NationStates Jolt Archive

Another politician confesses to an affair:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4945170.stm

I mean...John Prescott? :eek:

This after Mark Oaten, who had to resign for doing things that would get me banned forever and ever and ever from this site if I so much at hinted at them; good old John Major; Robin Cook: those are just off the top of my head, and I'm sure people from the other countries represented on these forums know some as well.


Is there any particular reason why so many politicians have affairs? Long nights away from home? Stressful work? Or perhaps the type of person who goes into politics is the type of person who would have an affair?

Or are politicians no more likely to have an affair, it's just we hear about them more often?

oh my god...prescott...how disgusting!!!!

I've no idea why so many poiliticans have affairs....most of them are sleazy pricks i suppose if thats in any way related...maybe you're right, they're away from home a lot, get bored and fed up etc....but whatever the case i have no sympathy

I guess maybe it's a publicity stunt and maybe they're never satisfied and want something else to lie about!

It's probably the power. :rolleyes:

Well for one thing politicians are the scum of the Earth, so that's a pretty big reason. For another thing, I imagine that being in charge of a whole country, or a huge aspect of that country, and having to answer to the entire country when you screw up (every day, in most cases, then), is very stressful. They might just need to blow off some steam (or, something else...) after a while.

Oh, and I suppose that being famous, rich and powerful allows you to seduce people a little easier, even if you do look like Prescott.

Do we question why birds fly?

Do we ask the sun why it shines?

Many people of all walks of life have affairs. With politicians its newsworthy and thus they appear to be less faithfull in our shifted perception. Thats the whole secret.

Do we question why birds fly?

Do we ask the sun why it shines?
We don't have to.

Birds fly because they are too lazy to walk, and too selfish to care about the global warming impacts of air travel.

The sun shines because it's trying to catch the attention of a lovely lady star in a neighbouring system. It's not had much luck so far. :(

I can't rember who said it, but:

"Anyone who gets in a position to be elected to office is automatically not suitable for the job" Or something like that.

We don't have to.

Birds fly because they are too lazy to walk, and too selfish to care about the global warming impacts of air travel.

The sun shines because it's trying to catch the attention of a lovely lady star in a neighbouring system. It's not had much luck so far. :(


So..if Im hearing this, your saying the sun is a loser?

Everyone has affairs. It's just that with politicians, the rest of us are forced find out about them.

The press love a political sex scandal even more than a celebrity one.

So..if Im hearing this, your saying the sun is a loser?

Nah, just ugly. It just can't hope to compete against the likes of those imposing and masculine blue supergiants, or those wonderfully petite white dwarfs. I mean, it's yellow for crying out loud... yellow!

So..if Im hearing this, your saying the sun is a loser?
Well, it's actually quite a chick magnet - it's got at least nine admirers who circle it wherever it goes. But, as is the case so often in love, it's so blinded by lust for another star it can't see the opportunities in front of its face. :(

affairs are natural. why should we worry so much about politicians having them when what we really need to be worrying about about them is what they are doing to the rest of us and the world we all have to live in?

i guess it's something (mostly) harmless to bs about like the weather or something. but i think it's unfortunate too, that too many of the good ones have been knocked down by people making such a big deal about this sort of thing, while those launching wars that kill real people out of megalomania and or pettiness are allowed to get away with doing so.

=^^=
.../\...

I think Labour is a party that is slowly dying. First this week you have Charles Clark releasing Criminals from other nations into our streets insted of deporting them and then we find that John 'The Boxer' Prescott had an affair and then admitted it. I wounder what Tony Blair think's of his week so far?

Unless 'The Prescott Affair' is being used to divert attention from Charles Clarks mistakes?

Most politicians are bottle-babies.
Which explains their need for a bit on the side.

I can't rember who said it, but:

"Anyone who gets in a position to be elected to office is automatically not suitable for the job" Or something like that.

Douglas Adams 'Anyone capable of being elected into power should on no account have that power' (something like).

It's depressing to realise that a book written by a stoned hitch-hiker actually says much more about the world than any political treatise (as I continue to try to figure out why J.S. Mill was so fecking verbose).

Unless 'The Prescott Affair' is being used to divert attention from Charles Clarks mistakes?
I think Tony Blair shouting "John Prescott sleeping with his 40-something year old secretary!" everytime he was asked an awkward question would certainly take my mind off the matter at hand.

I think Tony Blair shouting "John Prescott sleeping with his 40-somethings year old secretary!" everytime he was asked an awkward question would certainly take my mind off the matter at hand.

Reporter - "Mr. Priminister what are your current thoughts on Iran?"
Tony Blair - "Errr... John Prescott sleeping with his 40-somethings year old secretary"

:D

It's probably the power. :rolleyes:
Yup. Women want men with power, men with power abuse it to get women. Any woman they can get, that is. (Just take a look at Ms. Lewinsky, for Pete's sake!) :D

Reporter - "Mr. Priminister what are your current thoughts on Iran?"
Tony Blair - "Errr... John Prescott sleeping with his 40-somethings year old secretary"

:D


Tony is a pretty girly
With a 'how about it?'-air
Gusty breezes make him surly
For they mush his curly hair

My guess. Because they can.

They have the power, and like so many fuckers in power their marriages suck (another constant), so they cheat and mis-appropriate taxpayer's funds to cover it up.

Because their wives are all really unattractive...

Either that, or their wives hate them and don't give them any.

Bumped because that image of John Prescott just won't go away...

Bumped because that image of John Prescott just won't go away...
This one?

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41602000/jpg/_41602326_prescott_getty203body.jpg

Dude, and I have trouble getting laid? WTF? :p

This one?

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41602000/jpg/_41602326_prescott_getty203body.jpg

Dude, and I have trouble getting laid? WTF? :p

*points and laughs*

Because power is attractive and monogamy is unnatural, from a male point of view.

Plus, have you seen their wives? Yeesh. Hilary Clinton would put a vulture off its feed.

Because power is attractive and monogamy is unnatural, from a male point of view.
I don't think monogamy is necessarily unnatural - there are many sound reasons for it.

There was a guy on the radio yesterday who had seven 'wives'. He claimed that God had come to him in a vision and told him that it was something he had to do. :p

Have a look at this:

http://www.unoriginal.co.uk/footage10_6.html

:D

Have a look at this:

http://www.unoriginal.co.uk/footage10_6.html

:D
I remember when that happened. :p

The video cuts out before the other guy starts to beat him up, though.

I remember when that happened. :p

The video cuts out before the other guy starts to beat him up, though.

Really I heard that the Guy who throw the egg had to go to hospitial!

Really I heard that the Guy who throw the egg had to go to hospitial!
He might have done, but the next bit in the scene is him jumping on Prezza and pushing him into the ground. Think of Prescott's face squashed flat and you'll get an idea what it looked like. :p

Why?

Well, there's two logical possibilities:
Either politicians don't have many more affairs than normal people except that no one really cares about the affairs of normal people, so they don't get press coverage,
OR
Politicians get so enthralled with the power they wield it makes them want to use that power, for instance by having an affair.

Why?

Well, there's two logical possibilities:
Either politicians don't have many more affairs than normal people except that no one really cares about the affairs of normal people, so they don't get press coverage,
OR
Politicians get so enthralled with the power they wield it makes them want to use that power, for instance by having an affair.
There is another option, that certainly happens in the UK, if not everywhere else. Because we have a constituency system coupled with a central Government, most MPs have to be in London during the week, a long way from their constituency. In other words, they spend the week alone, away from their family, in a 'crash pad' apartment. Combine long, lonely nights with all the power and people surrounding them, and bingo, more affairs.

Have a look at this:

http://www.unoriginal.co.uk/footage10_6.html

:DI always found that little brawl especially funny since Prescott led with his left fist. Not very New Labour.

I was deeply disturbed to hear this story. I can understand the 'power is an aphrodisiac' argument, but honestly - this is John Prescott! *shudders*

Yep Brothers..
the UK is a country where you should care what your willy is doing...
It concerns so many people, what the *** if you want to have an affair with someone who's not your official partner? Use your hand away from the camera.

Now we pray, happy we are! the Holy Fathers of the Holy Jesuites See are the Fathers of our children, no more worry with the UK tabloid press. Amen

The High Priest
Holy Father of all.

I think Labour is a party that is slowly dying. First this week you have Charles Clark releasing Criminals from other nations into our streets insted of deporting them and then we find that John 'The Boxer' Prescott had an affair and then admitted it. I wounder what Tony Blair think's of his week so far?

Unless 'The Prescott Affair' is being used to divert attention from Charles Clarks mistakes?

Clarke, to his credit, did actually try to resign on two previous occasions, but on the other hand Blair said no both times.

And I think 'The Prescott Affair' is Prescott's way to try and be forced out of the government. Hopefully, what'll happen is that TB will resign and Brown will lead for a bit, the people who've distanced themselves from the government "to spend time with their families" (i.e. avoid all contact with Tony and chums) will come back and hopefully run the country well until the Consevatives (I don't like their policies, but Cameron seems to be alright, and the Lib Dems are in a total shambles, sadly) rule for the next 8-12 years.

Simple answer:

THEY CAN.

But in all seriousness, alot of people have affairs. When one finds out a politician has done it though, its televised. Also I think its a little easier to find out that a politician has had one.

Simple answer:

THEY CAN.

But in all seriousness, alot of people have affairs. When one finds out a politician has done it though, its televised. Also I think its a little easier to find out that a politician has had one.

Very true indeed. The same goes for celebrity divorces or whatever. That absolutely does my head in. "KELLY AND JIM ARE SPLITTING UP" says SeeYa! magazine... great... a lot of people have divorces and it's not a happy thing. I'm sure they'd rather that the details of their divorce weren't read by thousands of people.

A little off topic, but...

I can't believe Bush is still in power yet Clinton got fired for getting a blow job. :rolleyes:

"Why Do So Many Politicians Have Affairs?"

Power has been called "the ultimate aphrodisaic."

"Why Do So Many Politicians Have Affairs?"

Power has been called "the ultimate aphrodisaic."
Yep. Henry Kissinger apparently never had much trouble getting some, and have you ever looked at that guy? Yikes.

And too, if you consider the amount of effort and ambition it takes to rise to the highest levels of power, it's not unusual that a healthier than normal sex drive would be part of that.

Yep. Henry Kissinger apparently never had much trouble getting some, and have you ever looked at that guy? Yikes.

And too, if you consider the amount of effort and ambition it takes to rise to the highest levels of power, it's not unusual that a healthier than normal sex drive would be part of that.
Very true, not to mention the fact that quite a number of women are strongly attracted to powerful men. Can you say "Monica Lewinsky," boys and girls? :D

A little off topic, but...

I can't believe Bush is still in power yet Clinton got fired for getting a blow job. :rolleyes:

Clinton didn't get fired.

Very true, not to mention the fact that quite a number of women are strongly attracted to powerful men. Can you say "Monica Lewinsky," boys and girls? :D
Or Marilyn Monroe, for that matter.

Or Marilyn Monroe, for that matter.
Yup! Yup!

Damn that lucky John F. K.! :headbang:

And maybe Bobby too! :eek:

Well for one thing politicians are the scum of the Earth.

I disagree wholeheartedly. At least in the political systems with which I am most familiar (Nova Scotian and [national] Canadian democracy), most politicians are in the job because they want to improve the lot of their constituents. There are always outliers, of course, but blanketing all politicians as scum is childish and uninformed in my opinion.

Regarding the main thrust of the thread, the apparent proclivity of politicians to have affairs, I think there are several causes. For one thing, many who represent outlying areas must spend a lot of their time in the governing city- People from Grimsby have to stay in London, representatives from Kelowna have to stick around Ottawa, and Alaskans have to sit in Washington. Being separated from their families may give politicians more opportunity to cheat.

Everybody looks for something unique when it comes to a lover. Out there somewhere there must surely be messed-up individuals who have things for married people in political power. Obviously one cannot blame only one person in an illicit relationship, but given the high profile of many politicians, it should be noted that their fame can attract people to them.

Finally, I think there is a secular (As in ongoing, not non-religious, although the pun may work) trend toward unfaithfulness in marriage. Harping back to the high profile, because politicians capture the media's eyes, they are therefore more likely to have their personal affairs broadcast to the rest of the world.

I am firmly against the degradation of marriage that affairs create. I think being faithful to one's spouse is very important. It is a family issue, though, so I do not think it should be highlighted when politicians do it, unless it has some ramifications for the government. In my opinion, there needs to be a stronger state-centric reason to lose trust in a politician than having that person sleep around.