You still want strength of character in a president?

I said it when it was Bill Clinton on the hotseat, I'll repeat it for Newt Gingrich. Someone's sex life is none of my business, and, more important, it's no indication of how someone will perform in a professional situation.

Adorable John King really disappointed me at the recent GOP debate. The first thing he wanted to ask candidate Gingrich was about recent revelations, also known as gossip, from his ex-wife about his infidelity and open marriage proposal. Really, John? This is how you choose to inform the public? Gingrich's response, which wasn't bad, by the way, couldn't possibly help voters decide if he should be president.

Re: Schwarzenegger, Edwards, etc.

Following the latest unasked-for revelation that Arnold Schwarzenegger is the latest married man to get another woman pregnant, I think I have come up with a theory about why men cheat that indignant women worldwide might understand.

Yes, married men should keep it in their pants, unless they have some alternate arrangement with their wives. And, no, there is no excuse for a man to have unprotected sex on the side. These are givens.

But we all know that men and women are built differently and react to things differently. Usually, that's what we like about them. We also know that the amount of testosterone in a person's body affects the way he or she behaves. So does serotonin. From what I understand, most men go through a period in their lives, sometimes a very long period, where they crave sex. They rarely get enough and still usually want it again by the next day.

Hmm. How can women relate to that? For starters, you could hand me a package of Dove dark chocolate. Most of the time I consume it in moderation. But do I ever stop wanting it? No!

Let me note here that this theory does not apply to ALL men. Just as there are probably some women out there who don't love chocolate.

Suppose you made a commitment when you got married that your husband would decide when and how much chocolate you could have for the rest of your life. Now, that doesn't seem right, does it?

And you probably agree to that arrangement with the best of intentions. But maybe after a few years, you start seeing chocolate all over the place. Maybe it is even offered to you. Will you really turn it down for the rest of your life, even if you're not getting enough at home?

I hope you see the connection now.

That's still no excuse for getting a woman pregnant.

But now say you become very famous and/or rich and therefore, hugely desirable. Ladies, you are being offered versions of chocolate you never even dreamed of. Do you still turn down the George Clooney of gourmet cocoa? Forever?? I think it will likely become irresistible eventually.

And that's why marriages where one person is outrageously popular rarely last. The best you can say to your mate is, "I never thought I'd have this opportunity! Can't I please just try it?" And some mates will understand. But not a lot.