afford to give them the benefit of the doubt... at least for once. I mean its not like Zardari was not a criminal before he was a politician. :)
Politicians aside everyone gets judged on thier personal flaws but its how they deal with them that marks them as better or worse leaders.