Standing by your man

In light of the recent scandals of both Republicans and Democrats, I ask the question why do women stand by their men? Sure some of these scandals that have come out did not involve sex cases like that of Eliot Spitzer. Some involved federal crimes that I guess shouldn't have any bearing on a marriage. But what does it take for a woman to leave her man?

Is it loyalty that keeps the woman there? Even though she has just been humiliated by a person she trusted? Is it power, like many believe is the case with Hillary and Bill Clinton? Is it just you have no where else to go so you stay?

So here is a picture break down (courtesy of NPR) of public officials that have been caught in scandals and the women that have stood by them:



Senator Edward Kennedy and his wife Joan July 25, 1965. Kennedy had just plead guilty to fleeing the scene of a auto accident that claimed the life of 28 year old Mary Jo Kopechne, who was a passenger of Kennedy's car. (AP photo)

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President Nixon and his wife Pat on Aug 9th, 1974 making a farewell speech following the Watergate scandal. (Charlie Harrity AP)

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Marion Barry, then Mayor of Washington DC and his wife Effi at a news conference where Barry was facing charges of drug possession. He was caught with his former girl friend at DC's Vista Hotel. (Robert Sherbow/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images)

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Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary (now running for president) on December 18th 1998. Bill was under impeachment for having sex with an intern, Monica Lewinsky in the oval office. (Susan Walsh, AP)

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Connecticut Governor John Rowland and his wife Patty as John announces his resignation on June 21st, 2004. Rowland resigned during a corruption investigation, and later pleaded guilty in federal court to mail fraud and tax fraud. (Bob Child, AP)

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New Jersey Governor James McGreevey and his wife Dina at a News conference on August, 12th 2004. McGreevey announced he had an affair with another man and would resign. McGreevey later wrote a book on how he would seek out other men at Truck Stops and restrooms around the state.

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Senator David Vitter and his wife Wendy at a news conference on July 16th, 2007. Vitter has not resigned after his name came up in the DC Madam case from Washington. Vitter was also accused in 2004 by his opponent to have had sex with a Louisiana prostitute which Vitter denied. (Bill Haber/AP)

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Senator Larry Craig and his wife Suzanne at a news conference on August 28th, 2007. Craig was under investigation accused of lewd conduct in an airport bathroom. Crag has yet to resign from the incident. (Mike Vogt,AP Idaho Press-Tribune)

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New York Governor Elliot Spitzer with his wife Silda holding a news conference March 10th, 2008. Spitzer has apologized for his actions and is expected to resign today or Monday. (Timothy A. Clary,AFP/Getty Images)

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Here is a list of Public officials caught with prostitutes:

1974: Future television host Jerry Springer, then a city councilman in Cincinnati, resigned from office after it was revealed that he met a prostitute in a health club and paid her by personal check. The incident became an issue again in 1982, when Springer ran for governor. His campaign ran television ads in which Springer explained the incident and proclaimed that he was "not afraid" of the truth.

1976: Rep. Joe Waggonner, a Louisiana Democrat, was arrested in a Washington, D.C., prostitution sting. He was re-elected that fall and retired in 1978.

1976: Rep. Allan Howe, a Utah Democrat, was arrested after he approached two undercover policewomen for sex. He did not resign but lost his bid for re-election that fall.

1978: Rep. Fred Richmond, a New York Democrat, was arrested when he solicited sex from an underage male prostitute. He avoided prosecution by going into psychiatric counseling. His district re-elected him twice more, but he resigned in 1982 after pleading guilty to drug possession.

1980: Rep. Robert Bauman, a Maryland Republican, was arrested after patronizing an underage male prostitute. He blamed his actions on addictions to alcohol and sex. A month later, Bauman lost his bid for re-election.

1990: Rep. Barney Frank, a Massachusetts Democrat, was reprimanded for his relations with prostitute Stephen Gobie. Years earlier, Frank had paid Gobie for sex; he eventually hired him as his assistant. Gobie was later accused of running a sex business out of Frank's home. Frank was censured by the House for writing a letter on his behalf. He has since won re-election. Frank apologized to his constituents: "I did not handle the pressures of having a public life, of being a closeted gay man, nearly as well as I should have."

1996: Clinton political strategist Dick Morris submitted his resignation after the Star tabloid revealed that he had engaged in a yearlong affair with a Washington-area prostitute. The woman, Sherry Ann Rowlands, claimed that Morris had allowed her to listen in on a telephone call from the president.

2001: Philip Giordano, the Republican mayor of Waterbury, Conn., was arrested for sexually abusing children after he was charged with paying a prostitute to arrange encounters with her underage daughter and niece. Giordano was convicted on federal and state charges. Now in federal prison, he recently filed his fifth appeal of his conviction.

2007: Sen. David Vitter, a Lousiana Republican, issued a public apology after his name was linked to a Washington escort service run by Deborah Jeane Palfrey, the so-called D.C. Madam. Earlier in his career, Vitter had been accused of seeing a prostitute in New Orleans, a charge which he denied.

2008: Federal investigators discover that Eliot Spitzer, the Democratic governor of New York, has been a client of an exclusive prostitution ring. It is alleged that he paid several thousand dollars for sexual services.

So why exactly do these women for the most part stay with these men?
Its one thing to have a girl friend and cheat, especially at a young age. But to be married with children? What ever happened to the sanctity of marriage for these people? At least in the case of Larry Craig it was straight bullshit that you are caught in a sex sting for using a restroom. But these other guys DAMN!