Birds, bees and political ruin

The Hon. John Della Bosca MLC resigned as NSW Health Minister and leader of the NSW Legislative Council after it was made public that he has had an affair, thus ending his considerable hopes of becoming state premier. In the manner of his resignation and his statements afterwards, Mr Della Bosca conducted himself with dignity and blamed no one but himself. What I simply do not understand is how a powerful and apparently successful leader could want to risk throwing it all away for the sake of adulterous short-term thrills. Mr Della Bosca isn’t the first to do this and won’t be the last. Maybe I was asleep when they explained about the birds and the bees, but I just don’t get it.