ANOTHER Repulican hypocrite has a dirty little affair

strandinthewind · #1 06-24-2009, 05:54 PM

South Carolina Gov. Sanford admits extramarital affair

* Story Highlights
* S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford apologizes for affair with Argentine
* Sanford had been in Buenos Aires, Argentina
* Staff had said he was hiking along the Appalachian Trail
* Governor's whereabouts were unknown after his bruising session with Legislature

(CNN) -- South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, just back from a secret trip to Argentina unknown to his staff or his wife, admitted Wednesday he has carried on an extramarital affair.

"I've been unfaithful to my wife," Sanford told a news conference in Columbia, the state capital. "I developed a relationship with what started as a dear, dear friend from Argentina."

His voice choking at times, Sanford apologized to his wife and four sons, his staff and supporters, and said he would resign immediately as head of the Republican Governors Association.

The affair began in the last year and was discovered five months ago, Sanford said without elaborating. He added that he and his wife were trying to work through it. VideoWatch Sanford admit to the affair »

In a statement issued later Wednesday, Sanford's wife, Jenny, said she asked him to move out two weeks earlier but was still open to a reconciliation for the benefit of their children.

"I remain willing to forgive Mark completely for his indiscretions and to welcome him back, in time, if he continues to work toward reconciliation with a true spirit of humility and repentance," Jenny Sanford said.

The South Carolina governor had not been seen in public since June 18. When questioned, Sanford's staff told media outlets Sanford was hiking in the Appalachian Trail. But Sanford was spotted Wednesday in Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

Sanford said he had been in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He said it was his fault for "shrouding this larger trip."

"I'm a bottom-line kind of guy. I'll lay it out, it's going to hurt, and we'll let the chips fall as they may," Sanford told reporters.

The affair began as a friendship, but "over this last year, it developed into something much more than that," Sanford said.

"All I can say is that I apologize," he said, adding that he would appreciate a "zone of privacy" for the sake of his family.

When asked if he is trying to reconcile with his wife, Sanford nodded, "I am, yeah." Pressed further if he and his wife are separated, he said, "I don't know how you want to define that. I mean, I'm here and she's there. I guess in a formal sense we're not, but what we're trying to do is work through something that we've been working through for a number of months now."

However, Jenny Sanford said the couple was in a "trial separation" after trying to work through the problem in recent months.

"We reached a point where I felt it was important to look my sons in the eyes and maintain my dignity, self-respect, and my basic sense of right and wrong," she said in the statement. "I therefore asked my husband to leave two weeks ago. This trial separation was agreed to with the goal of ultimately strengthening our marriage."

Jenny Sanford said there was no contact with her husband during the separation, and she did not know he was in Argentina in recent days.

The long-term political fallout for Sanford, 49, is unclear. He has been mentioned as a potential Republican presidential candidate in 2012, after his current second consecutive term as governor ends. South Carolina's constitution forbids a third straight term.

Initial reaction was sympathetic, but hinted at further problems for Sanford. Recent political sex scandals »

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour immediately takes over as head of the Republican Governors Association, CNN has learned.

"The news revealed today hurts all of us who have gotten to know Gov. Sanford over the years and so it is with regret that the RGA accepted Gov. Sanford's resignation as chairman," Barbour said in a statement obtained by CNN. "While this news is deeply disappointing, I also know it's important to remain focused on the future and Gov. Sanford's resignation allows him and us to do just that." VideoWatch the lieutenant governor blast Sanford's trip »

Shortly after Sanford's announcement, Nathan Daschle, executive director of the Democratic Governors Association, issued a statement saying, "Our thoughts and prayers are with Gov. Sanford and his family, and I wish them the best as they try to heal this wound."

However, the Republican leader in the South Carolina Senate questioned Sanford's abdication of responsibility for leaving without notice last week.

"I'm deeply disturbed that no one knew where Gov. Sanford was over the last five days," state Sen. Harvey Peeler said in a statement.

"We cannot let the governor's personal life overshadow his public responsibility, or in this case, his negligence of gubernatorial authority."

South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Karen Floyd pledged "every effort" to ensure that the party maintains the trust of South Carolina's voters.

"In the hours and days ahead, I will reach out to and work with Republican office-holders, candidates, and activists to regain public confidence and win the next round of elections," Floyd pledged.

Sanford has had a bruising year, losing his fight to turn down $700 million in federal stimulus money. Sanford initially tried to require that any stimulus money pay down the state debt, a stance rejected by the Obama administration.

The South Carolina's Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that Sanford had to accept the stimulus funds.

CNN's Peter Hamby and Kristi Keck contributed to this story

All AboutMark Sanford • South Carolina • Appalachian National Scenic Trail

Find this article at:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/06/...nor/index.html

strandinthewind · #2 06-24-2009, 06:00 PM

Glad he was the "Family Values" Gov.

Glad he rejected gay adoption because hetro families is what he believes in.

Again, I could care a less if someone has an affair. It really is none of anyone's business UNLESS they tout themselves as some Christian upright moral person and then use that platform to demonize people for political gain, all the while upholding none of those values themselves.

If you live by the sword . . . .

Interestingly, this is the second alleged R candidate for the 2012 Pres. campaign to have an extra marital affair. Thus, I conclude that things are looking worse by the hour for the R party and their adherence to the far religious rights platform of so called family values.

TeenageMac · #3 06-24-2009, 06:06 PM

It's a shame because I actually like Governor Sanford. I thought he has done a good job in South Carolina. Oh well... So whose next on the scandals list?

strandinthewind · #4 06-24-2009, 06:09 PM

And - WTF was that whole Appalachia BS cover story, which is easily disproved. I mean when your passport is scanned, there is a record.

This leads me to conclude there is something else going.

Also, I did kind of muster some respect for him for refusing to take the stimulus money as it showed he stood by his belief and even though I think the states had no choice but to take them and most other Gov.'s IMO were doing so for political posturing to the detriment of their state. Also, in dissent with the Republican Party of South Carolina, Sanford (an Episcopalian) opposed the faith-based license plates his state offers, which was a product of the state's conservative evangelical citizens as a screw you to non evangelicals. After allowing the law to pass without his signature, he wrote, "It is my personal view that the largest proclamation of one's faith ought to be in how one lives his life." An interesting quote in light of today's revelation.

David · #5 06-24-2009, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Glad he rejected gay adoption because hetro families is what he believes in.

Again, I could care a less if someone has an affair. It really is none of anyone's business UNLESS they tout themselves as some Christian upright moral person and then use that platform to demonize people for political gain, all the while upholding none of those values themselves.

I agree. This is the sort of stomach-turning hypocrisy usually found in Moliere.

What's even worse is the mea culpa confessions & the supporters making that ridiculously irrelevant claim all over the news that "We all sin."

Call me inconstant, but that was the point at which I always fwowed up.

iamnotafraid · #6 06-24-2009, 07:43 PM

The AP is reporting that the Governor is switching parties.
Former President Clinton is flying down to SC to welcome him
into the Democratic Party.

BombaySapphire3 · #7 06-24-2009, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamnotafraid

The AP is reporting that the Governor is switching parties.
Former President Clinton is flying down to SC to welcome him
into the Democratic Party.

You're missing the point ..sure it's tacky what Bubba did .However when these holier than thou "family values" bible thumping types get caught with their pants down it's more than tacky ...it's nauseating.

iamnotafraid · #8 06-24-2009, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BombaySapphire3

You're missing the point .

Nah, I was just making a joke of it.

I don't think either party has the market cornered on morals.
And just because some of the ones who get caught with their
pants down call themselves Christian's, doesn't mean it's so.

strandinthewind · #9 06-24-2009, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamnotafraid

Nah, I was just making a joke of it.

I don't think either party has the market cornered on morals.
And just because some of the ones who get caught with their
pants down call themselves Christian's, doesn't mean it's so.

I thought your joke was funny! And, I think Clinton deserved impeachment because I think the facts show he wasted millions in govt. $$$ and abused his power to cover up the Lewinsky affair - not to mention the bad taste of getting a hummer from a fat chick

My prob. with the people like this schmo and 99.9% of the other R's in a sex or other scandal is that are denying people rights based on an ideal that they are screaming, but simultaneously are not personally living. I agree with your statement that them calling themselves Christians does not make them so.

iamnotafraid · #10 06-25-2009, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

I thought your joke was funny!

Thanks Strand.

brysondt · #11 06-25-2009, 12:20 AM

Y'all, I am from SC and I gotta admit, this is SUCH an embarrassment. But I don't even think he could help it, he had several things going against him, such as:

1. He is from the South--most good ol southern boys can't keep it in their pants.
2. He's a politician-- nuff said.
3. His commercials were horrific, all about family, blah blah, he looked super guilty from the beginning.
4. There's nothing to do in SC...he absolutely HAD to go to Argentina.

All in all, I am ashamed of him. I mean, it happens a lot, we see it in the media a great deal, but it's like....what are these men thinking??? They are in the spotlight a lot, you'd think they could at least hold out til they were out of their office. Sad day....

I'd say don't judge the whole state of SC by Mark Sanford...but then again....I've dated so many of the good ol country boys...that...well....maybe he does represent the whole after all.