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This Week Panel: Women Politicians Don’t Have Sex Scandals

Video
» 81 comments

Christiane Amanpour assembled a panel of women to discuss why it’s always the men that get entangled with sex scandals, and whether or not it could simply be explained by the fact that there are many more male politicians? Claire Shipman and Torie Clarke cited various research and anecdotal observations to argue that in fact women are much less likely to lose focus on the job, unlike their male counterparts.

Some researchers suggest the fact that women have less libido, less testosterone and less ego, all of that contributes to women leaders being able to avoid scandal. Clarke thinks that often “men will compete for the sake of competition” whereas women are just focused on getting something done. Yet whatever the underlying reason, until the first prominent women politician has a sex scandal, and as the male scandals keep piling up, it unfortunately seems that this difference between the sexes might just be an unexplainable fact of nature.

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  • Moderate

    Many men can’t resist that animal urge to plant their genes in as many women as possible. Politicians just like to show that they answer to no one. Women just to find the best male that can provide for her children.

  • SuburbanPatriot

    It amazes me that these lib journalists are women when if they paid attention they would know that the liberals are the real sexists. Why can’t more women be strong conservatives who realize that the conservatives are the ones who are not sexist, unlike the liberals who call Palin a “whore” and did not vote for Hillary clinton but 0-bow-ma because they are racists also thank you.

  • ImJustThatDamnGood

    Nikki Haley?

  • BFD

    Women throw themselves at powerful men. That’s why there are groupies.
    Even in Weiner’s emails the women were telling Anthony they loved him, had a crush on him, and considered him they’re “boyfriend”.

    Male politicians and celebrities become kids in a candy store and a lot of them cant handle the temptation.

  • Sam M.

    SuburbanPatriot said:
    It amazes me that these lib journalists are women when if they paid attention they would know that the liberals are the real sexists. Why can’t more women be strong conservatives who realize that the conservatives are the ones who are not sexist, unlike the liberals who call Palin a “whore” and did not vote for Hillary clinton but 0-bow-ma because they are racists also thank you.

    Probably a parenting issue.

  • BFD

    ImJustThatDamnGood said:
    Nikki Haley?

    She got away with it.

  • catfishjuggling

    Maybe not directly, but there was a lady running for President who had a cheating hubby. And another one running for President whose teenage daughter had a baby put in her by a boy named after some dungarees. Them’s scandalous where I’m from.

  • Prom Night Dumpster Baby

    I don’t think it’s sexist or sensational to suggest that women just have more self control in this department.

  • Prom Night Dumpster Baby

    SuburbanPatriot said:
    It amazes me that these lib journalists are women when if they paid attention they would know that the liberals are the real sexists. Why can’t more women be strong conservatives who realize that the conservatives are the ones who are not sexist, unlike the liberals who call Palin a “whore” and did not vote for Hillary clinton but 0-bow-ma because they are racists also thank you.

    Liberals are progressive, of course, and hence have always fought harder for women’s rights. This has always been true.

  • laceyunderalls

    Wait, Christiane Amanpour is a woman??

  • http://www.mediaite.com/tv/glenn-beck-explains-how-the-unions-are-using-teachers-firefighters-and-co ImNotBlue

    I can’t help but wonder if it’s not the women who have the self control… but that men don’t aren’t as attracted to powerful women, as women are attracted to powerful men.

  • http://www.mediaite.com/tv/glenn-beck-explains-how-the-unions-are-using-teachers-firefighters-and-co ImNotBlue

    Prom Night Dumpster Baby said:
    Liberals are progressive, of course, and hence have always fought harder for women’s rights. This has always been true.

    Unless it’s for the rights and respect of conservative women… in which case those principles go out the window.

  • Bennybombom

    SuburbanPatriot said:
    It amazes me that these lib journalists are women when if they paid attention they would know that the liberals are the real sexists. Why can’t more women be strong conservatives who realize that the conservatives are the ones who are not sexist, unlike the liberals who call Palin a “whore” and did not vote for Hillary clinton but 0-bow-ma because they are racists also thank you.

    There is so many things I wanna say regarding that statement that my brain is not processing.

    so I’m just gonna go with thanks for that pile of s$%t comment.
    It gave me a good laugh.

  • Rivermont

    Bennybombom said:
    so I’m just gonna go with thanks for that pile of s$%t comment.
    It gave me a good laugh.

    Your comments and face give everyone a good laugh.

  • Rivermont

    ImJustThatDamnGood said:
    Nikki Haley?

    Hillary and Vince Foster!

  • catfishjuggling

    Rivermont said:
    Hillary and Vince Foster!

    Vince Foster was not female.

  • seek

    BFD said:
    She got away with it.

    Perhaps she got away with it because it was a figment of the guys imagination. I don’t think any Republican woman gets away with anything, therefore there was nothing there. Just you guys who keep spreading the rumors and innuendoes.

  • Rivermont

    catfishjuggling said:
    Vince Foster was not female.

    Neither is Hillary!

  • seek

    Prom Night Dumpster Baby said:
    Liberals are progressive, of course, and hence have always fought harder for women’s rights. This has always been true.

    Nonsense. Liberals are far from progressive. They did not fight harder for women’s rights. Absolute nonsense.
    NOW is a joke – and they’ve pretty much done themselves in with their “selective” support of women. I wonder why Republicans are so much better behaved towards their fellow man?

  • catfishjuggling

    Rivermont said:
    Neither is Hillary!

    Yeah. Who’s the sexist now?

  • Sam M.

    Rivermont said:
    Hillary and Vince Foster!

    Parenting issue? This is what I’m talking about.

  • Rivermont

    catfishjuggling said:
    Yeah. Who’s the sexist now?

    Bawaaaaaawawaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

  • Rivermont

    catfishjuggling said:
    Yeah. Who’s the sexist now?

    I do truly appreciate Hill’s s”corkscrewing into Bosnia, under sniper fire.

  • catfishjuggling

    Rivermont said:
    Bawaaaaaawawaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

    You said that she is not a woman. She clearly is.

    Yeah. Liberals are the problem.

    I am starting to think that liberal people don’t like conservative women. It also seems that conservatives don’t seem to like liberal women. Amazing.

    I also notice that liberals do not like conservative men. And conservatives do not like liberal men.

    Any chance this has more to do with the team that the disliking crew is on and not so much whether the target sits or stands to pee?

  • catfishjuggling

    Rivermont said:
    I do truly appreciate Hill’s s”corkscrewing into Bosnia, under sniper fire.

    Does that have anything to do with her gender?

  • Rivermont

    catfishjuggling said:
    Does that have anything to do with her gender?

    No- political ideology- She lied about it!

    “Hillary Clinton has finally admitted that she “misspoke” when claiming that she came “under sniper fire” in Bosnia during a March 1996 visit to U.S. troops enforcing the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement. At first, the Clinton campaign maintained that the “misstatement” was limited to one occasion on March 17 when she talked about running across the tarmac “with our heads down.” In an interview yesterday with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, the senator from New York attributed the mistake to her “sleep-deprived” condition. “

  • catfishjuggling

    Rivermont said:
    No- political ideology- She lied about it!

    “Hillary Clinton has finally admitted that she “misspoke” when claiming that she came “under sniper fire” in Bosnia during a March 1996 visit to U.S. troops enforcing the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement. At first, the Clinton campaign maintained that the “misstatement” was limited to one occasion on March 17 when she talked about running across the tarmac “with our heads down.” In an interview yesterday with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, the senator from New York attributed the mistake to her “sleep-deprived” condition. ”

    What’s that have to do with sex scandals?

  • Rivermont

    catfishjuggling said:
    What’s that have to do with sex scandals?

    They are about lies, lies, and more lying!

  • slickerwick

    Well, we’re primates. With chimps and apes the alpha male gets first dibs on all the females in the tribe. We’re not that far removed DNAwise from chimps.

    Powerful men have too much testosterone surging through their veins, the same stuff that makes them crave high status and to lord it over others.
    .

  • catfishjuggling

    Rivermont said:
    They are about lies, lies, and more lying!

    This is story about women and sex scandals. When there is a round table about ladies who lie, please stop on by and re-paste that thing about Hilary.

    Thanks.

  • Rivermont

    catfishjuggling said:
    This is story about women and sex scandals

    I guess you didn’t know about Hill and Vince Foster, eh?

  • catfishjuggling

    Rivermont said:
    I guess you didn’t know about Hill and Vince Foster, eh?

    Vince Foster was not a lady.

  • slickerwick

    Catherine the Great of Russia had quite a reputation. Remember the horse story?

  • Rivermont

    catfishjuggling said:
    Vince Foster was not a lady.

    The topic was not women having sex scandals with women! It’s “Women Politicians Don’t Have Sex Scandals” when we all knew about Hill and Vince!

  • mmars

    This headline is a joke, right? I am a working woman, and I do not see any difference between the two sexes. In fact, it takes both sexes!

  • catfishjuggling

    Rivermont said:
    The topic was not women having sex scandals with women! It’s “Women Politicians Don’t Have Sex Scandals” when we all knew about Hill and Vince!

    Did it happen in Bosnia?

  • Rivermont

    catfishjuggling said:
    Did it happen in Bosnia?

    LMAO

    You don’t even know who Foster was!

  • catfishjuggling

    Rivermont said:
    LMAO

    You don’t even know who Foster was!

    Wait. Was this a gay thing? You said Hilary isn’t female. Vince sounds like a dude’s name.

  • Rivermont

    catfishjuggling said:
    Wait. Was this a gay thing? You said Hilary isn’t female. Vince sounds like a dude’s name.

    LOL

  • catfishjuggling

    Rivermont said:
    LMAO

    You don’t even know who Foster was!

    Of course I know who Vince Foster was. That was one of America’s favorite conspiracy theories in the 1990s.

    There are also a bunch of left wing bloggers who think that Sarah Palin cheated on Todd and that Track isn’t his. Others who think that Trig isn’t her kid at all.

    I don’t put weight in either side’s crazy people.

  • slickerwick

    seek said:
    Nonsense. Liberals are far from progressive. They did not fight harder for women’s rights. Absolute nonsense.
    NOW is a joke – and they’ve pretty much done themselves in with their “selective” support of women. I wonder why Republicans are so much better behaved towards their fellow man?

    NOW lost all credibility during the Clinton scandal. They dismissed all the women accusers and defended the proven male liar.

    They’re just another wing of the Dem Party. You might say the misogyny you see surfacing in so many lefty blogs, comedians, and posters is due to the lack of credibility of orgs like NOW. (You never even see NOW representatives as guests on the political talk shows anymore. They’ve become irrelevant except to raise money for pro-choice politicos.

  • THE REAL ROYAL KING

    slickerwick said:
    Well, we’re primates. With chimps and apes the alpha male gets first dibs on all the females in the tribe. We’re not that far removed DNAwise from chimps. Powerful men have too much testosterone surging through their veins, the same stuff that makes them crave high status and to lord it over others..

    You may lose your Radical Right Reactionary Republican card for that remark. The only reason for science is to deny it.

  • THE REAL ROYAL KING

    catfishjuggling said:
    Rivermont said:
    LMAO
    You don’t even know who Foster was!
    Of course I know who Vince Foster was. That was one of America’s favorite conspiracy theories in the 1990s.
    There are also a bunch of left wing bloggers who think that Sarah Palin cheated on Todd and that Track isn’t his. Others who think that Trig isn’t her kid at all.
    I don’t put weight in either side’s crazy people.

    Well put.

    And, how could anyone live through the ’90s and not know who Vince Foster was? He was today’s Jeremiah Wright.

  • Cecelia

    I agree with the “focus” argument, but not as some sort of genetic gender trait.

    I think the higher women ascend the MORE engaged that they get, whereas the opposite is true with men.

    When it comes to the skills of delegating and macro-managing, women haven’t yet caught up to men. We tend to nursemaid the human assets and to micromanage everything else.

    As women gain more access to power, they’ll gain the confidence it takes to manage from above.

    With that sense of distance and authority, they’ll have the time and the ego that it takes to think they own the world and all it’s spoils.

  • Glackin

    laceyunderalls said:
    Wait, Christiane Amanpour is a woman??

    I hope your are proud of displaying your wit. In ten years, if you work at it, you’ll be up to sophomoric.

  • Rivermont

    catfishjuggling said:
    That was one of America’s favorite conspiracy theories in the 1990s.

    It was the ’90s version of the 911 Truthers.

  • Rivermont

    Glackin said:
    I hope your are proud of displaying your wit. In ten years, if you work at it, you’ll be up to sophomoric.

    This from mr profanity himself!

  • Glackin

    seek said:
    Perhaps she got away with it because it was a figment of the guys imagination. I don’t think any Republican woman gets away with anything, therefore there was nothing there. Just you guys who keep spreading the rumors and innuendoes.

    Please see below.

    Rivermont said:
    Neither is Hillary!

    He’s yours, we don’t want him.
    One is known by the company they keep.

  • Rivermont

    Glackin said:
    He’s yours, we don’t want him.

    Yeah, and you are lubed up for Weiner!

  • Glackin

    Cecelia said:
    I agree with the “focus” argument, but not as some sort of genetic gender trait.

    I think the higher women ascend the MORE engaged that they get, whereas the opposite is true with men.

    When it comes to the skills of delegating and macro-managing, women haven’t yet caught up to men. We tend to nursemaid the human assets and to micromanage everything else.

    As women gain more access to power, they’ll gain the confidence it takes to manage from above.

    With that sense of distance and authority, they’ll have the time and the ego that it takes to think they own the world and all it’s spoils.

    Let’s face it, a woman knows she would ruin her career if a scandal emerged.
    The day when women take the chance anyway, you will know that true equality has arrived.

  • Cecelia

    Glackin said:
    Let’s face it, a woman knows she would ruin her career if a scandal emerged.
    The day when women take the chance anyway, you will know that true equality has arrived.

    Just who do you think men are having sex with? The copy machines?

  • Rivermont

    Cecelia said:
    Just who do you think men are having sex with? The copy machines?

    LOL

  • Rivermont

    Cecelia said:
    Just who do you think men are having sex with? The copy machines?

    Those do lead to reproduction!

  • Glackin

    Cecelia said:
    Just who do you think men are having sex with? The copy machines?

    I agree, it takes two. Sometimes there are two different sexes involved. I was referring to the “Headliner”.
    Huey Long once said he could get away with any sex scandal as long as it did not involve, “A dead girl, or a live boy.”
    I personally think women are smarter, and less seduced by the “side benefits” of power (the “groupie effect”).

  • catfishjuggling

    Cecelia said:
    Just who do you think men are having sex with? The copy machines?

    I have read sometimes men have sex with other men.

  • Cecelia

    Glackin said:
    I personally think women are smarter, and less seduced by the “side benefits” of power (the “groupie effect”).

    That may be a “pedestal” thing.

    As a woman I KNOW that we aren’t any smarter or any less likely to be seduced by the perks of power.

  • Rivermont

    Cecelia said:
    That may be a “pedestal” thing.

    Yes, Glackin follows the philosophy of Archie Bunker.

  • slickerwick

    Mediaite needs to keep up. NY Daily News reporting that a source close to Weenie says he his considering resigning.

  • Bennybombom

    slickerwick said:
    Mediaite needs to keep up. NY Daily News reporting that a source close to Weenie says he his considering resigning.

    Not really a shock.
    About damn time if you ask me.

  • slickerwick

    Cecelia said:
    Just who do you think men are having sex with? The copy machines?

    Weenie is having sex with himself and sometimes with the mirror in the congressional gym.

  • Glackin

    Rivermont said:
    Yes, Glackin follows the philosophy of Archie Bunker.

    That noted Progressive.
    Second stalker alert!

  • Dem4Ever

    Men will be men. Our job is nail as many females as possible and the female’s job is to like it. Based on Weiner’s tweets the girls REALLY liked it. Barbara Walter’s sure had nice things to say about Weiner’s package. The females on this panel won’t admit this but everyone knows that they would love to get plowed by Weiner’s tummy tickler.

  • Glackin

    Cecelia said:
    That may be a “pedestal” thing.

    As a woman I KNOW that we aren’t any smarter or any less likely to be seduced by the perks of power.

    I hope you are wrong. It’s not the pedestal effect, it’s just that there are centuries of history of us men “thinking with our smaller heads.”
    It would be good if women weren’t as damned dumb.

  • Raygun

    It may be that women in power have less chances to cheat than men. Women are attracted to men with power and authority a lot more than the other way around.

  • Glackin

    Raygun said:
    It may be that women in power have less chances to cheat than men. Women are attracted to men with power and authority a lot more than the other way around.

    Duh! It may be that there are far fewer women, and they are more heavily scrutinized.
    And, they’ll never be “one of the boys.”

  • Glackin

    Raygun said:
    It may be that women in power have less chances to cheat than men. Women are attracted to men with power and authority a lot more than the other way around.

    Now, tell me you would turn down Julia Roberts if she pursued you–with a straight face.

  • slickerwick

    Is that a Congressional bill in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?

    I love myself, I think I’m keen.
    I pose in the gym with hand on pene,
    Then take a pic and send it out
    And claim, “a hack!” I’m such a lout.

  • Cecelia

    Glackin said:
    I hope you are wrong. It’s not the pedestal effect, it’s just that there are centuries of history of us men “thinking with our smaller heads.”
    It would be good if women weren’t as damned dumb.

    Well, we’re not. Female libido may be wrapped in window treatments and doilies…. but it’s no less compelling.

  • Glackin

    Cecelia said:
    Well, we’re not. Female libido may be wrapped in window treatments and doilies…. but it’s no less compelling.

    Thanks, (I think) for the insight. If we just get over pretending, we’d probably be better off.

  • insideguy

    I don’t think there is much of a difference at all. I think women don’t get caught as often. And men don’t throw themselves at women with power as much as women do with men who are in power. Remember it use to be in the past that it was always male teachers who were in trouble for getting caught with the student. Now there have been many reported cases of women getting caught with male students. Society looks at this in a different way even though its the same thing. Its typical in any work place if an attractive female who is your boss flirts with you, most men don’t say a thing. Or hell even if its an unattractive female most men don’t say anything. But if its an unattractive male who the female finds disgusting you can guarantee an EEOC complaint. I have to watch what I say or do a lot. Most females can get away with saying racy things without reprisal. Not all the times but most of the time.

  • jrd

    slickerwick said:
    You never even see NOW representatives as guests on the political talk shows anymore.

    I had not thought about it, but you’re right. I cannot remember the last time I saw a NOW spokesperson on television, or even seen the organization mentioned in a news article.

  • THE REAL ROYAL KING

    We may be making too much of this.

    If power is seductive and at the heart of these dalliances, that power generally comes with a certain age and status. Mr. Weiner is, perhaps, one of the youngest men involved in a sex-tinged scandal. We are generally speaking of 40+ years and most often older men. One of the last remaining gender-based inequities we have in America (Western Europe is well ahead of reducing these inequities) is age. As a society, we still regard 40+ women as non-alluring, virtually non-sexual beings. For them, the star has dimmed in Hollywood, and women on Boards of Directors and in Congress are stereotyped as post-menopausal shrews. Their scandals by definition lack the sex-angle.

    It’s all rather disturbing and destructive for these women and for those of us much drawn to women of substance.

  • Cecelia

    THE REAL ROYAL KING said:
    For them, the star has dimmed in Hollywood, and women on Boards of Directors and in Congress are stereotyped as post-menopausal shrews. Their scandals by definition lack the sex-angle.

    It’s all rather disturbing and destructive for these women and for those of us much drawn to women of substance.

    Frankly, that may be something that men ascribe to on surreys, the silver screen, and perhaps in hiring practices (for both genders), but in daily living there’s not an attractive woman from 18 to 80 who can sit alone at a bar and not have men, young, old, and in between, offer conservation and a drink.

    Men just aren’t that complex.

  • THE REAL ROYAL KING

    Your example is rather extreme, isn’t it? I doubt seriously a woman has ever gone into a bar alone for a refreshing beverage and a handful of salty snacks. I doubt a man has ever done it either. Conversation and a drink are both rather expected, aren’t they?

    But, I agree that men aren’t that complex and, as a consequence, are seldom all that interesting. Once one accepts the notion that men have a strong impulse to create, craft or construct something, to make, manufacture, mold something, you’re 90% there.

  • Just4thefax

    Fact: Do these women except Pay Pal?

  • THE REAL ROYAL KING

    Just4thefax said:
    Fact: Do these women except Pay Pal?

    Except for what?

  • http://www.sarainitalyblog.blogspot.com/ sarainitaly

    Cecelia said:
    I think the higher women ascend the MORE engaged that they get, whereas the opposite is true with men.

    When it comes to the skills of delegating and macro-managing, women haven’t yet caught up to men. We tend to nursemaid the human assets and to micromanage everything else.

    As women gain more access to power, they’ll gain the confidence it takes to manage from above.

    With that sense of distance and authority, they’ll have the time and the ego that it takes to think they own the world and all it’s spoils.

    I agree with you. Women perhaps are more *control freaks* and don’t let go – I hate delegating because I always think I can do it better than anyone else. The higher up I went in my career, the harder I worked, the busier I was, even with an office of employees I could delegate to. Although, with me, it wasn’t a confidence issue, it was a control issue.

    I also think it is a power position issue, wrt men and sex scandals. There are far less women in politics. But if you move to the teaching arena, women and student sex scandals, there certainly isn’t a shortage there.

    And, in most of these political sex scandals, women are involved, they just aren’t the *power players* in the scandal.

    (gawd, those weiner pics in the gym are creepy)

  • Dr. Sandy Kramer

    What about the rumors concerning Hillary and Mrs. Weiner?

  • http://steviethek.wordpress.com steviethek

    In summary form, it’s because men keep score in conquests, women keep score in shoes.

  • JJ Vachon

    Actually, most female politicians are wretched beasts and no one will sleep with them! Just remember — you didn’t hear that from me!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Bruce-Kennedy/1439463341 Bruce Kennedy

    Cecelia said:
    Frankly, that may be something that men ascribe to on surreys, the silver screen, and perhaps in hiring practices (for both genders), but in daily living there’s not an attractive woman from 18 to 80 who can sit alone at a bar and not have men, young, old, and in between, offer conservation and a drink.

    Men just aren’t that complex.

    And yet for creatures as simplistic, as men, women still seem baffled every time a man acts inappropriately.

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