Being a rising political star can be as risky as being a child star.
Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife today, a few days shy of four years after he gave the Republican response to the State of the Union — a rare honor for a governor just starting on the job.
By the end of that term, however, McDonnell had gotten into trouble for from a business executive who was looking for favors from state government.
But other one-time rising political stars have been brought down:
• John Edwards, one-term U.S. senator, 2004 Democratic vice presidential nominee and 2008 presidential also-ran, to his pregnant mistress.
• Mark Sanford, former Republican governor of South Carolina, tumbled badly when he was to meet his mistress, though he later was .
• John Ensign, former Republican senator from Nevada, that he funneled money to his former mistress and helped her husband get a job.
All three politicians were at one point considered credible candidates for the presidency. But not any more.
