[makmanalp]

I am not so sure. Taking a scandal you're in and spinning it or making the most of it is not a guaranteed success. I don't think politicians willingly put themselves into such situations, they just survive them sometimes.

As for your examples, the fact that politicians use drugs or have sex is no surprise to anyone, for example, but what if it was exposed that Berry secretly supported something that his constituency disagreed with? That's real political damage that's harder to survive.

I do think it's kinda far fetched that everyone is sufficiently intimidated that no one says anything.