How does the Governor of a state fly to another country with "no one" knowing?

The Seeker of Good Songs

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South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford: 'I've been unfaithful to my wife'

Sanford, who went to South America without informing family or staff, admits to a love affair with an Argentine woman. He apologizes to everyone including the 'moral people of the nation.'
South Carolina's wandering governor, Mark Sanford, said today he had had an affair with an Argentine woman and that was why he disappeared without telling anyone that he went to South America.

"The bottom line is this: I've been unfaithful to my wife," he said. "I've developed a relationship with a dear, dear friend from Argentina."

Speaking at a nationally televised news conference from Columbia, S.C., Sanford apologized to his wife, his four sons, his family and the people of South Carolina for his disappearance and for leaving his staff and family to make up excuses for his absence. Sanford's staff had insisted at one point that he was off hiking on the Appalachian Trail.

"There are moral absolutes," said Sanford, one of a cast of possible GOP presidential aspirants.

The announcement was the latest development in the bizarre episode of Sanford's disappearance on June 18. It was unclear whether Sanford's comments would placate his critics, who have been up in arms.

"Our thoughts are with the governor's family at this time," state Democratic Party Chairwoman Carol Fowler said in a prepared statement. "Mark Sanford should be given time to focus on his family right now. There will be other opportunities in the weeks ahead to discuss his effectiveness as our state's governor."

Among the questions that had been circulating for days were: Why didn't he tell other officials that he would be out of pocket? Why didn't he tell his family? Why did his top aides finally say he was hiking, only to be left with egg on their faces when he surfaced after a trip to Argentina?

Sanford unsuccessfully fought back tears as he explained to reporters that he wanted to "lay out that larger story. It's gonna hurt," he said. "Let the chips fall where they may."

After apologizing to everyone including his staff and the "moral people of the nation," Sanford said, "I've let down a lot of people. In every incident, I would ask for forgiveness."

The governor said the affair had started innocently but escalated. He said he had known the woman for about eight years, but their relationship turned into something more a year ago while he was on an economic-development trip to Argentina.

Sanford, 49 and the father of four boys, said his wife had known about the affair for the last five months. Sanford mentioned his family in asking the media to show restraint. "I would just ask for a zone of privacy," he said. "If not for me, then for her and the boys."

Since he was elected in 2002, Sanford has been a colorful figure on the South Carolina political scene. He once put a spending clock outside his office to illustrate how quickly a proposed budget would spend state money. He also brought pigs to the House chamber to protest pork he said lawmakers had put in a budget.

Still, Sanford has been a well-respected governor, head of the Republican Governors Assn. and a strong conservative among those who are potential 2012 GOP presidential aspirants. He said today he would step down as head of the governors association.

The presidential sweepstakes has been less than charitable to Republicans so far. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal saw his stock drop after a disastrous television appearance; Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has been embroiled in feuds with her state legislators and with late-night talk-show host David Letterman; Nevada Sen. John Ensign admitted he had an extramarital affair with a former campaign staffer; former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was forced to back step after he used the word "racist" to describe Sonia Sotomayor, a nominee for the Supreme Court.

Sanford's disappearance roiled South Carolina for days.

"All we've had is lies, lies, lies," South Carolina state Sen. Jake Knotts said in a televised news conference earlier today. There have been "coverups where the governor is and where the governor is not," Sanford's fellow Republican said.

"I don't have a problem with the governor taking some time off," Knotts said. "But the people in South Carolina need to know that somebody is at the helm, not just a staffer."

Because of his presidential aspirations, Sanford has been one of the frequent targets of the national Democratic Party, which has trumpeted his disappearance since June 18 as an example of erratic behavior. Sanford was a visible opponent of President Obama's economic stimulus package, at one point insisting he wouldn't accept the $700 million set aside for his state. Sanford was forced to relent after opponents won in court.

Sanford, 49, arrived at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport this morning and told the State newspaper that he had wanted a break after the pressures of a tough South Carolina legislative session. He said he had considered hiking the Appalachian Trail but changed his mind at the last minute and went to Buenos Aires.

"I wanted to do something exotic," Sanford said earlier, before he had admitted to the affair, calling Buenos Aires "a great city."

Word of the trip never got to aides or even his family. In recent days, South Carolina's lieutenant governor, nominally in charge with the governor out of the state, said he had no idea where Sanford was. Sanford's wife, Jenny, said she had no idea where the governor was but insisted she wasn't worried.

"He was writing something and wanted some space to get away from the kids," she told the Associated Press before heading off with their four sons to the family's Sullivan's Island home -- over Father's Day weekend.

Sanford's staff stuck by the hiking story, saying the governor was somewhere along the 2,175-mile Appalachian Trail and couldn't be reached even by cellphone. Aides this morning refused to discuss the matter.

Heading to South Carolina from Georgia this morning, Sanford said: "I don't know how this thing got blown out of proportion."

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-sanford-argentina25-2009jun25,0,6844581.story
 
Good point.

This is actually quite banal for the GOP.

C- Must try harder.

Nothing will ever top Larry Craig's "wide stance" defense though.

:rofl::laughing:

I always find it funny when things like this happen to Republicans since they always say they are so moral and religious.
 
The great state of South Carolina, yet again make me proud to be called a South Carolinian. :rolleyes:

I hope that beaver was worth it.
 
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