SC Governor reappears...after going to Argentina?

[DaemonSeid]

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Gov. Mark Sanford admitted Wednesday he's been having an affair with a woman he visited on a secret trip to Argentina and said he'll resign as head of the Republican Governors Association. Sanford, a rumored 2012 presidential candidate, refused to say whether he'll leave office.

"I've let down a lot of people, that's the bottom line," Sanford said at a news conference. He said he's known the woman about eight years, but their relationship turned into something more a year ago while he was on an economic development trip to Argentina.

Sanford, a 49-year-old father of four, choked up during remarks to reporters. He said his wife has known about the affair for the last five months.

Sanford revealed Wednesday morning that he'd gone to Argentina for a seven-day trip. For two days after reporters starting asking questions, his office had said he had gone hiking on the Appalachian Trail.

link

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I got the impression that perhaps he went to break it off. Maybe that's just what I inferred from what he said.

But I seriously wonder if on some level he wanted to get caught.

Oh he broke it off alright!!! LOL

But if he had told SOMEONE...he probably would not have gotten caught.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

But if he had told SOMEONE...he probably would not have gotten caught.

Hence my speculation that, on some level, he wanted to get caught.


And I'm trying really hard not to make any stimulus jokes.

[BabyPiNK_FL]

Why would you assume he could MAKE his wife stand there? She obviously wasn't going to. If a woman had no clue where her husband is, (other than the fact that he's most likely with his mistress) why would she get up there now and pull a "stand by your man at the last minute?

Based on her actions so far, I really like her. I bet she been done cussed him out.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by BabyPiNK_FL

If a woman had no clue where her husband is, (other than the fact that he's most likely with his mistress) why would she get up there now and pull a "stand by your man at the last minute?

It happens all the time.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by BabyPiNK_FL

Why would you assume he could MAKE his wife stand there? She obviously wasn't going to. If a woman had no clue where her husband is, (other than the fact that he's most likely with his mistress) why would she get up there now and pull a "stand by your man at the last minute?

Based on her actions so far, I really like her. I bet she been done cussed him out.

He can, apparently, count on her to keep quiet and play "wife" for five months after he's admitted to an affair . . . sounds like she's "standing by her (govern)man" huh?

I'm sure she done cussed him out, right after she lied to protect him ("I don't know where he is"). I, too, would have enjoyed the gay lover angle - we don't get enough squirming among people anymore.

On a completely related note . . . is this another step toward the public simply not caring what public figures do on their own time? I'm pretty unconcerned by the "Politicians are douche bags" angle - I mean really, a cheating politician?!? Heavens to Thomas Jefferson's illegitimate kids! - but with Manny Ramirez getting a standing ovation, Jon and Kate having their highest-rated show ever, etc., do we at some point become apathetic (or even morbidly addicted) to scandal? Or are politicians held to a different standard?

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

He can, apparently, count on her to keep quiet and play "wife" for five months after he's admitted to an affair . . . sounds like she's "standing by her (govern)man" huh?

I'm sure she done cussed him out, right after she lied to protect him ("I don't know where he is"). I, too, would have enjoyed the gay lover angle - we don't get enough squirming among people anymore.

On a completely related note . . . is this another step toward the public simply not caring what public figures do on their own time? I'm pretty unconcerned by the "Politicians are douche bags" angle - I mean really, a cheating politician?!? Heavens to Thomas Jefferson's illegitimate kids! - but with Manny Ramirez getting a standing ovation, Jon and Kate having their highest-rated show ever, etc., do we at some point become apathetic (or even morbidly addicted) to scandal? Or are politicians held to a different standard?

That's what really scares me. Have we all become so jaded that we'll accept any conduct, so long as we get warm fuzzies about someone? Or have politicians become so synonymous with corruption that we haven't a snowball's chance of ever having a decent one represent us?

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by honeychile

That's what really scares me. Have we all become so jaded that we'll accept any conduct, so long as we get warm fuzzies about someone? Or have politicians become so synonymous with corruption that we haven't a snowball's chance of ever having a decent one represent us?

I don't necessarily disagree with this, but there's another aspect that often goes overlooked: in the modern age, what constitutes "corruption"?

Put another way: How much are we willing to forgive to get the best person for the job (or, how much would moral turpitude of some level actually reflect on ability to govern)? (See: Geithner, Timothy)

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

I don't necessarily disagree with this, but there's another aspect that often goes overlooked: in the modern age, what constitutes "corruption"?

Put another way: How much are we willing to forgive to get the best person for the job (or, how much would moral turpitude of some level actually reflect on ability to govern)? (See: Geithner, Timothy)

I think you have to look at individual cases for answers, and you have choose the areas of behavior that you're really going to let affect your evaluation.

Personally, I'd also consider the person's reaction to whatever the failing was. While I'm kind of amazed that we'd get a Sec. of Tres. with previous tax problems, his reaction to the issue was well-handled in my opinion and didn't make him seem unethical. If you've ever screwed up your taxes, you can see how it could happen and it wouldn't really mean you were dishonest or even particularly careless. But it's still weird that you could go on to run the US Treasury. I kind of want more of an anal retentive accountant type there, with apologize to all accountants who might read this.

I think what bothers me with adultery is that it seems to almost always involve an expectation of getting away with breaking a pretty public vow. If you're willing to be deceitful in this one area, why would a reasonable person assume you'd be honest in other areas? And marriage is purely between the two people involved or it wouldn't have the cultural significance that it has.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

If you're willing to be deceitful in this one area, why would a reasonable person assume you'd be honest in other areas?

If you're willing to be honest in this one area, why would a reasonable person assume you'd be honest in other areas?

Beyond moral conjecture, there's no valid and reliable proof of the connection. What other immoral but legal things "can't" policians do without having their political honesty questioned?

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

He can, apparently, count on her to keep quiet and play "wife" for five months after he's admitted to an affair . . . sounds like she's "standing by her (govern)man" huh?

I'm sure she done cussed him out, right after she lied to protect him ("I don't know where he is"). I, too, would have enjoyed the gay lover angle - we don't get enough squirming among people anymore.

On a completely related note . . . is this another step toward the public simply not caring what public figures do on their own time? I'm pretty unconcerned by the "Politicians are douche bags" angle - I mean really, a cheating politician?!? Heavens to Thomas Jefferson's illegitimate kids! - but with Manny Ramirez getting a standing ovation, Jon and Kate having their highest-rated show ever, etc., do we at some point become apathetic (or even morbidly addicted) to scandal? Or are politicians held to a different standard?

I think that affairs will always figure in to how the public evaluates personal integrity in pols during elections, but at this point, we're kind of hard to surprise with this stuff. It's hard not to see marriage vows as the kind of public commitment you'd like your elected officials to honor, even if they break them on "their own time."

But I think most people are willing to overlook personal failings in politicians that they otherwise. Bill Clinton is the textbook example of that, but Rudy G provides one too.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

On a completely related note . . . is this another step toward the public simply not caring what public figures do on their own time? I'm pretty unconcerned by the "Politicians are douche bags" angle - I mean really, a cheating politician?!? Heavens to Thomas Jefferson's illegitimate kids! - but with Manny Ramirez getting a standing ovation, Jon and Kate having their highest-rated show ever, etc., do we at some point become apathetic (or even morbidly addicted) to scandal? Or are politicians held to a different standard?

Yes and no on all counts.

i think we have gotten to the point not that we don't care...but moreso we are NOT surprised.

Now while I am not surprised that he had an affair...admittedly, that was the last thing that came to my mind when I initially read the story.

Being that he had a history of just disappearing probably should have rang a bell (but then I got other things on my mind) regardless of the affair, him just up and running out like that with no word to anybody, was strange enough on the face of it.

Back to the bigger picture, the reason why most of us look the other way on the affair issue is, some of us got some of our own drama going on so to a point....these actions 'humanize' the politicians...on the flipside of all of that, some of these actions also tend to reflect how they treat the office...this is why i come back to the question of on whose dime was his little trip on?

Let's get past the affair for one moment and Im willing to make a prediction...if he didn't spend any govt funds, then he may get a slap on the wrists and carry on with his career with some tarnish and no, he may wind up being lost in the pack come 2012....his wife may leave him or wind up on 20/20 or Dateline...if that money was on the people's dime, in light of teh stimulus debacle...all hell will break loose.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Hence my speculation that, on some level, he wanted to get caught.

yeah...makes for a good excuse if he wants to get OUT of politics due to pressure strain.

Twisted tho...LOL

Go ahead...make one stimulus joke I dare ya....