Oh, would you freaking resign already?
South Carolina’s Governor Sanford is truly an idiot who needs to resign. Right now.
South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford says he “crossed lines” with a handful of women other than his mistress — but never had sex with them.
The governor says he “never crossed the ultimate line” with anyone but Maria Belen Chapur, the Argentine at the center of a scandal that has derailed Sanford’s once-promising political career.
During an emotional interview at his Statehouse office with The Associated Press on Tuesday, Sanford said Chapur is his soul mate but he’s trying to fall back in love with his wife.
and…
In early 2009, after Jenny Sanford discovered the affair, the couple went into counseling. She has told The Associated Press that he asked her several times to visit the mistress and she refused.
But the governor claims he wanted to end the affair in person and, with his wife’s permission, went to New York with a “trusted spiritual adviser” serving as chaperone. The three went to church and dinner together and parted ways the same night.
But he visited Chapur again in Argentina on June 18, the trip that brought the whole affair to light.
People might be able to eventually get past a one time “oops,” but when there’s a pattern of transgressions, there’s a serious character flaw that’s evident.
He needs to resign. Right now.
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Comments
I don’t know what is funnier: Mark Sanford getting in deeper, or his Intellectual “fiscal conservative” cheering section being so “right and honorable” about his affair. Guess those intellectual conservatives are going to have to support that disorganized snowbilly known as Sarah Palin, and we know it irritates them to have to do that.
It just goes to show you that while we GOPers get our sins exposed to the greater world, Sarah Palin continues to build an army, and a pop-culture image.
He should resign. And he should leave his wife also. Maybe in a few years he could come back like Thompson, Rudy, Newt or McCain. They’ve all had at least a couple of wives.
I have to wonder what is causing him to be so stupid. Why can’t he just keep his mouth shut?
We don’t need to know about other women or how many times with this other woman.
PP you are right he should resign. He just keeps embarasing himself.
“South Dakota Primary Voter” you are so right. Why doesn’t the guy just shut up! Good Lord! It gets worse every time he opens his trap! This guy has gone over the edge. He really has. I think it’s time for the people to step in and end all this stupidity!
Sanford is several bricks short of a load – he needs to go for a persoanl hike on the Applachian Trail without the burdens of governship on his shoulders, ie resign and get lost you goof.
I would like to look at Mr. Fleming’s strange links, which are no doubt funny. But I’m concerned they go to some sort of distasteful liberal stuff. If I click on those links does it show me a picture?
If only he’d have been as smooth as JFK and would have had that Kennedy lack of conscience, nobody ever would have known.
Lee, Troy, he’s in love dudes! Smitten silly.
You’ve both been there, I’m just sure of it.
You just didn’t put it on the TV news.
I mean hey, these things happen.
(…ksk, ksk, ksk,)
Was Thune on the same campaign bus with vitter werent they call amigos or something.
i don’t think that’s why he should resign. the personal stuff is personal stuff. that he keeps dragging this stuff out is troubling, but not worthy of impeachment or resignation.
if he did resign, it should be because of his lying about his trips to his staff and to the people of south carolina, for being unreachable while chasing his mistress around the world.
I am trying to figure out what’s the big deal besides flying all the way to S. America for an affair.
What’s wrong with buying American?
“He fell out of the love tree and hit every branch on the way down.” Alison Stewart. LOTFLMAO
At least Senator Ensign had a jobs program.
South Dakota Primary Voter: What’s causing Sanford to be so stupid is that he is stupid. His wife has the brains and he’s little more than a sock puppet. Sans wife helping him, he shows himself to be the dolt he is.
In fact, he’s so stupid and self absorbed he thinks what he is experiencing is somehow novel and needs explaining when all he is doing is what countless others have done during a mid-life crisis. What a buffoon!
Bill: Private matters are to be kept private. When one is a public figure, certain aspects of private behaviour become part of the public realm. However, Sanford’s public discussion of things that should be private between he and his wife/family or he and his “girlfriend” is most inappropriate. I think it indicates at least “temporary insanity.” At minimum, he should relinquish power until he has his head on straight. Some people can become infatuated and still hold their life together. He appears he can not. Being Governor is too important. Of course, I’m not from SC so my opinion is not very important.
Lexrex: Personal stuff is personal stuff. However, by his conduct (disappearing for 5 days) is a matter for public examination by the people of South Carolina and the legislature. Furthermore, his continual giving private details in public and humiliating his wife and family is also something to indicate his mental well-being. While this might not arise to a matter for impeachment (I think it does), I do believe it does rise to something that calls for him to resign.
Anonymous 8:26: I do not subscribe to the philosophy of cult. I endorse or dis-endorse (is this a word?) people first and foremost for the public ideas and ideals they espouse. I assume that all in public life (Republican or Democrat) are of sound mind and body until I have concrete knowledge they are not. I also know that all are imperfect beings and will fall short of both my ideals and their own. If my “guy” or even one with whom I disagrees falls, I assess to the extent it is a breach of one’s public duties or private duties and discern whether I believe the person should stay in office or resign based on whether the breach impacts the duties they are sworn to uphold. This is why I feel especially strong that Geithner’s failure to pay his taxes disqualified him to be Treasury Secretary.
But never do I attribute ones personal falling to the political ideas they promote. It might impact their capacity to promote their ideas but not the ideas themselves.
you’re right, troy. i thought that’s kinda what i said in my post, that his disappearing act very well might warrant the discussion of resignation/impeachment.
as for his mental wellbeing as a factor, i think that might be difficult to prove, though i agree with you.
Lex,
I didn’t think we were very far apart if at all. I was as much writing to everyone else as well. I wanted to explain why I thought this personal conduct warranted resignation/impeachment while I might feel differently in similar circumstances for another. My views are not reached because of party affiliation or their ideas but the conduct itself in context and taken as a whole.
I guess I’m fortunate that Sanford is a GOPer. If he were a Dem and I called for his resignation/impeachment, I’d be accused of doing so because it was a Democrat. I reached my position weighing the facts as I know them without regard to Sanford’s stellar prior performance as Governor. If it had been “just” an affair, I’d have chastised him (or a Democrat Governor) but not called for his resignation. He should resign for his rambling detail that is a private matter and impeached for the disappearance.
if the elected officials’ news conference includes details that you’d rather your kids didn’t hear – it’s time for him/her to leave for a very long walk on the Appalachian Trail as a private citizen
We were way ahead on this story. Read what we said here at the SDWC.
Exerpts just published (7/1/09 7:43 PM EDT):
“Fourteen GOP state senators — more than half the Senate Republican caucus — have already called for Sanford’s resignation, joining a list that, as of Wednesday afternoon, included 11 Republican members of the state House and six of the state’s biggest newspapers.” Plus the two US Senators and a Congressman.
“State GOP Chairwoman Karen Floyd, who had been quiet on whether Sanford should resign, released a statement Wednesday acknowledging that “there is clearly a growing view that the time may have come for Gov. Sanford to remove himself and his family from the limelight, so that he can devote his efforts full-time to repairing the damage in his personal life.” ”
“Your effectiveness as governor has weakened to such a point … that we won’t be able to pass any of your legislative agenda,” State Senator Grooms said he told Sanford over the phone in explaining why he planned to join those calling on the governor to step down.
“Senator, you need to understand something,” Sanford answered, according to Grooms. “This is a story about true love.”
“He needs to really go take a hike this time.”
“Numerous South Carolina Republicans were so taken aback by the governor’s remarks Tuesday that they speculated about Sanford’s mental health after watching his life and political career unravel in short order.”
“I think it’s obvious that he needs some help,” said GOP state Sen. Larry Martin. “He needs to quit talking to reporters and go get some professional help.”
Martin added: “I’m just sad for him.”
Peeler also said the interview left him personally concerned about the governor. “Those were the ramblings of a troubled man,” he said. “I’m not a lawyer. I’m not a doctor. But I know when I see it. That man needs help.”
Asked about the press conference, Inglis said Sanford’s “close aides don’t need all those details and the state certainly doesn’t need all those details,” adding that any media handlers would “be telling him ‘you don’t need to tell them all that.’”
But after watching the avalanche of statements on Wednesday calling for the governor’s resignation, GOP state Rep. Lanny Littlejohn estimated that Sanford will likely only be able to hang on to his seat for another week, an outcome he would not have believed only a few days ago.
“I can’t believe all this is happening. It’s like a dream. It’s unreal,” he said. “It’s just gotta be the shock of the year that things are playing out the way they are.”
Troy, it’s a paradox, isn’t it? Yes he should resign. If he were sane and rational he would. But he’s not so he won’t. That’s why they call it crazy.
In his current love-struck state, Sanford is invincible, at least in his own mind. If his house of cards has to fall, someone else is going to have to bump the table for him.
I love romantics.
While I’m thinking of Winnie the Pooh:
“Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?
That is what I think has happened to Mark Sanford.
No! Obama should be the one resigning! That guy obama needs to be held accountable!
All the major news organizations are reporting on the following: “Rush Limbaugh say Mark Sanford was driven to have illicit Argentinian sex because of the devastating effects of his state being forced to take stimulus money. “To hell with this,” he said, and just lost his good conservative spirit. Mark Sanford’s Affair Is Obama’s Fault!”
My God I think Rush is right! The wrong guy is taking the fall for the turmoil obama has created.
How dare you call for Sanford to resign when it isn’t even his fault! Shame on you!