I'm sure everyone has seen by now Eliot Spitzer's press conference when he first acknowledged his involvement in a prostitution ring, with his wife by his side. In an all-too-familiar ritual humiliation, a politician caught in a sex scandal stands before the cameras with his shell-shocked wife by his side. In what I consider a refreshing change, an AP story today actually asked women what they think. So, I'm asking you - what do you think?
Feminisms is a series of weekly feminist diaries. My fellow feminists and I decided to start our own for several purposes: we wanted a place to chat with each other, we felt it was important to both share our own stories and learn from others’, and we hoped to introduce to the community a better understanding of what feminism is about.
Needless to say, we expect disagreements to arise. We have all had different experiences in life, so while we share the same labels, we don’t necessarily share the same definitions. Hopefully, we can all be patient and civil with each other, and remember that, ultimately, we’re all on the same side.
My political "coming of age" was in the 1990s. Bill Clinton was the first president I ever voted for. So, this may explain my perspective on things. I was in the position many people are in right now during the Lewinsky scandal - I couldn't understand Hillary Clinton's actions and why she stayed with Bill Clinton. I was discussing my dismay with my mother and she said something that totally changed the way I thought about things. My mom said, "if you really love someone, you don't turn away from them in their time of need." That really hit me in my gut because I think it's true. I don't know what I would do in this situation, but I can not judge her actions.
So, what do you think of the actions of political spouses like Silda Wall Spitzer, Suzanne Craig and Wendy Vitter? They are all accomplished women in their own rights. As far as I know the Craigs and the Vitters are still married and both Larry Craig and David Vitter still serve in the U.S. senate. What would you like to see a wronged spouse do in these situations? What would like to see the scandal-ridden politician do? What about the media, what is their responsibility?
The videos:
Eliot & Silda Wall Spitzer
David & Wendy Vitter:
Larry & Suzanne Craig:
For fun, Tammy Wynette "Stand By Your Man":