Weiner Worse

How bad is Anthony Weiner's trespass?

During this spring sabbatical I had opportunity to read the correspondence from American writer Ben Hecht to his wife Rose. I don't know that Hecht had mistresses - I suspect he may have though he doesn't talk about them in anything I've read. He expected that his friends, most of whom were Hollywood types, would have liaisons outside of marriage.

I bring this up because Hecht's letters to his Rose from Hollywood were, to say the least, erotic. They were, not to put too fine a point on it, filthy. If he had a mistress any letters to her would also be filthy. And if anyone ever found those letters they would be shocked, shocked, shocked.

On the other hand, here's Weiner. Tweeting suggestive flirtations. Hmmmm.

Is it the medium that makes the message more salacious or just the times that makes the salaciousness into news?