No more good wives

Is anyone else totally confounded by the fact that Elliot Spitzer and Anthony Weiner are considered viable candidates for office in the same age that women are still fighting for basic rights?  While I don't live in New York and can't vote for the mayor in their upcoming election (though of all the candidates, my views probably align the closest with Christine Quinn's), I'm pretty skeeved by Mr. Weiner's total narcissism and lack of regard for consent.  We don't need leaders who see consent as irrelevant.

While I don't know what goes on in his relationship, it kind of pains me to see Huma Mahmood Abedin, his wife, dutifully standing by his side.  I know it's probably part of the typical politician script if you're caught messing up--to show that your spouse has forgiven you.  But it makes me wonder what would happen if the genders were reversed.  Would an Elena Spitzer have her husband by her side?  Or if it was a same-sex couple, would Annette Weiner still be the comeback kid?  I don't know, since both of these candidates are not ladies, but something tells me not.  We'd probably be hearing all kinds of sexist rhetoric, like "slut" and "whore" thrown in their direction.

Which is why I would just love one example to the contrary.  No more good wives after a political scandal.  I'd love to see a fallen male politician up there--alone.  I'd love to see the wife doing her own thing after the scandal, like running for office herself!  And to recharge her batteries before running for office, since betrayal's a pain, I would recommend she do some self care like actually hiking Appalachian trail, blasting cheesy breakup songs on her morning commute loud enough to cause a noise violation, or flying off to Shanghai for a week (oooooh--dream trip!).  Make the dude pay for it as part of his penance.

In short, I'd find it totally refreshing for these political ladies to show anger.  I know, I know, anger is not exactly something that's encouraged in women.  But why not show a high-profile example of it?  A profound betrayal can engender some profound responses, after all. 

Or maybe what we need is more female political leaders.  And fast.