Nookie monster: the unwritten rules of scandal.

• Author: Taylor, Jeff A.

WHEN RUMORS erupted on the Internet that John Kerry had cheated on his wife, the mainstream media dithered over whether to cover it. Average news consumers could be forgiven if they didn't quite understand the rules in play. The old roles have broken down, and no amount of hand wringing can bring them back. What reporters and editors can do, though, is level with their customers.

The truth is that the kind of rumors swirling around Kerry would not have been reported 10 or 15 years ago. Instead, they would have been faxed around the Beltway, been the subject of newsroom gossip, and lurked just offstage in every campaign story or interview. That world is obviously gone, the crinkled "hot fax" story replaced by Matt Drudge and millions of eyeballs a day.

But still lurking is the unofficial double standard for reporting on questions of marital fidelity. Consciously or not, much of the media lump liberal politicians in the pro-adultery camp, while conservatives get the...