Posted on 06/24/2009 12:13:57 PM PDT by FromLori
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Mark Sanford, the governor of South Carolina, apologized in a rambling news conference on Wednesday for having an extra-marital affair with a woman in Argentina, ending a mystery over his week-long disappearance that had infuriated lawmakers and seemed to put his rising political career in jeopardy.
Governor Sanford admitted he had been in Buenos Aires, Argentina, since Thursday, not hiking on the Appalachian Trail as he told his staff. In revealing an affair that had gone on for about a year — and which he had disclosed to his wife, Jenny, five months ago, he said: “This was selfishness on my part.”
Mr. Sanford announced on Wednesday that he was resigning his position as chairman of the Republican Governors Association.
In an interview with The State newspaper of Columbia, S.C., on Wednesday morning, Mr. Sanford said he had taken an unplanned trip to the South American country to recharge after a difficult legislative session in which he battled with lawmakers over accepting a portion of the federal stimulus funding.
He had considered hiking the trail, he said. “But I said ‘no’ I wanted to do something exotic,” Mr. Sanford told The State. “It’s a great city.”
Only at the news conference did he reveal why he traveled there.
The whispers about the missing governor started as early as Friday, when one lawmaker and outspoken rival of Mr. Sanford was quietly outraged that the governor had left the state without a plan for a transfer of power in the event of an emergency.
State Senator John M. Knotts, Jr., a Republican, said in a telephone interview that he got a tip from a caller — whom he would not identify —
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
So he started cheating on his wife a year ago, told her about it 5 months ago, and then kept on seeing the other woman as recently as this week? "Sad" is not the word I would have chosen. "Scum" is more like it.
Resign already and shut up.
Well said.
That’s right. What has happened here? It used to the be dems who got caught in sex scandals and the Republicans - oh, it doesn’t matter. Every single republican is under a microscope and they all know it. Why on earth would he do something like this? Now it’s just going to deflect attention from the real issues - health care, cap-and-trade, you name it - the dems will pass it all because we have to exame Mark Sandford’s love affair. A woman from Argentina?? Come on...did he really think he could get away with an intercontinental fling like this?
This is absolutely infuriating.
Agree but it is sad for his wife and family.
His wife knew months ago the rest of the family might have turned against him years ago he figured what the heck time to go out with a bang.
At this rate Palin could be the last candidate standing come January 2012.
What an arrogant ass.
Is there any photographic evidence to determine guilt or innocence?
I almost want Sarah to run as an Independent so she isn’t pulled down by the rest of the GOP.
Didn’t he say in the news conference that his wife and him are separated?
Real conservatives don’t do this in the first place.
I am thoroughly disgusted and baffled by Mark Sanford's behavior.
Why would somebody think they could get away with this and not get caught especially a high profile figure like a governor? As much as I liked Gov. Sanford for his politics, he is now toxic waste. What a shame.
I'm only sorry that conservatives expect other conservatives to be completely without fault in order to support them. I don't care as much about their personal failings as long as they are honest. Nobody is perfect.
While the dems and the media obfuscate and obstruct, and line up solidly to support their own accused of far worse things, they are all to eager to point out the failings of conservatives. They know that conservatives are like pirhannas to each other. All you have to do to get rid of a conservative is accuse them of moral failings, and other conservatives will take care of the rest.
Why are Republicans the minority by such a large margin? See above.
LOL at the Democrats “outraged” by the governor’s behavior. They’re such hypocrites.
Where do they get the energy?
She won’t be the last one standing, there are a few others, but I tell ya what, no one has to worry about Sarah Palin having an affair, she can’t even leave her house without an ethics complaint being made against her, if she pees people know about it. It’s a real shame cause I thought Sanford was a classy guy, and a Palin/Sanford ticket looked nice, now it won’t happen
On one hand, I remember him laughing at SP’s name when they were talking about future leaders of the GOP, so I don’t care that he trashed his ‘12 hopes. On the other hand this is bad b/c the msm will cover this story 24/7 instead of 0bama’s string of failures.
but he now holds the Guinness Book record for long-distance booty call.....
I once read that every single president except Nixon cheated on his wife while in office. This was in the Clinton days, and I have a feeling that after Clinton, neither Bush nor Obama has cheated... But still, that says something about politicans. That means Reagan and Washington cheated. I wouldn’t be surprised, I don’t even think it’s a character flaw with these guys. It’s more about the power than the sex.
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