Of all of the names thrown around for 2012, Sanford was the one guy who could have kept my vote out of the LP column. This is really, really, really disappointing.

Sigh.

-exits

or keep from getting caught?

that God protects the hearts of his wife and children.

but he is now obviously not the answer we needed.

He has committed the ultimate politically stupid act while hurting his family and himself.

Report (MSNBC) was that a SC newspaper has sat on this story for several months.

never have blind faith in a politician, this sucks

Having an extramarital affair does nothing to disqualify him for running for the Presidency with me.
Ditto Ensign.

At this point, all I care about is policy & philosophy.

I don’t care if you’re into furry animals - if you’re right on the issues, and you have a realistic shot at haymakering Obama, I’m still listening.

Viagra….

These horny dudes will be the end of us.
And I think many of these affairs are cooked up by political enemies.

…but in our political culture the only folks who would put themselves through the media ringer we require in a campaign are the kinds of people whom we would shudder to have govern us.

That doesn’t excuse Sanford. What it says is we need to put some serious limits on the kind of power over our lives we give to folks like him. Does anybody really think Sanford is that much worse a guy than the gang in Congress or Obama’s administration? I think not.

we hardly knew you. Stupid moron.

And I’m not convinced that’s a bad thing.

If he can attain forgiveness from his family and his Savior and from the populace of SC there’s no reason why he can’t run in 2012. After all were he to win the nomination he’d be going up against a guy who has made tons of money by proudly describing his teenage cocaine abuse. He just needs to handle this in the right way- humbly and honestly- those are two characteristics that no Democrat can bring to the table.

I am very disappointed. Perhaps this is why he has continued to refute anyone who suggests he might run for President. I would still vote for him if there was no other fiscal conservative that I thought would stay true to those principles.

Maine Miracle:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124571672694839297.html

I never really cared for him. Glad to see him dropped from the picture.

I’ll point out one major difference between Sanford’s affair and others, and then quit.

He’s being compared to the likes of McGreevy, and Spitzer, already. Haven’t heard a peep about a comparison with Bill Clinton, yet, oddly enough. After all, Clinton has his pants around his knees in Little Rock as soon as his other hand was down from swearing in.

What makes Sanford’s extramarital affair so much less egregious than those of the Democratic counterparts I mention above is that he didn’t abuse the power of his office.

I don’t know where Senator Ensign’s potential abuse of power may lay, so I can’t really side him up. But I do see the difference between what happened here, and what’s happened elsewhere. Where this sort of thing is half-expected, it’s often fully realized.

The only people that should have a beef with Mark Sanford are his wife, family, and friends. We have nothing to do but learn from his mistake, and ensure that the Democratic Party doesn’t make a wholesale mockery of the man for their own political gain. Hands up anyone who doesn’t believe they’ll try to run the entire GOP to the ground for this, like a bunch of shameless hyenas.

Do I want him to resign? NO. I want Governor Sanford to keep throwing money back in the federal government’s face. And then I want every other governor who hasn’t followed that lead to start doing the same.

“I spent the last five days crying in Argentina.”

There should be a questionnaire or something for prospective Republicans now when they want to aspire to national politics:

“Are you screwing someone other than your wife?”
“Are you screwing someone who gave you money?”
“Are you screwing yourself?”
“Are you screwing your dog?”
“Are you screwing people in Argentina’s dogs?”
“Are you an idiot?”

I’ll point out one major difference between Sanford’s affair and others, and then quit.

He’s being compared to the likes of McGreevy, and Spitzer, already. Haven’t heard a peep about a comparison with Bill Clinton, yet, oddly enough. After all, Clinton has his pants around his knees in Little Rock as soon as his other hand was down from swearing in.

What makes Sanford’s extramarital affair so much less egregious than those of the Democratic counterparts I mention above is that he didn’t abuse the power of his office.

I don’t know where Senator Ensign’s potential abuse of power may lay, so I can’t really side him up. But I do see the difference between what happened here, and what’s happened elsewhere. Where this sort of thing is half-expected, it’s often fully realized.

The only people that should have a beef with Mark Sanford are his wife, family, and friends. We have nothing to do but learn from his mistake, and ensure that the Democratic Party doesn’t make a wholesale mockery of the man for their own political gain. Hands up anyone who doesn’t believe they’ll try to run the entire GOP to the ground for this, like a bunch of shameless hyenas.

Do I want him to resign? NO. I want Governor Sanford to keep throwing money back in the federal government’s face. And then I want every other governor who hasn’t followed that lead to start doing the same.

and that’s an ok thing (IMO) at this time.

I’d be willing to settle for a eunuch, though.

Honestly. Given the number of pols who in the past few years have been humiliated or deposed because of their sexual antics, one would think that the great lesson of keeping one’s pants on would’ve sunk in by now.

Unfortunately, doesn’t seem to have for the good Gov. Sanford.

Just because somenone we all liked has completely let us down is no reason to throw Romney under the bus. He may in the end be the best candidate for the job; without trying has more chops on foreign policy than Obama and will look like a genius on fiscal/economic matters. “It’s the economy stupid!!!!” and that may be where Romney shines.

So does he resign like Eliot Spitzer? or stay on the job like David Vitter, Ensign, etc?

I am SO SICK of these idiots who keep getting elected into office.

I am sick of them all!

I’m more than a little sick of politicians who can’t keep it in their pants, I mean seriously. Are they all immoral idiots?

When you have no character or morals (i.e. you are a DEMOCRAT), this is a career-enhancer as we all know. We need better Republicans, unless we really are going to cease being the party of character and values.

Please let’s not destroy our own yet again. He hasn’t killed a young woman in his car. His boyfriend is not running a homosexual whorehouse out of his apartment. They didn’t find thousands of dollars in his refrigerator.

After all, its ok to lie about sex. Plus, its between him and his wife. We have learned that at least. Just call his accusers trailer trash.

All these democrats (and republicans) who have suddenly become social conservatives. Don’t buy it.

Don’t destroy our own. Don’t “Lott” the guy.

Was he having the affair while he was missing? Cause if you miss fathersday with your kids and wife to have an affair that might not be something you can come back from…

He had an affair with a fifteen year old employee of his family, they had a child, he wasn’t even involved in raising her, he served forever. Why the double standard and Sanfords resignation. Why did the republicans allow him to serve forever and Sanford is getting thrown under the bus.

I campaigned for a state senator with Sanford and respected him as a person. This is all very disappointing. Sad to see a good one go.

I am curious why you took a shot at Romney . He would have done much better with the economy than any of the other candidates.

all he has to do is change parties now and wait until 2016.

Why do so many of you hold politicians up to an abnormal standard? About 50% of marriages end in divorce, mostly because of infidelity. Do you stop working for your boss if he has an affair? Do you fire employees? Do you stop eating at a local diner because the owner wasn’t faithful? Do you demand a new mailman or dogcatcher?

Of course not. You look at job performance and move on with your life wishing the families get through everything okay but knowing that dysfunction is the new nuclear family.

Learn from the (D)s here — The Personal is only Political if you let it work against you and your interests. They own it and move on, you let shame overtake you and walk away allowing them to win and thus keeping the personal political.

Never mind the moral implications, he’s a complete moron. I cannot even begin to list the ways in which what he’s done is beyond stupid. I am sputtering with anger at the way he’s made the entire GOP and conservatives look dumb.

He didn’t just betray his wife and children. He betrayed us all.

As a politician, especially a Republican one, please assume you are being watched 24/7, and that any indiscretion you make will be made public.

So, please do one of the following based on your particular situation:

1) If you either have or are of the character type who could possibly commit adultery, do not run for office. (I know using “potential” as a filter disqualifies a lot of people, but isn’t that the point - to be picky when choosing office-holders?)

2) If this urge to merge comes along once you’re already in office, pull a a Specter before you’re found out.

That is all.

We cannot scream at Clinton, Spitzer and the rest if we don’t back that up with cleaning up our own house! Sanford has much in his closet that would preclude ANY comeback, so take the position… an idiot who makes this move does NOT deserve to rule ANY government, especially as a Republican. Kick the jerk OUT of the party, make him resign his office, get RID of this slime ball NOW!

Everyone jumped on Stevens with a lynch mob mentality, and look how that turned out in the end. So I’ll be the one to say it. I don’t give a rats rear end if Sanford had an affair with a goat. Guess what? When I look at the field of candidates for 2012 I don’t see Jesus among them. Shall we run down the list of people who have had affairs that are politically viable?

Clinton (x3 million)
Gingrich
Guilianni
Vitter
McCain
Kennedy (if he wasn’t on death’s door)

Fine, enjoy your expression of moral outrage, but I find it interesting that while expressing disgust and pledges to ostracize Sanford from a political future, y’all immediately decry how horrible Romney is, while he fully meets all of the moral criteria you insist on.

So make up your minds, what do you want? Because you are rapidly driving toward 8 years of Obama and Jesus isn’t going to be on the ballot.

As for me, I don’t care too much, I plan to vote for Jindall, Palin or Romney. Sanford was never on my list.

I can’t imagine how much suck it must be for them to hear this only two days after Father’s Day–or after any day, really.

That said, I think that it’s unwise for us to pretend that this has to do with his performance as Governor in SC, which seems to have been pretty good, by all accounts. Had he been an unknown quantity, I would probably see this as more important than it is, but given that he’s apparently governed in a manner consistent with conservative principles for some time, I don’t see how this revelation really affects much of anything. It’s unfortunate, both from a political and personal standpoint, that he couldn’t keep it in his pants and be faithful to his wife, but it would be even more unfortunate if his resignation meant that the taxpayers of SC would get screwed by the new Gov. Next primary, get rid of the bum, but until then, the damage has been done, and we have to keep in mind that it was a grievous sin committed against his wife and God, and not against the taxpayers.

Affairs are not just a problem of politicians or celebrities. Just look at the divorce rate and out-of-wedlock birth rates in this country. If we set a standard of moral perfect for office then we might as well adapt anarchy because no-one will be qualified.

As far as I have heard the story, he did not break any laws and did not abuse the office of the Governor. In addition to the affair he did a few foolish things that will count against his re-election, but they should be balanced against the rest of his performance as governor. I don’t see anything in this situation, yet, that requires him to resign.

In addition to the moral damage, this does hurt him politically and will count against him for both re-election as governor as well as a run for any other office including the presidency. Should it disqualify him from seeking any other office? I refer you to the title of this post. Let’s see how he handles his office and personal life for the next few years.

I thought the GOP was against outsourcing and illegal immigration!

j/k — I couldn’t help it when I heard from where the mistress hailed.

Nothing to see here folks, move along.

not enough substance. I look forward to a Mitt Romney candidacy. A bit of intelligence and restraint would be refreshing.

I’m wondering when we can stop demeaning our candidates and talk about their positions. We’re lucky to have someone of the caliber of Mitt.

He seems like a man in serious distress; very remorseful and got out in front of it as soon as he could.

As far the Governor’s Office, I’ll let S. Carolinians judge him for that.

The biggest setback for him is POTUS 2012. That’s over. He doesnt look like a guy emotionally stable enough to handle a 3:00 A.M. moment and he wont for a long time.

Who knows what will happen some time down the road.

You must be joking. Romney is by far the best shot we’ve got at winning the White House in 2012. I’d even say he was the best shot we had in 2008. If we hadn’t blown it by nominating the worst possible candidate (McCain), we could’ve at least closed the gap.

This only reinforces the fact that Romney is the right man for the job in 2012. Huckabee’s a joke. Gingrich has scandals of his own. And Palin might make a good VP but I don’t think she could win at the top of the ticket.

We’ve got to face it, unless we nominate some unknown dark horse with no skeletons in the closet, Romney’s the only chance we have in 2012.

what’s that sound I here….ahhhh yes…crickets chirping…lovely.

Putz.

I want a genuine take on this.

Alabama Governor Don Siegelman (D-AL) found guilty of bribery, mail fraud and obstruction of justice 6/29/2006, sentenced to 88 months.

Connecticut - In 2004 Governor John G. Rowland (R-CT) Rowland resigned from office during a corruption investigation, and later pleaded guilty in federal court to a one-count with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and tax fraud.[7] He served ten months in a federal prison followed by four months house arrest, ending in June, 2006.

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich (D-IL) charged with conspiracy to commit mail, wire fraud and solicitation of bribery. He was also accused of “Pay to Play” schemes, including the sale of President Barack Obama’s vacated U.S. Senate seat to the highest bidder. He was impeached and removed from office (January 28, 2009)

Illinois Governor George H. Ryan (R-IL) illegal sale of government licenses and contracts as Secretary of IL State. Convicted (2006)

Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards (D-LA) convicted of extortion (2000)

New Jersey Jim McGreevey Governor (D-NJ) Resigned from office 11/15/07 after admitting his homosexuality and the inappropriate appointment of his alleged male-sex partner to a government paid office.(2004)

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson (D-NM) withdraws his bid to be President-Elect Obama’s Commerce Secretary due to an investigation by a federal grand jury into how a California company that contributed to Richardson’s political activities won a New Mexico transportation contract worth more than $1 million (January 4, 2009)

Ohio Governor Bob Taft (R-OH) pleads no contest and is convicted on four first-degree misdemeanor ethics violations (2005)

Puerto Rico Governor Anibal Acevedo Vila(D) indicted by the United States on 19 counts of corruption and conspiracy. On August 19, 2008, he was indicted a second time, with four counts of Honest Services Wire Fraud, 18 USC 1343, 1346 and 2, and a fifth count of Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, 18 USC 1956(h).

Alabama Governor Harold Guy Hunt(R-AL) convicted of improperly using campaign money and removed from office (1993); received a rare full pardon due to the confession of his accountant, Gene McKenzie (1998).

Arizona Governor John Fife Symington III (R-AZ) convicted of fraud (1997)

Arkansas Governor James Guy Tucker, Jr. (D-AR), convicted of fraud conspiracy (1996)

Oklahoma Governor David Lee Walters (D-OK) pleaded guilty to misdemeanor election law violation (1993)

West Virginia Governor Arch A. Moore Jr (R) guilty of mail fraud, tax fraud, extortion and obstruction of justice, (1990)

Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) Governor of California, Admitted to inappropriate conduct with women when he was an actor and professional bodybuilder “on rowdy movie sets” (2004)

Paul Patton (D) Governor of Kentucky, Became public after a former mistress alleged retaliation against her business (2002)

Jim McGreevey (D) Governor of New Jersey, admitted that he had an extramarital affair with the man he appointed as homeland security advisor. When threatened with a lawsuit he admitted his homosexuality and resigned in (2004)

Eliot Spitzer (D) Governor of New York used the Emperors Club VIP prostitution service to meet $1000/ night escorts. No charges were filed since no public funds were used, though he resigned anyway. (2008)

Bob Wise (D) Governor of West Virginia, affair with state employee (2003)

William Jefferson “Bill” Clinton (D) Governor of Arkansas. Whitewater scandal (1994-2000) independent counsel Kenneth Starr (R) investigated the Clinton’s role in peddling influence for the Whitewater (real estate) Development Corporation while he was Governor of Arkansas. No criminal charges were brought against either President Bill Clinton (D) or First Lady Hillary Clinton (D)

William Jefferson “Bill” Clinton (D) Governor of Arkansas. Sex Scandals from multiple women including Paula Jones and Gennifer Flowers, which culminated in his impeachment for perjury while President.

Governor David Patterson of New York (D). On the day of his inauguration admitted multiple sexual affairs and drug use.

to visit our troops in Europe this week.

Let’s say you’re the conservative governor of a state with a rambunctious legislature who fights you every step of the way as you try to limit the damage done by the so called stimulus. That you spend every day fighting off the attacks by envious rivals, ankle-biters, loons, stalkers, backbenchers, leftwing local media, leftwing national media, your own party, etc. That every move you make is scrutinized to determine how it affects your Presidential plans. Pretty stressful, right?

So what do you do after the session ends? Do you sneak off to spend a week with your mistress after promising your wife to break it off, on FATHERS DAY weekend yet, leaving said wife to cover for you ?

or do you go to spend your free time with our soldiers, who Sarah always calls “Our Heroes”, lending her stature and charisma to the worthy cause of reminding America how much we owe our troops?

I have a big problem with the idea, stated above and often, that we are losing some kind of great leader here due to this “tragic event”. On the contrary, we dodged a bullet. despite his manifest lack of charisma, limited appeal and lack of political skills, Sanford was considered a top contender for 2012.

If you want to get a picture of what I mean, check out his press conference today, all of which I listened to on CSPAN. It was a compelling mix of cliches, fatuousness, bathos, wierdness (pointing out people in the audience and reminiscing about when they played Little league or whatever) evasions, torturous logic, circumlocution, begging, weeping, apologising, equivocating, blaming others, way TMI, etc.

It was what I think of as The Full Nixon. (And I LIKE Nixon).

That Ensign and Sanford both admit to these affairs. Each have White House aspirations, and for that to happen, it’s best to air the dirty laundry now, rather than 2 years from now.

I wish it were true that we could separate his politics from his personal limitations, but it won’t happen. Let’s look elsewhere. Nothing more to see here.

we’re just gonna throw him under the bus? One of the few truly conservative Republicans, who has, by every measure been a fine Governor who walked the limited government, low taxes walk. Just the kind of guy we need right now.

There is no condoning marital infidelity.

But, having said that, we don’t know both sides of the story. We only know the public story, not the private one. And we have NO right to the private story. So, IMHO, if we are not entitled to the evidence, we are not entitled to judge, convict and sentence.

I say let him stand on his record as Governor.

he unzippe his pants, & his brains fell out.

I see how this incites much passion amongst people. But Sanford resigned as head of the Gov’s association. His 2012 POTUS aspirations are shot. That being said, people outside SC really dont have much of a stake as to the future of the Governor of SC. If they want him, I say lets support him. If not, he;s got to go. Either way this Yankee wont go carpetbagging.

100 percent of politicians are lying snakes. I dont have any problem saying that because if you find me an “honest” politician I guarantee hes got a skeleton or two.

Stop elevating these idiots to some posistion of admiration. To me all politicians deserve ridicule and scorn. To me they are all dirty rotten gangsters until they prove otherwise.

if you have a problem with infidelity or have considered to act on those urges do not run for office. This is the kind of garbage that infuriates me, everytime you embarrass yourself, you embarrass us.

Further note, if you can not keep it in your pants then why the hell can we trust you. I am glad Mark Sanford is not my governor, but Mark Sanford single handedly allowed the Democrat agenda to pass through Congress. Hang you head in shame, you’re are one big moron. Yeah, I am that mad, I defended you yesterday, and this is how I get repayed. Jerk.

If this link is true, and Sanford and Ensign both called on President Clinton to resign, they should face the music.

Unless you’re a Democrat, hypocrisy is always a losing strategy — both personally and professionally.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/06/sanford-and-ensign-called-on-clinton-to-resign-after-his-affair.html

Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. Sort of like having the right to remain silent but not having the ability.

than other personal behavior failings when it comes to serving in public office.