Hey!  Don’t you think you’re being a little hard on Sanford?  I mean, who among us hasn’t hopped on a flight to Argentina after a hard week?  You’re way too judgmental, Jesse…

I prefer Thailand for those “pressure relief” trips…

Is Argentina the new Thailand?  Only Mark Sanford knows!

“Is Argentina the new Thailand?  Only Mark Sanford knows!”

I wonder if El Rushbo could share some helpful tips on alternatives a little closer to home…

Over at Salon, the commentariat claims that Argentina is particularly well known for transsexual prostitution…I’m not trying to start any rumors, but let’s start some rumors!

Seriously, though, the fact that his staff was claiming outright that he was hiking the Appalachian Trail was an outright lie. Lying to the public, is something worth investigating. Impeaching the Governor needs to be a priority, but unfortunately, it’ll probably be staff persons blamed for the “mishandling” of what is really the Governor’s irresponsible and unbalanced behavior.

He’s like chocolate, even vanilla - chocolate, strawberry, sarsaparilla. Sanford is electric, try him get a shocka. Didn’t I tell you to leave Governor Sanford alone, knocka?

I still think he was possessed by the ghost of Eva Peron, but oh well…

Digby is thinking Sanford went for cheap discreet plastic surgery.

Socialized medicine will kill America!  Say it loud and proud!

Instead, I just choose to subtly insinuate that he went to Argentina to take care of issues with his birth certificate before he announces his exploratory committee for the presidency, because it would be irresponsible not to.

Win.

South America:  Haven for old Nazis, retired CIA agents and Moonies.  I think he made a top sikrit visit to the Mothership.

Three words: Cheap Penguin Sex.

Maybe nobody in SC knew the Horst Wessel song.

Don’t most state constitutions require that the Governor turn over his/her powers to the Lt Gov when out of the US?  I know my state does, even when the Gov is accessible on a junket.

I’m sure the underage hookers and blow are especially cheap down Argentine way.

Anyone notice that he went to Buenos Aires in the middle of winter? It’s cold, damp and grey there right now. Not the best time to be a tourist.

He also claimed to be driving along the coast. Only problem is, the only coastal road in Argentina is two miles long and four hours drive away from anything else. I can’t wait for his press conference.

I was just about to post about Argentine “coastal” roads. You beat me Magistera, but I’ll paste it here, from the AP:

He declined to give any additional details about what he did other than to say he was alone and that he drove along the coastline.

Trying to drive along the coast could frustrate a weekend visitor to Argentina. In Buenos Aires, the Avenida Costanera is the only coastal road, and it’s less than two miles long. Reaching coastal resorts to the south requires a drive of nearly four hours on an inland highway with views of endless cattle ranches. To the north is a river delta of islands reached only by boat.

Over at Salon, the commentariat claims that Argentina is particularly well known for transsexual prostitution…

As an American transsexual, I would like to apologize to any of my Argentinian siblings who may have had contact with Governor Sanford, sexual or otherwise.  I’m really, really sorry.  We’ll try harder to keep him in this country.

Um, firefall? Do you just leave YOUR job for several days w/out telling anyone where you’re going? And if making the TPS reports or whatever is important enough that you don’t do that, how is being a governor NOT?

He’s not King; he is in charge of certain duties and responsibilities as Gov of his state, and beholden to his constituents. What if there had been a natural catastrophe, or a riot, or any one of numerous emergencies while he was out of pocket? Or just a law that needed his signature? If he didn’t want to be responsible, he should not have taken the job.

If my taxes were paying his salary, I’d be mad as hell. He should be investigated and probably impeached.

Is there something actually wrong here? It’s not like Governor is a fulltime job or anything, & why shouldn’t he take a private break?

Sure, if he wants.  But he shouldn’t take off and not tell anyone where he’s going without turning power over to the lieutenant governor, especially if he’s planning to leave the country without telling anyone where he’s going or what he’s doing.

Thank God there wasn’t any kind of emergency while Sanford was gone but if there had been, the state would have been SOL because he didn’t delegate his power to anyone else in case of an emergency.  Since no one knew where he was (including, apparently, his wife) what was Sanford’s plan if, say, a tornado hit?  It’s not like June tornadoes are unheard of in SC.  Who was going to declare a state of emergency if Sanford couldn’t be reached?  Who would have been authorized to request help from FEMA?

I will bet anyone five dollars right here and now that this jaunt to south America was paid for with tax funds

I still think he was possessed by the ghost of Eva Peron, but oh well…

Let’s hear it for the Ranbow Tour…

RAINbow Tour.

Dammit

Is there something actually wrong here? It’s not like Governor is a fulltime job or anything, & why shouldn’t he take a private break? Did I sleep through the bit where the media got a lien on his soul?

Rise above it, try to be better than the rabid wingnuts, please. This just demeans you.

Concern, noted, etc.

Heh. And now he’s admitted an affair. One that’s been going on for a year, and which he told his wife about five months ago. And the kicker is that he missed father’s day with his four kids to go on this trip. I find the whole thing hilarious.

Aw, but now what are we going to do with all that pent-up homophobia and transphobia? How are we, as good progressive liberals, going to be able to vent our outrage and giggle about how the governor got it on with a she-male because he’s Teh Gay… like that’s 1000x worse than just a straight up affair because… well… because! Tranny!

I was really shocked when I heard he was in Argentina fucking.  I really thought he went for a hike to get in touch with nature and ponder how the gays are weakening his marriage.

I can only be grateful that when the news came over the telly, I was sitting down.

good lord - he’s into drugs!

And here we thought he was just out for hike au natural, smoking mother nature at worst!

I wonder why he didn’t claim he was “going Galt” and only come back when begged to?

Personally, I’m a little jealous.  Back in my I-don’t-care-about-my-credit-card-balance days, I used to hop a flight to BA with very little notice.  I tried moving there once to get away from a boyfriend that I loved but no longer liked and was too cowardly to just dump.  And boy are the people friggin hot there.  Winter or not, I can certainly see it as a lovely place to get laid—the gay/trans community isn’t nearly so developed as it is portrayed on this thread though. Anyway, I never thought I’d have something in common with a Republican SC senator.

Hmmm… I would probably giggle just as much if some purportedly gay, stridently straight-hating politician was discovered in BA with his “ladyfriend”. Since that never, ever happens, I will giggle at this instead, Mighty Ponygirl.

I wonder how my neighbors getting married somehow “destroys” “traditional” marriage, when the very people claiming that can’t seem to get a handle on their adultery and divorce issues in their own ranks?

Brown denim pants!?!?!?!?!?!?