Politicians and sex scandals

[GodlyDemocrat]

I'll throw a few names out there from both sides of the aisle (most are from the Republican side). Please note that I have put a few gay people on here. This is not because I look down upon homosexuality, but because it may have caused a scandal for certain gay politicians. Also, I may have, no I probably have, not listed every politician involved in a sex scandal on the Republican side and even on the Democratic side. Some politicians' scandals, on both sides, may be pure speculation. I don't necessarily endorse these speculations, but they were or are out there.

My question to you is, why have certain politicians fared better politically than other politicians in the face of sexual scandals? Please be the judge in how you feel these politicians have or had fared and, more importantly, what were the factors you feel that determined their specific fates.

Bill Clinton (D-AR)
John Edwards (D-NC)
Eliot Spitzer (D-NY)
Gary Hart (D-CO)
Jimmy Carter (D-GA) (only for his Playboy interview)
Jesse Ventura (I-MN) (also for his Playboy interview)
Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) (Playboy mansion controversy in 2000)
Patti Davis (Reagan daughter)
Gary Condit (D-CA)
Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA)
Ted Kennedy (D-MA)
John Kennedy (deceased D-MA)
Franklin Roosevelt (deceased D-NY)
David Vitter (R-LA)
John Ensign (R-NV)
Mark Sanford (R-SC)
Jim Gibbons (R-NV)
Larry Craig (R-ID)
Henry Hyde (deceased R-IL)
Strom Thurmond (deceased R-SC)
John McCain (R-AZ)
Rudy Giuliani (R-NY)
Jon Corzine (D-NJ)
Jim McGreevey (D-NJ)
Bob Packwood (R-OR)
Barney Frank (D-MA)
Clarence Thomas (SCOTUS)
Newt Gingrich (R-GA)
Ronald Reagan (R-CA) (divorce)
John Kerry (D-MA) (divorce)
Bush family members
Sarah Palin (R-AK) (and family)
Mark Foley (R-FL)
Rick Renzi (R-AZ)
Dan Crane (R-IL)
Gerry Studds (D-MA)
Kwame Kilpatrick (D-MI)
Henry Cisernos (D-TX)
Vito Fossella (R-NY)
Edwin Edwards (D-LA)
Warren Harding (deceased R-OH)
Thomas Jefferson (deceased D-VA :) )

[loyalkydem]

1. is

totally surprised to see Barney Frank name on this list

[GodlyDemocrat]

3. I put a disclaimer above, but my personal views are not indicative of this list

Barney Frank was alleged to be with a male prostitute.

I have put a couple of gay politicians on there who may not have commited sex scandals, but the controversy was that they were gay. However, I think, with the exception of Rick Renzi possibly, each of the gay politicans I put on there had a specific newsworthy incident. Rick Renzi was arrested and charged for a non sexual incident.

[tekisui]

2. Because it really doesn't matter.

If the politician is liked and trusted, the people will look past it. If they are not trusted, and not liked, their political careers are over.

A rising star also falls quicker than an established name.