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And God Said…

By Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy on July 3, 2009 at 11:22 AM in Current Affairs, Governance, South Carolina

“Put a sock in it!” Well, that’s what I would think God would say to Governor Mark Sanford who canNOT keep his big mouth shut these days. See, Governor Sanford said that God wants him to keep his job as governor, and to not resign. Here’s a little reminder:

I wonder where in the world God was when Governor Sanford was cheating on his wife with his “soul mate”?? Or how about the OTHER women with whom Governor Sanford had “dalliances“??

Seems to me that Governor Sanford has some mighty selective listening going on. I bet God is none too happy about having Sanford use Him/Her/It as an excuse to stay in office, either. At least that’s what God told ME! Ahem.

There are a few things that are issue here. Let’s start with this whole “soul mate” thing, shall we? Bear in mind that Sanford is MARRIED, and he is NOT saying this about his WIFE, but his MISTRESS. Then he has the unmitigated gall to say he is going to try and “fall back in love” with his wife? Holy smokes, what kind of moron IS he?? I’m sorry, but your wife tells you, and all the nation, that she is willing to forgive you, take you back, even though she is angry at you, and work on the marriage, and you dis her like that? Around these here parts, that will garner you a “sumabitch,” and well deserved, too. But Jenny is going with him and their four boys on a vacation to Florida. If I were her, I wouldn’t let him get in a boat by himself, but that’s just me.

Then there is the whole matter of what happens if the governor DOES resign, you know, if he misunderstood what God actually said to him(maybe there was another call coming in or something, or he hit a dead spot with his cell phone). See, here’s the problem for the people who would all move up: the Senate Pro Tempore President, Glenn McConnell, would move up to Lieutenant Governor:

If Sanford steps down and is replaced by Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, then the state’s constitution appears to call on McConnell to replace Bauer as lieutenant governor.

In effect, the Charleston Republican would be demoted from his top Senate leadership post to a part-time constitutional officer, and it’s a change he doesn’t want.

Uh, yeah, because he would give up a whole TON of power:

“I don’t think any resignation by the governor is imminent, at least based on the latest stuff I’ve heard,” McConnell said Wednesday. “It does present problems for me, there’s no question about that.”

First elected President Pro Tem in 2001, McConnell said he began looking at this question a few years ago and actually wrote a resignation letter effective upon the lieutenant governor’s position becoming vacant. He since has torn it up.

“Right now the prevalent thinking in the legal circles is that if something like that were to happen, I could refuse it,” McConnell said. “There’s some that question that.”

McConnell said he wouldn’t want to give up his Senate seat and 28-plus years of seniority, and resigning his President Pro Tem post would leave the Legislature unable to return to session this year should lawmakers have to deal with a budget crisis or another urgent matter.

“It would leave the state in the precarious situation where if we have a budget shortfall, there would be no way for the General Assembly to get back,” McConnell said. “It starts to become legally entangled.”

I guess it’s good for HIM that God is talking with Mark these days.
Besides Jenny Sanford being willing to forgive her diarrhea mouth cheating husband, Gov. Sanford had some other good news. You may recall that a whole BUNCH of folks down here were upset about the possibility of his using state money and resources for his trysts. Turns out, he didn’t:

Gov. Mark Sanford used his own cash and connections to pay for secret hook-ups with his Argentine mistress, including one New York rendezvous the night before his wife was to arrive, authorities said Thursday.

A State Law Enforcement Division review of travel records found no criminal wrongdoing or evidence to suggest that the governor misused public funds during his affair with Maria Belen Chapur, SLED Director Reggie Lloyd said.

Sanford visited his lover twice in Argentina and three times in the Big Apple, Lloyd said. Sanford used his money or private funds to pay for everything but a June 2008 trip to Argentina.

You may not know that Sanford is known for penny pinching – that was his big thing when he was a State Representative, cutting out spending (he also self-imposed a term limit). So, ya know, that says a whole lot about just how much he was jonesing to see his “soul mate.” Sigh.

Hopefully, with the First Family of SC out of the state for their vacation, Governor Sanford will get some Pepto Bismol, and SHUT UP already about his Argentine mistress, the other women with whom he had dalliances, and get more even keeled. And hopefully, Jenny Sanford won’t take any more BS from this guy, and insist he tread the straight and narrow (teehee – that’s kinda funny for ME to say). And maybe, just maybe, the next time Governor Sanford feels compelled to “share” that he can die knowing he met his soul mate (I am not making that up: Link), he’ll be talking about his WIFE, and not his lover. I imagine that’s what Jenny hopes for, too…

politicsisdirty

I pray to God to help Gov Sanford realize that it is time to resign. We need to keep politicians like him from deciding what is good for our country.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhXA3fXpCFk Woman Voter

Another one is Antonia Villaregosa and Newt Gingrich who both had affairs while their wives were fighting for their lives. Antonio gets the Pig Award, because he did it multiple times and even with his child’s God mother and broke that marriage up.

NewsWeeks List of Democrats and Republicans who have had affairs. (bold emphasis was done by me)
http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thegaggle/archive/2009/06/25/sex-scandals-through-the-years-both-parties-even.aspx

Democrats:
1. Wayne Hays (1976): Affair with secretary (one of the first major sex scandals)
2. Allan Howe (1976): Solicited sex with two prostitutes (both of whom were undercover cops)
3. John Young (1976): Staffer alleged sexual harrassment
4. Fred Richmond (1978): Charged with soliciting sex from a 16-year-old boy.
5. Gerry Studds (1983): Reprimanded for having sex with a male teenage House page
6. Gary Hart (1988): Affair with model Donna Rice.
7. Barney Frank (1989): Affair with male prostitute, who also conducted business in Frank’s home.
8. Chuck Robb (1991): Admitted to receiving a nude massage from a former Miss Virginia.
9. Brock Adams (1992): Eight women accused him of sexual harassment, abuse, and rape.
10. Mel Reynolds (1994): Sexual relationship with 16-year-old campaign volunteer.
11. Bill Clinton (1998): Affair with intern Monica Lewinsky.
12. Gary Condit (2001): Affair with (murdered) intern Chandra Levy.
13. Paul Patton (2002): Affair with nursing home operator; when the affair ended the state of Kentucky filed numerous violations against her business.
14. Bob Wise (2003): Affair with a state government staffer
15. Jim McGreevey (2004): Resigned as NJ governor after admitting that he is “a gay American”
16. Neil Goldschmidt (2004): Admitted to having a relationship with a 14-year-old girl in the 1970s.
17. Roosevelt Dobbins (2005): Congressman form Arkansas, pleaded guilty to fondling a 16-year-old.
18. Gavin Newsom (2007): Affair with the wife of a top aide.
19. Antonio Villaraigosa (2007): Affair with a television reporter.
20. Tim Mahoney (2008): Admitted to multiple affairs.
21. Eliot Spitzer (2008): Involved in prostitution scandal.
22. Paul Morrison (2008): Affair with administrative staffer while Attorney General of Kansas, pressured her to reveal information about Kansas D.A.
23. Marc Dann (2008): Attorney General of Ohio, had an affair with a staffer.
24. David Paterson (2008): Admitted that both he and his wife had extramarital affairs
25. John Edwards (2008): Had an affair with a campaign employee while running for President.
26. Kwame Kilpatrick (2008): Text messaging sex scandal
27. Sam Adams (2009): Portland, OR mayor lied about relationship with 18-year-old male intern.
TALLY: 27

Republicans:
1. Tom Evans (1980): Along with other politicians, accused of being involved with lobbyist/former Playboy model Paula Parkinson.
2. Bob Bauman (1980): Solicited sex from a 16-year-old boy
3. Jon Hinson (1980): Caught attempting to have oral sex in a men’s House restroom.
4. John G. Schmitz (1982): Had an affair that led to an out-of-wedlock child.
5. Dan Crane (1983): Reprimanded for having sex with a teenage House page.
6. (Buz Lukens (1989): Spent time in jail after having sex with a 16-year-old girl.
7. Jon Grunseth (1990): Swam nude with group of 13-year-old girls; suspended gubernatorial run.
8. Ken Calvert (1993): Arrested while soliciting a prostitute.
9. Bob Packwood (1995): Resigned from Senate amid allegations of sexual harassment and abuse.
10. Bob Livingston (1998): Admitted to multiple extramarital affairs.
11. Helen Chenoweth-Hage (1998): Admitted to a six year affair with a married rancher in her home state of Idaho
12. Henry Hyde (1998): Admitted he’d had an affair many years prior
13. Rudy Giuliani (2002): Ex-wife Donna Hanover accused him of “notorious adultery”; he’s now married to Judith Nathan, his girlfriend at the time.
14. Steve LaTourette (2003): Accused of affair with staffer, who he later married.
15. Jack Ryan (2004): Former wife Jeri claimed he took her to sex clubs and pressured her to have sex in public.
16. James West (2005): Removed as mayor of Spokane, WA after an gay Internet sex scandal.
17. Don Sherwood (2006): Affair with 29-year-old woman while he was a PA congressman.
18. Mark Foley (2006): Involved in a texting scandal with male House pages
19. Bob Allen (2007): Solicited oral sex from a male undercover cop.
20. Newt Gingrich (2007):Acknowledged having an affair in the 1990s
21. Charles Boutin (2007): Resigned from MD Public Service Comission after email exchanges with a prostitute surfaced.
22. David Vitter (2007): Part of the DC Madam scandal
23. Larry Craig (2007): Bathroom sex solicitation scandal.
24. Vito Fossella (2008): Affair with a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel.
25. John Ensign (2009): Admitted to having an affair with a married staffer.
26. Mark Sanford (2009): Affair with a woman in Argentina.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhXA3fXpCFk Woman Voter

Sarah Palin is stepping down as Governor of Alaska. She isn’t on the list, but the press/media went after her with all the kitchen knives, not even sparing the children.

We Must Divest From Misogyny, Our Lives Depend On It!

Docelder

Honestly, some normal people need to run for office. This is getting ridiculous. He ought to at least have the good sense at this point to at least think of his kids before talking. Heck, hire Axelrod if you can’t think for yourself of what to say in public.
helenk

What ever happened to ” God don’t like ugly?”
This man is a fool and he is cruel to publicly humiliate his family.

WOMEN WITH INTELLIGENCE AND EXPERIENCE,MEN WHO SUPPORT THEM AND COUNTRY BEFORE PARTY ALWAYS

PUMAS,BUBBAS,EQUALISTS AND THOSE PEOPLE RULE
tango

He’s like the person who gets caught doing something wrong and he just can’t shut up and keeps digging a bigger hole trying to explain and justify. Just shut up already! He is certainly making himself look more and more weird.

As for resigning, I don’t see why he should. I don’t think it’s fair to Mitch McConnell to lose his Senate position because Governor Sanford did something morally wrong. Unless there is criminal activity that is yet to be discovered, let Sanford, Bauer and McConnell be. I know Bauer wants the job but tough luck. Sanford will be gone in a few years anyway so Bauer can go for the Governorship then.
oowawa

I didn’t know God made honky-tonk angels . . .

http://www.rabblerouserruminations.blogspot.com/ Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy

LOL – good one, oowawa!

And tango, you are right – he is one for whom the expression, “is it light where you are??” is appropos…

FranSC

RRReverend Amy, did you see this? It’s too funny!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAFeLTchV8c
‘nothing could be finar than to be in South Carolina’. Enjoy!

FranSC

Sorry, but I misquoted the lyrics to the song in the above link. I should have written:

‘nothing could be finah, than to leave South Carolina, where it’s boring’

rw

I don’t understand this country’s obsession with male politicians going on national TV to confess their infidelities and make some mea culpa excuses. It isn’t as if US women don’t participate in infidelity. Per NYT article, 12% of men and 7% of women admitted to cheating on spouse and 20 and 15 respectively for under 35 crowd.

So Sanford found his Mary of Bethlehem in Evitalandia, his soul mate, who cares. If he really said that God told him to keep his job, too bad he can’t be prosecuted for not keeping religion our of politics. And he should be excommunicated (I think that’s the word) for using God as a cover for a political interest.
V

Docelder writes: Honestly, some normal people need to run for office.

[laughing] Sorry, the nature of the job sort of forbids “normal” people.

Think of it, Do: your past made present, your deepest secrets made public– few of us could survive this.

In fact, we require extraordinary persons to run for office, and hope you are judicious in your vote.

Docelder

None of my friends have exotic mistresses and then go on TV to talk about it and then say GOD told them to not quit their job. Maybe a better term besides “normal” might have been people with “common sense” need to run for office. Because we are inundated with folks who apparently don’t have any. Like my reference to Axelrod… i used to think it was a bad thing, but maybe it is good we at least have one person in the White House who thinks strategically. He isn’t the one we elected, but it is better than nothing. Maybe the mistress was Sanford’s “pocket brain” and maybe he is lost without it. Who knows.

mark connette

sanford has done a good job in South Carolina. and as long as he didnt lie under oath in front of a federal judge, he should remain Governor The south carolina state police have already cleared him of any crimes connected to his affair. as some on the left are fond of saying moveon, its a personal matter between him and his wife

ces

Translation: [retching]

oowawa

Well, we’ve seen lots of these confessional mea-culpas for sexual transgressions, so we have quite a repertoire with which to compare Sanford’s performance. I would say, not bad. He chose to go the calm, dignified route. On the well-known Swaggart scale, in which Jimmy Swaggart’s monumental guilt-a-thon rated 10 teardrops, I would give Sanford 4 1/2 teardrops.

http://www.rabblerouserruminations.blogspot.com/ Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy

You have got to stop, oowawa – thank HEAVENS I wasn’t drinking anything when I read this!

“I have SINNED…” Isn’t that what Swaggert said when he was sobbing away?

oowawa

Well, Swaggart’s great performance (Wikipedia):

On February 21, 1988, without giving the details of his transgressions, Swaggart tearfully spoke to his family, congregation and audience, saying, “I have sinned against you, my Lord, and I would ask that your precious blood would wash and cleanse every stain until it is in the seas of God’s forgiveness.

Interestingly, he later changed his rhetorical approach:

On October 11, 1991, Swaggart was found, for the second time, in the company of a prostitute, Rosemary Garcia,[11] when he was pulled over by the California Highway Patrol in Indio, California, for driving on the wrong side of the road. According to Garcia, Swaggart stopped to proposition her on the side of the road. When the patrolman asked Garcia why she was with Swaggart, she replied, “He asked me for sex. I mean, that’s why he stopped me. That’s what I do. I’m a prostitute.”[12][13] Rather than confessing to his congregation, Swaggart told those at Family Worship Center that “The Lord told me it’s flat none of your business.”

I have to say, I kind of admire this second strategy.
oowawa

Rev. Amy, I replied to this, but the Almighty Spam Filter did smite my response in righteous indignation. Please retrieve. Thanks.

http://www.rabblerouserruminations.blogspot.com/ Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy

LOL – the Spam filter has gone NUTS today – none of us knows why. We keep hopping over there clearing things out. There is no rhyme or reason that we can discern. Sorry that your comment was “smited,” oowawa!

Onofre’s arm

I live near the water, and lately I’ve had better luck with messages in bottles being retrieved than my posts on this blog. Sorry about the gremlin in the system RRRA, thanks for your efforts.

Crippled Burbank Widow

What’s that? Perdition? Straight ahead. There ya go.
Peggy Sue

Sanford would be well advised to just “shutup.” He had the obligatory knee-drop and breast beating moment. But if God told him to remain in the Governor’s House then who was whispering in his ear when he cheated on his wife?

And this is why I have no respect for the Far Right. They’re like their counterparts on the Left: hypocrits and fools!
Peggy Sue

My post was eaten, again. God, help me :0).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhXA3fXpCFk Woman Voter

Mine too?

Anna

He’s behaving in a typical pattern for men having an affair. He’s addicted to his affair partner, and is suddenly going through exposure and probably withdrawal. It wouldn’t at all surprise me if he’s in phone contact with her, however, and spinning dizzily between the sudden loss of his marriage, and the public support his wife gave him, and clinging to his fantasy relationship.

He should indeed shut up. And get some good counseling — though that’s hard to come by.
Diana L. C.

With my very meager training in psychology, I believe this man is suffering from stunted emotional growth. Didn’t he ever date in high school? He sounds like a middle school student emotionally. He needs serious counseling. But S.C. should have a full-time governor, not one who is in emotional rehab.

Do we have to give psychological tests before we allow people to run for office? Hmmm….might have revealed narcissism on over half in office now.
Kim

This is a quote I read once…”There was never a statue erected to the man who let well enough alone.” Sanford should have made the first statment and shut-up about it.

tango

And this applies too since many think Sanford is a weird sort of person anyway even before this scandal broke out:

“It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.”

http://sarainitalyblog.blogspot.com/ American Girl in Italy

he just needs to resign, and move to argentina.

his wife is too good for him.

let him go cry for argentina.
TeakWoodKite

Palin is stepping down? Does that mean an appointment to the Senate?

http://sarainitalyblog.blogspot.com/ American Girl in Italy

holy moley

tango

I know. And I’m sorry because Palin has nothing at all to do with Sanford, but what is up with resigning before her term is over?? Is she ill? Is she moving to the continental US and going to fundraise and speak for the GOP and increase her knowledge and try to break away from the hick Alaska redneck tag that follows her? Is she going to run for the Senate next year? What is going on?
TeakWoodKite

And so, we are having to figure out how to resist ordering pie every night.”

MY new favorite BO line. Anything but cake.

OT: my apoligies, but since we are talking about what God said;

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is calling on Ted Stevens to resign from the Senate – and warning that the longest-serving Republican senator in history will face certain expulsion if he doesn’t leave on his own first…

http://www.rabblerouserruminations.blogspot.com/ Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy

Oh my gosh – what abt the OTHER senators who have cheated? Isn’t Vitter still in the Senate?? Heck, he was having sex with prostitutes, for God’s (!) sake!!

lorac

On Fox, they said something about her PAC – sorry, didn’t quite catch it – but it was something like re-starting it, they reminded the audience that her SarahPAC is the kind of things people wanting to run for president have. Someone else mentioned she is (or will be) writing a book, which would help for a future run.

Waiting4Hill

Sanford is a sanctimonious hypocrite who should resign his position as SC governor because, in additon to his extra-marital affairs, he continually insists on proving to the nation that he is a total idiot. He should keep his big mouth shut and work on healing the pain and embarrassment he has caused his family.
Scranton4Hillary

Sanctimonious hypocrite. He should concentrate his efforts on trying to heal the pain and embarrassment he has caused his family. What’s with his constant craving for the microphone and the spotlights? Why doens’t he just shut-up?
cathnealon

Great– the Sanfords are staying because God told them to and someone like Palin who wasn’t caught flying to Argentina or in some prostitution ring is stepping down. You know I guess decent people don’t want anything to do with the corrupt, sexist leaders in our government. This country needs a complete overhauling of every last institution.

CentralMass

Their decisions are both politically motivated.

HC123

I am waiting for the new Hallmark offering, the “trying to make myself love you again” card.

Patience

LOL!!!
http://www.rabblerouserruminations.blogspot.com/ Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy

Too funny, HC123! That would be some interesting line of cards – I bet someone could make a killing selling those in the Capitol Building…

Patience

I don’t care enough about Sanford to have an opinion about whether or not he should resign.

BUT, wait until he figures out his soul mate was the one who sent the emails to The State. I don’t buy for a minute that a jealous boyfriend hacked into her account and sent them — she’s trying to cover her a$$ with this red herring of a story. They were sent around the time the governor decided to seek marriage counseling — not a good sign for a mistress.

I read a comment to an article The State did on Sanford saying it’s well-known among insiders that he keeps an eye out for ladies. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if this is true.
Onofre’s arm

Hey Sanford, enough with the apologies already! Don’t you know “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” Al Gore knows it, after all, according to him, “Love Story” was all about him and Tipper.
TeakWoodKite

And God said to ~~Mosses~~ Obama, go forth and get Palin to resign so that we can get someone in there to proselytize the virtues of pay to play and my need for the oil in Alaska
Docelder

That is not anywhere near true. Look at the opening sentence.

“Put a sock in it!” Well, that’s what I would think God would say to Governor Mark Sanford who canNOT keep his big mouth shut these days.

But what is your point exactly? Do you mean to express yourself by attacking other peoples expressions? Sounds like a dull existence.

Larry Johnson (Bio)
@noquarterusa

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