OK, so that’s a funny one, I admit
“It does indicate that men who oppose federal spending at the local level are irresistible to women.”
— Grover Norquist (H/T to TPM)
On the other hand, I can’t bring myself to read the emails apparently leaked between Mark Sanford and his Argentinian lover, and I hope that she’s allowed to keep at least some modicum of anonymity. Let that stuff stay private; prying further into the personal side of this mess is voyeurism at this point.
And as I said yesterday, I do think that in his press conference Sanford handled himself with as much dignity, grace and candor as one could muster in such a situation. I thought his references to God’s law, etc., were heartfelt as well. He was wrestling with a very real sense of personal failure on many levels, and he expressed that.
Personally, I was relieved when members of his staff — I’m guessing that’s who they were — walked up to escort him away from the microphone and podium, saving him and us from further excruciation. He should resign, and we should move on.
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286 comments Add your comment
RB from Gwinnett
June 25th, 2009
1:57 pm
“He should resign, and we should move on”. I agree, Jay. Just curious… should Clinton have resigned too? Did you post that answer at the time?
Normal
June 25th, 2009
1:58 pm
And as I said yesterday, I do think that in his press conference Sanford handled himself with as much dignity, grace and candor as one could muster in such a situation
————————-
For a man with his pants around his ankles, that is…Just sayin’…
I Report :-) You Whine :-(
June 25th, 2009
1:58 pm
He was wigged out.
So let’s pry into his personal life and drag him around the blogosphere a few times.
eewww
Normal
June 25th, 2009
2:01 pm
I Report
You Whine 
June 25th, 2009
1:58 pm
He was wigged out.
So let’s pry into his personal life and drag him around the blogosphere a few times.
——————–
Of course you wouldn’t do that to President Obama, now would you…Just askin’…
Scooter
June 25th, 2009
2:06 pm
Why should he resign? I never cheated on my wife but If I did and got caught I wouldn’t quit my job.
Jim's a Cherry Picker
June 25th, 2009
2:07 pm
Hi Jay,
Norquist is just jealous. He’d give anything to have an affair.
So When does Kyle’s blog start?
GOP is gone
June 25th, 2009
2:08 pm
It look as if the following algorhythm is a certainty:
Middle Aged Male plus political power = zipper issues
@@
June 25th, 2009
2:11 pm
Republicans politicians usually do resign when indiscretions are made public. I wish I could say the same for all politicians.
Up until yesterday, I had never paid attention to Sanford. His apologies appeared sincere.
So tell me, jay, do you feel bad about the fun you had at his expense? Speaking in hindsight, of course.
N.J
June 25th, 2009
2:11 pm
As I said, before the religious right started asserting themselves and their moralizing into politics, the public and the press kept its nose out of most politicians personal lives. And it was Republicans who basically in recent years, turned such things into a mandate to insist that someone resign from office.
This is still basically a Republican thing so asserting that what applies to Sanford should apply to Clinton is another comparison of apples and oranges. The entire use of an elected persons personal life as setting some sort of standard for whether a person should or should not resign is a conservative moral issue, not a liberal’s. If he is going to be consistent with his conservative moralizing principals, then he should fall on his own sword. That would be living by his the public values he was forever espousing. Family values, etc.
josef nix
June 25th, 2009
2:12 pm
Have to admit I thought he gave a fairly dignified performance and I agree that leaking the e-mails is not very nice. It was fun while it lasted, but now it’s time to move on to a new scandal and rest assured there’ll be one before you can switch channels.
WhoCares
June 25th, 2009
2:13 pm
RIP Farrah Fawcett. All of the sudden I feel really old.
cranky old man
June 25th, 2009
2:15 pm
I remember reading an article years ago that estimated some insanely high number (like 95%) of all men who earn more than $80,000 per year have been unfaithful to their wives. Adjusting for inflation, that would probably be somewhere between $100,000 – $150,000 in today’s dollars.
Pokey
June 25th, 2009
2:15 pm
He needs to resign. Beyond any moral judgement, he abandoned his post(S.C.)and is obviously a mental mess. Sad for his family. His resignation would be best for his wife, children, himself, and S.C.
Jay
June 25th, 2009
2:18 pm
To RB:
Yes, once it became clear that Clinton had indeed “had sex with that woman” and had lied to the country, I wrote in a column and in an AJC editorial that he should resign.
To @@: No, I don’t regret it. All the fun I had at his expense was targeted at the conflicting and frankly unbelievable stories being floated about his whereabouts. Once the press conference occurred, the fun was over, at least for me. But remind me: Did Larry Craig resign? David Vitter?
And to Who Cares: Yes, I know. I had that poster too.
Normal
June 25th, 2009
2:18 pm
WhoCares
June 25th, 2009
2:13 pm
RIP Farrah Fawcett. All of the sudden I feel really old.
——————-
One of Charlie’s Angels gone to Heaven…Just sayin’…
josef nix
June 25th, 2009
2:20 pm
NORMAL–agreed as much dignity as he could considerin’. Left you a message downstairs.
GayGrayGeek
June 25th, 2009
2:20 pm
NJ – If he is going to be consistent with his conservative moralizing principals, then he should fall on his own sword. That would be living by his the public values he was forever espousing. Family values, etc.
A friend of mine on FaceBook stated it Nicely And Succinctly yesterday:
So let’s see…we have David Vitter, Senator Wide Stance Craig, John Ensign and NOW Governor Sanford. How’s them Family Values? I guess they valued family so much they wanted more than one.
Drifter
June 25th, 2009
2:21 pm
There’s nothing funny about this story. It’s actually tragic for everyone involved. Tragic for him, tragic for his family, tragic for South Carolina and perhaps the entire nation. Here’s a man who could have rescued us from socialism before we reached the point of no return.
josef nix
June 25th, 2009
2:24 pm
Drifter –it’s not Socialism. It’s Peronism.
ByteMe
June 25th, 2009
2:26 pm
Sanford is just a victim of the modern Republican movement’s focus on stay out of business’s way and let’s peep in your windows to see what you’re doing.
Except for the part where he didn’t tell anyone where he was for nearly a week, there’s no reason for him to resign because of his inability to keep his “Little Mark” tucked in his pants. And to see the Lt. Gov of SC on TV acting faux outraged with his “what if!” scenarios — none of which happened, of course — just makes me wonder if being Governor is really just a part-time job in SC anyway.
Hal
June 25th, 2009
2:26 pm
He should resign because he’s incompetent and a poor leader for South Carolina, not because he boinked some chick in Argentina.
Normal
June 25th, 2009
2:27 pm
Josef-…downstairs…funny! “Peronism”…funnier…
josef nix
June 25th, 2009
2:29 pm
Farrah Fawcett. RIP. Agreed she was a beauty, but she was also a brain.
RealityKing
June 25th, 2009
2:30 pm
Image that, liberals that defended Clinton’s presidency now say a self confessed governor should resign.
Whats the word for that??
WhoCares
June 25th, 2009
2:32 pm
So maybe Sanford should switch over and be a yellow dog democrat, have an affair with Hillary (if’n he can find a couple of bags), start drinking with Teddy and quit paying taxes. He would be a shoe in for the next Democratic nomination.
@@
June 25th, 2009
2:32 pm
jay:
All the fun I had at his expense was targeted at the conflicting and frankly unbelievable stories being floated about his whereabouts.
Can you say beyond the shadow of a doubt that his staff knew otherwise? So…..I wonder if his kids were enjoying all the fun? Kids usually love their parents in spite of….it must have hurt them to watch everyone speculate. While the media is having a gay old time, their world is falling apart.
You wouldn’t want me to bring up a long list of dems who haven’t resigned, would you jay?
You’ll have to acknowledge that republican voters call for republican resignations far more frequently than do democrats.
Here’s the thing! The word hypocrisy gets thrown around a lot when it comes to republicans. Not so much when it comes to democrats. Why? Because democrats don’t stand on principles. There can be no violations of principles when there are none.
Doggone/GA
June 25th, 2009
2:33 pm
“that, liberals that defended Clinton’s presidency now say a self confessed governor should resign”
First of all, there’s nothing to “defend” about Clinton’s presidency…his private life might be a different matter. And, personally, I don’t think Sanford should resign…unless HE thinks he should resign. But then…I thought that about the NY governor too.
What’s going to be interesting is if his constituents think he should.
RealityKing
June 25th, 2009
2:33 pm
Someone should go to jail for the leaked emails.
And yes, he should resign. Setting the bar higher for all elected officials and more importantly, his sons.
ByteMe
June 25th, 2009
2:34 pm
Too funny to be believed:
“This is almost like, ‘I don’t give a damn, the country’s going to Hell in a handbasket, I just want out of here,’” said Limbaugh. “He had just tried to fight the stimulus money coming to South Carolina. He didn’t want any part of it. He lost the battle. He said, ‘What the Hell. I mean, I’m — the federal government’s taking over — what the Hell, I want to enjoy life.’”
“The point is,” he added, “there are a lot of people whose spirit is just — they’re fed up, saying to Hell with it, I don’t even want to fight this anymore, I just want to get away from it.”
That’s Rush defending Sanford. Seriously. He cheated on his wife and it’s all Obama’s fault.
Normal
June 25th, 2009
2:34 pm
@@…Bless your heart…
WhoCares
June 25th, 2009
2:35 pm
Reality King….I think the word you are looking for is ‘Liberal’
Peadawg
June 25th, 2009
2:38 pm
I don’t know what higher…the number of arrests UGA’s had in the past few years, or the number of scumbag officials that have cheated on their wives
Peadawg
June 25th, 2009
2:39 pm
“Here’s the thing! The word hypocrisy gets thrown around a lot when it comes to republicans. Not so much when it comes to democrats. Why? Because democrats don’t stand on principles. There can be no violations of principles when there are none.”
HaHa AMEN! I couldn’t have said it better.
Normal
June 25th, 2009
2:40 pm
Peadawg: Bless your heart, too…
Peadawg
June 25th, 2009
2:41 pm
Thanks Normal…you too.
Doggone/GA
June 25th, 2009
2:41 pm
“Here’s the thing! The word hypocrisy gets thrown . Not so much when it comes to democrats. Why? Because democrats don’t stand on principles. There can be no violations of principles when there are none.”
The word hypocrisy doesn’t get “throw around a lot when it comes to republicans” because they have “principles”…it gets thrown around a lot because they DON’T have principles…but they like to point fingers at others for DOING THE SAME THING *THEY* ARE DOING.
“Do as I say, not as I do” is the essence of hypocrisy.
Doggone/GA
June 25th, 2009
2:42 pm
“He cheated on his wife and it’s all Obama’s fault. ”
Yep. The GOP motto: “It’s not my fault”
RealityKing
June 25th, 2009
2:42 pm
So.., does this also mean that everyone who has an affair should quit their job? Where do we draw the leadership line? In a way, aren’t we all suppose to be leaders? Stone the adulterers??
catlady
June 25th, 2009
2:43 pm
There is a special place for Rush…..
So Rush says that this affair, which started a year ago, is Obama’s fault? Or just the week long trip to Lala Land?
When will everyone turn this man OFF?
And as for Sanford, he is obviously under so much stress that he cannot “perform”, at least as far as his state duties. He should bow out gracefully, and devote himself to getting healthy and trying to restore his marriage.
Of course, I think Jenny should dump him faster than a plate of maggots. NO ONE, for the sake of their marriage or anything else, should be humiliated like she has been.
Doggone/GA
June 25th, 2009
2:44 pm
“Where do we draw the leadership line?”
At impeaching someone who has had an affair?
getalife
June 25th, 2009
2:45 pm
Well, Jay has the emotion missing in cons.
Empathy.
I agree with this guy:
Clinton-Attacking Rep. To GOP: Lose “Stinking Rot Of Self-Righteousness”
Enough with the family value bs.
All three gop cheaters should man up and resign.
Doggone/GA
June 25th, 2009
2:45 pm
“Of course, I think Jenny should dump him faster than a plate of maggots. NO ONE, for the sake of their marriage or anything else, should be humiliated like she has been”
So…you don’t think she should stand by her vow: “for better or worse”?
catlady
June 25th, 2009
2:45 pm
Byteme: I loved the little face with the eyerolling thing.
GayGrayGeek
June 25th, 2009
2:46 pm
RK @ 2:42 – Isn’t that the hobby-horse y’all WingNutters have been riding, like you’re in the Kentucky Derby, since Monica?
Normal
June 25th, 2009
2:48 pm
So…you don’t think she should stand by her vow: “for better or worse”?
—————–
Last time I looked, that was a two way street…Just sayin’
Copyleft
June 25th, 2009
2:48 pm
Politicians’ personal lives will continue to matter as long as the Republicans insist on preaching and braying about morality instead of focusing on actual governing.
And it will always blow up in their faces until they figure out it’s time to get off the high horse and get down to business. Fortunately, they never will.
Peadawg
June 25th, 2009
2:49 pm
Doggone/GA, you missed the point of that paragraph. Democrats never hear the word “hypocrisy” b/c when a dem cheats, it almost expected of them. You never hear “family values” come from the dems.
josef nix
June 25th, 2009
2:49 pm
Oh, for Pete’s sake, folks, this type of behavior has nothing to do with party affiliation or political philosophy.
catlady
June 25th, 2009
2:49 pm
Dog: She WAS standing by him. She knew about the affair and they were working on it. For 5 months! Then he went off for a week after she had him leave the house. He was apparently still carrying on his relationship. THAT is where the “for better or worse” was over. When he got on that plane for the AT (Argentenian Tail).
Peadawg
June 25th, 2009
2:49 pm
I take that back, You never hear “family values” come from the dems, unless they are trying to get elected. Once in office, family values go out the window for dems.