Posted by annarlutz on 06/25/09 07:50 AM   [Newer: WSJ gets it right, Central Planning is Bad.] [Older: Urge Senators for Non-Intervention]

I suppose Governor Sanford has disappointed many people and damaged his integrity with his philandering. I'm disappointed that someone who has defended our rights and stood for liberty is now discredited.

While I cannot defend what he did, I do not feel that his sex life or his marriage is my business. I'm so tired of the malicious speculation and seeming joy in his downfall. If anything, his position is pitiable as is that of his wife and sons. However, no one can know the circumstances and feelings that led to his betrayal, and nor should we.

His affair doesn't affect his job, he did nothing illegal. People are calling for his resignation and impeachment. Personally, I hope that he does not resign. I do not think he will take such a cowardly option. Despite his indiscretion, I believe he is not the type of man to back away from an office in which he has invested so much, simply because he cannot face the nastiness on the part of a few other politicians. He showed this when he admitted to the affair publicly and apologized profusely, rather than making the usual excuses. 

I believe that Jake Knotts and many other politicians knew before Monday about Governor Sanford's affair. His wife already knew. I believe that Knotts raised concern over the Governor's absence in order to reveal the affair and discredit the Governor. I spoke to Jake Knotts and Kenny Bingham on Monday night and they both said of the Governor's disappearance, "Oh, there's much more to it, you will find out soon." To me, this kind of malicious plotting is very unbecoming of an official. I am not so naive as to think that it doesn't occur regularly, but it's reprehesible just the same. Personally, I hope Jake Knotts resigns or is voted out of office, never to return.

This drama has shown Jake Knotts to be the scoundrel he is, it has shown that Andre Bauer is easily manipulated by people like Knotts, and it has shown that Mark Sanford is a man of courage.

Posted 06/25/09 12:08 PM justinb Oklahoma City, OK

What a disappointment. I agree that it shouldn't be our business, BUT he KNEW that there would be serious repercussions if he was caught having an affair, yet he did it anyways. I bet ya Lindsey Graham is happy as a pea in a pod :(.

Posted 06/25/09 12:27 PM annarlutz Lexington, SC

The cost of having this publicly revealed is greater than Sanford's political career. Sure, he could have and should have done better. But he has four young sons who deserve to be proud of their father and never have to know of his disgrace. Now, those four boys and their mother have to endure a media circus desensitized to their feelings. They have to endure the public scorn and pity. Lindsey Graham is the godfather of one of Sanford's sons. I'm not sure how he feels. I know that Jake Knotts and the State Newspaper are pleased with their callousness. Jake Knotts gets to bask in national attention and the State gets to sell tons of papers.

Posted 06/25/09 4:30 PM matthaws Spring, TX

I disagree. It is a disappointment because he betrayed his wife and crushed his sons, regardless of whether or not he was "caught". He should have resigned his office as soon as he began his adultery. I had high hopes for Governor Sanford and I am thoroughly tired of high profile public officials engaging in sexual hi-jinks. I am even more tired of the seeming majority of average citizens who think that "his affair doesn't affect his job". B.S. If he cannot be faithful to his wife, how can we expect him to be faithful to his oath of office? I am amazed at the denial of reality that people engage in by telling themselves that somehow one's private life is completely compartmentalized from one's public life. How you are in one thing is how you are in every thing.

Posted 06/25/09 7:10 PM BillNM Carlsbad, NM

"How you are in one thing is how you are in every thing." I share the disappointment we all feel at this moment and certainly don't condone extramarital affairs. Nonetheless, I see the above as a hasty generalization. People can be strong in one area of their life and weak in another. He cannot recover from this politically. Even Gary Hart couldn't.

Posted 06/25/09 9:01 PM brmccarty Cayce, SC

I agree Sanford's affair is between him, his family, and God. Sanford know what he did was wrong and he knew it from the begining. I am disappointed in him, but I'm not joining the resign-impeach crowd. To my knowledge he hasn't broken any law.

Posted 06/25/09 11:22 PM Maverick Eatontown, NJ

Why would this incident discredit Sanford? I still think he wants liberty for us all. Why would this discredit that?

Posted 06/26/09 05:39 AM annarlutz Lexington, SC

Maverick, it doesn't discredit his more libertarian feelings, but it does make them worthless in the eyes of much of the public. This incidence has hurt his integrity. But I don't think Sanford was really planning to run for President. Last time I saw him in person(before the affair), he sounded sincerely sick and tired of politics. He said he just wanted to go home and hang with his boys. Matthaws, each person is different. Having a secret or doing something dishonest in one area of your life may or may not affect another. I too am tired of scandal in the lives of politicians, however, I cannot judge Sanford. It isn't fair because I can't possibly hope to fully understand his emotional state the past several months. You probably know the saying, "Until you've walked a mile in someone's shoes..."

Posted 07/06/09 6:33 PM Elysiumboy Billericay, United Kingdom

Did Sanford pay for everything via his own pocket? Did he have fellow government employees lying to cover his arse (or reveal it in this case)? I don't think this has anything to do with sex, it has to do with a public representative lying through his back teeth to all he supposedly cares about. This isn't some bloke caught in a love trap; it's a bloke who made an image of being honest and intelligent only to show he is neither. Why didn't Mr Sanford leave his wife and go off with the lady? Because he knew this is unnacceptable to a politician's public image so he hid it from his constituents as well. I hated writing all of that as I liked him, but I am one of those people that will not accept dishonesty in any form. He knew what he was doing and what he was risking. He gets what he deserves in my eyes, but that doesn't mean he's some evil character, just a tackless one. 'May not' does not clear my mind enough to trust a guy in his position.

Posted 08/10/09 1:35 PM annarlutz Lexington, SC

He did pay for his affair out of his own pocket, so says several investigations conducted by several different state agencies. He did not ask anyone to lie. The facts of the story prove that because his staff was unable to accurately report his whereabouts. Obviously, the person who turned over his private emails had an idea of where he was, but that person was not the ones answering the media's questions. Questions that the media already had the answers to. I disagree that Sanford has proven that he is neither honest or intelligent. Perhaps he is dishonest to his wife, perhaps not, since she knew of the affair.

Posted 02/09/10 08:47 AM Elysiumboy Billericay, United Kingdom

Don't get the unintelligent part wrong annarlutz; that's merely an outburst for doing something I don't agree with - cheating. However, I need expansion on "she knew of the affair" as this can obviously mean she found out before it became public, or they stayed together as a marriage of convenience and who asked who to stay. If Governer Sanford asked that the marriage stay for the public eye then he must have known trouble could follow if caught doing what he was doing, so surely he had an idea what would happen if he was caught. He still doesn't deserve to lose his job over it, but it shouldn't be regarded an acceptable part of his private life when constituents (though not all) will find it unacceptable and morally wrong. Dishonesty depends upon your point of view. But the key factor here is that he would have known all this before he got caught so why not simply divorce then make his intentions clear for the other woman. The people would accept that better than hitting the public eye under this kind of scrutiny. I didn't realise you had replied, although I generally check for debating purposes. Hope you and your family are well and had a good xmas!