Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Sanford Admits Affair and Explains Disappearance

Via Dan Riehl, "Scratch Sanford For 2012":
Update: Admits affair. Resigns as Chair of GOP Gov's Assoc.
And the New York Times, "Gov. Sanford Admits Affair and Explains Disappearance":
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.
Michelle Malkin:
It’s the only fitting word for a man who abandons his wife and four sons on Father’s Day weekend to indulge his “overdrive” on an Argentinian fling.

Mark Sanford: Bastard.
Also, The State, "Sanford admits affair, apologizes to family."

For analysis see, "Curse of the 2012 GOP," and Memeorandum.

4 comments:

Tim said...

Yes, I'm wondering how you are going to tie this one to the liberals.

They drove him to it?

Or when liberal bloggers call him a "bastard," like Malkin, only they will be considered unhinged and hateful?

Law and Order Teacher said...

Tim,
A slimeball is a slimeball whether he has a D or an R behind his name. Personally, I could care less about Sanford or Edwards or the myriad other politicians who are so tied up in themselves that loved ones come second. I think they ought to take a fire hose to the capitol to clean out the sludge. Both parties stink.

Jack Steiner said...

Call me what you will, but I am not interested in reading about politician's marriages. The question is always can they do the job, not who are they sleeping with.

Rusty Walker said...

As a husband he failed his wife with the affair, but as a governor he failed his state with the lies about his absence. An affair is a private matter, a mistake to be reckoned with a between a husband and a wife. We all know about the litany of affairs throughout public office.

My problem with Sanford, besides his uncaring action of leaving his boys on Father’s Day, was not informing the Lt. Governor of his state so the state was covered in case of an issue. But, what put him out of contention for any further important public post was his egocentric whining on and on about the details of his affair as if he were in a Confessional Booth! Spare me. This is not a leader.