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Al Gore was recently cleared of alleged groping charges--claims that have followed the global activist since 2006. But for the fair-weather public, has the reemergence of an old scandal already tarnished his name? The incident in question involves Gore and a masseuse at a Portland hotel who accused him of groping and sexual assault.

After a long procedural police investigation stretching more than three years, the Nobel Peace Prize winner can rest easily with the findings. Gore was found not guilty by the Senior Deputy District Attorney, who cited "contradictory evidence, conflicting witness statements, credibility issues, lack of forensic evidence and denials by Mr. Gore."

We believe him… kind of.

Not that Gore is a liar (he profusely denied any misconduct), but the instant an accusation is made, for the men in his occupation, it raises a red flag. After all, in recent years this type of political scandal has become entirely too cliché. Whether it was that one illegitimate father case spilt all over the tabloids, the anti-gay congressmen caught in secret gay love affairs, stories of after-hour intern trysts or perhaps the biggest one to date involving Gore’s lead man and a certain stained blue dress, each headline works to reinforce the perceived stigma and stereotype of sleazy political officers.

Even CW’s teen television drama "Gossip Girl" spoofed the idea, entertaining the thought that adultery and sexual promiscuity is structurally built into the life of a politician—not that the allegations in Gore’s case were this extreme. When lead actress Blake Lively’s character, Serena, is caught in an affair with Congressman-to-be Tripp Vanderbilt, his wife surprisingly accepts the situation saying, “I’ll be Jackie. You can be Marilyn.” The implications that sexually-charged scandals run rampant within the political arena, perhaps more so when compared to other professional careers, are no longer a myth--in fact, they're shaping up to be an ugly truth.

The smoke and mirrors could be a result of a few things. Innocently, political transgressions are merely human slipups when the pressures are high and the public demands its leaders to be perfect. More realistically, however, they are the result of a powerful politicians' inability to avoid the temptation to abuse power.

Or maybe, politics in some weird way increases endorphins and leaves elected leaders no choice. Maybe not.

For Gore, he gets a free pass but not without a word of caution. With his streamlined list of notable accomplishments—you know, saving the earth and creating the Internet—let’s just hope he doesn’t add a mistress and love child anytime soon.     
 
Reach Reporter Christopher Agutos here.
Follow him on Twitter: @masocris