I feel badly for her too, but my reason is different. I feel sad that she has to go thru this in the glaring spotlight. Her story isn't all that different than that many women suffered thru (including myself) but at least everyone in the world didn't know about it. (It just felt that way)

He's a disgusting pig. I don't get it. I honestly, truly don't get it. Why? Why? Where have all the morals in this country gone?

lynn d you're right. Unfortunately it has happened to far too many people, famous people just have to share the pain and hurt with the world.

I'm sorry it happened to you too. I hope you have healed and are happy.

I think he used her and her political family to for his own agenda. She helped him become govenor. She wasn't needed anymore.

I feel worse for all of the children involved. How devestating this must be for them. Imagine being a teen in high school with all this going on. I wouldn't want to leave the house........

I've often wondered though - why is a child's existence so much more shameful than the affair itself? I mean it's not like he orrdered up a child, or (i assume) tried to conceive.

The real shame is that he slept around and broke his vows.

I lost any little bit of respect I had for him after I heard this story below. He's just made me dislike him even more now.

Here is a link that might be useful: pardon

I feel sorry for Maria and their children. Anyfiddler, the child's existence is more shameful only because it is proof there was an affair. What is up with these men that they don't protect themselves by wearing condoms? I have never had much respect for Arnold but now I have even less.

I've been there, and know the hurt Maria is feeling. But not experiencing the public humiliation she is having to deal with.

Makes me sad for her and kids.

I feel sorry for the maid's husband. And for the kid! To find out that your bio dad is not who you thought he was, and now it's everybody's business. Yuck.

When he still lived in Austria his goals were to "... move to America, become an actor, and marry a Kennedy." I wonder how Maria felt to have someone marry her just because she was a Kennedy. He seemed pretty proud of accomplishing his goals.

I feel bad for the 10 year old child as well. I wonder how long Maria kept this to herself. She's such a class act and he's a class ass.

What was he thinking?

I was so disgusted when he was voted into office here. I don't care for nor respect the celebrity politicians.

He's a pig and she's a classy woman. I always wondered what in the world she saw in him. He reminds me of an ape. He had affairs the whole time and was always groping women as well. I think the son is 14. On Nightline they said Maria and this housekeeper lived in the same house and both were pregnant at the same time. That's SICK!!

I think the child's appearance makes it all so awful because it is more than a physical moment then. A child brings commitment, emotion. The betrayal is 100 fold. I would bet Maria forgave him more than one affair. The child is the new news, and with someone who has lived with them for the last 20 years!!! That is a HUGE slap in the face. Maria grew up in a clan that is full of cheaters. That is part and parcel of her life..but the child, not so much. She let go of many of her values while he was in office. I wondered what she learned that changed her so. Another piece of the puzzle. They were a miss match from the beginning. It is too bad they couldn't prove they were right and the family was wrong. She should have picked her husband more carefully.

It seems that, that's what Kennedy women seem to do....forgive (supposedly) their husbands affairs. It goes way back to old Joe Kennedy, and his numerous affairs, then his son's followed in his foot steps. Arnold had this reputation of being a womanizer before she married him. A leopard doesn't change his spots. My sympathies go only to the kids involved, both Maria;s and the boy.

I hope they both move on where they belong. Maria and the kids should return to the Kennedys, she would be a great asset to a charitable organization. Remember she's smart, not just a pretty face -she used to work as a journalist. And Ahhrold should go back to making Terminatoir movies-before his body ages and sags, that is!

She should have picked her husband more carefully.

I take offence at that line on behalf of myself and any other men and woman who thought they had made the right choice, but only found out after the vows they were wrong.

Love is blind.

"Do not judge and you will never be mistaken." - Jean Jacques Rousseau (a lesson for all of us ...)

I thought of the person who said Maria should have picked her husband more carefully as soon as I read this quote on Twitter.

Really Arcy? I hope you never have to feel such betrayal, and if you do then I hope you have a caring support system and not have such an unfair statement made about you.

I feel so badly for the children, on both sides. What a blindside. I'm sure the children all knew one another when they were growing up, as I'm sure Maria did. What a cad, how does one live such a lie? Knowing that this woman lived on in my home, with my trust, would really get to me, I don't know how one gets over such deception.

Each of the numerous reports and updates recounts Maria's request for privacy, I somehow find that so heartless.

I think the maid should bear some criticism here too, not only for inappropriate behavior with him, but also for continuing to work there and keep it a secret from Maria.

Here's Maria's webpage.

Here is a link that might be useful: Maria's webpage

Maria is like many of us who thought we had married a wonderful man, only to find out he was not.
How anyone could have predicted this is beyond me. It seems pretty cut and dried. She loved her husband. They had four beautiful children together. He lied and cheated devastating all of them.
Her heart is shattered and she needs privacy and compassion. Been there done that... I hope you never have to be in those shoes.

Maria comes from a family of male adulterers, who are/were admired despite that fact.
I doubt she was surprised.

Unfortunately we tend to marry our own family's disfunction. Not her fault - He is clearly narcissistic. Like so many actors/politicians.

His body already is wrinkled and sagging, so I can't see him as a super hero any longer. What dorks me off is she gave up a lovely career as a journalist at NBC to support this philander AND Republican whose values are way different than hers I would think. Totally different political philosophies. It has been said in Germany he bragged he was coming to America to become a star and marry a Kennedy. His youngest son undoubted has played with his "brother" all those years. They have a huge mansion and I'm getting the housekeeper lived there for 20 years.

It does seem that members of the Kennedy family expect and accept skirt chasing males and the consequentially 'martyred' females. (It's not unique to that family either.)

What's odd is that it could have been concealed *from the public* for so many years.

I agree with Arcy.(and Monica) Maria did pick a man who was apt to cheat. You do not marry a man with his history and expect to change him. I don't think she was stupid, I think she expected to have to look the other way over the years. The child was the last straw.

I feel sorry for all the children, none of the adults.

There is so much information flying around at this point, and who knows what the real truth is. I wonder if Maria knew for years before this.

socks - that's what I've been wondering. Maria and her children have my full sympathy but Arnold is not the most subtle man around. The local news played a video of Arnold and a beautiful young woman who were being interviewed. The way he reached over and patted her upper thigh made me cringe- yet he did it several more times while being filmed. During his election campaign there were several reports of his behavior but he seemed to be able to 'charm' the criticism away with the support of his wife. I think his 'womanizing' is second nature to him and I doubt that he'd be able to totally conceal it from someone who is as sharp as Maria. With her political background I almost wonder if she decided to keep quiet until Arnold's term was over.

It's a terrible situation and I hope she and her children are able to handle it.