Sanford Falls On Sword (It Must Be Love 'Cause He Looks So Dumb)

Boston Herald ^ | June 26, 2009 | Michael Graham

[suspects]

“Who is this guy?”

That was my recurring thought watching Gov. Mark Sanford’s slo-mo train wreck of a press conference on Wednesday.

I know Mark Sanford from my days as a GOP political consultant in South Carolina. I introduced him at a speech to the libertarian Cato Institute before he became governor.

Mark Sanford was smooth. He was smart. Above all, Mark Sanford was cool. In many ways, he was the Republican Barack Obama. Sanford is a true small-government conservative, an ideology that, like Obama’s MoveOn.org liberalism, isn’t very popular. But like Obama, Mark Sanford had the political skills to get voters past his policies and give him their votes.

That’s the Mark Sanford I knew.

So who was that stumbling, bumbling, embarrassing klutz giving the most cringe-inducing press conference in recent memory? It was so painful that I half expected Larry “I Am Not Gay” Craig to step in and go, “Mark, maybe you should let me take over . . . ”

I’ve seen Sanford discussing the ideological underpinnings of school choice with academics one day, and the attributes of the ideal hunting dog sitting in a pickup the next. The guy who could make anyone feel comfy around him was on TV making an entire nation feel icky.

What happened?

Was this the Clintonesque cheater finally caught with his pants - or as they say in Buenos Aires, “pantalones” - down? Is Sanford yet another arrogant pol in the tradition of Gary Hart and John Edwards, who thought he could get away with it?

No. His story is more tragic. He’s not a preacher who fell from grace. He’s a man who fell in love.

How else to explain the sheer idiocy of his behavior? Cheaters have workarounds; they know how to...

[dalebert]

republican= democrat

[muawiyah]

Sanford who?

Isn't he the guy working out of his junkyard who was going to be the Great White Hope who combined Libertarianism with self-less independence from the Holy Rollers who dog the Republican party with their petty social issues?

Hmmm~!

Well, guess that's over.

[Joe Boucher]

Sure is easy to think ALL politicians are dirt.

[autumnraine]

I don’t buy that ‘I’m in love and just can’t help myself” crap. Love is a choice.

[EternalVigilance]

independence from the Holy Rollers who dog the Republican party with their petty social issues

Don't worry. You won't have to worry about being saddled with them much longer.

[muawiyah]

Did I forget /sarc ?

Well doggone.

BTW, even with the Rapture that doesn't mean you can't still vote ~ I'm sure arrangements can be made, so, wherever you find yourself please encourage your friends and family to get out and vote for the Republicans.

[Dixie Yooper]

Farah Faucet and Michael Jackson couldn’t have died at a better time for Mark Sanford, except that people from South Carolina don’t know who Farah Faucet and Michael Jackson are... :)

[muawiyah]

The folks at Daily Kos, DU and other Leftwingtard sites claim there's sufficient information to raise a question about the woman's motives ~ that she may very well have been little more than an Argentine government agent ~ kind of like that Chinese gal Richard Nixon was supposed to have met and "corresponded with" in Hong Kong.

Following the relationship time-line with these two it looks like the deal wasn't consummated until Sanford was being looked at as a VP candidate to run with McCain.

I'd imagine Argentina's politicians are still looking for a way to get back on the world stage after their international debt repudiation 9 years ago, and observing how well George Bush's sister in law manipulated her husband and George to take up cudgels on behalf of illegal Mexican entrants, the temptation may have been more than they could stand.

[utahagen]

You can't choose your feelings, but you sure as hell can choose what you do about them. When Sanford got married, he didn't promise he'd never fall in love with another woman; he promised he'd stick with his wife even if he did fall in love with another woman.

In addition to Sanford's behavior being morally bad, it's pathetic and stupid. You know this chick in Argentina saw his press conference and said, “Next!”

[utahagen]

I believe Senator Ensign went public with his affair because he was being blackmailed by his paramour’s husband. Blackmail is one of the reasons politicians owe it to their constituents not to cheat on their wives.

[autumnraine]

I think the difference he will find is when she is no longer boffing the “Governor of South Carolina, Presidential Hopeful” but just plain old Mark Sanford. His allure will have dropped tremendously.

[almcbean]

“Holy Rollers who dog the Republican party with their petty social issues”.

You may think that the destruction of marriage, which is the foundation of a civilized society, and the taking of 50 million lives of the unborn are petty social issues, but I beg to differ.

[Star Traveler]

The article said — Mark Sanford’s slo-mo train wreck of a press conference on Wednesday.

—

Ummm..., that’s also in his life, too — a “slo-mo train wreck” of a life..., unfortunately...

[Thebaddog]

How many more of these goofs are out there in the Republican Party ready to blow up like Pinata?

Can we get them all out next weekend for a nice fireworks display and then we can get about the business of saving our country from the Worker's Paradise that Obama has coming for us?

[Star Traveler]

You said — You may think that the destruction of marriage, which is the foundation of a civilized society, and the taking of 50 million lives of the unborn are petty social issues, but I beg to differ.

—

Yep, there are too many GOP “Democrat wannabes” out there...

[Daisyjane69]

realizing that this is going to make me as popular as a skunk at a picnic....I think the man IS in love.

As I said last night, if I were his wife and I saw those emails, I’d be fit to be tied. But if I were his wife and looked at those a second and third time (as hurtful as it would be), I would not be trying to save this marriage. I’d be trying to figure out how to manage the separation of the family. He is never going to be the same after this relationship, no matter how unseemly the circumstances.

I have a ton of male friends (almost all male, in fact) and one thing I know about all of them: they don’t have to travel thousands of miles for a “booty call.” And they sure don’t put 6 years into something, hoping in year 7 that it might yield some “action.” And three times a year isn’t enough to keep them hangin’ on, if that’s all they’re after. No, this looks to me like a real, honest to goodness thing. I’m just sayin....

[EQAndyBuzz]

“Following the relationship time-line with these two it looks like the deal wasn’t consummated until Sanford was being looked at as a VP candidate to run with McCain.”

He knew her 8 years. I bet they were doing it way back then. He just got caught this time around.

[muawiyah]

YOu don't differ at all from what I posted. Get it out of your mind that when the term "Holy Roller" is used it's always as a negative element ~ this time it was in apposition to the beliefs of the Libertarians and RINOs who want Social Conservatives to leave the Republican party (which would be really stupid since the SCs are 85% of the Republican voting base).

Please show me that your public school education was as good as mine by parsing those longer sentences and deriving the meaning thereof.

[GreenHornet]

Sanford, you big dummy!

[broken_arrow1]

He left his beautiful, intelligent wife for that barking dog...what a dummy!

[Jaidyn]

I believe Senator Ensign went public with his affair because he was being blackmailed by his paramour’s husband. Blackmail is one of the reasons politicians owe it to their constituents not to cheat on their wives.

Maybe the wife was planning on getting some of that money, too? You never know about people these days. What's up is down, and so forth...

[Condor51]

Aw c'mon. cut him some slack. He fell in loooooooove

My Maria (midi 3:36)
My Maria don't you know I've come a long, long way
I been longin' to see her
When she's around she takes my blues away
Sweet Maria the sunlight surely hurts my eyes
I'm a lonely dreamer on a highway in the skies

Maria, Maria I love you

My Maria there were some blue and sorrow times
Just my thoughts about you bring back my piece of mind
Gypsy lady you're a miracle work for me
You set my soul free like a ship sailing on the sea
She is the sunlight when the skies are grey
She treats me so right lady take me away

My Maria
Maria I love you
My Maria
Maria I love you

My Maria
Maria I love you

The poor guy just watched the Brooks and Dunn Music Video one too many times then couldn't help himself.

You Tube Video: Original of B&D's My Maria (One of my fave B&D songs)
My Maria w/ Lyric Captions

an aside: Ronnie Dunn HATED this song. He thought singing all those high notes made him sound like a girl.

[NaughtiusMaximus]

Dropping everything and running off to Buenos Aires with your mistress. . .

That is sooooo Forties.

[Condor51]

*** Dropping everything and running off to Buenos Aires with your mistress. . . That is sooooo Forties. ****

Yeah. I guess Sanford is just 'an old fashioned guy'.

:-)

[NaughtiusMaximus]

Things I hope the Gov did in Buenos Aires:

1. Shed a tear at the tomb of the greatest tango singer of all: Caudel.

2. Laid a wreath at the foot of Juan Miguel Fangio’s Ferrari.

3. Meditated before the vault of the Spiritual Leader of the Nation. (Is that really her in there?)

[section9]

Nice to know that My Sarah is still a stand-up gal with her guy Todd.

Best,

Chris

[RDTF]

Yesterday Sanford experienced the Condit effect. He will resign and soon be out of the spotlight.

[Condor51]

Your #2 for sure.

Plus I don't think he had time for the other two, especially #1. He was doing his own 'Tango' ;-)

[stuartcr]

We’ll know how much in love he is, if he either moves to Argentina, or moves her up to SC. If they do not stay together, then I think he was more stupid, than in love.

[SumProVita]

“He’s a man who fell in love.”

Actually, he’s a man who fell into SIN. People don’t “fall” into love. That sounds like an adolescent explanation. Real love is a commitment.

There IS an orchestrated attack on marriage. We ALL need to be alert to its destructive forces.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

No, this looks to me like a real, honest to goodness thing. I’m just sayin..

So what?!? He ruins his family and damages the lives of his children and wife because he fell in love? Let him tough it out and act like an adult and a parent. If that means he will be miserable for the rest of his life, maybe it will teach him a lesson!

[Huck]

I agree with you. It’s doomed though. He’s gonna end up with neither woman. He made the wrong choice. He was destined for some pain either way. Shoulda chose his family.

[battletank]

I stink like a skunk too because I agree with you. Those emails...and that press conference seemed pretty clear to me that this guy has it bad for this woman.

I also agree with Huck that he’s ruined himself and alot of others because of it.

[Daisyjane69]

Ok, I’ll play.

I’m on record as saying he behaved like a complete schmuck. We’re cool, so far, right? (Please don’t confuse my explanation for some weird sort of permission.)

So now I’m his wife (and that was how I approached my comment, if I were his wife). Do I want to FORCE this man, who is clearly head over heels in love with another woman to stay with me? No. For the sake of the “children?” Especially NO. Do I want him to still be a fit father? Of course.

I have been on both ends of this, in the real world. Not in some abstract world. When something like this happens, (and this is no roll in the hay) neither marriage partner is the same afterwards. It is an end like no other. One spouse longs for something they crave, the other knows they can not be that very thing. It becomes a situation like two co-workers who say “hello” but say little else to each other. Trust me when I tell you this: no normal American female reads those emails between those two concludes that any reconciliation is for any reason other than convenience. They know the score...and Jenny Sanford knows the score.

On the other hand, there are the kids. They see the scenario I just described. Two parents, miserable for entirely different reasons. Have you ever lived in such a household? I have. It’s tense and miserable and you cannot wait to reach age 18 to move out. I’m always amused by people who claim couples should stay together “for the children.” The next group of kids I meet that agree with that statement will be the first I’ve ever met. My own son finally called me on that stupidity when he said “How long are you going to put up with this sh*t, or am I going to have to run away from home or something?” Kids are smarter than we give them credit for. Is my son resentful? Not a bit. He calls me every day to fill me in on his life. And I had to call and remind him three times to call his dad on Father’s Day.

I’m sure as hell no liberal, but I don’t think ANY human being should pay the rest of their life for something like this. Repeating what I said a day ago, based on what we know so far:

It sure sounds to me like Jenny and Mark Sanford were a couple with ambition, not unlike Pres. Clinton and Hillary. I mean no disrespect in this. But like the Clinton’s, they reached an apex. I think the governor has come to a place (perhaps a mid-life type crisis) where he wishes a romantic love, rather than a partner in the “business.” That doesn’t make it right, mind you.

But he’s clearly changed his priorities, as he’s gotten older.

Flame away.

[Daisyjane69]

And I just wanna say this other thing, my friend.

Don’t think for a moment I don’t believe in marriage. I DO.
But I also know that there are such things as crappy marriages; and not all spouses are raw material for rehabilitation. I share your view of the “perfect” but I have my Reeboks here in the real world, crummy red S.Utah dirt and all. But I’m in the real world, both eyes open.

I share your worship of marriage. But I also see God’s hand in saying “Ok, since you’re too stupid to do this yourself, obviously, I guess I will have to do this for you!” And God picked out someone for me just right (like in the three bears...not too hot, not too cold). Trust me, I’d have never stumbled on this man on my own, it’s too goofy. We live 2000 miles apart and we are closer than every single married couple we know. In that sense, we are already “married” until our circumstances change.

Maybe I’m all wrong, but I think the good lord executes an occasional “mulligan” to straighten us out.

[what's up]

And three times a year isn’t enough to keep them hangin’ on, if that’s all they’re after. No, this looks to me like a real, honest to goodness thing.

3 times a year is an honest to goodness thing?

Yeah, right. Pure infatuation. If he was living with her day in and day out with dirty diapers and a real job we would see how fast the infatuation wore off.

[Daisyjane69]

Darlin, you must know different males than I do. Perhaps a higher species. I’m thinking we should contact the environmentalists; they sound like a superior gene pool! :) I’m thinking they need to be protected!

I have a TON of male friends. Not one of them would be content with tossing our their careers and families for 3 “booty calls” a year. He could have gone anywhere for that. Btw, be sure to replay his speech of the other day and note whom he apologized to, and in which order. That should straighten things out for everyone around here.

While I agree with you that day to day life (dirty diapers and dishes and all) would be different and more difficult, I’m not convinced that doesn’t make her his one true thing.

I’m going to write a note to myself, here. And my fellow FReepers can see it. I predict a reconciliation between Mr. and Mrs. Sanford. For the kids and all that.

And I also predict that in about 4 or 5 years, that Mr. Sanford is GONE to pursue his love.

I’m not sticking up for him, mind you. I just see what I see.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

If the parents can’t be civil to each other, and even have some affection for each other, they have failed in their duty to God, to society, and to their children. Younger children are not concerned with their parent’s happiness (they are selfish, being children), they are concerned with losing their stability and their homes. Divorce of parents with younger children is virtually always a form of child abuse. The children lose a stable home life, and usually become poorer than they were before. The psychological damage is real and has been established statistically, whatever lies divorced parents may tell themselves.

Apparently some folks have gotten the odd idea that life is about seeking personal pleasure, and doing whatever pleases them, without regard for the harm it does others. This idea is destroying families, society, this country, and western civilization.

[what's up]

Not one of them would be content with tossing our their careers and families for 3 “booty calls” a year.

He didn't toss anything. He needed to live on the edge because his own life was too restricting, convinced himself he was "in love", and just got caught.

Bill Clinton thought he was in love too. Many times. So do a lot of philanderers. Just a fantasy. Real love is keeping the vows.

Go ahead and predict. Who cares?

[svxdave]

Daisyjane69,

What a great way to look at this. Sanford had everything but “love”. His wife was simply a partner in the Sanford Express. She had money and other assets “they” could use to get ahead. He had charisma and brains. It worked until, as you state, he reached a point where he longed for romantic love.

Thank you for your insight.

[Daisyjane69]

Thanks.

Feels rather lonely out here.

[svxdave]

I don’t think “Bill Clinton thought he was in love, too”.

I have been an observer of this sort of thing for five decades and I have concluded there are three kinds of adulterous males: (1) the Predator (like Bill Clinton, (2) the “Sucker” (kind of like a reverse “Predator”) and (3) the “Lovestruck”.

I think Sanford is one of the Lovestruck.

[The Pack Knight]

All I can say is I’m staying single if I ever get into politics.

[The Pack Knight]

I think you’re exactly right. What he did was certainly wrong, but to watch people sit around here and beat their chests in self-righteous indignation over a situation they know little about is pretty embarrassing.

[dfwgator]

This has rendered him ineffective as a leader and chief executive, for that reason alone, he needs to go.

[deport]

Here is a short video that sorta lead to the conclusion you are making.

Gov. Sanford's Wife: "His Career Is Not A Concern Of Mine"

And this one features Chapur....
Maria Chapur reporting from NYC shortly after 9-11