Mark Sanford, Governor of South Carolina and South American gigalo?

[Zosi]

I didn't see a thread for this, amazingly, so here goes nothing...

Short story for anyone who is unfamiliar, Mark Sanford is the Republican governor of South Carolina, he's a big Obama critic and was held up as someone who might run for President in 2012. He disappeared over this past (Father's Day) weekend, didn't tell his wife or kids or the Lt. Governor, apparently told his staff that he was hiking the Appalachian Trail alone to "clear his mind" after a stressful few weeks with the battle against taking stimulus money, etc. There was some outrage over this, primarily because he didn't properly transfer power to the Lt. Gov, so he was technically still in command while he was completely out of touch. Bad, but not BAD.

Enter the BAD. After all this comes out, a reporter catches him disembarking from a plane, digs a bit, and finds out that he was in Argentina, not the Appalachians. He changes his story and says that he was driving along the Argentinian coastline rather than hiking, but then schedules a press conference for today. At the press conference, he admits to having an affair with a young Argentinian woman that he met via e-mail, says that the affair is STILL ONGOING, and announces that he's stepping down from his leadership post in the Republican Governor's Association.

So, fellow BG politicos, what do you guys think of this? What the fuck was he thinking, particularly the part about not breaking it off? Should he resign as governor? After this and Ensign recently, are the Republicans ever going to give up on the family-values moral superiority bullshit? Does anyone have any respect left for Fox News after they "accidentally" called him a Democrat:

http://images2.dailykos.com/images/u...24_sanford.jpg

Personally, while I think that the affair showed rather bad judgment, the real mistake was leaving the country without telling anyone to have a romantic roll on the beach. I'm not sure how that could possibly seem like a good idea unless you simply care more about your libido than your job. If something serious had happened while he had been gone, there would've been major problems because of the disruption of the power hierarchy - he still had command authority, and I believe (although I'm not 100% sure) that he would've had to have been removed from authority through emergency measures if the situation required someone to officially exercise the governor's power. Most of that could've been avoided if he had followed the official protocol and temporarily given the Lt. Governor power while he was on his "hiking trip", although that still would leave the affair as something that pisses a lot of voters on both sides off.

[Tristam]

Too much republican infidelity this week for fox news to handle, John Ensign must be happy the heat is off him for the time being.

[_chuchu]

I highly doubt that (D) was a mistake, but a not so subtle attempt to bash dems (i.e. affairs, Clinton.)

[Cephius]

Most of this board are anti-republican and you'd be hard pressed to find any intelligent person under 30 who has any respect for Fox News.

Preach on, brotha

[Mizango]

The Carolinas baby! We breed bosses.

I'm talking everyone from John Edwards and Strom Thurman all the way down to Gov. Sanford. Playas gone play.

On a serious note I cant wait to see the shit storm on the TV when I finally get out of work, I'm sure everyone is talking about this and will be for a long time to come.

[Koyuki]

Governor gettin his.

[ZarakiKujata]

Another GOP 2012 hopeful bites the dust.

Who is gonna come out w/ an affair next? Gingrich, Pawlenty or Romney?

[_chuchu]

The Carolinas baby! We breed bosses.

I'm talking everyone from John Edwards and Strom Thurman all the way down to Gov. Sanford. Playas gone play.

On a serious note I cant wait to see the shit storm on the TV when I finally get out of work, I'm sure everyone is talking about this and will be for a long time to come.

Ballas gone ball ♫

Governor gettin his.

got. but lol

[Tristam]

I like how he met her via e-mail, true love via the internet people. I don't think there's a politician alive who isn't involved in an extramarital affair.

[Day]

what the fuck the story has changed 18 times and he decides to stick with an affair in Argentina?

[Day]

How do you meet someone through email anyways, did he respond to one of those penis emails?

[Xno Kappa]

lolAtpartyoffamilyvalues.

[Zosi]

what the fuck the story has changed 18 times and he decides to stick with an affair in Argentina?

According to Rush Limbaugh, coming out with the truth like this is what puts Sanford ahead of the Democrats who have had affairs. I guess it doesn't matter that he didn't tell his family, lied to his staff, then lied again to everyone before finally "being honest" and announcing this.

[Kuya]

You guys jump to conclusions. Maybe she was just a Guantanamo detainee and he was just making sure she wasn't a terrorist. Perhaps via some form of advanced interrogation techniques.

[Mizango]

According to Rush Limbaugh, coming out with the truth like this is what puts Sanford ahead of the Democrats who have had affairs. I guess it doesn't matter that he didn't tell his family, lied to his staff, then lied again to everyone before finally "being honest" and announcing this.

LOOOOL

GOP's fearless leader has spoken.

[Mizango]

You guys jump to conclusions. Maybe she was just a Guantanamo detainee and he was just making sure she wasn't a terrorist. Perhaps via some form of advanced interrogation techniques.

Oh I see where you're going with this Kuya, because that's something "Dick" would say right!?

You sly fox you.

[Pringles]

Governor be smart. He realizes in today's economy, it's easier to get a South American girl than an American girl. American girl would have cost him more money in the long run, as she'd be trying to extort money from him or threaten to expose him. South American girl saw it as a chance to get herself to the US. Dude shoulda been smarter though and told his staff he was taking the time off though and given power to the Lt. Governor.

[Kuya]

I hear say that Dick always aims for the face though.

[Xno Kappa]

Love how Rush glances over the fact the governor went AWOL for days.

[Mizango]

Love how Rush glances over the fact the governor went AWOL for days.

Too hopped up on hydrocodone to care tbh.