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Source: "There Is Some Evidence [Sanford] Was Not Alone"
Things are still murky on the Mark Sanford story. But it's looking increasingly likely that Sanford's trip to Argentina was about more than a scenic drive down the coast.
"There is some evidence he was not alone," a source in South Carolina politics told TPMmuckraker. "The other shoe's gonna drop. I believe there's a reason he wanted to drop his SLED detail."
According to the source, a second car was identified at the Columbia airport, next to the SUV Sanford is believed to have used. Two additional sources in South Carolina politics said the same thing.
Separately, Will Folks, a former spokesman for Sanford who now runs a South Carolina political blog, is reporting that, according to a source, the Sanfords have been having problems in their marriage and have "been in marital counseling for several weeks now."
We should have some more information on this soon. Sanford's office has called a 2pm press conference, and Politico's Mike Allen tweets that according to the South Carolina press, the "woman question will be asked directly and clinically (no parsing)."
Josh
Zachary
Gee, ya think??
So there was a car at Columbia airport and in Atlanta or is the Atlanta info bad?
I can't even believe I am so caught up in such a silly story. I mean, it's intriguing but certainly healthcare and Iran are more important and yet I can't stop following it!
June 24, 2009 12:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
At the moment health care is in its infancy and needing to know what is happening everyday is tedious. This is an important story. This is a guy would probably (would have) run for President in 2012 and of course there is the holier than thou family values aspect of the story, and who can resist that
June 24, 2009 2:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
The car was in Atlanta at the airport.
June 24, 2009 3:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
The SUV in Columbia was not his... I think it was another state official's (mistress) vehicle who has kids that attends the same school as his children.
I think he did fly out of Atlanta, how can you have two vehicles identified. His consort parked in Columbia to meet him on a connection in Atlanta to Buenos Aires. The coastline drive does not have to be Argentina's coastline, but from SC to GA.
Whatcha think?????
June 24, 2009 12:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm thinking this might be right. They leave seperately and hook up in the ATL before flying to Argentina.
Damn... that was a long weekend away. Did he not think it would be noticed?
You have to think that he had prior trips that he explained away, just not this long.
Another thing to keep in mind:
Sanford did this right *after* Ensigns cheating came out. He had just seen another "rising star" in the GOP blow up, but wasn't able to keep it in the pants.
We knew Sanford was stupid. But this takes the cake.
John
June 24, 2009 2:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wow. I didn't see that coming.
June 24, 2009 12:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Man, this guy makes Bill Clinton look like the McGuyver of adultery.
June 24, 2009 12:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
either SUV was his...they are state cars...
and yeah, the SC SUV had his kids school stickers on it.
The car stuff are the best clues for this story...
and it sort of points to his staff helping out with some probably illegal doings...
June 24, 2009 12:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
So we have another "Ensignature" move here?
June 24, 2009 12:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
There's a thousand cameras in any airport. There HAS to be some shots of him in the airport, either solo or accompanied.
June 24, 2009 12:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
As a privacy advocate, I'd be very uncomfortable with surveillance/ security cameras in a public place (like an airport) being viewed as fair game for public release just because of a great deal of public/media interest.
Unless there is a substantial reason to believe that a crime has been committed, we should all have the reasonable expectation that photographic records of our travels are kept confidential by the government/security agencies that collect them -- and that would include wayward governors as well as the average citizen.
That said, there is little doubt that the Governor's story is unraveling quickly and that plenty of other evidence is going to emerge that will probably destroy his political future
June 24, 2009 1:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hear you, but I betcha that video leaks. And there goes your expectation.
Let's see.
June 24, 2009 1:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
I can see the ads now: "What is done in the Atlanta Airport stays in the Atlanta Airport." To bad Senator "Wide Stance" wasn't aware of that.
June 24, 2009 1:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
And that, Jolly, is what will do him in.
If he has any stones at all, he'll cop to everything now in order to try to get out from under it. Sounds like a trip with his mistress which has now completely blown up in his face. I'd say that kind of cloak-and-dagger lying should sink any thoughts of POTUS 2012.
Still waiting for that dolt from Alaska to do something stupid to further torpedo her chances in 2012- my over/under is on kickbacks from state officals.
June 24, 2009 1:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Blowed up real good!
June 24, 2009 12:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know how, but it's all Obama's fault.
June 24, 2009 12:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
LOL!
June 24, 2009 1:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama took his wife to Broadway. Sanford had to do something more impressive or his chick wouldn't dig him.
Obama hasn't tightened emigration restrictions.
Obama encouraged Americans to learn a foreign language.
Obama is secretly a Muslim (OK, I'm not sure how that connects, but it's important that it get said a lot).
Obama has been anti-family and pro-gay, and exposed Sanford to a lifestyle that forced him to pull a Ted Haggard.
Obama hasn't been talking tough about Iran. That had been Sanford's original vacation destination (conservative faith, concealing burkas for him and his date), but Obama's weakness lead to continued unrest in the Middle East and it wouldn't be a safe area like it was under Bush.
June 24, 2009 1:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Now that's what I'm talkin about!! Obama is to blame. End of story
June 24, 2009 2:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
There is no coastline directly between Columbia, SC and Atlanta, GA.
The storyline smacks of marital problems. The wife didn't know of his location and didn't seem to care. Her take was to say she's being a mother not a wife.
It doesn't matter if he is having an affair or looking to end his marriage or just trying to figure out their relationship. I wish them all the best in that matter.
Sanford was completely irresponsible to walk out on his job as Governor of the state. He may be emotionally unstable now, but the mindset that says it is okay to up and leave without notice displays selfishness and a lack of seriousness that cannot be allowed. If a manager of a convenience store disappeared for a week, he or she would be rightfully fired. This is inexcusable behavior.
June 24, 2009 12:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Spot on, Joike.
June 24, 2009 1:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
There's a thousand cameras in any airport. There HAS to be some shots of him in the airport, either solo or accompanied.
Heh. thanks again, BushCo! I wonder what the passenger lists for all departing flights from Columbia, SC and/or Hartsfield would show.
June 24, 2009 12:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Another GOP rising star ... damn this is shaping up to be a good month!
Anyone seen this? http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/6/24/746132/-Haggard-ex-prostitute:-Sanford-was-in-Colorado-with-me
too good to be true.
June 24, 2009 1:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is not a real AP release. Just a KOS blogger having some fun. So yes, "too good to be true."
June 24, 2009 1:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just an affair? Awww... I was hoping for... Howard Beale-type insanity, wandering South America, looking for an honest individual... revelation of a very real, very active superhero sideline... Robert Vesco, dammit!
June 24, 2009 1:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Me too! LOL.
June 24, 2009 1:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
At the very least, Miquel, I want his boo to be a leggy Brazilian model with a name like 'Tika'.
June 24, 2009 5:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
The weather has been gray, dreary, and disgustingly humid here in CT for what feels like forever at this point.
This Mark Sanford story is lighting up my days this week.
And I think it's pretty safe to say that his presidential aspirations are evaporating, isn't it?
June 24, 2009 1:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
What if turns to Jesus and confessed that Heee siii--inned, bawling Jimmy Swaggart style?
I'd like to see him in the race, weeping and howling how the Lord done come down and saved him and how it made him stronger and all. With hopefully a gay angle.
June 24, 2009 1:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
If there's a gay angle to this (not that there's anything wrong with that, obviously) I'm going out and buying lottery tickets tonight, because it's obviously my lucky day!
I actually think, given the degree of cluelessness that he's already demonstrated, that Sanford is going to give a short statement repeating the same story about "Argentina", and not take any questions. Thereby guaranteeing that this live on and on and on.
June 24, 2009 1:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Let's not lose hope on the gay connection, even if it doesn't look good now! ;)
June 25, 2009 1:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Eh - Kos diarist admitted to making it up.
I never get to have ANY fun.
June 24, 2009 1:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Mark Sanford now has got street cred to be a GOP governor.
June 24, 2009 1:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
First Jon and Kate, now the Sanfords....Noooooooo!
(And both couples are devout religious folks. Just saying.)
June 24, 2009 1:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
teh gays are ruining everything!
June 24, 2009 1:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, none of this is as shocking as when Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie split up -- I mean, who could have seen that coming?
June 24, 2009 1:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's all an amusing little non-issue, a bit of rough seas can happen to anyone...
Unless Sanford has been part of the Craig/Ensign holier than thou club. So, what's Sanford's position been on such things? Whose hide has he flailed for similar personal matters? If the answer is none, well, then, who cares?
June 24, 2009 1:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
The folks in S. Carolina might care - he's their governor, for better or worse, in sickness and health, etc. But, I agree that on a scale of 1 to 10 in national importance, this one rates about a .0001.
June 24, 2009 1:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
The sheer comedic value of this story has to bump it up a little on the importance scale, doesn't it???
June 24, 2009 1:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
During the Clinton days I tried telling people that the presidents sex life didn't matter. That it's what he does in office that counts.
Boy did I lose those arguments. Turns out a good story possibly involving sex is far more important than a genocide or health care reform any day.
June 24, 2009 2:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
THIS IS EXCELLENT NEWS!!! FOR SANFORD!!
June 24, 2009 1:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Reminds me of Gary Hart, Donna Rice and the boat "Monkey Business".
He's got some 'splainin' to do.
Can't wait for the presser - gotta run and make the popcorn.
June 24, 2009 1:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
I tend to give some weight to Joike's assessment above - that this whole thing smells like marital problems and an emotionally unstable guy. But there's also another possible angle (and not necessarily exclusive of the first). Argentina is in the midst of a very nasty political campaign right now with an election in four days. Sanford has clear national political ambitions. I have to wonder if there are any big money right wingers mucking around in the Argentinian election that Sanford might have wanted to go have an off-the-books chat with. There's plenty of room in this story for some political skullduggery, and Sanford is just the type to indulge in it.
June 24, 2009 1:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Very far fetched but I appreciate your imagination.
June 24, 2009 2:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, I'm just trying to keep up with the creative geniuses who came up with the "hiking the Appalachia Trail" story. :-D
June 24, 2009 2:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm sure he'll play this just like Ensign did....admit the affair, and pretend the issue is over and done with.
That's fine with me. Let the guy go on believing he's a legitimate candidate in 2012.
June 24, 2009 1:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
So is he going to come clean or try and keep the non-sense of taking a break prevail. If he didn't pay cash, there is a paper trail that will invariably lead to the hotel or restaurant or whatever he went. He might be OK if he paid cash and didn't sit next to the same person there and back.
I would imagine there are a couple reporters right now in Argentina trying to see what he was up to.
The mistress, prostitute, and drug angles don't work for me, why go international if you are trying to keep it under wraps. I personally don't think he went to Argentina. It's been my experience when people do dark (no communication) for days they are holed up in a hotel with loads of drugs.
I might not live in SC, but I would be a little ticked if my governor disappeared for 5 days. Regardless, people who disappear for 5 days with lame brain excuses usually find themselves unemployeed. Politicians should be no different.
And lastly, he and his wife have been to marriage counseling for weeks ? Wow, what is that like 2 sessions, it's not worth mentioning unless they decided to separate.
June 24, 2009 1:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
I definitely would look suspect political and monetary reasons for the trip. But Sanford can kiss his presidential ambitions goodbye. Nobody wants a president who disappears off the job for almost a week, leaves the country and doesn't tell the VP. Totally irresponsible behavior. He should be removed as governor.
June 24, 2009 2:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Why can't "you people" just accept that he went away to write?
Ted Haggard used to get away to write too.
June 24, 2009 2:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
I find adultery deplorable, but the most salient issue here is one of a governor abandoning his state for a week without any kind of notice to family or colleagues. That's just too irresponsible, selfish and reckless for a public official such as himself. That's the real problem here.
June 24, 2009 2:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
It is not deplorable. It is part of life and men and women have been adulterers forever. Man is not a monogamous animal.
Deal with it
June 24, 2009 2:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
You may not think it is deplorable, but plenty of people do, including Scientific and me!
June 24, 2009 2:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Scientific's second sentence is the more pertinent one here. The behavior is irresponsible and reckless.
Whatever anyone might think of adultery, this kind of thing will sink a political career. We can agree or disagree whether it should or not, but that's the bottom line.
What bothers me is the risk-taking and lack of discipline. If you're governor, and thinking of running for president (or are president - I'm thinking of you, Bill C), you've got to keep it in the pants.
June 24, 2009 2:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
No question, when a Democrat acts on his sexual desires with other than his wife, it makes a difference to the voters. But, what Repub has ever felt that wrath? One just finished an unsuccessful run for President, and was not defeated because of his sexual activities. Another is a leading contender to run in 2012. The moral of this story is, if you can't keep it down, be a Republican.
June 24, 2009 3:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hot sex: Men have, do, and will continue to sacrifice their careers for it.
See Sanford, Mark, et. al.
June 24, 2009 2:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sanford's assignation need not have been with a human, you know?
He's a "southron boy" and, as Neil Horseley (or mebbe Boortz) informed us some years ago, most 'southron boys' first crush is often with a domestic animal: heifer, jenny, or mare. They're called "stump-broke stock."
Gives "real" meaning to the old phrase "a piece of ass," innit?
June 24, 2009 2:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
GOOD POINT!
And, as we all know, Argentina is famous for its cattle!
June 24, 2009 2:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, please let it be another man!
June 24, 2009 2:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
"There is evidence that he is not alone."
Really? The evidence for me whas:
1. His wife did not know where he was.(And this one had CODE RED all OVER it!!!)
2. The Appalachian Trail cannot be visited at Harsfied Airport in Atlanta. Wrong direction and place for his car to be.
3. Everybody was conflicted as to where he was
4. He used a different airport. Driving all the way to Georgia? What S.C. doesn't have airports?
June 24, 2009 3:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Clinically? Will this be filmed by any chance?
June 24, 2009 5:32 PM | Reply | Permalink