Soccer Dad

What's the difference between "disgraced" and a "higher ethical standard?"

To recap:

The ultimately fatal blow to his tenure came early on Dec. 9 when Blagojevich was arrested on federal corruption charges following a massive investigation in which authorities say he was caught on federal wiretaps scheming to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama, among other crimes.

Even before his arrest, Blagojevich was trying to govern as scandal swirled.

Questions arose about Blagojevich's practice of appointing political contributors to state boards or giving them state jobs. Federal investigators also examined real estate commissions his wife, Patricia, received from people doing state business and a curious $1,500 check from a childhood friend whose wife got a state job. Blagojevich explained away the money as a birthday or baptism gift.

"I'm afraid at some point the governor lost his moral compass," said state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D- Chicago), a longtime friend who served with him in the Illinois House. "Too many politicians fall to money, power and fame, and that's where the governor fell off track."

Currently (via memeorandum):

Mr. Sestak has maintained that the White House, which backed Mr. Specter, offered him a job in exchange for dropping out of the race. He did not leave the race and went on to defeat Mr. Specter last week for the Democratic nomination.

Robert Gibbs, the White House spokesman, appearing on CBS' "Face the Nation," said Sunday that "nothing inappropriate happened."

Bob Schieffer, the host, pressed Mr. Gibbs about whether the White House had actually offered Mr. Sestak a job to clear the field for Mr. Specter.

"I'm not going to get into it," Mr. Gibbs said, "but people who have looked into it assure me the conversations were not inappropriate in any way."

Next? (via Contentions):

In essence, if this White House ascribes to a higher ethical standard, then it might want to agree to some investigation even if it believes there is no legal merit.

While I don't believe that this administration does ascribe to a higher ethical standard, how different is the admitted action of the administration from the behavior that got Rod Blagojevich deemed "disgraced?"