I'm as anti-GOP as is humanly possible but with McGreevey, Edwards, Clinton and Spitzer this is obviously a pretty non-partisan issue.

Ditto to everything you say about the Democrats equivalently hypocritical position on family values.

But I would not assume total equivalency between the Democratic wife-cheaters and Republican wife-cheaters solely becuase the Democrats, like their party, all have more moderate views on gay rights than the Republicans.

However both do show a pattern that is typical of the behavior of "men" in both parties. And I emphasize men because those are the only high-profile examples of vow-violators in politics that I can think of at the moment. I have a theory that may be entirely wrong since it may not apply to "straight" men:

The pattern is that most men seem to have been attracted to their spouses for physical reasons then found that they needed romance later. Women tend to seek romance from the beginning and develop a more physical desire for the romantic target later. That may have changed some in this era of sexual and women's liberation, but the basic truth of this order of events might explain the apparent recent rash of infidelities. Governor Sanford went looking for romance that he wasn't finding with a wife who was either busy on Wall Street or at home taking care of four young boys. It wasn't just sex that tempted him to cheat.

I'm as anti-GOP as is humanly possible but with McGreevey, Edwards, Clinton and Spitzer this is obviously a pretty non-partisan issue. And before anyone points out the hypocrisy because the GOP goes on about family values and high morals, well Edwards, Spitzer and McGreevey are as guilty of hypocrisy as alot of the Republicans. Edwards spoke of these "family values" (perhaps the most abstract term ever) all the time and took a page out the Gingrich playbook by cheating on his wife while she was battling (and possibly dying of) cancer. Spitzer actually made it one of his life's missions to investigate and prosecute people for doing exactly what he was doing, so he's not only a hypocrite but he's also really stupid. And McGreevey went to the trouble of getting married to cover his homosexuality which, to me, qualifies as being pretty hypocritical...he presented a happy, healthy, "normal" family while living this double life. He pulled a page out of the Larry Craig playbook by cruising reststops on the NJ Turnpike. At least Larry Craig didn't try to give his paramour a job in his administration as head of Homeland Security.

I don't buy the age old agruement that men are hard wired to sleep with every woman possible but I do accept that many men use it as an excuse for bad behaviour.

Otherwise, nothing is keeping him from serving out the remaining 18 months of his term,

Sanford's Security Detail Had Been Trying to Locate Him

By Carol D. Leonnig
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 25, 2009 5:09 PM



The security detail for South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford was actively searching for him over the weekend and concerned about his safety, but getting the runaround from his staff in trying to contact him, the director of the state's law enforcement agency said in an interview this afternoon.

Sanford asked his protective detail to "stand down" at 1 p.m. last Thursday at his mansion, and then drove off alone in a state law enforcement sport-utility vehicle, the director said. But agents weren't concerned until they heard a rumor Saturday that the governor had been spotted speeding on a South Carolina interstate in an SUV.

Reggie Lloyd, director of the state Law Enforcement Division, told reporters today that his agency, which operates the governor's protective detail, first tried reaching the governor's top staff without luck. The agents then tried to remotely check devices inside the vehicle to pinpoint its location but discovered that those tools were turned off, Lloyd said.

The state agency the same afternoon sought telephone company records to determine where Sanford might have been when using his cellphone and found he had last made a call some days earlier in the Atlanta area. Much later that day, Lloyd said, Sanford's chief of staff assured the agency that there was no reason to worry.

"At some point during the course of all of this, we were able to talk to his chief of staff. He passed along the fact that the governor was okay. They said they were attempting to reach him about this story, they knew where he was, he was okay," Lloyd said.

Sanford admitted yesterday that he had had an affair with a woman in Argentina, speaking at a rambling news conference after returning from a mysterious five-day absence over Father's Day weekend. He made his confession soon after he was confronted by a local news reporter as he arrived at the Atlanta airport from Argentina. His staff had earlier reported that he was hiking the Appalachian Trail.

The director said the security detail also did not accompany Sanford when he traveled last year to Buenos Aires on a state-paid Commerce Department trip. A statement by Sanford today, plus copies of his e-mails and state trip records, revealed Sanford met with the Argentine woman for a romantic rendezvous on the state-funded trip.

It wasn't unusual for Sanford to ask for his security detail to leave him alone for a few days, Lloyd said.

"As an adult male, he's free to come and go as he pleases," said Lloyd. "There were times when he would want to get away. He's been in office 6 1/2 years. He very much values his time away from the office. It had become routine enough that it was not suspicious."

Sanford's travels to Brazil and Argentina cost taxpayers at least $9,000 in airfare, lodging, meals and phone charges, according state records.

He led a delegation of state government and business leaders to Sao Paolo from June 21 to 23, 2008, for meetings with Brazilian government and business officials and briefings from U.S. Embassy personnel.

The governor, South Carolina Commerce Secretary Joe Taylor and some members of the delegation then traveled on June 24 to Cordoba, Argentina, for a two-day hunting trip, according to state Commerce Department spokeswoman Kara Borie.

Sanford then departed alone for Buenos Aires on June 25, where he was joined by a project manager with the state Commerce Department. In Buenos Aires, Sanford met with U.S. Embassy personnel on June 25, then with Argentine business leaders and Buenos Aires provincial governor Daniel Osvaldo Scioli on June 26. After a day of sightseeing on June 27, he returned to Columbia, S.C., on the morning of June 28.

An official familiar with Sanford's Buenos Aires trip and meetings said he appeared normal and engaged during the appointments but could provide no details about any of the governor's unofficial engagements. The state Commerce Department worked with the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires to schedule all but one of Sanford's meetings, according to the official. Embassies regularly schedule such appointments for visiting government or business delegations.

Sanford said in a statement today that the business development trip was "entirely professional and appropriate," while also acknowledging meeting his mistress during it. He pledged to reimburse the state for the full cost of the Argentina leg of the trip.

"This trip was handled very professionally by the [South Carolina] Department of Commerce, and I'm proud of their work there," Sanford said.

Staff writer Ed O'Keefe contributed to this report.

Acting on a hunch, Smith staked out the airport.

She was craning her neck, squinting as she scanned the crowd. When she spotted Sanford, any doubts Smith might have had about the e-mails' authenticity seemed to evaporate.

The tip was so sketchy that the paper had decided not to send a photographer with Smith. Acting reflexively, she snapped a quick photo with her digital camera, then called out to Sanford.

"Governor!" she shouted. "Everybody's been worried about where you've been. ... Have you been on the Appalachian Trail?"

Clearly flummoxed, the governor invited Smith to sit down with him in the waiting area. According to Smith, a visibly deflated Sanford gazed absently into the distance, his mouth opening, then closing, as if he were at a loss for words.


Sanford acknowledged that while he had planned to go hiking, he had actually been to Argentina. Then, in what now appears to have been a last, desperate attempt to delay the inevitable, the governor launched into a ramble about other "adventure trips" he had taken to Turkey, Greece and other parts of South America.

Smith asked whether Sanford had been alone in Buenos Aires. Yes, he replied.

When she pushed the issue, Sanford abruptly ended the interview and left.

However, unlike others who got caught, Sanford apologized with little excuse. He did not parse his word or lie under oath (like Clinton). He did not try to put his lover in state office, attempt to buy her off, or, when caught, wrap himself in the identity of a group he worked so hard to conceal and shun, and resign only because there were larger scandals about to break (like McGreevey). He did not deny anything occurred (like Craig). And he did not break the law (like Spitzer). He committed adultery, owned up to it, and said he was sorry.

Somehow, this whole affair (irony just dawned on me there) smacks of "Gotcha" journalism.

I stand by earlier statement that politicians should stop moralizing. However, unlike others who got caught, Sanford apologized with little excuse.

Please don't play that silly "gotcha" journalism card. Thats' an excuse from that moronic Sarah Palin because Katie Couric asked her what she reads. There is nothing "gotcha" about reporting that the leader of the state (a pretty important job at least to the folks of SC), disappearing to whereabouts unknown. What if something had happened in SC? even his Lt. Governor didn't know where Sanford was. And the fact that he apologized with little excuse...well what else was he supposed to do? He had no other choice as he was caught redhanded. And let's allow the investigation to be completed before we declare that having an affair was all he did...there is still the issue of the money for the trip. And frankly I never understand why governors or mayors are making trips to foreign countries for any reason other than personal vacations. They aren't involved in foreign policy decisions.

State Senator Jake Knotts, a Republican and longtime critic of Mark Sanford, called for a "full-blown" investigation Friday into the South Carolina governor's actions.

In a press conference with reporters, Knotts said he is actually calling for two investigations — one by the state's law enforcement agency, and the other by the State Senate Judiciary Committee with "full subpoena power."

"Irrational behavior. Lies, lies, lies. It's time that the truth to come out," said Knotts. "Like Joe Brown said, you can lie, but you can't hide… Everybody has found out where he's been hiding. In Argentina."


Knotts said he wants the investigation to focus on "the misappropriation of taxpayer money, malfeasance in office, misconduct in office and all the area surrounding the recent behavior concerning the governor's office." The investigation also would include the question of whether Sanford's office may have been deliberately misleading about the governor's whereabouts during his absence.

Knotts added he is not yet calling on Sanford to resign, but said the embattled governor is "in the fast lane to make that decision, along with numerous other legislators that I have talked to on the phone."

Later, in an interview with CNN, Knotts said he would take Sanford's resignation "in a heartbeat."

I don't know a thing about Mrs. Sanford, but kudos to her. She refused to be one of these stoic, publicly humiliated Stepford Wives that stand beside their husbands and no doubt die internally while salacious details are rehashed in front of them. Instead, she skipped the press conference and released a statement saying she had essentially tossed her dirtbag of a husband out two weeks ago because she felt she could not look her children in the eyes if she didn't set an example for them of how to stand up for your dignity and self-respect. You Go, Mrs. S!

Yea...I got to give her props for basically saying this is HIS problem, not hers...

He can survive. It will be tough, but he could. Anyone remember Bill Clinton? Or that senator from La.? Speaking of La., how I miss Gov. Edwin Edwards, who once quipped, "The only way they'll get me out of office is if I'm caught in bed with a dead woman or a live boy!"
Times Article

I don't know a thing about Mrs. Sanford, but kudos to her. She refused to be one of these stoic, publicly humiliated Stepford Wives that stand beside their husbands and no doubt die internally while salacious details are rehashed in front of them. Instead, she skipped the press conference and released a statement saying she had essentially tossed her dirtbag of a husband out two weeks ago because she felt she could not look her children in the eyes if she didn't set an example for them of how to stand up for your dignity and self-respect. You Go, Mrs. S!

You're missing the basic fact that the governor left his state without any proper transfer of power. He not only did not authorize Lieutenant Governor André Bauer to take over, but he may have lied to his staff, and the State Legislature also didn't know where the hell he was. The US government, including Homeland Security, didn't know where he was (or rather, the TSA did, since he flew out of an international airport, but it doesn't appear that he communicated his whereabouts by official channels.)

While South Carolina is certainly not California, Texas, New York, Florida, or other large states, it still has around 4 million people, and could easily have encountered any number of large-scale problems, from a natural disaster to infrastructure crisis to a political crisis that might have necessitated the governor being present or at least some clear lines of authority.

You just cannot up and waltz off to another state, let alone a foreign country, if you're a governor. Or perhaps what Sanford has proved is that you can, and that there'll be no penalties for dereliction of duty, among other possible violations. For this reason and this reason only, he should resign immediately, if he isn't impeached.

Photos of María Belén Chapur photos here...There's a resemblance to Jenny.

I said that Sanford could weather this. I did not say that he should. Your cries for his resignation all point to the further erosion of what is private and what is public in our society, an irony, I conclude, that would be completely lost on Sanford!

From Sanford's "longtime friend and spiritual counselor", Warren 'Cubby' Culbertson, "There's an element of darkness out there that's undeniable, and it's bigger than us."

In other words, "The Devil made him do it!"

Governors and mayors (again, Corzine and Bloomberg) regularly leave their states or cities without telling where they are goin except for a trusted advisor.

As for the July 2008 trip, it was an official trip in that he working business for his state.

I said that Sanford could weather this. I did not say that he should. Your cries for his resignation all point to the further erosion of what is private and what is public in our society, an irony, I conclude, that would be completely lost on Sanford!

Name me one time, with documentation, that Jon Corzine or Michael Bloomberg abandoned his respective state or city for 5 straight days? It's dereliction of duty, among other things. Sanford should resign.
I said nothing about that trip and you know it. I was talking about this most recent trip to Argentina, which provoked his security detail to try to hunt for him because they didn't have a clue as to where he was.
I could care less about whom he's screwing, whether it's his wife, his girlfriend, or one of those two piglets he brought into the statehouse. The issue is that he blew off his job. If he didn't want to do his job, he should just admit it and be done with it.

And, fantomas, you are suggesting that questions of private morality touch upon public ethics and fitness for public office.

Governor Sanford's trip to south america was NOT on the up and up.

The original itinerary for the trip and business meetings did NOT include argentina/Buenos Aires. According to The State and statements from the SC gov't offices involved, Buenos Aires was included only after prodding by Gov. Sanford to make a detour there.

He said that during the encounters with other women he "let his guard down" with some physical contact but "didn't cross the sex line." He wouldn't go into detail.

Sanford said the casual encounters happened outside the U.S. while he was married but before he met Chapur, on trips to "blow off steam" with male friends.

Sanford also admitted he saw Chapur more times than previously disclosed...

Governor Sanford's trip to south america was NOT on the up and up.

The original itinerary for the trip and business meetings did NOT include argentina/Buenos Aires. According to The State and statements from the SC gov't offices involved, Buenos Aires was included only after prodding by Gov. Sanford to make a detour there.

No I'm not. But you're willfully reading that into my posts. The man was gone from his state--not a city, like New York--without letting his staff or security detail know where he was. There was no proper transfer of power. I don't know South Carolina's constitutional statutes at all, but as I said, neither Corzine (a governor) nor Bloomberg (a mayor) has gone missing for five days without *anyone* knowing where he was. I asked you to provide specific examples of when either they or any other governor had done this. You haven't. Perhaps it isn't enough to force his removal from office. But he demonstrated by abandoning the state without proper transfer of power and by lying to his staff (or their lying to the state legislature) that he's not fit to lead. That has nothing to do with private morality. It has to do with doing your job or not doing it. You go missing from your job for five days (or any extended period) and see how long you keep it.

Also, he admitted today that SURPRISE SURPRISE!!! he hasn't been truthful about the number of times he's seen Belén Chapur both in the USA and in Argentina. You can't make 'em like these GOPers!

didn't cross the sex line

Glad to know that Mrs. S is not standing by her man. She sounds wise to his ways. Of course he has now admitted to screwing around with lots of other women over the years.

I did provide specific examples of when a governor of a state was absent from his jurisdiction. Again, I refer you to the link that I provided, concerning Jon Corzine.

If you are not satisfied with this, allow me to point out that Sen. Ted Kennedy and Sen. Robert Byrd have not fulfilled their duties as elected official due to illness. Should they be removed from office? They and their party want them to remain in office, so that they can die in it. Does that serve the needs of their states or, indeed, the nation?

As egregious as Sanford's behavior was, there is no evidence that it was a pattern of behavior. It's not a hangable offense. The calls for his resignation are more motivated by partisan politics than anything else. Impeachment, too, is not called for. Vote him out of office. Or if this is his last term, vote his party out. It's far more effective.

No, you didn't. Corzine has NOT GONE MISSING from New Jersey without someone acting officially--according to the state constitution--in his stead. When he was away he handed the reins of power to RICHARD CODEY. Do you not grasp the difference between having an acting governor and NO GOVERNOR AT ALL? It's not that hard, really. Codey was the acting governor when Jim McGreevey had to resign, and also when McGreevey was away. There is a difference between having a governor or acting governor, and the situation in South Carolina where THERE WAS NO GOVERNOR OR ACTING GOVERNOR AT ALL.
You're being purposely obtuse here. Being on sick leave is quite different from disappearing from your job, and you know it. Or do you not know the difference? Seriously? You don't have control over being sick, but you do have control over waltzing off to a foreign country without telling anybody. And no, the recent trip, which caused the uproar, was not official business, just as the frequent trips to New York to snog his lady friend may not have been. Also, Teddy Kennedy's absence has been on the record since he got sick. The same is true of Robert Byrd's. Or Tim Johnson's, since you are discussing Senators. The citizens of all three states, as well as officials in the US Senate, know that the difference betwee battling various illnesses and infirmities and just going missing. DISAPPEARING FOR DAYS ON END without anyone knowing where you are is unacceptable. If you don't see the difference, there's nothing more to say.
Who mentioned anything about "hangable offense[s]" but you? And it was a pattern of behavior. Why are you defending this creep so tenaciously? Do you think it's a good idea for people to just go missing from their jobs for days on end? Like I said, most people would lose their jobs immediately. And *he*--Sanford--called for others to resigned based not on the job performance but on "moral" issues. He's the partisan. I don't care whether he's a Democrat or a Republican, if a governor goes missing on the job the way this jackass has, he ought to resign. Not be hanged, which is your trip. But resign. Now his own party wants him out. If that's what it takes...

He has sex in Tha Family's church. Check out this report.