Mark Sanford goes missing

[Brittain33]

Good for him!

Good for him what? That he left his wife and kids for a week so he could have an "exotic" vacation without them in a cosmopolitan city where he wouldn't be recognized? His political ambitions just went out the door... hope the "fun" was worth it.

[Brittain33]

Are the partisan glasses glued to your head or something?

You don't have to be a partisan to know what's going on when a guy leaves his wife and kids to vacation alone in a foreign party town and his wife agreed in advance to cover for him. That's just human nature. The British call it a "dirty weekend." What do you suppose he was doing in Buenos Aires, alone? Going to the Opera? What do you think guys do when they go to New Orleans, Amsterdam, or Las Vegas without their wives? 

Honestly, if we have to have a Republican President, I prefer Sanford to some of the alternatives. Preferred.

[Brittain33]

But since his staff didn't know and his family didn't know...well..."baffled" is my only reaction.  I sure hope, though, that this doesn't prompt another round of "South Carolina is so gay" advertising.

That's where there is potential for weirdness.

A vacation in Buenos Aires is similar to a vacation in London, Berlin, Montreal... a cosmopolitan city where you can have a good time and, as a second-tier American politico, not be recognized.

It's not a major competitor with Amsterdam, New Orleans, or Las Vegas for bachelor parties because it is so far and relatively expensive to get to and because they speak Spanish.

However, in the last couple of years, it has emerged as a massive destination for international gay travel. I can't tell you how many men I know who've been there for the combination of nightlife, food, and culture. I am very, very far from making any conclusions about Sanford's sexuality. But... it raises my eyebrow. 

[Brittain33]

Actually there is alot of clean things one can do in Buenos Aires, the city I hear is not like Tijuana, Rio, or Amsterdam.

It's like London, Berlin, or Paris. You can do a lot of clean things, or you can do other things. Most of the clean things are more enjoyable with a spouse or at least someone else you know. Considering he said he went on his own to do something "exotic," (his words) well, I guess whether you think he was touring museums and watching tango performances or to try to do something else depends on what perspective you bring to the table and what kind of marriage he has.

"Separate vacations" has a certain meaning in our culture.

I also question why, if his vacation was innocent, he instructed his staff to lie and say he was "hiking the Appalachian trail."

[Brittain33]

Seriously, this story is so WTF cares?

It's the bizarre details that make it the story. Prominent governor disappears, "where is he?" "On the Appalachian Trail." "No, he isn't", turns out he was in Buenos Aires over Father's Day weekend and his wife claims not to have known. You don't think it's at least interesting?

[Brittain33]

Seriously, this story is so WTF cares?

Exhibit A: the timeline of their stories.

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/06/the_missing_governor_a_timeline.php?ref=fpblg

As with Palin and Blagojevich, the amateur hour cover-up and the craziness of the details are what make this so compelling as entertainment. I don't think Sanford is the worst person on Earth not do I really care about his family life. How can you not appreciate on an aesthetic level the maneuverings of his press team to try to pretend they knew what was going on?

[Brittain33]

I guess i'm blown away by the constant coverage.  Like Obama I don't live on a 24 hour news cycle    What should be scary is how the geniuses at SLED let him disappear so easily.

Aha. I don't watch tv news so I didn't realize this had penetrated too far into the mainstream.