I disagree. In 1992 Clinton had to say he didn't inhale, and now we have a president who said that was the whole point and happily admits he dabbled. We've gone from it being an absolute career killer for any politician to even be *suspected* of being gay to it not being THAT big a deal if someone is openly gay. On stuff that people used to be scandalized by, we've gotten better because it's become more common to the point where people are more easily able to relate. So, I really don't think that the same standards you or I or other people of whatever the "older" generation will hold with younger people, especially those who have grown up in a more permissive world.
Seriously - years ago when Clinton was being hounded over *GASP* a blowjob from an intern (and lying about it under oath) would you have felt confident saying that a half-black, half-white guy who admitted to smoking weed ("Did I inhale? That was the point") with a really foreign sounding name would be elected President of the United State not once but twice, and both times with a very solid majority? We're starting to care less and less about dumb shit that doesn't matter - and every year as more and more of the old guard die off we get more permissive.
On your point about felons and acceptance of same, I don't disagree that by and large we vilify (whether correctly or not) those who have been incarcerated, but there is a rather strong trend towards recognizing that just because someone has been imprisoned doesn't necessarily mean it was just or right. A LOT of people in this country who have been imprisoned were put away for drug crimes, and as you might have noticed, states are starting to realize how fucking stupid that is and slowly moving to change it.
Shit is changing, the rate of change is increasing, and I honestly don't see irrelevant shit that people post on Facebook or whatever turning into something career ending for those seeking office or positions of responsibility. There will be exceptions (look at hypocritical assholes insisting that Weiner isn't fit for office for showing his dick on Twitter yet shockingly those same people are completely silent when one of theirs is caught trying to suck some dude off in a men's room despite being staunchly anti-gay) but it'll get better.