MetaChat - OK we need a new word. . ..

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11 March 2008

OK we need a new word. . .. for what political wives do when they appear at a podium with their spouses →[More:]shortly after it's been revealed that said spouse has been unfaithful, in some way.

It's always the same. She feels hurt and betrayed, and god knows how hard this is on the kids, but they will make it through this. Usually whatever faith will help. Just once I would like to see one of them say, "well I am outta here. See you in court, fucker."

I am thinking of something akin to "perpwalk."

I am getting dressed and walking to work and I expect some good responses when I get there. . .

*smile*

post by: danf at: 08:35 | 40 comments

dick widowing?

posted by jtron 11 March | 08:42

cuckold-conference?
photo-oops?
I got nothin'

posted by jonmc 11 March | 08:42

I think "desolate" is a pretty good term for the way she looks in that photo, myself.

Not funny or clever. But god, she looks haunted.

posted by mykescipark 11 March | 09:24

She's walking like an Egyptian. Her walk is full of De Nile.

posted by lleachie 11 March | 09:29

But it always seems the same, regardless of right or left, politically. The women all have this grim, albeit sedated, look to them. And inevitably, it seems impossible that they will walk, even though they could have a pretty comfortable life, if they did.

I am wondering if they have so subsumed their personhood for the sake of hub's career that they have nothing else to fall back on?

It IS haunting though.

posted by danf 11 March | 09:33

Just once I would like to see one of them say, "well I am outta here. See you in court, fucker."

I had the saaame thought watching Spitzer last night. It's hard to imagine how one might convince oneself to stand there, the loyal supportive spouse, witnessing the confession with dignity and concern. Honestly, it almost turns the stomach.

I can understand being the wife and saying "I'm shocked, extremely hurt, and sickened by what you did, but maybe we can work through this, I won't walk out on you."

But I'm not sure I can understand why I wouldn't say "You stand in front of the TV cameras on your own and take the heat for it, dickwad. Don't look to me to help improve your image."

posted by Miko 11 March | 09:34

That's funny lleachie, but I don't think she's in denial about anything. I'll bet she knew all along, but tolerated it so she could be the governor's wife and enjoy the power and perks that came with it. I'm fairly sure Hilary did the same for a few decades. McGreevey's wife, too.

posted by jonmc 11 March | 09:36

If I were her, I would have told him to go find a hooker to do it for $5,000 an hour.

posted by taz 11 March | 09:42

Yeah taz, one wishes there were though balloons on that picture. Like Spitzer saying, "Gosh this is hard but what that woman did to me was SO worth it!"

That's what I am wondering also jon. The tradeoff for me EXTREMELY rich and powerful, as opposed being merely well off. I also wonder if any of these wives have their own side relationships, or whatever.

There was a case here in which the wife of the football coach at U of O (and the football coach is the highest paid public employee in the state) got caught and arrested having sex in a park with the neighbor. I just wonder of the wives of other high-profile men do the same thing, and why don't any of them call ME?

posted by danf 11 March | 09:44

I don't have a word for the wife. I would call him lucky. Lucky that his wife agreed to stand next to him.

The more I read about this and think about it, the more I think he's a sleezebag. Sure there are worse things as matteo has suggested in the other thread, but I have zero respect for this kind of asshole. Yes, we all have urges. We all make mistakes. We are all human and all that stuff, but I can't feel any sympathy for this guy.

posted by LoriFLA 11 March | 09:46

Aw, he just has too much testosterone and one woman can't satisfy him. Give the poor guy a break. His wife is probably happy to share him with the hookers. You can tell by looking at her that's she very happy.

posted by iconomy 11 March | 09:54

I would trust my husband in a room full of nekkid Playboy bunnies (He's always horrified at me when I say that but he is a really loyal and faithful fellow) BUT if he ever was in that type of position and pulled a stunt like that he'd be in front of the cameras ALONE. Whether or not we'd be working things out in private.

posted by bunnyfire 11 March | 10:00

Yeah Iconomy, I agree.

posted by danf 11 March | 10:04

tolerated it so she could be the governor's wife and enjoy the power and perks that came with it

I don't like to leap to the assumption that the women of powerful men are always crassly and selfishly motivated. They often have been instrumental in creating their husband's power, not just benefiting from it. They often have families and interconnected lives that would be very painful and difficult to tolerate. I have known relationships that survived sexual infidelity because the partners genuinely loved and were invested in one another, not just because they didn't want to lose their nice life. All of them had some really nasty phases.

posted by Miko 11 March | 10:18

I don't like to leap to the assumption that the women of powerful men are always crassly and selfishly motivated.

Always? No. But I do figure that, regardless of gender, people's motivations are often pretty crass and selfish. Some women stay with philandering billionaires for money, why wouldn't some also stay with philandering politicians for power?

posted by jonmc 11 March | 10:23

Lysolidarity

posted by Ambrosia Voyeur 11 March | 10:28

I don't think it's a matter of being crass or self-motivated. I don't see anything wrong with saying, "I have worked too hard and too long to get here. I am not throwing it all away because you can't keep it in your pants."

In fact, I'm pretty sure that would be exactly my reaction.

posted by jrossi4r 11 March | 10:31

*applause*

posted by jonmc 11 March | 10:31

Exactly.

Some women stay with philandering billionaires for money, why wouldn't some also stay with philandering politicians for power?

I'm sure some would. We just can't say for sure who's who when watching from the outside, so we're speculating about individual motives, and it's somewhat uncharitable to suggest sheer greed is the reason powerful marriages stay together. Jrossi nailed it. In my experience, most powerful marriages are the work of two powerful, hardworking spouses, regardless of whose name appears on the marquee when the awards get handed out.

posted by Miko 11 March | 10:37

Also, they have young kids - which he may not have considered while getting his jollies, but I feel fairly certain she did when deciding not to let him twist in the wind all by his lonesome.

posted by taz 11 March | 10:54

mm, true

posted by Miko 11 March | 11:14

I think the word should be "wynetting".

As in "Spitzer's wife joined him at the podium, wynetting as he spoke."

posted by mr_crash_davis 11 March | 11:21

I think the word should be "wynetting".

"cause, after all, he's (wait for it) jest a maan. . ."

posted by danf 11 March | 11:40

"wynetting" - HA!!!!

posted by taz 11 March | 11:53

it could take it's place aside "vejayjaycation" in the hall of fame, here.

posted by danf 11 March | 11:59

love it!

posted by Wilder 11 March | 12:00

I think the word should be "wynetting".

OMG. This is genius.

posted by BoringPostcards 11 March | 12:10

I think the word should be "wynetting".

*Sends focus group home. Tears down word lab.*

That's a winner.

posted by Hellbient 11 March | 12:24

that is completely brilliant. i'm going to spend this whole week trying to work that into a conversation!

posted by Mrs.Pants 11 March | 13:08

kegeling

posted by plinth 11 March | 13:13

Love Wynetting!

posted by Miko 11 March | 13:16

Nthing Wynetting.

posted by drezdn 11 March | 13:26

A variant of this would be to write in illustration of the above photo, "Silda Spitzer, during her Wynettewalk."

posted by danf 11 March | 13:37

Wynetting is good because of the Stand By Your Man thing, but I love kegeling....haah.

I hate the song Stand By Your Man. The message is "a man is going to do what a man is going to do and you just have to eat it and stick around and support him, honey", which just charms me to the core.

posted by iconomy 11 March | 13:48

Kegeling. . .not sure I get it.

1. From her face, that looks like what she is doing.
2. "Uh Oh, I must be losing it in bed, better tighten up a bit to keep him satisfied."
3. "Welp, gonna be out there in the world again better tune up."

Or am I just being extra dense?

Lyle Lovett does a killer "Stand By Your Man." It drips with irony

posted by danf 11 March | 13:57

I hate the song Stand By Your Man.
But it's so fun to sing. I love any song you can sing with TWANG.

And Wynetting is perfect.

posted by jrossi4r 11 March | 14:50

Stand By Your Man has a completely different attitude/message when it's sung by Lyle Lovett. (*shakes fist at danf*)

It's even more special for having appeared at the end of The Crying Game.

posted by mudpuppie 11 March | 15:08

Hey pup, I am AGREEING with you. When we went to see him once, my wife assumed that he put that in his set because of his recent breakup with Julia Roberts, but I assured her that it had been in his repertoire long before that.

*wondering if the verb WYNETTING would be considered gender specific, like MENSTRUATING. Or if a guy could wynette.*

posted by danf 11 March | 16:24

Hey pup, I am AGREEING with you.

I know! The frustrated fist shake was because you beat me to mentioning it!

posted by mudpuppie 11 March | 16:34

Well I hope that gf knows how awesome you are, generally.

posted by danf 11 March | 16:36

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