Anyway, the AP interview says that he made a “failed attempt at a farewell meeting…this past winter” after his wife found out about the affair, and that last month’s trip was made “after his wife expressly told him not to.” That does make things a lot worse than I’d previously thought.

Do I have enough credentials to have a valid opinion on this? And, just to be clear, I replied originally to Josh’s post, I didn’t start commenting on this all by myself.

You seem to be following Sanford in the media very closely. I’m getting the distinct impression that either you have been a critic of Sanford since before his infidelity became public knowledge, or you are eager to maximize the political damage to a man who has shown the potential to be an effective player in the GOP.

I’m not interested in arguing with you over Sanford, but I am curious where you are getting the claim that “he had already broken it off in February, accompanied by his spiritual advisor.”

Sure, after he had already broken it off in February, accompanied by his spiritual adviser.

“Sanford’s response was certainly better than that of former U.S. Senator John Edwards.”

Which response, Wednesday’s, Friday’s, today’s, tomorrow’s? Can’t this guy shut up? He talks about his “tragic” “forbidden” love. His four boys really need to hear about that. All of us really need to hear about that. Next we will start hearing about how his wife, who funded his political career AND ran his campaigns with babies in her arms, was just not up to some other parts of her job. Can’t he give it a rest? This guy is completely self-absorbed and completely un-self-aware. Yes, by all means, let’s still give him a chance to run for president. Any Sanford fans out there still chomping at the bit to run to his defense?

Expectations may hurt Sanford more than comparative morality. That is, Newt Gingrich who wants to be taken seriously for the 2012 GOP bomination, has a long history of both infidelity and crass behavior toward women he seeks to divorce. So Sanford, who may very well be on the whole, adhering to greater ethics than Gingrich, he will probably suffer more for it because many of Gingriches ideas are so greatly admired, news of divorce and affairs seem to be his par expectation.

As for Rudy, I never quite got how he expected to get religious conservatives on board when he announced his divorce filing decision on TV, without first telling his wife.

And taking a page from the anti-Clinton playbook, (perjury versus mere lies), Sanford could have a hard time convincing enough of his maturity level in as much as he left the state without a clear communication of who was in charge in his absence.

In Oklahoma, when the Governor and Lt. Governor are of different parties, the guv often travels far less, because the number two person becomes acting governor, with the right of independent action and powers pretty much that of the governor. This seems illogical in the days of cell phones, fairly rapid travel such, but long established precedents rooted in the state constitution die hard. From 2003 to 2007, Oklahoma had such a split, and Lt. Governor Mary Fallin (no criticism intended) made for a very assertive leader in times of the governor’s absence. She now serves in Congress and is seeking the 2010 Oklahoma GOP nomination for governor.

It would seem to me that while Sanford’s affair was a great moral failing, for the office he serves, leaving the state with key leaders seemingly in the dark would make for some easy ads against his work ethic. However, if Sanford were to serve his state well and be a good example in intervening years, a credible candidacy for presidency in 2016, if the slot is open, is not yet out of the question for him.

Mary says that Sanford was “caught” in his infidelity. However, from what I’ve read it appears that there was no public knowledge of the affair until Sanford announced it. So, either he couldn’t ignore his own conscience any longer, or perhaps his wife figured it out. Either way, he did what I’d consider to be the honorable thing–he travelled to Argentina to break it off with his mistress, and then publicly admitted what he’d done.

This certainly hurts Sanford’s political standing–particularly with social conservatives–but I wouldn’t call his political career over. I wouldn’t even rule out a presidential candidacy. After all, John McCain and John Kerry were both divorced–granted, not the best examples since they both lost their campaigns, but the point being that marital troubles do not make it impossible for a person to launch a viable campaign for president in this day and age.

I guess I misread the meaning of headlines “Savior” and “Shining Star” as well as the words embedded in the copy of links one and two. But you’re right, the tone changed in the third link. Were you on to something?