I appreciate the discretion Palins used in their statement, identifying me only by my first Hebrew name: "We ask the media, respect our daughter and Levi’s privacy as has always been the tradition of children of candidates."
Now I feel like it is time for me to come forward and accept responsibility.
I’ve lived a bohemian life. I’ve had some post-conventional relationships.
This was no way for a moral leader to behave.
Yisroel Pensack emails: "Why not give credit to the person who first realized you were implicated in this scandal and who fed you this line? See Pirkei Avos 6:6, near the end: ‘Whoever repeats a thing in the name of the one who said it brings redemption to the world…’"
Only now do I realize that being 99% honest is not enough.
I ask the media to give me privacy on this matter.
My other girlfriends have already forgiven me for this as has God and my religious community.
In April, I made a serious error in judgment and conducted myself in a way that was disloyal to my family and to my core beliefs. I recognized my mistake, and I told my girlfriends that I had a liaison with another woman, and I asked for their forgiveness. Although I was honest in every painful detail with my girls, I did not tell the public.
I was and am ashamed of my conduct and choices. With my family, I took responsibility for my actions in April, and today I take full responsibility publicly.
It is inadequate to say to the people who believed in me that I am sorry, as it is inadequate to say to the people who love me that I am sorry.
In the course of several blogging campaigns, I started to believe that I was special and became increasingly egocentric and narcissistic. If you want to beat me up feel free. You cannot beat me up more than I have already beaten up myself. I have been stripped bare and will now work with everything I have to help my family and others who need my help.
You may say this girl was just 17. Well, she was 17 going on 37. I didn’t force her.
Do what you like to me. Just don’t hurt my baby.
God bless you and God bless America.
Here is a picture of my beautiful bride:
Fred emails:
Dear Moral Leader:
Your announcement threw me into turmoil. Now I know how the followers of Jimmy Swaggart or Jim and Tammy Baker must have felt when they learned of their leaders’ moral failure.
Please tell me–what should I do? Should I continue to follow Luke Ford as my moral compass? Or has the time come to seek out some other source of guidance for my tortured soul?
The deluge of scandal that has stained Bill Clinton, Senator Edwards and Senator Craig has now stained a man who I thought was above all that. I feel that I have been cut adrift on the high seas of tawdriness without that anchor and compass I need to see me through. Luke, where is a soul to turn in times like these?
What should I do, Luke? What should I do?
