While Maria Shriver continues to deal with the fallout of husband Arnold Schwarzenegger’s admission of fathering a child with a longtime staffer, it’s important for her to remember that she is not alone: There are many wronged, high-profile political wives out there. And luckily, they’ve written memoirs about what they went through (if Shriver writes one, which you know she will, I want her to title it either “Me Talk Austrian One Day” or “I Know Why The Bodybuilder Cheats”). Here’s a little sampling of how other wives felt on the day they found out the worst:
Dina Matos McGreevey
Title: “Silent Partner: A Memoir of My Marriage”
The husband’s indiscretion: Ex-husband, New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey, admitted to being a “gay American” as he left office in 2004.
Her reaction: “I didn’t want to talk to anyone, I couldn’t leave my house because I had
reporters climbing up trees. Even though I had my family and I had my friends, I was shocked. My world had collapsed around me.”
Jenny Sanford
Title: “Staying True”
The husband’s indiscretion: In 2009, her husband, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, admitted to traveling to Argentina to visit his girlfriend — aka “hiking the Appalachian Trail.”
Her reaction: “Could I imagine a life without Mark, the man whose ambitions had been the center of all that we had done as a family for 20 years? This would all sort itself out, and at some point, I would know what to do next.”
Elizabeth Edwards
Title: “Resilience: Reflections on the Burdens and Gifts of Facing Life’s Adversities”
The husband’s indiscretion: U.S. Sen. John Edwards was outed by the National Enquirer for
having an affair with freelance videographer Rielle Hunter in 2007; in 2010, he admitted to fathering a child with her.
Her reaction: “I felt that the ground underneath me had been pulled away. I wanted him to drop out of the race, protect our family from this woman, from his act.”
Hillary Clinton
Title: “Living History”
The husband’s indiscretion: In case you’ve forgotten: Her husband, Bill Clinton, had an affair with intern Monica Lewinsky, while president of the United States.
Her reaction: “I could hardly breathe. Gulping for air, I started crying and yelling at him, ‘What do you mean? What are you saying? Why did you lie to me?’”
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