Feingold's "Boxers or Briefs?" Moment

This is too much.

Russ Feingold has been a lib media darling since last summer when he first set his December 31, 2006 deadline for American troop withdrawal from Iraq.

They've fawned all over him, giving him tons of favorable coverage. Those on the farthest fringes of the Left have reacted in the same way. They worship him.

Now, however, the Feingold love fest has turned really, really weird.

The July issue of GQ has an interview with Feingold that would be more fitting in Tiger Beat.

It's his "boxers or briefs?" moment.

Excerpts from Lisa DePaulo's sit-down with "The Real Maverick":

You’re a big golf guy, right?

I like golf. But I don’t want anyone to be under the illusion that I’m good at it. I just really enjoy it.

Well, how good are you?

About an 18 handicap. That mean anything to you?

Nope.

It’s sort of okay. Not humiliating. It took me twenty years to get from humiliating to where other people don’t just kind of go, “Ugh.”

Do you watch golf?

Yes, I…I hate to admit.

Who’s your favorite golfer?

Tiger Woods. What an original answer. And so unlike me. I’ve always been the underdog kind of guy. But for whatever reason, I just cannot—I am so taken with his ability.

Have you ever met him?

No. I’d love to. He and Bob Dylan. Those are the two I’d love to meet.

YUCK!

I feel like I'm participating in some sort of domestic spying or warrantless eavesdropping.

It sounds like the kind of conversation that a lonely man and a lonely woman would have after the last call on Saturday night -- the "let's get to know each other FAST" sort of talk.

To be fair, the interview contains some serious talk, too. They do touch on politics.

Would you like to see [Bush] impeached?

I have to think about whether that’s good for the country. He’s probably committed an impeachable offense. But the Constitution does not require, just because somebody has committed an impeachable offense, that you actually impeach him. That’s why censure is a good way to have accountability but not actually remove the president from office. You know, I was the only Democratic senator to vote to hear the evidence they wanted to dismiss against Clinton. I thought it was our role to do it. I wrote an opinion—all of us had to write an opinion—and in the last couple of paragraphs, I said, “Look, I majored in history, and I knew that the only impeachment had been Andrew Johnson.” And I said, “I’ve only been conscious of this stuff for twenty-five to thirty years—and I’ve already seen two: Nixon and Clinton. I really worry that people are gonna start seeing impeachment as a regular way to do business.” Problem is, George Bush has committed a more clearly impeachable offense than Clinton or even Nixon ever did.

Worse than Nixon?

Probably.

"Worse than Nixon" -- What a maverick-y thing to say!

Have you been to Iraq?

Twice.

And the first time was with Hillary, right?

Yes. And both times with John McCain.

What was it like traveling with Hillary?

It was a blast.

Really?

It was a great group. First of all, to be able to sit there and watch Hillary Clinton and John McCain just shoot the breeze? I mean, I felt like, whatever I had to do to get here? It was worth it.

Did they like each other, Hillary and McCain?

I think so. Absolutely. She was fun. She’s got a great sense of humor.

Tell me how. Give me an example.

She likes to laugh. If somebody says something outrageous, she pursues it and makes them defend it. Or she can give them a hard time, which I really enjoy. I remember one night she said, “That’s enough work—let’s hear some good stories.” I can’t give you all the details. [smiles]

Did she pack more than everybody else?

What’s that?

Did she pack more than everybody else?

[laughs] That would be a dangerous area for me to get into, because I may pack a little more than I should.

So you pack like a girl?

There would be those who would say that. And it would not be the easiest thing to deny.

Okay, back to the wiretapping—

Back to the wiretapping? From packing like a girl! This is one of the more interesting interviews—

I'd call it a really embarrassing interview, the kind that will come back to haunt Feingold.

"Oooooh, Mr. Senator. Tell me about traveling with Hillary. You pack like a girl (giggle, giggle)."

It seems so ... seamy.

After that gossip, then things get really personal.

Let’s talk about this twice-divorced thing.

Sure.

How much of a political liability do you think it will be?

I have no idea. If it is, so be it. That’s up to the people to decide.

What’s it like to be a single senator?

It’s new to me. You sort of end up working a whole lot. There’s a tendency to let the time get filled up. So I’ve been very careful—

So you’ve become less social?

No, probably more social, in the sense that because you don’t have a spouse—see, when you’re married, you really feel an obligation to spend all that available time with your spouse if you can. I’m able to spend more time with more people now. I’m reconnecting with a lot of people and old friends.

Dating?

Um, that’s, uh, classified?

Are there women throwing themselves at you?

I certainly wouldn’t say that. [smiles] I’m not gonna say that.

You know, there’ve been some legendary single senators.

Yeah, I know. I’m not aspiring to be in that hall of fame.

His "classified" line is like something out of a bad B-movie.

The thought of "women throwing themselves" at Feingold is so ... what's the word?

Incomprehensible?

Okay. Real quick: Jennifer or Angelina?

Jennifer? Jennifer who?

Oh, come on, Senator! Jennifer or Angelina?

Jennifer who?

Aniston. [silence] Oh, God. You don’t read the tabloids, do you?

Can I have a third choice? Can I pick Sharon Stone?

Oh my God! Enough!

Sharon Stone?

Now I'm completely creeped out.

This rivals Jimmy Carter's infamous 1976 Playboy interview.

When Carter was asked about his religious beliefs, he responded:

"Christ said, 'I tell you that anyone who looks on a woman with lust has in his heart already committed adultery.' I've looked on a lot of women with lust. I've committed adultery in my heart many times. This is something that God recognizes I will do -- and I have done it -- and God forgives me for it. But that doesn't mean that I condemn someone who not only looks on a woman with lust but who leaves his wife and shacks up with somebody out of wedlock. Christ says, Don't consider yourself better than someone else because one guy screws a whole bunch of women while the other guy is loyal to his wife."

That didn't keep Carter from being elected president, but Carter himself referred to the interview as "a devastating blow to our campaign."

There are just some things that are better left unsaid, or at least unread.

Feingold's GQ interview definitely would fall into that category.