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AmSpecBlog
Sanford Admits Affair
South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford has admitted in a live press event that the reason he was in Argentina without the public's knowledge over the past few days was to visit a woman with whom he has had an affair. He also announced that he is quitting his post as chairman of the Republican Governors Association.
He mentioned that his family had known about the affair prior to this week, and that he has already taken steps to work through the situation. During the press event he became visibly emotional, struggling at times to speak. He did give background on his partner and how he started a relationship with someone in Argentina, which seemed unrehearsed and possibly too forthcoming -- at times it seemed a little self-absorbed.
More to follow.
MORE:
Something does not quite add up. If his wife has known for at least five months that he has been unfaithful then there are two things to be explained: 1) Why was he in Argentina? He said that he was committed to a "long process" of working through the affair with his wife, so why would he be visiting this other woman? 2) Why was this scandal not avoided? From a purely political perspective, obviously Sanford would have been better off without the revelation of his affair. Even if he wanted to continue the affair, why would he go AWOL and fly to Argentina to do so? If he hadn't made the gross misstep of failing to notify anyone where he was, he never would have attracted attention. Is his paramour such an important figure in Argentina that she couldn't have met him somewhere stateside to avoid the attention that would inevitably follow a major national politician's unannounced trip to a foreign country?
In other words, based on what we know right now, there is absolutely no reason that this situation needed to be a political disaster for Sanford. If he simply could have provided any kind of excuse or shown any of the forethought with which politicians usually plot their dalliances, he still would be a 2012 contender for the Republican nomination. Either he really is that clueless, or there's even more to the story that we don't know right now.
EVEN more:
Meanwhile, in Columbia, the impeachment rumblings are only going to get louder.
UPDATE:
This explains a lot. Apparently Sanford and his wife were in a trial separation. Jenny Sanford released a statement explaining that because of his affair, two weeks ago she requested a trial separation, which she says she did for the sake of their kids and for the good of the marriage. For that reason, she didn't know his whereabouts. It also explains why he was visiting a woman in Buenos Aires even though his wife had already learned of his infidelity.
Comments
Leave a Comment
ncatty| 6.24.09 @ 2:48PM
He met her on the Appalachian trail. I didn't realize it extended all the way to Argentina....
Michelle| 6.24.09 @ 2:52PM
What an idiot! Way to pile it on to the HUGE mountain the GOP are already trying to climb...what an embarrassment!
Real American| 6.24.09 @ 2:54PM
damn it.
sandyinohio| 6.24.09 @ 2:55PM
WTF, don't any of these Republicans know how to keep their pants zipped? JC, just when we need some moral authority for Pete's sake. They all must truly be threatened by the Obama . Now THIS is a topic I'd like to hear Limbaugh give some attention, for a change! Oops! You don't say? Never mind...
Tim| 6.24.09 @ 3:06PM
There's still time to switch parties Mark, and save your career.
Tim| 6.24.09 @ 3:10PM
But you gotta do it before all the "refused stimulus " jokes get written.
Tripp| 6.24.09 @ 3:25PM
Screw all the "family values" stuff, I say Sanford/Foley in 2012.
Just kidding- if anyone from Bobby Jindal's office reads this, just tell him videoconferences only to New Orleans from now on-we can't have any more monkey business with what's left of our presidential contendors.
hmm_contrib| 6.24.09 @ 3:26PM
They all must truly be threatened by the Obama
So "the" Obama terrified Sanford into cheating on his wife? Personal responsibility takes another hit on the GOP side: popular Democratic presidents now apparently cause infidelity in their opponents.
hmm_contrib| 6.24.09 @ 3:32PM
Update for you, Sandy. Will Wilkinson may have an answer for you:
"Problem with being an American conservative is that from-the-gut romantic individualism is part of our heritage. Makes affairs likely."
Roy| 6.24.09 @ 3:51PM
As far as why his actions don't make any sense, I would imagine he is not thinking 100% straight.
As far as snickering Democrats, the fact is that Democrats are utterly without morality on the subject, worthless slimeballs through and through, from their spiritual leader, Larry Flynt, to their beloved ex-president, Bill Clinton. If Sanford were a Democrat this would be tame.
Crusader| 6.24.09 @ 4:28PM
Dollar to a donut her was there for the birth of his bastard love-child.
Pointer| 6.24.09 @ 4:35PM
In answer to the question on why this doesn't add up: My guess is that at some unconscience level he wanted to get caught. It's the only way to explain his erractic behavior.
Pete| 6.24.09 @ 4:41PM
The other way to explain it is that Obama and his thugs were about to expose it he decided to fall on his sword instead. Make no mistake, Sanford is now a dirtbag in my eyes, but I will bet this didn't come out "naturally." Any politicians (or regular citizens, for that matter) who oppose the Messiah had better have their taxes, personal lives, etc... in order or something "strange" like this will happen to them.
CS Lewis| 6.24.09 @ 5:15PM
probally had to go to Argentina to give up his DNA. Instead of keeping it where it belonged.
Mary| 6.24.09 @ 5:21PM
I’m so very sorry to read this.
I had a very bad feeling about this from the beginning, and I just knew his trip to Argentina involved the erotic. What hurts him almost more than the infidelity is the Father’s day get-away.
It’s a crying shame. He really has a lot to offer the Country. He’s the perfect antidote to what BO’s been peddling.
Wilkinson makes a very good point insofar as American conservatism is concerned. But it’s an age-old, world-wide problem. The Reformation felt the impact of The Landgrave’s dilemma.
In Rome, there’s a small apartment building in which no one resides. The apartments are reserved for man and mistress.
PBS had an old interview with JFK and Jackie. The interviewer asked Jackie if she loved JFK, and she responded with a belly-laugh that brushed aside the question as ridiculous. JFK shrank from it. I don’t know for sure, but I think the interview took place before he was elected.
Jackie probably knew, but a lot of women really are the last to know. Meanwhile, men know the instant a woman begins to lose interest.
As my Mom would say L’amanti in fuoco.
Spicy Joker| 6.24.09 @ 5:58PM
As loathsome a creep as Mark Scumford is, at least he was realistic about his chances in 2012. When Sean Hackitty asked him if he would run for President in 2012, Scumford was pretty clear that he wanted to return to the private sector. Obviously, Scumford knew that the affair would surface. By contrast, that pile of vomit John Enscum actually went to test the waters in Iowa after having an affair with a staffer and paying off her husband. Enscum actually thought he nobody would ever find out about his antics.
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