I found this whole incident with him amusing
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_sc_govern ... 1hcmtzYW4-

He can guarantee he has no chance at getting nominated for President. He vanishes on a secret rendezvous with his mistress and then realizes that he got caught and had to fess up. Man he is a moron. I am embarrassed to even admit I am from South Carolina.

Yeah I would of had more respect for him had he told people yeah I am going away but to go AWOL for an affair is unexcusable in any sense.

Note the only issue I have here is the AWOL. I don't care about the affair even if it may make him a hypocrite. But AWOL for that is about as irresponsible as you can get. Imagine being on his staff the past week.

I was just going to post about it.

Wow, what a crazy story. What is it with all the governors recently?

same here I could care less if he is having an affair. Going awol is just insane. If he had been skiing I would have had the same reaction.

Am I the only one that thinks that having an affair IS a big deal (in politics AND in real life)? To me it shows a lack of judgement that I would not want in anyone in the public office.

I saw something about why people in politics do this. It has something to do with the idea that they are in powerful positions and can get away with it (ironically).

I really don't think it should destroy a person's political career. I mean there are bigger offenses. Politicians are human after all. But it is definitely interesting.

This case in particular is just out there. I've been entertained all week.

I don't really care really because I don't see how it affects matters of state. Hell, many presidents have had affairs and it never effected their administration except in a few rare cases.

It didn't affect their administration tot he extent that you know of. Do you honestly think that if a president has an affair that it never comes back to them, even if you don't find out about it?

I realize an affair is not a crime, but why should I believe someone who says they have my best interests in mind, when really they've already proven that they're willing to jeopardize their own family over a piece of ass?

You mean like his Argentine mistress was?

It don't think it does. I know I can keep my sex life separate from what I do at my job.

Have you ever been blackmailed over your sex life? If not, then your comparison is pointless.

To be fair, Krem, doesn't it depend on the piece of ass?

What does blackmailing have to do with? 3 of the last cases like this had nothing to do with blackmail. Sanford was never going to be blackmailed. The State was just going to reveal the emails.

Gay people can be blackmailed too. A good politician know how to handle work/life. Heck JUerry Springer got busted at a Kentucky Brothel admitted it resigned from city council and was elected mayor in the next election. Gavin Newsom had an affair in SF it made headlines for a bit and then back to normal. the effect was minimal. No more then say losing all of your money in the stock market, Your teenage daughter becoming pregnant(something that could get you blackmailed in some circles), Lesbian daughters and so forth. An affair has no bearing on work performance and if you think it does forget about quoting Thomas Jefferson ever again.

However the fact he went AWOL is a different story regardless of the reason. It does effect performance.

He should resign and should be booed every damn place he goes until he does. The guy deserves no respect for abusing his position, wasting tax dollars, breaking his own personal vow to his family and lying to the public.

GTFO

He means blackmail in the sense that someone finds out about the affair and promises the person having the affair that he will not reveal it, so long as there is some sort of payment for his silence.

The key is, it is unlikely we would ever know about such blackmail. Sanford may not have been blackmailed at all, but it is not unthinkable and it is also likely we would never know. Who is going to notice a seemingly normal construction contract awarded?