Sex and politics: A Ticket photo gallery of Edwards, Spitzer, Craig, Vitter et al

And the beat goes on.

The recent revelations about former Democratic senator, former vice presidential nominee and former presidential candidate John Edwards and what he said was a brief affair with videographer Rielle Hunter in 2006 brings back a long list of other familiar names.

Eliot Spitzer. Remember him? Used to be New York's Democratic governor. And Ashley Alexandra Dupre, who, judging by her reported fees, apparently charged her clients by the second? (See photo of her celebrating something with V-for-victory signs.)

And Larry Craig, who used to be a Republican senator from Idaho until some toe-tapping in the men's room of the Minneapolis airport led to his arrest last summer and his announced resignation when that got out and he said he wasn't gay.

But, oh wait, right, he changed his mind. He still said he was not gay. But he decided not to resign. So he's still a Republican senator from Idaho until his term ends after this year. The state party surely loves that. 

Sex and politics, there's something about that mix -- or maybe it's not really a mix -- that sends an endless array of characters across the public stage having somehow misbehaved according to hypocritical American customs that require we condemn public people for doing what so many others do themselves.

So to commemorate these dramatic public moments, The Ticket has arranged a special Sex and Politics photo gallery of some of the more recent cases. We could probably go back to ancient Greek times for more examples. But the photography then was just awful.

One of the most striking characteristics of this photo gallery are the faces of the spouses, standing by their man and often unsuccessfully hiding the pain. As was asked after the Spitzer affair, why do they do it? At least the Edwards couple issued separate statements, and not in public, to provide yet another apologetic husband and stoic wife.

--Andrew Malcolm

Photo credits: Extra via Associated Press (top); MySpace via AFP / Getty Images

Comments

[Obama's accomplice all the way]

The pattern is now plain and obvious.It took months for
Edwards to publicly endorse Obama the same way it
took him months to confess his revoting duplicity in this
sex scandal.Remember how Obama and Edwards were ganging up on Hillary in the 3 way debates.....Obama had
convinced Edwards to be a candidate by persuading him
that they could defeat Hillary by splitting the vote and
promissing the no 2 spot to Edwards.....Edwards then
dropped out of the race in late January hoping that no
scrutiny from the MSM would take place....this explains
his violent reactions towards the Enquirer....Obama and
Edwards came within a hair of realizing their plot.Now that the cat is out of the bag....watch the Chicago up-start plummet.

[Mitchell in NY]

I don't believe that it it is a good idea for the MSM to examine people's private lives, except insofar as it may say something significant about how a person would carry out his or her public responsibilities. It's an important judgment call. In this regard, I wonder if anyone in the MSM is now going to have the guts to investigate how McCain has treated women.

On a list of a (baker's) dozen reasons way McCain will not win, #11:

11. The Crass and Crude Comment Problem: A corollary to the anger problem. He has made outrageous, crude, sometimes vile remarks, and most Americans don’t know about them, yet. For examples, see http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/8/17456/91972/887/492360

“A Dozen Reasons Why McCain Won’t Win: Money-Back Guarantee”
http://msa4.wordpress.com/

[Mitchel in NY-Smell the cofee]

I remember you defending the Spitzer who was paying
some $5000. for a couple hours to a prostitute...wich you
said was a private matter. Edwards is reportedly paying
through some convoluted way some $15000.oo per
month to the lady and as much to this Young campaigner
of his. Is incom tax and social security beeing paid on theese amounts ? I guess NY takes the cake when it comes to blind ultra-liberalism.Get a life

[Cory]

There are a number of blogs now speculating that the media didn't go after this story because they wanted Edwards to take votes from Hillary, giving the nomination to Obama. I'm not big on conspiracies, but it sounds pretty plausible to me!

[LooseKannon]

Edwards/Spitzer In ‘16

It’s the dream ticket of 2016, and it’s a no-brainer.

Michael Milken, who in 1989 was indicted on multiple counts of racketeering and securities fraud, and subsequently copped a plea, has morphed from a felon into a respected philanthropist. Richard “Dick” Morris, caught nibbling on the toes of a hooker in 1996 while a top level strategist for President Clinton, is now an esteemed right wing commentator.

They were the pioneers. Edwards and Spitzer followed in their footsteps.

We’re now entering prime time in the lack of shame phase that occurs during the decline of an empire.

Take Bill Clinton; he too was ahead of his time, so to speak. Hillary, in forgiving him his sexual addiction in order to fulfill her own addiction to power, was ahead of her time as well. This is not a knock on forgiveness, a necessary grace that permits humans to err, learn, and grow. This is a knock on shamelessness, and an accompanying lack of personal humility.

Which brings us back to two currently disgraced men who both aspired to the highest office in the land. One day, sooner than you might think, they’ll be disgraced no longer, and they’ll aspire once again.

They will declare their past travails to be, not just sins that have been repented, but necessary experience for leaders in a world that lacks an ethical compass. They will claim, perhaps correctly so, that the pursuit of unbridled desire is an invaluable quality that a candidate should have firsthand knowledge of. Desire for military might, economic resources, and narcissistic, egotistical living, at the expense of others if needs be.

Edwards/Spitzer in 2016. The campaign slogan writes itself:

“Lust Is A Must”.

www.loosekannon.com