Common Sense and Kerik's nannygate problem

I'm saddened by the fact that former NYC Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik has withdrawn his name from consideration for the head of the Homeland Security department. Apparently, Mr. Kerik got caught up in the same kind of 'nannygate' that caused Linda Chavez to withdraw her name for Labor Secretary a few years ago. He either didn't want to endure the questions on the matter from the Congress or did not want to have his personal issues detract from the job at hand. I suspect it's partly both issues.

I don't advocate breaking the law, but I'm left to wonder what has happened to common sense when a seemingly perfect man for the DHS job has to withdraw his name to avoid the kind of bad press that might be expected to follow disclosure of such information. A purist might postulate that a person that willingly disregards the law on minor matters might have that same attitude when it comes to more important statutes, and to place such a person in a position of authority is only looking for trouble. Yet at the same time, how many otherwise qualified people have been kept from consideration of public service by some incident in their past. Given the state of government today, I wonder if we might have been better served by inclusion of more of those who have committed 'vile crimes' in the category of Mr. Kerik. I doubt they could do worse.

UPDATE:
Sounds like there might be more to this story than a simple nannygate problem. More and more has come out, or more accurately, rumors of potential issues that might have caused both Kerik and the President embarassment. None of this detracts from my desire for someone to fill this post who embody the toughness and good parts of Bernard Kerik. I think the safety of the nation depends upon it.