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.

[??????????]

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.

Are the partisan glasses glued to your head or something?

[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.

[JSojourner]

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.

I really am baffled by the whole thing.  At this point, I am only curious.  If nothing illegal happened, more power to him. 

When I first heard the Appalachian Trail trip was a ruse, and that he had gone to a foreign country, I thought for sure it was a case of a Governor working on a very secretive deal to bring a company or business to his state.  Sometimes those trips cannot be telegraphed because the companies involved get too skittish.

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.

[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. 

[Mechaman]

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. 

Maybe Sanford was having a gay orgy while being hooked on heroin. Just a thought. Think of the headlines.

[Kevin]

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.

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

[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."

[Wiz in Wis]

I think we're still missing the point here. I don't give a rats ass if my governor goes to Argentina... but he should farking tell someone in state government where he is. What happens if there was a hurricane hitting charleston... could he fly back... who would activate the national guard? who would coordinate state responses? This joker told his family, his staff, and his state that he didn't give a damn about them, because he needed to recharge. At least when Bush went to Crawford, he took his staff with him and the country functioned.

That he was trying hide something, or having a gay affair with a coyote, thats comes second to me in offensiveness.

[Mechaman]

That he was trying hide something, or having a gay affair with a coyote, thats comes second to me in offensiveness.

I'm sorry, that's just a very funny image.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Seriously, this story is so WTF cares?

[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?

[Landslide Lyndon]

Damn! I will be extremely dissapointed if Sanford doesn't run for president.
He sure has the potential to light up a contest expected to be full of old, white guys.

[Mechaman]

Seriously, this story is so WTF cares?

Exactly, I just like screwing with these people.

[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?

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

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?

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.

[Keystone Phil]

On a personal level, I think it's horrible that a man wouldn't let his family know where the hell he's going. He disappeared to South America (not even in the country, let alone the continent). You don't just do that without letting them know.

What makes this such an issue to me politically is that he didn't let anyone in the government know. The man runs a state. What if there was some emergency? Yeah, I know, he just wanted to get away and go somewhere where he wouldn't be recognized. That's great and all but you have responsibilities, Mark. We all do but being a Governor means a little more.

I'm disappointed.

By the way, what happened to the "hiking" excuse?

[ilikeverin]

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

I wouldn't say that the fact his staff said he was hiking on the Appalachian trail is any evidence of a cover-up.  In fact, I'd say the timing of the announcement seems to indicate that it wasn't a cover-up; if he had instructed his staff to say so, they would've told people as soon as it was clear this was a political story, and people would've in general shrugged their shoulders and said "oh, that crazy Sanford!" and went about their business.  Rather, I think some staffer recalled Sanford saying something about wanting to hike the Appalachian Trail (as he said he was considering doing before he decided last minute to go to Buenos Aires ), told his superiors, and they decided that the info was credible enough that that was the story they were going to roll with.

[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.

[Wiz in Wis]

Sounds like Marky Mark wasn't alone.

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/06/source_there_is_some_evidence_sanford_was_not_alon.php#more

[exopolitician]

Sounds like Marky Mark wasn't alone.

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/06/source_there_is_some_evidence_sanford_was_not_alon.php#more

Well he did say he wanted to "do" something exotic.

[SPQR]

Wow,this guy is definitely...interesting.

Good for him, really I mean it. It shows that he's not a typical stuck up politician. I don't see anything wrong with getting away from things a while to clear your head. People react differently to stressful situations.

You might wanna inform your family of your whereabouts though...you know,something called being responsible...something a President kinda needs.

[??????????]

Wow,this guy is definitely...interesting.

Good for him, really I mean it. It shows that he's not a typical stuck up politician. I don't see anything wrong with getting away from things a while to clear your head. People react differently to stressful situations.

You might wanna inform your family of your whereabouts though...you know,something called being responsible...something a President kinda needs.

We don't know for sure if he did or didn't tell he wife. All we have to go on is conjecture.

[Eraserhead]

So how hard are Obama and Axelrod laughing right now?

[exopolitician]

He just admitted to it. He had an affair. They are dropping like flies now.