By Bhagyashree Garekar, US Correspondent

IF AN extramarital affair is a near-death experience for a politician, his wife has always held the power to resuscitate him.

Until Mrs Jenny Sanford came along last week, however, Americans had hardly ever seen the wronged wife abandon the life-saver's role in the quest for her own dignity.

Indeed, it seemed as though American politicians had been remarkably blessed with supportive wives over the years. He romances an intern, has a dalliance overseas, hires a pricey escort or carries on with a campaign aide. When the lid comes off the affair, the wife, more often than not, chooses to stand by her cheating man - literally.

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