Let's think this through. How can an affair like this one resolve itself so that everyone gains: the wife regains her dignity, the husband has a chance to retain his career, and the public feels that appropriate Justice is done? Here are my thoughts:

"Men are dogs, and Big Men are junkyard dogs". We need to recognize that the adulterous behavior of powerful men is normative. Power is an aphrodisiac to men: it commands the esteem of women, it conveys a sense of invulnerability, and it provides the means (out of town travel, protective aides, unlimited funds) for delicious trysts. A man of power is unusual if he isn't an adulterer.

Given the above, wives should not be surprised- or pretend to be surprised- when their husbands are found out. No, her first thought should be, "Gotcha!" She should immediately engage in some hardheaded negotiation, so that she is the first to speak at the press conference:

"Eliot and I have talked this over at length. I fully understand his temporary lapse of judgment. He allowed the pleasures of a gorgeous floozie to distract him from the enduring love and life-partnership that our marriage is. He has vowed not to repeat his folly, and I have forgiven him. And we have reached an agreement as to compensation for the injury he has done. All family issues have thus been resolved; Eliot will now describe how he intends to resolve the legal issues."

Of course, "compensation" is the key word. No need to define it other than to imply that it is big— Guilt Money paid into her private account, on the order of $10 for each $1 spent on commercial sex, or a minimum of $5,000 for each freebie adulterous act.

One more thing: the wife should look sharp for the press conference. She needs to show that she's energized and uplifted by the experience, not downtrodden and devalued. Who knows- by virtue of Guilt Money, she now has the discretionary funds, and the motive, for a little squaring of accounts. Cute pool boys and suave Italian gigolos should take note, and discreetly submit a resume and a photograph...

If only the Spitzers had done something like this! Silda would have looked strong and decisive; Big Men everywhere would have seen that their transgressions can come at great cost; the public would have seen a husband punished and forgiven; and Eliot, tail between his legs, might just have had sufficient wifely support and public sympathy to have kept the Federal hounds at bay enough to continue his good work as Governor.