The Politics of It
If you didn’t get a chance to catch the “Does My Wife Have A Crush on Chris Brown?” post, I apologize. First time in blog history that she took much exception with the content matter, so I had to remove it. I’m sure Chris Brown isn’t sweating it, with everything else going on in the world right now.
And isn’t it funny how much American politics and marriage are tied together? The subtle nuances that can make the difference between election and simple candidacy are intricately linked to the one you love. On the democratic side, the Clintons and the Obamas’ relationships have been a focal point of the party’s divide, and its unification.
No matter the party, male or female, its customary for the candidate to campaign with their loved one, and if they aren’t loved, the one they are with. It communicates loyalty, fidelity, values and commitment on the part of an individual running for public service by appearing with a spouse. If people are shown that the candidate can manage a relationship and a household, then surely they can govern a group of people, right?
So if marriage communicates all of these things, then why do so many of them break apart? And if they are a symbol of fidelity and commitment, then why do so many politicians split from their spouses?
It comes down to tolerance and endurance. Do you have the ability to tolerate foolishness and disagreements, even when it seems like the logical choice would be to exit? Can you endure tragedy, heartbreak and difficult decisions, even when those who are supposed to be your closest allies become adversarial?
But most of all, can you be the politician that your relationship requires you to be?
Does your spouse respond better to straight shooting, or a softened perspective? Do you say what you think needs to be heard, or cater to what you know they want to hear? It is never an easy process to master the politics of family life and a long-term relationship, but everyday affords the opportunity to transcend from candidate to Commander-In-Chief.