Rep. Anthony Wenier can’t catch a break this week. Not with six sexting buddies and a new baby on the way. His wife, Huma Abedin, is pregnant and determined to stay by her man through all the drama. They’d been married less than a year and she has already been inducted into the exclusive club of political wives dealing with sex scandals.
How many times have we seen this over the years? Politician cheats on wife – media asks questions – politician lies – media pokes more – politician confesses – wife stays with her man. Classic formula in the Elliot Spitzer prostitution accusations, Weiner photos and Clinton/Lewinsky scandal.
What makes these women stand strong by their husbands after being cheated on, lied to, and publicly humiliated when they’re merely innocent bystanders?
The sympathy card is running out of places to sign because it seems like the trend of staying in deraild public marriages will never end. Some wives even blame themselves. Slida Sptizer said in Peter Elkind’s book “Rough Justice: The Rise and Fall of Elliot Spitzer,” that she blames herself, saying that she wasn’t adequate enough in the bedroom.
In the case of Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenagger, allegations of infidelity came up in 2003 but Maria stood firm by her husband. Fool her once, shame on him. Fool her twice shame on her. Arnold confessed his affair to Maria in January 2011 and she bounced. News of the separation came 5 months later and then the illegitimate child bomb, days after that.
Cancer stricken Elizabeth Edwards watched her husband’s downward spiral career start with rumors of infidelity in 2007, a confession to cheating in 2008, then in 2010 he finally confessed to fathering a child from his previous affair. Elizabeth separated from the Senator intending to file for divorce but died from Breast Cancer in December 2010.
Carlita Kilpatrick, wife of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, took matters into her own hands. Literally. Every time she found out about a stripper, mistress or prostitute, she went swinging. Her name comes up in several assault investigations, none which seem to stick. But guess what, she is still holding her man down.
Political wives know what they are signing up for. Could you honor ’til death do us part’, if your husband publicly embarrassed you?
Here’s 8 political sex scandals and the wives who’ve picked up the pieces.
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