Political Wives: Do They Hold All The Power?

As they say, behind every great man is an even greater woman—or at the very least, one who's calling the shots when their husband isn't willing to do so. Whether or not you consider Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney or Donald Trump great, one thing you can't deny is that they're all very ambitious men, and all three of them have their wives to thank for it.

As was revealed in a recent New York Times article, it was Romney's wife, Ann, who urged him to run despite his reservations. She told her husband and his perfect hair that no one else would be able to beat Obama in the next election, that the country's economy couldn't be saved by anyone else, that it was practically Romney's duty to jump on the campaign trail and get things moving. So, that's exactly what Romney did, and despite her multiple sclerosis, Ann is with him at every spot. Life Coach: Can A Woman Be Both Powerful And Feminine?

The same can be said for Trump who claims that it was his wife Melania who was the one to convince him that if he ran, he'd win—and quite "easily," too. Melania supposedly told The Donald:  "People really want you. I see it on the streets. People want you and they really need you." This is actually a funny statement from a woman who probably takes a chauffeured black car from one block to the other, but either way, it was her words that made an impact and temporarily had Trump in the race.

And lastly, Gingrich, who didn't do so well last night in the Iowa Caucus, says he continues to go on and fight because of his wife Callista's "stubbornness." Callista not only had a say in Gingrich's political aspirations, but the woman pretty much single-handedly turned the former wild guy around and has made him a better person—or at least as good as Gingrich can probably get. Why Powerful Men Cheat

So with all these ladies wearing the pants in these relationships, especially when it comes to political decisions, what does this really mean? Does it mean that these women truly support and believe in the idea that their hubby can make it to the most powerful seat in the world? Or, since we don't have royalty in this country, is making your way to First Lady status actually what's driving these women to give their husbands the necessary kick they need? It's hard to tell, and even if the latter were the reason, it's not as though any of these women would admit it.

Politics aside, these three relationships are perfect examples of what it means to not only take your marriage vows seriously (rare, in a world full of Kardashians), but to really believe in someone you love—even if it's somewhat delusional of you.

While some may not see in these men what their wives see, there's still something quite extraordinary about a person who firmly thinks that the person they love is presidential material. Love may be blind, but it's also sometimes the driving force that makes for great men and women. 

Who do you think is more powerful: the men or the women behind them?