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U.S. media has paid significant attention to sexual transgressions of male politicians. Yet politicians' wives have also been under the media spotlight even when they did not engage in illicit activity. This study presents feminist textual analysis of 272 news articles covering Silda Spitzer, (then) wife of former New York governor Eliot Spitzer, and Jenny Sanford, (then) wife of former South Carolina governor Mark Sanford. Findings indicate that the press placed these women in a double bind of presence=absence, criticizing Silda Spitzer for playing the ''good wife'' who stands by her husband and chastising Jenny Sanford for pursuing an independent path from her husband during his scandal. This analysis illustrates the hegemonic role of the news media, which both establishes an idealized role for wives whose husbands are in public crisis and criticizes a political wife when she attempts to fulfill that role.

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Politicians caught in scandal often hold a press conference where they address sexual impropriety in the United States. The ‘political wife’ typically stands next to her husband, a symbol of spousal support that has received significant attention from the media. This article investigates the reactions of survey respondents to three news clips of sex-scandal press conferences, including those of former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford and former New York Congressman Anthony Weiner. The political wife plays a different role at each news event. Silda Spitzer is the present and silent wife; Jenny Sanford is the absent wife; and Huma Abedin is the present and vocal wife. Findings indicate that gender, marital status and age impact respondents’ reactions to scandals.

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