Political scandals: Sex, lies and lawsuits
President Clinton overcame sex scandals involving Gennifer Flowers (that one nearly derailed his first presidential campaign) and Paula Jones. The latter affair led -- in a wondrously roundabout way, thank you Ken Starr! -- to his impeachment. But the Senate didn’t convict him and he has remained a darling of Democrats. But his most famous sexual misstep was with White House intern Monica Lewinsky, which nearly cost him as marriage as well. Lewinsky hasn’t done too bad for herself, though. Among other things, she got a reported $12 million for her memoir. She also attended the Oscars with Sir Ian McKellan, was a spokeswoman for Jenny Craig, hosted a reality show, was a correspondent for a British news program and sold a line of handbags. (Independent Counsel / Associated Press)
Former Demcractic presidential hopeful John Edwards’ affair with videographer Rielle Hunter produced one child, a slew of headlines, the collapse of his political career -- and, naturally, a tell-all memoir by Hunter. For Edwards, there was also a thicket of criminal allegations and a trial. It was a close shave for the famously well-coiffed Edwards, but the jury acquitted him on one charge and couldn’t reach a verdict on five others. (National Enquirerer / Associated Press )
Mark Sanford, South Carolina’s former governor with the unsmooth moves -- he said he was hiking the Appalachian Trail when in fact he was visiting his “soulmate” in Argentina -- has emerged from the scandal sans wife but surprisingly with his political career intact: He won a special election in South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District last month and has returned to his old seat in the House. And his soulmate, Maria Belen Chapur? She’s now his financee and appeared onstage with him at his election-night victory party. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)
Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s affair with the family maid, Mildred Baena, which produced a son, apparently convinced his wife Maria Shriver that perhaps those L.A. Times stories about her philandering husband weren’t dirty politics after all, and she divorced him. Since then, everyone has moved on. Arnie says he continues to support his son and Baena financially. He’s trying to revive his Hollywood career. Shriver has returned to NBC as as a special anchor focusing on women’s issues. (Tasso Marcelo / AFP / Getty Images)
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In 1987, Democratic presidential hopeful Gary Hart learned the hard way that it’s not nice to tug on Clark Kent’s cape. Daring the media to follow him, they did, and found him with an attractive young woman, Donna Rice, perched on his lap while vacationing aboard a yacht named -- what else -- Monkey Business. That mostly ended his political career, although he did consider running again in 2004. As for Rice, she spurned many offers after the scandal, including an offer to pose for Playboy magazine (imagine that!) and became a well-known Internet safety expert and advocate for anti-pornography efforts. (National Enquirer / Getty Images)
