U.S. Politicians and Sex Scandals

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and New York Governor Elliot Spitzer have one thing in common: a sex scandal.

A slew of American politicians have ruined their own careers and, sometimes, lives due to their sexual escapades. Why did they engage in such devastating entanglements that can only devastate entire lives? The New York Times ran an article on Monday on the issue of “politicians and sex scandals.”

Dr. Frank Farley, a psychologist at Temple University, said that many politicians are what he calls “Type T” personalities, with “T” standing for thrill-seeking.

“Politics is an uncertain business,” Farley said. “You’re at the whim of the electorate. There’s no tenure. … [I]t inspires a risk-taking person to go into that line of work. … [T]his risky nature may show itself more on the private side.”

Dr. Judy Kuriansky, adjunct professor of clinical psychology at Columbia University’s Teachers College, said that “sex and power are closely connected, because they are basically an expression of this huge energy that these people have.” In other words, politicians seeking power are likely to indulge in womanizing and sex.

“[T]his has something to do with natural selection — the person who acquires power becomes the alpha male,” said Tom Fiedler, who teaches a course in press and politics at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

Given all the academic explanations, their adventures are too wild to be kept secret. Still, do they think that they can get away with it somehow?

“There is a broader anxiety about what is private anymore,” said Paul Apostolidis, a political science professor at Whitman College and co-editor of the book, “Public Affairs: Politics in the Age of Sex Scandals.” Apostolidis explains that people in power, coddled up in various privileges, mislead themselves into believing that they can somehow get away with it.

In other words, ordinary citizens suppress and control the urge for sexual escapades out of fear for discovery. But the control system does not affect powerful politicians as much.

Meanwhile, the Associated Press reported on Monday, quoting an anonymous source on the investigative team, that Governor Spitzer must have spent 80,000 dollars to pay for sex with high-priced call girls.

kong@donga.com