Are men (and their sex drives) a growing political liability?
An endangered species in American politics?
In 1973, Henry Kissinger told the New York Times that power is the ultimate aphrodisiac. Wishful thinking on the part of one of Washington’s least charismatic power brokers? Maybe.
But his words have turned out to be a Cassandra-like prophecy for a growing cadre of male politicians, who have fallen prey to their own sexual desires.
In the process, they’ve destroyed or crippled their careers, while severely damaging their parties and their causes.
Former Democratic high-flyer John Edwards was once a serious contender for the White House and a leading voice advocating for poor and middle class families.
He now faces the possibility of Federal charges, following reports that he may have misspent campaign funds to cover up his extra-marital affair and the birth of his out-of-wedlock child.
Meanwhile, former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, has seen his political and media empire implode in recent days, following disclosure that he fathered a child out of wedlock just before taking office.
The laundry list of bipartisan peccadilloes is so long that it’s tedious, from Bill Clinton — who was impeached following his White House indiscretions — to Newt Gingrich, who was conducting his own illicit affair while attacking Clinton.
At first blush, this kind of indiscretion can seem sort of ridiculous, a tabloidesque sideshow.
But over the last couple of decades, the accelerating pace of sex scandals has literally changed the course of American political history.
In 1988, Gary Hart was a frontrunner for the Democratic presidential ticket, when his affair with Donna Rice was
Could he have been President Hart?
revealed. (Remember that infamous photograph of the pair of them sitting aboard the “Monkey Business” yacht?)
In 1998, House Speaker Bob Livingston stepped down after admitting to an extramarital affairs.
More recently, two prominent and fast-rising Democratic governors — Eliot Spitzer from New York and Jim McGreevey from New Jersey — were driven from office following revelations of sexual misconduct.
South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, a Republican, was a leading spokesman for conservative causes until it was revealed that he had taken a secret trip overseas to see his mistress. Sanford didn’t seek reelection.
Nevada Sen. John Ensign was recently forced to resign following disclosure that he carried on an affair with the wife of a staffer and may have violated ethics laws to cover up the relationship.
I think it’s also fair to argue that affairs of the heart have already reshaped the upcoming 2012 presidential race.
If Gingrich and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani weren’t carrying hefty baggage from their past indiscretions (Giuliani’s ex-wife once accuse him of “notorious infidelity”) the GOP’s presidential field would look significantly stronger.
Female politicians, of course, aren’t immune to temptations of the flesh. In 1998, conservative Republican congresswoman Helen Chenoweth, from Idaho, acknowledged carrying on an affair.
During her recent bid for the governor’s mansion in South Carolina, Nikki Haley faced nagging allegations of infidelity. (She denied the charges and eventually won.)
And it appears that Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels decided not to run for president next year in part because of his wife’s complicated domestic history. (Cheri Daniels divorced her husband for four years in the 1990s and was briefly married to another man.)
But by and large, women seem far less susceptible to this sort of distraction.
There is even some indication that political leaders have begun looking to women as candidates because they are a safer bet, especially in the wake of scandals.
The NY-26 special election, held last week, followed the resignation of Rep. Chris Lee. Though married, Lee emailed a racy photograph of himself to a woman he met on Craigslist.
Is it any surprise that Republicans and Democrats both fielded women candidates to battle for Lee’s seat, with Democrat Kathy Hochul eventually winning?
The International Monetary Fund, meanwhile, is looking for a top executive to replace Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the top French politician who is accused of raping a hotel maid in Manhattan.
Slate magazine points out this morning that the top candidate to lead the IMF is a woman.
In the crass terms of identity politics, the IMF could hardly pick anyone better. Lagarde is a woman, of course. Moreover, she is a multilingual, teetotaling, vegetarian yoga enthusiast—an ascetic, in welcome contrast to the pathologically indulgent [Strauss-Kahn].
Over time, this kind of self-immolation among male politicians could give more and more women a shot at real political power.
Finally, it’s worth observing that one of President Barack Obama’s chief assets going into next year’s campaign is his steady and stable family life.
“Character” and “family values” used to be major talking point for Republicans attacking Democrats. That will be a tough line to take next year, with more than sixty percent of voters approving of Mr. Obama personally.
Tags: politics
Temptations of the flesh. Sexual misconduct. How about humans being human?
Unless force is involved, to me this should only be an issue between the spouses.
Brian says “But by and large, women seem far less susceptible to this sort of distraction.” Ummmm? So what gender were all these men fooling around with?
As I see it these situations are a reflection of two forces. 1) Our Puritanical attitude toward sex and 2) the disparities of power between men and women. We (unrealistically) expect our public figures to exhibit some sort of “family values” sainthood that has nothing to do with their ability to govern and there are far fewer women in the highest positions of power so there are far fewer examples of women “misbehaving”.
Personally I’ far more concerned about those who use their position and power to enrich themselves at the expense of the public than those who have a fling which only affects their marriage.
The only thing that has changed is that we find about about it now. I agree with Pete Klein that this should only be an issue between the spouses, but the fact of the matter is that the public is very interested and feels entitled to pass moral judgement as well.
I think these are legitimate points. Sometimes, a private affair should be a private affair.
But in a growing number of these cases, there is evidence that male politicians have used their official status to either pursue women (and men) or cover up their activities.
It’s simply not legal to use campaign funds (or an official security detail) as part of your romantic life.
There are also a significant number of cases where their sexual activities have violated laws, as in the cases of Larry Craig and Eliot Spitzer.
In most of these scandals, the politicians are acting contrary to their own political posturings, raising legitimate issues of dishonesty and hypocrisy.
I think that’s worth of consideration by the public, and by journalists.
Finally, I think voters should know about cases where politicians appear to be behaving recklessly or irrationally, or exposing themselves to threats of coercion or blackmail.
If your governor is literally disappearing so that he can fly in secret to South America for a tryst, that’s no longer a private affair…
–Brian, NCPR
Brian M I would agree with you but would like to take issue with an item in our puritanical society that needs to go.
In three words – prostitution needs to be legalized. It should not be a crime. Laws will never make it go away. Only if it is legalized can it be regulated to protect the prostitute and his or her clients.
It’s wrong to lump Dominique Strauss-Khan with these other cases. He’s accused of sexual assault, not sexual peccadillos. It’s a violent felony, not some lapse in moral judgment.
I agree with Pete.
We spend too much time and money policing things like prostitution and drug use that should be legalized.
Oa has a point, that could be expanded. Rape is worse than coercion which is worse than a consensual affair where one or both are married. Arguably there wouldnt be the reckless behavior/blackmail potential issue if we didnt care or if the press didnt report.
what else is new. this going on since beginning of man.
If we required every US president who engaged in some form of illicit sex to retroactively resign or be removed from office I suspect that O’ Bama would be about the fifth president of the United States.
What is most annoying about the instances Brian mentions is the hypocrisy. I agree that what adults do consensually is really none of my business. But politicians often take very public stands about morality. It is the contrast between their words and their actions that is most often the problem.
Should spousal abuse be only between the spouses? Adultery is not just between two consenting adults, it is between a spouse, his lover, and his family who did not consent.
We live in a bizarre world where we celebrate sexual promiscuity particularly among men and at the same time just love to dig up every little bit of dirt on everyone and hold them to very strict standards. But sometimes I don’t think people really care about the adultery, I think they just like the salacious details and like to see people be humiliated.
I mean take this poor dude in Brian’s picture above. The guy got tempted did some stupid things on Craig’s list and is humiliated; I don’t even know if he ever actually ever hooked up with anyone; and he gets lumped in the same boat as Edwards who fathered a child out of wedlock and covered it up with campaign donations. But now its on to the next person.
I am in the middle on the whole issue. If you don’t want to be married than don’t be married, be brave enough to at least leave I guess that is the thing for me. At the same time the whole thing is depressing and I would really rather not know most of the time.
Brian,
In your effort to balance the equation between male politician’s indiscretions and those of female politicians, you offered three examples. The first, Helen Chenoweth, is legit, as she admitted an affair. Your second example, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, on the other hand, was merely accused (by two highly dubious political operatives connected to more conservative GOP factions in the state) of two one-night-stands. They were accusations that didn’t withstand the smell test, and should never have been used in a post about admitted or highly-likely affairs. Your third example was of a politician’s wife, who isn’t a politician at all. Again, for the sake of consistency, it just doesn’t belong in your blog post, even if you conclude that the level of female indiscretion doesn’t rise to the level of their male counterparts.
Politicians want to get elected so they “take stands” on moral issues whether they believe them or not because that’s what a lot of voters want to hear. Then they cover up sexual indiscretions so they can get re-elected. It’s the sensation seekers who are driving the whole thing. If the voters could only separate such matters from policy issues, the media wouldn’t jump on it and the need to “cover it up” with campaign funds would go away. It’s like the old saying “Give a dog a bad name and he’ll live up to it”.
The weird thing is being divorced is fine with voters. So if you like or are addicted to sexual variety which is the problem for most of these guys and you know that you like that variety enough that you know you will be unable to give it up even for someone you love you should get divorced or not get married.
I think we need more single politicians this idea that our politicians must al be married with 2.5 children is part of the problem and I say that as a strong supporter of lifelong marriage and family.
Brian Mann,
“There are also a significant number of cases where their sexual activities have violated laws, as in the cases of Larry Craig and Eliot Spitzer.”
In all fairness, Craig’s offense was tapping his foot in a public restroom, hardly a sexual activity. Spitzer was never tried nor convicted of a crime.
All Larry Craig did was tap his foot–true. But he tapped his foot very suggestively. In a Men’s Room. And let’s be clear that Spitzer actually DID take his socks off, in spite of what major media have reported endlessly.
Lets not forget Bill Clintons famous “You’d better put some ice on that.” remark after punching a woman and raping her. But those were just allegations from a woman, unlike the allegations against Clarence Thomas from a…..woman. Huh? How does that work?
As far as the infidelity goes, to me it’s a matter of character. If you aren’t going to keep your vow to someone you live with and see every day and allegedly love, then why would I believe you intend to keep any other promise you made to the faceless people you want to vote for you? I’m with those who say that if you want to be single, then don’t be married. If you want to be promiscuous then do it and let it be known. Good Lord, I’ll bet there’s a whole untapped voting block that would rush to support an openly promiscuous candidate, the “If it feels good, do it!” Party. Just stop lying and pretending to be something you aren’t. Don’t “re-invent” yourself, just be who you are. If you want to be a right winger and engage in illicit homosexual relationship in airport bathrooms, then be open about it and live with it. If you don’t think you can get elected, then either don’t run or curb your desires.
I don’t believe we really expect perfection from our candidates. But I don’t think we deserve to be lied to either. And if they can’t control their desires, then what else can’t they control? What other common flaws do they have that will affect their performance? Again, I don’t expect perfection, but I don’t want a lying scum bag giving me the soft soap day in and day out. Honesty isn’t a bad thing folks.
Bret you are right it is a matter of character. The problem is the corrosive impacts of the continual lying and escapades. It’s one thing to have one affair and maybe get divorced, it is quite another to live a life which is a pattern of infidelity, promiscuity and corruption. It kind of gets at what many people believe about our leaders, they are essentially liars and corrupt, the stuff that comes out of their mouth is just the bogus window dressing that they spout before they get on their private jets and limo’s and go meet some 19 year old prostitute for random sex as our ex leader and now highly paid CNN analyst did. Or take Edwards, it’s one thing to have an affair, but he was paying for this women to have private jets expensive apartments and so forth, think of the sense of entitlement that these type of people must have.
It is a corrosive. Look at the sense of privilege that the ex-head of the IMF must have had, these are not the first allegations against him. He probably targeted maids because he felt he could, staying in his 3000 per night hotel room and assaulting her, it’s not about sex it is about power and control.
Yaahdadaah, yahaddada, yadahada….Are there any women who follow this blog?
What do you mean?
I don’t care anymore. I just want someone to post new stuff to this blog so I don’t have to see the picture of that guy flexing his muscles when the blog comes up. It’s starting to creep me out.
Certainly women are less susceptible to this sort of thing. I think it’s that reason that makes them better suited for some public offices.
Yeah, like that astronaut chick that wore Pampers for Big Kids so SHE could go try and knock off her boyfriends wife. Yeah Jake, women are just immune to the whole sex thing.
We need dr. drew.