The resignation of Anthony Weiner has led to a debate over whether it was his initial actions or his subsequent lying that concluded his career, but tonight, Rachel Maddow proposed it was neither. Instead, listing an exhaustive registry of Republicans who she deemed had committed worse transgressions than him, Maddow concluded it was the story of “the media’s reaction to bad behavior,” and how a double-standard against Democrats made his behavior unacceptable.

So here we are again, America. It seems like yesterday we had just emerged from the latest political sex scandal, but it was really way back in February 2011 that “Craigslist Congressman” Chris Lee‘s career ended nearly before it began thanks to his decision to solicit sex from a stranger on the internet, but that scandal has already been eclipsed by Rep. Anthony Weiner‘s surprisingly cut chest. How the media and the public reacted to both can serve as a scale on which to evaluate the forgiveness each is willing to give a fallen public servant.

On MSNBC Live Tuesday afternoon, Contessa Brewer interviewed National Journal congressional correspondent Major Garrett about the ways in which former members of Congress skirt lobbying rules. The jumping-off point was former Sen. Chris Dodd‘s recent hiring by the MPAA, and while the segment was insightful and informative, the highlight was the revelation that disgraced former Sen. Larry Craig, according to MSNBC’s chyron, “Lobbying Against Wolves.” Somebody call Kevin Costner, I smell a sequel!

It’s an old complaint that you hear all the time: “Political discourse in this country is fascinating…but can you dance to it?” Fortunately, thanks to The Real, you now can. The group has released a new song and video entitled “My Girl’s a Republican” that’s catchy and hilarious enough to keep you dancing all the way to voting booth tomorrow.

In a field segment last night on The Daily Show about Sen. Evan Bayh leaving the Senate, John Oliver got the chance to interview former Sen. Larry Craig.

Yes, that Larry Craig. Apparently he hasn’t seen the show.

Luke Russert was paneling with David Shuster earlier today, in what may have been the most shameless (and yes, sadly, entertaining) moments on cable news thus far this week. Taking off on a Daily Beast feature ranking the top political sex scandals in recent history, Russert took a decidedly sporty style to analyzing what makes a political sex scandal interesting and who has suffered the most political shame: Democrats or Republicans. Video of the sophomoric and salacious video below:

This is the reason why Jon Stewart and The Daily Show deserve all the accolades they receive: they take a topic that would be so very banal in the hands of any one else, and make it far more entertaining and informative with their own treatment. In this instance the topic is political sex scandals and the associative and hypocritical rhetoric that follows

Yesterday it was the New York Times vs. Wall Street Journal, and today it gets muddier. The Daily News enlisted Joanna Molloy to write a 575-word column slamming the Post for running Ashley Dupre’s new Sunday column. There’s nothing like a tabloid slamming another tabloid over a prostitute!