Diane Lazic

Questions or concerns about Political issues or gossip? E-mail me about anything you've wanted to know dealing with politics or politicians and the games they play.
diane@enliv.com

From sun-up, to way after sun down politicians are always self promoting every chance they get or can create. Marriage and having a family are hard enough, but in this profession you really wonder why people take that dive at all. The reason in politics is, having a commitment to a mate and family is just necessary, basic equipment.

Politicians have hectic schedules of endless streams of traveling and hob nubbin’. Most couples aren’t in the same zip code long enough to keep therapy appointments or even have special moments to resolve misunderstandings and share feelings.

George W. Bush met Laura in the summer of 1977, and married her in November. A year later, he launched an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Congress. It’s hard to conceive that it’s a mere coincidence that he married her right before starting his political career.

Most women love their husbands but have occasional moment where they mumble or think “idiot”, for embarrassing things they say or do. Mrs. Laura Bush has had to watch countless, graceless displays of her husbands flaws right along with the entire world.

That has got to be just a bit more embarrassing and stressful under her circumstances. The entire free world making fun of your man has to effect attraction, respect and over all appeal on some level.

Only a political wife with the pre-conceive concept could fake support for a man who is capable of saying “I want everyone to hear loud and clear that I’m going to be the president of everybody” or “I have learned from mistakes I may or may not have made." Wit at this level is grounds for immediate divorce.

I think the reason that people in politics cheat are the same as in other circumstances: the reason why political marriages function are why they are interesting and different from other relationships. The longest political marriages seem to have a hard line business like understanding a joint objective.

Carrie Lee, wife of Gaylord Nelson, who is a former senator from Wisconsin, was asked how her marriage to a politician had survived so long (55 years). She replied, "We're both in love with the same man."

The Census Bureau reports that nine of 10 Americans marry. Half of all first marriages are expected to end in divorce after an average of eight years.

Mrs. Bush, and Carrie Lee and the spectrum of types of political wife all found ways to accept and compromise to make their marriages work. All parties involved somehow accept the price and terms of a political life, and their less than normal marital situations.