Throughout the years there have been many scandals from affairs to misuse of power within the people we trust to run this country. When it comes to a politician and someone of high-ranking power there personal life should weigh-in on their career.
In the most current scandal David Petraeus, CIA director, was having an affair with Paula
Broadwell, an author who co-wrote his biography. Could
you imagine how devastating it would have been if Petraeus leaked top
secret information to her? She could have inserted information into a
book or submitted an article to a newspaper. If Petraeus is so incapable
of being faithful to his family, how could he be faithful to his
nation? With access to top secret information he needs to have more self control then what he showed. Thankfully, he did resign from the position.
In the past, we have had high public figures step down from office due to black eyes on their personal affairs. President Clinton, for example, was impeached for lying about his affair with Monica Lewinsky. Public figures should be a representation of what the nation stands for. To be reflected as liars does nothing but tarnish the reputation that the U.S. has upheld.
In our society, cheating is seen as taboo no matter who you are. So, why should we let our public figures slide by when they hold so much power? They should have a personal life that makes people proud that this person is serving our country. If in their personal life they can’t treat their loved ones properly or show a certain level of responsibility and maturity, I sure as hell don’t want them in power.
It isn’t even just about having affairs. There is President Nixon and the Watergate scandal, who used tax payer money to hide his tracks. Looking into someone’s personal life can also reveal if they are making decisions for personal interests, only doing what benefits their personal life and not the nation. 
Nowadays, with all of the new technology coming out, it is really hard to keep anything personal. A personal life has become a far-off ideal and not reality. When someone such as a politician, or high-ranking member of the military takes their position, they should expect to be watched closely within the public eye. What someone does on their personal time shows the kind of person they are. If they abused animals or did a drug for recreational purposes, then it would be clear that the person would be a horrible candidate to handle the well-being of our country.
Overall, public figures really don’t have a fine line between their office and home lives. When dealing with such powerful information and decision-making, the person has to be trusted to not involve outside sources or abuse the power responsibility has given them. What happens in someone’s personal life can effect what happens in the office along with his or her performance.