Insp. By The Hillary Thread, The Cheating Factor...

[poohandwendy]

Not a big fan of HC and I would not vote for her, but the issues of their marriage really have nothing to do with it. They were/are private matters that have nothing to do with my opinion of her. I wouldn't judge someone for staying or for leaving. I think it's a shame this became something for public judgement.

 

[disykat]

I'm not a fan of Hillary Clinton, but have really no opinion of whether she should have stayed with him or not. Maybe I simply don't care, but to me it's a "why is that any of my business?" thing. I suppose I did gain some respect for her mostly gracious way of handling a very public, humiliating event and moving forward with her life.

 

[disykat]

OOps! Posting at the same time and PAW. If I had seen your post, I could have just quoted it!

 

[minie_meese]

I really didn't care if Hillary stayed with Bill or not. To me it's a private matter between the two of them and the motives don't matter. We don't know all of the details of why, nor should we.

What I do care about is how Hillary represents me in the Senate. What is important to me is that she is doing the job she was elected to do. She has been a strong advocate in the Senate for NY and has done some great things for NY including upstate. She is much more visible than some of her predecessors on an ongoing basis - not just on the campaign trail.

 

[Pigeon]

My friend's husband was on SS detail. He said no love lost between Bill and Hil. Could barely stand the sight of each other. Staying with him was politically expedient. This guy was there for all 8 years. She's foul mouthed and a bully. Not my words, he was there.

Oh, my heavens, don't tell me she uses unladylike language. I think I'm having the vapors.

Seriously, do you suppose the SS would give a rat's patootie (oooh, there goes that foul language) if a man in the White House swore?

 

[druidia]

Women in politics are pretty much in between a rock and a hard place, IMO. If a woman shows her emotions, she's weak and not a good leader. If she plays the game and keeps her emotions under wraps, she's cold and heartless. It's a no win situation, and it's complete garbage, IMO.

Her marriage is none of my business and really makes no difference in if I'll vote for her or not. I really don't get why we (Americans) are so concerned about everyone else's sex life.

I completely agree with this opinion.

The only thing that bothered me about this whole issue back then was that he lied publicly to both his wife and his daughter. I don't think this was ever any of the public's business to begin with, but it was made into one.

And FWIW I don't think there is a person walking on this earth that really knows what it is like to be completely in another person's shoes, but so many of us are quick to judge other's as though we do.

I'm sure there are many people who love to think about what they "would have" done but may have behaved totally differently when actually faced with the end of their marriage.

 

[rie'smom]

Oh, my heavens, don't tell me she uses unladylike language. I think I'm having the vapors.

Seriously, do you suppose the SS would give a rat's patootie (oooh, there goes that foul language) if a man in the White House swore?

Totally missed the word bully

 

[Tomader]

Personally I don't admire the women at all. I think she stayed with the guy for her own political aspirations. I see her as a very cold, calculating women. Again this is my personal opinion of the women.

 

[Dakota_Lynn]

Hilary Clinton was damned no matter how she handled that situation. She stayed with him and as a result people are complaining that she has no dignity since she stayed with a cheater. Had she left people would have said she had no loyalty and that it was wrong to not fight for her marriage. That was most definitely a no-win situation.

My take on it? I don't have a take on it. I don't care what happens in her private life. I don't care who she or her husband sleep with, what God (if any) she prays to, or how much cash she has in her bank account. All that matters to me is her credentials for running the country. I don't find her to be overwhelmingly likable, but I definitely think she is qualified. Personally, I hope she runs with Obama; he'll add the charisma and charm and the ability to relate to people while she'll have the experience and knowledge to run the country (and train up Obama so he can run in eight years!).

 

[Froggyswife]

I'm still on the fence about who I will vote for.

I do know that our first woman president will have to be strong and ambitious. She can't be weak and look like a puppet on a string. She will be the cornerstone for women in the future presidential elections. If she is weak we may go another 200+ years before we get another one.

I do know that judging a woman because of her husbands actions is ludacris. She can't make him not do the things he does and she isn't responsible for his actions. She isn't his mother and he isn't a child.

 

[helenabear]

Isn't it possible she stayed with Bill because *gasp* she loves him? Why does everyone automatically assume she stays/stayed with him for political reasons?

I've always thought she stayed because she loved him. In fact I admire them both for being so willing to work it out with the public staring them down.

Of course I should ask how many people hated Jackie O for staying with her DH... oh wait that was different somehow

That all said, I have some great dislikes for Sen. Clinton for other reasons. Her staying with her husband isn't one of them, and never will be IMO.

 

[RobInBigKC]

I don't think she's pathetic and I never looked at her as standing by her man. If she didn't have political ambitions, I think she would have left him. It was a calculated decision with the end goal being POTUS. In her mind, the end will justify the means. I used to feel some pity for her, but she made her choices and seems fine with it. She's determined, I'll give her that.

I agree with all of this. I will also add that I think she knew about ALL of the various affairs Bill has had and was ok with them. I think it had been, was, and is, an acceptable part of their marriage arrangement (acceptable to her, I mean). Personally, I don't really care what kind of personal arrangements they have worked out in regards to their marriage as long as it doesn't affect their (meaning his at the time, and possibly now her's) ability to lead the U.S. government.

-- Rob

 

[Soubrette]

Oh, my heavens, don't tell me she uses unladylike language. I think I'm having the vapors.

Seriously, do you suppose the SS would give a rat's patootie (oooh, there goes that foul language) if a man in the White House swore?

Dick Cheney, anyone?

 

[mickeyfan2]

The first time I would have to think about it. The second time yes. This was not Bill's first trist.

 

[mickeyfan2]

That's what I'm trying to figure out. Do the women (and men too) that fault her for staying with Bill think she was weak to stay with a cheating spouse, or do they feel it was merely a cold calculated decision and that she feels nothing for Bill anymore? Whenever I hear "I hate her for staying with him", nobody seems to elaborate as to why.

It was a cold calculated decison. She does have feelings for Bill but not that strong ones that most women have. In Bill's defense he is a great dad.

 

[NewJersey]

Like the Bushes, its the clintons. They can never seem to do anything right according to some.

 

[MAKmom]

You know, I think the public humiliation of it would have caused me to leave.

I mean, normal (and by that I mean not public figures) women get cheated on every day. Some marriages survive, some don't. But I don't think most normal wives have to deal with knowing every detail...the cigar thing, the blue dress, the "stains" and so forth. The "idea' of the cheating is sort of "nebulous" for normal women...you know there was someone else, but you don't really know what they did, where, when, how often and so on. You don't have to hear a blow by blow (no pun intended ) description of everything. You don't have to listen to your husband try and wrangle out of everything. You don't see the woman's face on every magazine, newspaper, the nightly news.

There's a part of me that can give her credit for staying and presumably fixing it. There's a part of me that thinks she's pathetic for staying. There's a part of me that thinks she's conniving for staying, if the only reason she stayed was to try and ascend to the Presidency. I don't know how much of my soul, my "self" I'd be able to give up for power.

ITA. But this could also make her a great woman president. We have been hearing for centurys that woman are too emotional. Not Senator Clinton. I think she is the best choice we have. But without the woman in this country behind her she will not get elected.

 

[DISUNC]

However two people "make it work' in the private life has never been any concern of mine.

 

[punkin]

From personal experience: there are many reasons to stay with a cheating spouse. Political calculation may be one of them, but it surely is not the only one. How about: she loves him, they have a child, they have shared interests, they have commingled finances, she truly thinks he's sorry and will not do it again. There may be others but I do not know the couple so can only speculate (like everyone else on this thread).

As far as politics, she spent her entire youth working behind the scenes so Bill could be president, now it is her turn. Why should she give up her dreams just because he couldn't keep it in his pants?

I applaud her for making a calm and reasoned decision, not one based on anger and emotion. This is precisely the kind of thought processes I want from anyone in the White House.

 

[CheshireVal]

I think it's far too easy for women to say they'd throw their husband out if he cheated, but it's kind of a different thing altogether when it actually happens.

You don't know how you're going to react until it happens to you.