Embarrassing affairs can quickly ruin the best politician’s career

You know, subjects of a political nature just “ain’t my bag, baby.” However, in the case of various politicians and their personal indiscretions, I must make an exception.

» EDWARDS: Most recently, there has been chatter about John Edwards’ mistress, Rielle Hunter, and the allegations that her 14-month-old child is, in fact, John Edwards’ offspring.
There is further speculation that Mr. Edwards promised Hunter the world — of course, only after his wife passed away from her terminal cancer.

Is the latter true? One can only hope not.

Edwards’ revelation of the affair was followed by his dropping out of the presidential race for 2008, only after allegedly misusing campaign funds to cover up the affair. I cannot imagine how his wife, Elizabeth Edwards (terminally ill in Stage 4 of breast cancer, which has metastasized to her bones and other organs) felt when she found out the news of the affair.

» SPITZER: After only 14 months in office, Gov. Eliot Spitzer resigned after The New York Times revealed he spent time with a $1,000-per-hour prostitute. It’s believed that Spitzer spent as much as $80,000 on prostitutes — and, surprise, he allegedly spent campaign funds for at least part of these purchases!

Prosecutors later dropped the criminal charges, stating there was no evidence of misuse of public monies.

» BILL CLINTON: Perhaps the most publicized liaisons are those of the president. I can recall Bill Clinton saying, with a pointed finger, “I did not have sexual relations with that woman.”
Well, it depends on what your definition of “sexual relations” is.

I won’t go into graphic detail, but his definition was akin to splitting hairs.

» THE KENNEDYS: John F. Kennedy’s affair with Marilyn Monroe was perhaps the best known presidential rendezvous, complete with Marilyn in a skin-tight dress breathily singing, “Happy Birthday, Mr. President.”

JFK’s brother Ted was no stranger to scandal either. His now-infamous accident at Chappaquiddick Island put him on the map.

In 1969, Kennedy attended a party there, leaving with a young lady named Mary Jo Kopechne. Kennedy’s car veered off a bridge and into a pond. Kennedy was able to escape the car, and attempted to pull Kopechne out, to no avail. He waited until the next day and only called Kopechne’s parents after he called his lawyer. Ted Kennedy received only a two-month suspended sentence for leaving the scene of a crime.

» GINGRICH: Oh, and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention holier-than-thou Newt Gingrich, who served his first wife with divorce papers while she was in the hospital, battling cancer. Newt gave his second wife the heave-ho on Mother’s Day, over the phone, even, after learning she had Multiple Sclerosis.

Watch out for karma, Newt.

Did I mention that he was carrying on an extramarital affair while in the midst of damning President Clinton for his indiscretions? Yes, Mister Honesty & Ethics – judge not, lest ye be judged.

It truly amazes and disgusts me that politicians — in their positions to represent us, the citizens of the United States of America — are always pointing their finger at some “evil-doer” when they should be pointing the finger at themselves.

Smith’s column runs every Friday on the editorial page.