I don't disagree with any of your arguments but I am hoping that Sanford does stay because he is clearly the most entertaining politician we have today. I think the five day disappearance qualifies as grounds for impeachment, but also as the five most charming days of American news we've had for a long time. It was like Capra film where if we listened closely we could hear Barbera Stanwick burst into Edward Arnold's office crying "Cubby, Cubby ya gotta put me on this story."

I was a little disappointed that it turned out to be just another sex scandal, but the story only seems to get better with each retelling by the Governor. Adultery is a fairly common human failing and most of the previous scandals have followed a predictable pattern of tawdry narcissism and pointless humiliation for the spouse. Sandford however raised the bar, first by falling in love as well as lust, and not with a staffer half his age,nor with prostitutes, nor with a hot young filmaker covering his campaign, nor even with a younger prettier version of his wife, but with a sultry mature woman from exotic foreign climes. Again Sandford seems to be living in a nineteen thirties film fantasy, where he is played by Joel McCrea, falling hopelessly in love with Carmen Miranda.

And Mrs. Sanford? Well for years people have wondered at the tolerance and patience of political wives who "stand by their man" as they are publicly humiliated. Not our Jenny, she seems to have grabbed Katherine Hepburn's sides from the Philadelphia Story, playing the beautiful but cold heiress with no compassion for human frailty. Hopefully there's a Jimmy Stewart or Cary Grant in this fantasia for her.

Again I agree that Sanford should either resign or be impeached, but I'll miss him.

You're that guy with the "Free Mumia" sign at every rally who makes his(or her) cause look stupid by turning it into an irritant brought up apropo of nothing, aren't you?

>>If we're going to get comfortable using this as a political tool - hunting out sexual impropriety among our legislators and then trapping them in the impossible task of explaining their actions without lying - We'll ruin 70 or 80% of our representatives...

Um, welcome back to Earth. I see you've been gone for some time.

Seriously, you haven't been paying attention since at least 1996, have you?

True that, Joan. This is the most pathetic, weird bender of self-flaggelation I can remember. If I were his wife, I'd have a good, long laugh as I cashed that first alimony check. Not because he cheated, not because he lied, not because he publicly humiliated his family and his lover, but because he's a clueless hypocrite, who thinks this is about sex and going against "God's law". What about truth? What about living by the standards you set for your constituents (not to mention your family)? What about having an ounce of character and saying,"I've lied. I've let people down. Now I'm going to go and figure out my truth and leave this job to someone in the place of mind to do it."

I couldn't care less who a married, middle-aged, holy-roller wants to sleep with, but I'm very bothered by a public official who lies about his whereabouts and uses public money to visit his soul mates. Where else has he lied? And does he expect crying spells to excuse him every time he's out of line? Tearful confessions and apologies don't save thieves from prosecution and they shouldn't save politicians either.

If we're going to get comfortable using this as a political tool - hunting out sexual impropriety among our legislators and then trapping them in the impossible task of explaining their actions without lying - We'll ruin 70 or 80% of our representatives.

You say that like it's a bad thing..

What many of you might see as hypocritical behavior is really just the way things have always worked around here – at ALL class levels. You’d be amazed at how much fun you can have playing poker at the clubhouse, drinking at the bar, and getting lap-dances at the strip club knowing that you can erase all these ‘sins’ next Sunday by simply washing your 'soul' in the 'blood of the lamb'.

Can I get a witness, brother?

Prayz Jeezus..

Say A-men..

Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven.

Then there's the old joke about how Jews don't recognize Jesus the Christ as the Son of God, Protestants don't recognize the Pope as infallible and Southern Baptists don't recognize each other in the liquor store.

Between this and now openly, publicly wishing for Bin Laden to attack. No, I don't mean Cheney. I mean this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auQJVhNH99c

I think Governor Sanford's slow motion crackup is one of the most entertaining things I've seen in years.. I feel kind of sorry for his kids, it must be a bit embarrassing to have your dad out in public saying stuff like he has been but other than that I say, bring it on.

I'm filing this one under: Clown Shoes, very large Clown Shoes.

Can you tell me what public office John Edwards currently holds? I can't seem to find it. Thanks for your assistance.

Yeah, it's all fun and games until you have to cloth, feed, and educate all those unwanted babies. God knows conservatives hate having to pay for the education of actual, living children.

First, two small pedantic points;

neither Glen Beck nor Michael Scheuer is a Republican;

neither of them expressed the wish or hope that bin laden would attack the US again in this video segment.

Second, painting with a broad brush, is both intellectually lazy and morally dishonest. It is no way to win an argument.

Third, it's not a good idea to piss into the wind.

A general rule of mine is to never kiss and tell. I personally find women (I am a straight male) who want me to provide them details about past relationships are at best bores and at worst, intrusive and disrespectful. I also find peoples past sex/love lifes boring and TMI in a relationship. I am old enough to know that anything I say can and will be used against me now and for the rest of my life irrespective of what that person says. That includes my now wife who I am faithful to but still do not provide intimate details of my past. Both of us have been married before and her past is hers and so is mine.

Joan, what is it you want to know that already has not been said? I personally find it a bit wierd when someone has a prurient interest in other's personal lives. This is especially true coming from people who hold their own cards close to their vest and consider "privacy" to be sacred. I don't like moralizing and find Sanford and the Republicans annoying and hypocritical even when they are right. If you want to know, they probably had hot forbidden sex in multiple positions. Does that make you feel better?