Joining Sen. John Ensign among the “family values” politicians who admit to have extramarital affairs, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford just admitted to cheating on his wife Jenny — a revelation that comes amidst his unexplained jaunt to Argentina. (Sanford has not identified the other woman.) Yes, this is the man who is against civil unions in South Carolina and for defining marriage as one man and one woman, and as a congressman voted for banning gay adoptions in Washington D.C. And yes, it’s the same man who ignored his own wife and sons on Father’s Day.
Sanford says he’s resigning as chairman of the Republican Governors Association. When asked by a reporter at today’s press conference whether he plans on resigning as governor, his back was turned and he was walking away from the podium.
As we’ll continue to say: We don’t care (much) about whether politicians step out on their spouses. Yes, it makes for a political scandal. But the moment an elected official uses his vote to infringe on our rights, there is no respect for privacy — you deserve to have your name sabotaged.
mikeandrewsdantescove
Once again a GOP member caught in a sex scandal. However, because it’s another woman the party will turn a blind eye.
Example – David Vitter
Charlie
Another moralistic hypocrite bites the dust — and oh yeah, he’s another Republican too. Gee, what were the odds!
KayBay
Vitter’s “Cajun queen” act.
Fossella’s “mormon impersonator” act.
Palin’s “abstinence if only” family act.
Ensign’s “double your pleasure” act in Vegas.
Sanford’s “Game Cock” act in Argentina.
Next up: Rick Perry’s surprise. It’s there y’all.
TANK
He should submit himself for stoning. Another hypocritical scumbag bites the dust.
slider
No. 3…KayBay (as in Kay Bailey Hutchinson? Just curious)
you mean as to Rick Perry’s surprise of the gay rumors for years about him…I doubt that is a surprise to any one.
Michael
Hypocrisy aside, how sad is it that he cant even conduct an affair properly without getting caught!?
Random Gay Guy
>.> And to think, I felt kinda bad for thinking he took his trip to “Argentina” to meet with a second woman or family. Any new info on the timing of the affair, i.e. was it before or after this whole trip thing.
WPM
Sanctity of marriage? Sanctimonious son of a bitch!
dk
I suppose I feel sorry for his wife, (even though she knew), but I can’t help but to enjoy this.
Republican
It amazes me that politicians think they can do this and not get caught. No matter how many creeps before them have had their careers ruined by this, they always think that somehow they’ll be able to keep it under wraps.
Dennis
LOVE how his wife played this…”I don’t know where he is, we haven’t heard from him for days, etc.” She called out her own douchebag husband, and wouldn’t cover for his cheating ass, damn the consequences…
HA!!! Bitch probably knew EXACTLY what her husband was up to and made him a notional laughing stock…Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned…well played, lady.
thatguyfromboston
I want to know why he had to outsource his extramarital shenanigans to another country? Are American hoochie-mama’s too expensive?
matt
Argentina is a nice country.
Cam
As I’ve said several time on here….
Can we just assume that ANYBODY who is virulently opposed to gay marriage is either…
1. a Closet Case (Larry Craig)
2. Cheating on their spouse (This guy, Senator Ensign, newt Gingritch, etc….
nikko
That was a genuinely sincere and thorough apology. What more do you want?
galefan2004
I really hope he stays on as governor simply because this is such a black eye on his governorship that there is no way in hell he is getting elected next time his term is up. However, I’m not sure how it works in SC. I’m all for him resigning if it opens a new election, but not if it just lets someone of his own party step up to take over.
galefan2004
@nikko: For him not to be a hypocritical asshole espousing sanctity of marriage and banging an Argentinian slut bag the next? Is that really that much to ask for?
bobito
you know, I’m kind of starting to understand why these republican politicians view same-sex marriage as a threat to the sanctity of their marriages – virtually EVERYTHING puts the sanctity of their marriages in jeopardy: public restrooms, brothels… really, these marriages are on shaky ground, any little thing can pitch their sanctity headlong into the crapper. To their long-suffering wives: sorry, ladies, that’s what happens when you marry an asshole.
I pliss
The bible says if a Man or woman commits adultery they should be stoned to death! hmmmmm why is that being honored like the other quote ” if a man sleeps with a man and then sleeps with a woman it’s abomination” hmmmmm why do we talk about one so much and never the other?
I pliss
I’m waiting for a GOP senator to get busted in a gay act. oh wait that happened already and he denied it.
galefan2004
@I pliss: Extremist religion is ran by homophobic assholes. Because of that, they will keep focusing on anyone that goes against gay rights. However, the more assholes like this do stupid shit like this the farther the moderates get from the Repugs and their ideals, and seeing that most of the country is moderate, this kind of stupidity really does help our cause in the long run.
Chris
I’ll bet it was not really a woman, but a pre-op trannie. That’s why he came back.
scott ny'er
awesome!!!
may it follow him til the end of his days
JOHN
AND MALE HOMO-SEXUALS AREN’T PROMISCUOUS? GROSS!!! PUH-LEASE!!!
Scudder
@JOHN: Been hanging out with a lot of promiscuous men, John?
Birds of a feather…
Lance Rockland
@JOHN: It takes one to know one, honey! HAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Frank
Creating a fiction with regard to where I was going = lying = bearing false witness. SINNER! Oh and there’s that little other commandment about Adultery too. Funny being gay isn’t one of those 10 but this guy has broken two of his sacred commandments.
Alexa
@JOHN: So? The problem here isn’t just that he cheated on his wife, it’s that he doesn’t want gays and lesbians to marry because he says it will destroy the family. And all the while he is off in Argentina happily destroying his own family. He’s an immoral lying hypocrite who has forfeit any right to tell me I’m immoral.
Mike
Cheating men ruin the sanctity of marriage. Not gay marriage.
Ed
So this scumbag has been crying in Argentina this past week … Do they celebrate Father’s Day there? Just wonderin’ …
TANK
But the deal is that he never had any “authority” to tell you you’re immoral. He no more understands what ethics entails than an infant who can’t speak, or a corpse. What it does is discredit him in the public square as being a “values” politician.
InExile
Typical GOP family values hack, it is almost a given, these are always the ones who never practice what the preach and try to force their so called values on society. David Vitter (or John to the prostitutes) still employed in the Senate, Larry Craig (tap tap, he he) out of the Senate, and the list goes on endlessly!
edgyguy1426
@Scudder: well you know, just the fact he said it Puh-lease makes me suspect
JOHN
Now more than ever Sarah Palin and her daughter are for abstinence. Her daughter is the perfect poster child for abstinence.
Ed
@JOHN: Quit hanging around the bathrooms and get back to work!
JOHN
why yes i do know promiscuous men, like every one I’ve ever met, and me the most. that being said, these GOP’ers are protecting their constituents views of family values, hardly ever their own.
if it weren’t for the IRS and taxes, the government wouldn’t be in the business of marriage and gays would have to find someplace else to validate their lives other than a religious ceremony between a man and a woman.
Not straight
Of course John – Sarah Palin is lookin to run for President. After the last major (excuse the pun) screw up, her daughter wouldn’t even think of walking across the street by herself without mommy’s permission.
JOHN
bRISTOL IS NOT BEING SHEILDED, I WOULD SAY QUITE THE CONTRARY. I WOULD IMAGE HER PARENTS ARE TRYING TO GET HER MARRIED OFF ASAP.
sweetdog
@JOHN:
Puh-lease?! Isn’t that expression a little TOO gay?
JOHN
“Puh-lease”- i used it to humor myself.
KayBay
@nikko: What more do I want?
Resignation from office. Withdrawal from public life.
Beyond that, what do I think he should do? Beg the forgiveness of his wife and sons, and dedicate the rest of his miserable, sexless life to making them comfortable and as happy as they can be.
JOHN
I believe wholeheartedly in the sanctity, dignity and importance of the institution of marriage. I believe that has been consistently reflected in my actions. When I found out about my husband’s infidelity I worked immediately to first seek reconciliation through forgiveness, and then to work diligently to repair our marriage. We reached a point where I felt it was important to look my sons in the eyes and maintain my dignity, self-respect, and my basic sense of right and wrong. I therefore asked my husband to leave two weeks ago.
Psalm 127 states that sons are a gift from the Lord and children a reward from Him. I will continue to pour my energy into raising our sons to be honorable young men. I remain willing to forgive Mark completely for his indiscretions and to welcome him back, in time, if he continues to work toward reconciliation with a true spirit of humility and repentance.
JOHN
This trial separation was agreed to with the goal of ultimately strengthening our marriage. During this short separation it was agreed that Mark would not contact us. I kept this separation quiet out of respect of his public office and reputation, and in hopes of keeping our children from just this type of public exposure. Because of this separation, I did not know where he was in the past week.
This is a very painful time for us and I would humbly request now that members of the media respect the privacy of my boys and me as we struggle together to continue on with our lives and as I seek the wisdom of Solomon, the strength and patience of Job and the grace of God in helping to heal my family.
First Lady Jenny Sanford
niles
That must have been some good tail to go all the way to Argentina for it.
eric
so… his wife sent him away two weeks ago, and Mark thinks to himself “I know what I’ll do!” He slips away to Argentina for a week long bang session. Cool. But then he gets caught in a web of lairs and lies. Some reporter gets a tip the car is at the airport for awhile, asks his chief of staff where he’s at, the cheif of staff lies, gets caught when inside info from the airport pegs the governor in S. America. Like a movie.
schlukitz
Another doucheba….er…, fine upstanding, God-fearing, family values Xstain falls from grace. Can we all find it in our hearts to clasp our hands together, look beseechingly toward the heavens and pray for the salvation of this man’s soul?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090625/ap_on_re_us/us_sc_governor_where
Mind you, this scumbag voted for South Carolina’s Defense of Marriage Act, believing homosexual acts are a sin that violates the Bible and the sacred institution of traditional marriage. (He left out the 5,000 years)
Yeah Right! We suffer while that miserable prick plays around on his wife and kids. But wait, it gets even better.
Now comes Mike Jones, Haggard’s ex-prostitute, who says that he has a plane ticket with douche bag’s name on it putting Sanford in Colorado with him, not in Argentina with a woman, as he claims. Douche bag, of course, denies it and does his Jack Benny, “Now cut that out” number under threat of suing if he doesn’t.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/6/24/746132/-Haggard-ex-prostitute:-Sanford-was-in-Colorado-with-me
And these are the kind of people who live off our tax money, support discrimination and segregation and liken our relationships to incest and pedophilia.
Just 15 seconds with him….pleeeeeze!!!
jj
Don’t cry for me Argentina…The truth is I never left you…
GJR
@nikko:
It was the typical Republican apology, he apologized because he got caught. Just like Ensign apologized. And typical Republican vslues: the wife knew for 2 months. Then he sneaks away and lies to her again.
Let me guess how this went down. Sanford went through an embarassing defeat when the SC legislature overrule his veto on stimulus funds. So, as someone interested in running for president, he probably thought this was a good time to plug up any future problems. So he probably flew down to Buenos Aires. Boinked the woman a few times, then said it was all complicated, he had to end it, never ever talk about it, and made a nice contribution to the kids’ college funds… But you know, going way incommunicado using state vehicles was damn, damn stupid.
marius
Ann Coulter said that “Our philanderers” pay a price.
Their philanderers claim the moral high ground and punish others from that lofty position, hence the price.
Pay up.
osocubano
Why go to Argentina?
Isn’t there any fucking in South Carolina?
Robert, NYC
The biggest threat to marriage are the likes of Sanford, the straight philanderers, adulterers, on both sides of the aisle. Notice that NONE of the religious cults come to their defense, pretty silent if you ask me. You can bet that many of them are in the same boat, definitely not practicing what they preach, a bunch of fucking hypocrites and bigots. If I had it in my power, religious cults would have to issue their own marriage licenses if government claims that it cannot get into the definition of marriage which it does anyway by conferring more than one thousand federal rights aside from state rights. Now if Sanford had been caught with a male, can you imagine the vitriole and other forms of hate speech coming out of the mouths of the right wingers in the GOP, including many in the religious cults.
These cults make enough money, they pay NO federal taxes (at our expense) so they should be responsible for providing their own benefits. Now that would be true separation of church and state.
I pliss
I was listening to Good Morning America and they spoke briefly on this topic. Harry stated that there is a study that it’s in your genes to be monogamous! So where is the genes and the study about being gay? And that was the end of the story!!!! His wife has forgiven him so all is good! I don’t get it please explain!
Jayson
I wonder if the next big twist in this mess will be Maria is really Mario?
DuttyBarb
So?????
A man cheats on his wife and then gay marriage should be legal?? Where is the similarity? No really, where?
Gay marriage is still a farce because it is two men or two women playing house. It has no moral/ civil standing.
Nice to see u peeps are the ones making gay marriage directly proportional to the sin of adultery.
Robert, NYC
@DuttyBarb:
You’re a fucking moron. What this is all about is Sanford’s hypocrisy and bigotry, not practicing what he believes in or preaches. The farce is his sanctity of marriage mantra….so much for that crap along with all the other straight adulterers whose marriages have NO moral standing once they cross that line. They have NO morals nor are they in the position to judge us either. They’ve lost the argument and so have you.
galefan2004
@Robert, NYC: Dude, please don’t feed the overweight smelly controversial troll. It just makes her come back here looking for more scraps.
GJR
@Robert, NYC:
Well said. Isn’t their something wrong with the Gingrich’s and Sanford’s and Palin’s of the world preaching what is right and moral when they themselves fall so far short.
galefan2004
@JOHN: I feel bad for you if every single gay man you have ever met is a slut, but possibly it has something to do with that fact that you freely admit to being just like them. There are plenty of men in loving committed relationships. There are also plenty of men that believe in not having sex outside of a loving committed relationship. Stop paining all gay men with the same brush please.
galefan2004
@KayBay: I want him to stay in office and stay as rooted in the public eye as he possibly can. Everyone that even looks at him for years to come will see him as the man that bailed on father’s day with his four sons to go fuck his whore. The longer he can keep that perception of him in the mainstream GOP the more the Dems benefit from it.
galefan2004
@osocubano: Why not go to Argentina? After all, the government of South Carolina was paying for it, he wasn’t.
Robert, NYC
@GJR:
That was my point. There’s blame to go around on all sides but the problem with these conservatives is that they use religion and the sanctity of marriage to throw at us when they can’t even get their own house in order. Its the blatant hypocrisy I can’t accept and sleazy whores like Duttybarb who condone it. We will see more of them exposed, many of them coming from the religious right of which Sanford is one.
Robert, NYC
@galefan2004:
Under other circumstances I wouldn’t respond to political right wing whore trash like that but in this case “it” deserved it. They have serious psychological problems that they deliberately come to a gay blogsite to vent their stupidity. Makes you wonder if there are some unresolved sexual issues going on with them since they seem to be obsessed with our sexuality, but don’t concentrate on the straight offender hypocrites such as Sanford et al. They’re outnumbered on here anyway, nobody really takes them seriously. They’re pissing in the wind.
GJR
@galefan2004:
That would be good if there weren’t such an amazing double standard. Think back to the Edwards affair, how long that was covered, the pundits immediately said it was the end of his career forever. With Sanford, the national press will forget about it in a day or so. Yes, he’s probably cooked as a presidential candidate but just watch how quickly the media moves on.
More examples? Gary Condit. Had an affair. Woman is murdered. Press covers incessantly. He loses his seat. Now, years later, he was exonerated of the murder. Joe Scarborough? A staffer if found dead in his office, evidence that the coroner’s info was tainted, a LOT of fishy details, yet he is a “respected” TV pundit..
Or lets compare the coverage of Jim McGrievey vs. Larry Craig. I think Craig’s scandal was dropped much more quickly by the national media.
Bill Perdue
Sanford is a total sleaze.
He sooooo bad that, in the true sprirt of bipartisanship, he’s been nominated for the William Jefferson Clinton Defender of Christian Marriage Award for 2009.
Now that’s what I call sleaze.
dlpca
@DuttyBarb: A single line the middle dividing point is where the two halves meet, essentially close to each other and sharing the middle point (opposite sex marriage). Moving to the extreme end of the half line, polar opposites which are far from the middle (gay marriage), are still part of the same line.
Point: We are all part of the same journey, just at different points along the path. There is only one line of destiny for us all, Love.
Got it?
Robert, NYC
@GJR:
Double standards are condoned and accepted when one is straight and when god is in the mix. When there’s a gay component involved, then the customary dehumanization of us begins especially from the GOP and those who support them. Its ok and acceptable to cheat with the opposite sex even if one happens to be married, but when the culprit is gay, that’s a whole different issue. These filthy religious straights for the most part are the most immoral of all. Lieing, cheating and covering up is their m.o. while they use LGBT people as the scapegoats. The game is up, we’re on to them. Thanks goes to Sanford for exposing the corruption and the filth in politics. They’re all morally bankrupt.
AlwaysGay
I agree with Robert, NYC.
schlukitz
@Robert, NYC:
Robert, I suspect that people like DuttyBarb and Sanford know that they are morally bankrupt and are only too happy to have a scapegoat to cover up for that fact. Note how quickly DuttyBarb dismisses and blows off Sanford’s philandering with “So????” as if what he has done is not even worthy of attention, much less comment.
Having diverted attention away from the subject at hand, she then immediately reverts to her straw man arguments against gay marriage.
The awful truth is, these people who preach the moral high road while wallowing in the mud would have have to start taking some of the heat and responsibility for their own fucked-up, immoral behavior if they did not have others to point fingers at. Reverend Haggard comes to mind.
Haggard, despite being caught with meth up his nose and a dick up his ass, still is still in denial and maintains that he is straight. What a laugh. At least we don’t have to put up with his fag-bashing anymore.
Maybe someone should get the dirt on DuttyBarb?
Cam
@DuttyBarb: You said “So?????
A man cheats on his wife and then gay marriage should be legal?? Where is the similarity? No really, where?
Gay marriage is still a farce because it is two men or two women playing house. It has no moral/ civil standing.
Nice to see u peeps are the ones making gay marriage directly proportional to the sin of adultery.
_____________________________________________________
Your argument was so painfully tortured to try to make your incorrect point that I will break it down so you can see just how idiotic it is.
“A man cheats on his wife and then gay marriage should be legal?? Where is the similarity? No really, where?”….No, we are making the point that a man talking constantly about the sanctity of marriage and using it to get elected cheating on his wife is a hypocrite and a liar who will obviously say or do anything to get elected.
“Gay marriage is still a farce because it is two men or two women playing house. It has no moral/ civil standing.” What Moral standing does Gov Sanfords marriage have? It’s built on the lie of his affair. Playing house? So how is the marriage of a man and a woman who is past child bearing age not “Playing House”? As for Moral Standing….What moral standing does Senator Vitters Marriage have? Senator Ensigns? Newt Gingritch? Governor Giuliani?…should I go on? As for civil standing. Actually gay marraiges DO have civil standing in Iowa, and most of the northeast so that portion of your statement is irrelevant.
And lastlly, you said “Nice to see u peeps are the ones making gay marriage directly proportional to the sin of adultery.”…No actually we were saying that hypocritical liars have no place judging the sanctity of OUR relationships because they obviously can’t get their own houses in order. the LAST thing anybody wants to do is hire a mechanic if his own car is always breaking down, in the same way, Gov. Sanford commenting on MY relationship is laughable since he can’t maintain his own. But again, you will pretend to miss the point because you don’t really want to hear what we say, you just think that gays shouldn’t get married, most likely because you are a closet case and think if you attack us enough it will prove to those around you that you aren’t gay…don’t worry, we’ll see you down at the boy bar in about two years when you finally get over yourself.
schlukitz
@galefan2004:
Dude, please don’t feed the overweight smelly controversial troll. It just makes her come back here looking for more scraps
Gale, you are much too kind to her! ;o)
GJR
@schlukitz:
Actually, Duttybarb is about as pathetic as you can get. She hates gay people but spends so much time over at a gay blog. That’s kinda the definition of “lusa”…
schlukitz
@GJR:
Yep. Definitely a love/hate relationship. ;P
Robert, NYC
@schlukitz:
I think she is probably an ugly bitch for starters, doesn’t get dates, doesn’t get laid. What man or woman would want to touch damaged goods like that? Maybe she was molested by one of her male relatives, incest is far higher among the breeders as we all know. So she comes here to vent her anger and frustration. SO REPUBLICAN, always avoiding the obvious let alone the truth.