Why Powerful Men Cheat

by Kelly Marages

We’ve been around the block. We’ve seen enough political figures dropping trou to, if not yawn at the John Edwards’ scandal, then to certainly not be surprised by it. We’ve learned that even those politicians with an upstanding rep, adorable kids, and a kick-ass wife—maybe even especially those—seem to stray. The thing we’ve yet to uncover, though, is why.

We get the human nature thing. A USA Today/Gallup poll conducted in March of this year—right after the Eliot Spitzer scandal broke—found that 54 percent of Americans know someone with an unfaithful spouse. We’re no math whizzes, but it seems to reason that unless each of the 1,025 people polled was referring to the same couple, that means half of all relationships in the U.S. suffer from infidelity—and people talk about it. But, with so much at stake and so many falling before them, how can men in the public eye cheat on their wives—and expect to get away with it?

Edwards, for one, wanted to explain, and so he did, on ABC’s Nightline last Friday:

“This is what happened,” he told a stone-faced Bob Woodruff. “I grew up as a small town boy in North Carolina. And I came from nothing, worked very hard, dreamed that I’d be able to do something hopeful and helpful to other people with my life. I became a lawyer. Through a lot of work and success, I gained some acclaim as a lawyer. People were telling me, ‘Oh you’re such a great person, such a great lawyer, such a talent. You’re gonna go—there’s no telling what you’ll do.’ And this was when I was 30, 31 years old. Then I went from being a senator—a young senator—to being considered for vice president, running for president, being a vice presidential candidate, becoming a national public figure. All of which fed a self-focus, an egotism, a narcissism that leads you to believe that, that you can do whatever you want. You’re invincible. And there will be no consequences.”

To paraphrase: “I used to be poor. Then I got rich and important. Then I thought I was so awesome that not only did I deserve to sleep with another woman, I also thought I wouldn’t get caught. So I did it.” Interesting, for sure, and a much more thorough (albeit scripted) explanation than we’ve gotten from a politician before. But reading his sentiment—and seeing him deliver it on camera all earnest blinks and furrowed eyebrows—makes us want to call BS. Can we?