Should Public Officials' Divorces Stay Private?

Recently, Missouri lieutenant governor candidate and current Speaker of the Missouri House Stephen Tilley announced that he is getting divorced. Tilley said his divorce came at least partly because of his and his current wife's demanding schedules. It seems obvious that he is trying to get this announcement out and behind him before the political season truly ramps up in 2012.

Of particular note is that Speaker Tilley has a request of the public: "We are asking people to respect our privacy as a family, but know it will undoubtedly become public."

What if Wentzville's mayor or an alderman were to announce an impending divorce about a year before the next municipal election? Should we care? Would you care?  After all, we routinely hear about the high divorce rates in the United States and that married couples are now a minority in the United States of America, according to a New York Times article.

So, is it ridiculous or understandable that a mayor or alderman would ask that the public respect his or her privacy?