Carmen Kontur-Gronquist Posts Racy Photos on MySpace

The Emperor has no clothes, and neither does Carmen Kontur-Gronquist, mayor of the small community of Arlington, Oregon. According to a recent Associated Press article, Kontur-Gronquist posted some lingerie shots of herself on her MySpace page. Residents of Arlington are upset, especially since Mayor Kontur-Gronquist posed in her bra and panties atop a city fire engine.

In response, Carmen Kontur-Gronquist said that what she does in her personal life is her business and that the MySpace photos are only available to those she has designated as "Friends" on the popular social-networking website. I have a sneaking suspicion, though, that Kontur-Gronquist will have quite a few "Friend Requests" in the weeks to come from MySpace users who want to see some naked politics in action.

Mayor Carmen Kontur-Gronquist's position on the photos raises some questions about drawing the line between a politician's personal and private face. On one level, Kontur-Gronquist's photos are no racier than those that celebrities pose for in magazines such as "Playboy" and "Maxim," but appearing nude or semi-nude does offend a certain percentage of the population, especially those who vote.