John Ensign, the GOP senator from Nevada, recently gave an interview to the website Politico that was unhinged from reality. He is either shameless, desperate, or in need of treatment. Ensign decried a “gotcha” mentality in the press and implied that the news media has treated him unfairly. Is he kidding?

• When a married U.S. Senator who has been at the forefront of a “family values” movement confesses an adulterous affair with a female staffer who was also married, that is news. Ensign not only revealed himself as lacking integrity and honesty, his conduct also raised questions of workplace harassment and conduct unbecoming an elected official.
• The media uncovered the fact that Ensign’s parents paid the woman and her husband $96,000. This is also legitimate news. The payment raises questions about possible extortion, or that Ensign induced his parents to persuade the woman not to reveal other misconduct, including illegal conduct, by the senator.
• Sen. Ensign has not been willing or able to communicate a reasonable explanation for the gift. This is also legitimate news. And it raises legitimate suspicions.
• After the affair ended, Ensign used his influence to help the woman’s husband find a job. He contacted companies that might have interests that could benefit from Ensign’s support. Why was he doing this? Was he offering votes to help extract himself from potential legal, financial or publicity problems? This was no “gotcha.” If Ensign’s affair affected his judgment and work, this is something that the public must know.

The news coverage of Ensign’s affair and cover-up efforts have been, if anything, too lax. He was lucky to have the weirder story of Gov. Mark Sanford’s South America soul mate and the more sordid tale of John Edwards’ love child overshadow his own scandal, in which the undisputed facts raise strong doubts about his fitness to serve in the U.S. Senate. His complaints to Politico give us another reason to wonder. Incredibly, Ensign complains that the press only wants to “nail” politicians like him, when he and his colleagues are “trying to do our best.”

If this was really the “best” Sen Ensign can do when he’s trying, it is time for him to step aside.