Now that the governor of South Carolina is caught up in his very own sex scandal, network commentators are reaching for the political ethics playbook and asking one big question.

Should he resign?

Now, lets face it. There are countless examples of prominent men and women who have undoubtedly changed the face of this country for the better, but had problems with cheating on the side. When we review the history of well-known extramarital affairs, we are forced to face the question: so long as a private decision (no matter how stupid) does not impact job performance, should reports of marital infidelity have the power to destroy someone’s professional career?

I would argue–strongly–that it shouldn’t.

This topic is particularly hazy in politics, but it shouldn’t be. Ideally the leader of a country should be a good example to its people, but it is more important that they be competent at their job than faithful to their spouse. Politicians are not–or should not be–elected because of “moral rectitude”. Who cares? I want someone who can enact competent changes over his jurisdiction, even if he needs to bone 6 women and a dude to do it. The last 8 years in particular have lowered my standards. I may now even be willing to accept bestiality.

Let me be clear: cheating is one of the most hurtful, terrible things one person can do to another. This is certainly not an essay in defense of cheating, or an assault on the institution of monogamy, but simply an observation: if sex scandals were allowed to dismantle the lives of all great men and women, there wouldn’t be any left. Sex lives should remain in the bedroom (or the Oval Office, in Clinton’s case) while  professional accomplishments should be heard around the world.

Here are just a few of the great men and women who may have had just a couple small issues with infidelity (or 11 years of doing 2 chicks at once…)

Michael Jordan

Media icon, legendary basketball player, not so legendary baseball player, and all-around ‘good guy’ Michael Jordan has been mired in several cheating scandals. Jordan married Juanita Vanoy in 1989 and had two sons with her. Unfortunately, he was also allegedly seeing Karla Knafel around that time, and even paid her $250,000 to keep their relationship a secret. Juanita Vanoy filed for divorce in 2002 and got $168 million, making it the most expensive celebrity divorce on public record. She said they had irreconcilable differences (I wonder why). Despite his marital improprieties, Michael Jordan is a role model and sports icon for millions of people. Just keep this in mind: when it comes to the bedroom, don’t be like Mike.

Bill Clinton

It was the blow-job heard around the world. One of the most popular presidents in recent memory, Clinton clocked a staggering 73% approval rating right AFTER the sex scandal and resultant impeachment proceedings of 1998 and 1999. In a 2007 Gallup poll, he was ranked the 4th greatest president of all time. Most people consider Monica Lewinsky’s looks to be a bit, well, depressing, and it clearly lost the election for Al Gore, but the only people that don’t like him are the brain-dead 20% that still like Bush.

James Cameron

The writer/ director/ producer has one of the best hit-to-miss ratios in Hollywood. The brain behind Terminator I and II, The Abyss, Aliens, and Titanic, James Cameron is a maestro at directing the current of pop culture. He also cheated on his first wife, Sharon Williams, with Gale Anne Hurd, who would become his second wife. He then divorced and married again…and again….and again. So maybe he’s not incredible marriage material, but you can bet I’m going to be right there in line this December when Avatar comes out.

John F. Kennedy

John F. Kennedy is one of America’s most revered presidents, and also one of our most famous playboys. While his bedroom escapades were not reported by the press at the time, he is widely known to have cheated on Jackie Kennedy with many different women. Mimi Beardsley Alford, a White House intern at the time, came forward a few weeks ago to talk about her affair with the late president, naturally with a book deal on the way as well.  While it is widely believed that Kennedy also slept with Marilyn Monroe, there is little evidence to prove that it happened. If the times had been different and Kennedy had been forced out of office as a result of his affairs, the Cuban Missile Crisis could have ended with disastrous consequences. As he should be, Kennedy is remembered not for his sexual proclivities, but for a contagious charm, wit, and optimism that inspired a generation of Americans.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

The man who fearlessly led the country through the Great Depression and the beginning of World War II had enough time on his hands to have multiple affairs. Talk about multitasking! Lucy Mercer was hired in 1914 as Eleanor Roosevelt’s social secretary and shortly afterwards began an affair with FDR that endured on and off for nearly 30 years. Eleanor discovered the affair in 1918 and even offered FDR a divorce so that he could be with her, but Lucy said she could not bring herself to marry a divorced man with 5 children. After all, why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free? During the war, rumors circulated about another potential affair with Princess Martha of Norway and in 1971, Roosevelt’s son Elliot published a book revealing that he also had a relationship with Missy LeHand, his private secretary. Or rather the secretary of his privates.

John McCain

Recent bias plays a big role in sex scandals. John McCain had an affair when he was with his first wife, Carol, but it wasn’t big news during the campaign because it happened in the seventies–plus, no one wants to imagine McCain having sex. While McCain was a POW in Vietnam (if you have ears and an IQ above 30, you are aware of that part), Carol was in a serious car accident and underwent a  series of surgeries (ironically paid for by none other than Ross Perot). When John returned from Vietnam in 1973 he found his wife 4 inches shorter, heavier, and bound to a wheelchair or crutches. A couple years later, for reasons we can all imagine but that don’t reflect too kindly on the man, he started having a series of affairs, including one in 1979 with his future second wife, Cindy. Oops. Despite the fact that these affairs were public knowledge well before the 2008 election, McCain still won the Republican nomination, and nearly won the presidency.

Donald Trump

The American business tycoon, socialite, and television personality cheated on his first wife, Ivana Trump, with socialite Marla Maples. Their heavily publicized divorce fueled the gossip columns, and soon after their divorce was finalized, Donald married Marla. It ended up being pretty expensive–and ultimately unnecessary, since Donald and Marla would only last another 7 years. He is now on his third wife, and it is anyone’s guess if she will be the next to hear, “You’re fired!” But let’s be honest now. Trump is one of the wealthiest and most successful business moguls in America. Does anyone really expect him to be a committed and monogamous family man?

Prince Charles

Charles Philip Arthur George is the oldest child of Queen Elizabeth II. His early sexual exploits made significant tabloid fodder and during that time he was advised by his great uncle that “…the man should sow his wild oats and have as many affairs as he can before settling down.” The words every man wants to hear! Charles met Diana in the summer of 1980 and under pressure from his father proposed to her in February 1981. After their wedding, the high profile marriage was on the rocks after only 5 years when it turned out Prince Charles was still seeing Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall (who he dated in his younger days) in the early 1980s. After the death of Princess Diana in 1997 (at which point Camilla and Charles had been together for over a decade) they married in 2005. Royal oops.

Morgan Freeman

The man has played God. He also won an Academy Award. While Morgan Freeman has made a career out of playing likable, respectable, all-around good guys, the actor and producer is currently mired in what is likely to be a very expensive divorce. The details of Morgan Freeman’s affair(s) are more prone to speculation because news about them has broken relatively recently. Somewhat credible sources have been talking about an affair with Mary Joyce Hays, an aspiring writer, with a source reporting that they have been seeing each other for about a year. Another just-breaking story has other less credible sources going on about an alleged decade long affair with his 27 year old step-granddaughter, E’Dena Hines. Might turn out to be a big oops. Or just tabloid sludge.

Rudy Giuliani

Former mayor of NYC and presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani made headlines (and tabloid fodder) when he split up with his wife Donna Hanover over his affair with Cristyne Lategano saying that, “For several years, it was difficult to participate in Rudy’s public life because of his relationship with one staff member.” As if one affair wasn’t enough, he was also seeing Judith Nathan when he was mayor and billed the city for some of the expenses, an issue that arose during his presidential bid. Despite all of this, Rudy’s multiple women didn’t prevent him from mounting (and later destroying) a respectable campaign for the presidency. Yet another example of selective moral outrage on the part of the American people.

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Naturally, this list could be much, much longer. Many men (and women) cheat, but it shouldn’t come to define their public persona. Furthermore, not all affairs are created equal. It’s hard to think about Clinton without thinking about Monica Lewinsky, but in contrast not that many people even know John McCain had an affair. What do you think? Should an affair be a career-ender?