Mr. Clean Goes To Washington?

Gary Mueller is a congressional candidate from suburban Chicago. CBS News Correspondent Richard Schlesinger reports that whether or not he wins, he has already won a place in the history, using what may become a benchmark tactic for future campaigns.

Unlike some other politicians, Mueller really does have to behave himself. He decided if he wanted to take the oath of office as a new Democratic member of Congress, he would have to take another oath first.

Mueller swore before a notary public and a horde of reporters that he has never had an extramarital affair, has never beaten his wife, is not a homosexual, a drug addict or a criminal. He wrote it all down in an affidavit.

He could be the first candidate in history to try to capitalize on a sex scandal within his own party. He challenged his opponent, incumbent Republican Jerry Weller, to sign the same document under oath; Weller declined.

Mueller says he did not enter the race to win a contest for integrity. "I got in with the idea that I could make a difference and that I could help out those people throughout district."

Before he signed his affidavit, not many people were talking about Gary Mueller.

"We couldn't break through all of the discussion about Washington and the sex scandal and get our message out" Mueller says.

When Mueller took the pledge he finally got noticed. He said he had never seen so many cameras and microphones. If he was looking for attention, he found it, but not all of it was the kind he wanted.

Illinois Congressman Lane Evans, a fellow Democrat, says that actions such as Mueller's are "going to make it difficult to attract people to run for office."

The Chicago Sun Times said Mueller's affidavit insulted the voters.

"I hope that people will pay attention to it from this standpoint. That indeed it is a troubling sign about what is happening to our political dialog in this country" says Steve Huntley of the Chicago Sun Times

Mueller quickly point out that he talks about other issues. However he knows when the history of this race is written he could be remembered less for what he promised he would do and more for what he promised he did not do.