Wisconsin Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager pleads guilty to OWI.

The AG can recover from this incident, although it's going to require considerable effort. She made a smart move by making clear she wants to be treated like any other state employee would under similar circumstances (the only difference being she can't be fired since she's an elected official).

Besides going through the process and licking her wounds, Lautenschlager should become an outspoken opponent of drunk driving and take a leadership role on curbing alcohol abuse in the state. By taking her weakness and making it a strength, she could gain respect among voters in the long term.