JONATHAN CHAIT FEBRUARY 2, 2010
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The revelations about Mark Sanford's adultery prompted a lot of condemnation of his betrayal of his wedding vows:
If he can’t even keep a promise to his wife, why would we citizens think he’d keep any campaign promises made to us? ... Gays aren’t a threat to marriage, folks. It’s people who can’t keep their wedding vows.
But it turns out that Sanford did keep his wedding vows:
South Carolina first lady Jenny Sanford recalls how she made the "leap of faith" to marry husband Gov. Mark Sanford even though the groom refused to promise to be faithful, insisting that the clause be removed from their wedding vows. ...
"It bothered me to some extent, but ... we were very young, we were in love," she said in an exclusive interview with Barbara Walters to air on "20/20" Friday. "I questioned it, but I got past it ... along with other doubts that I had."
I guess that's kind of honest of him. I mean, it does suggest a certain degree of malice aforethought and put the lie to Sanford's claim that he suddenly fell in love and couldn't help himself. But it does show that he took the vows themselves, if not the underlying purpose of the marriage or his wife's well being, seriously.
This revelation does open up a few questions. Such as, hey Jenny Sanford, interested in a friendly game of no-limit poker? Or how about a business proposition? Send me all your alimony money and I'll tell you what it is. I'm not going to fleece you. Wait, I can't promise that. Just send me the money.
Also, given that news reports have long described Jenny Sanford as "the real brains behind the operation," one must wonder just how dumb Mark Sanford must be. What exactly does it mean to be the brains of this particular operation? Does she have to feed him?
5 comments
I... wow. That is one... really? He wanted the vow to be faithful removed, and she went along with it?!??! I would laugh, but I believe I may have lost the power of speech.
- drdannyu
February 2, 2010 at 7:17pm
What can I say? "Don't try this at home, kids." "Well, I guess he didn't violate his wedding vows. I guess we CAN believe his campaign promises after all."
- JEFF FREY
February 2, 2010 at 7:29pm
My Dear Mdm. Sanford, My name is the Right HOLY Reverend Jackson Luck and I appeal to you, in CHRIST, to assist me now in a financial matter of most pronounced MUTUAL INTEREST. As you may know, I was appointed CONFIDENTIAL SECRETARY to Honorable J.W. Crabtree, a businessman of large importance in the COCOA AND GOLD trade from Cote d'Ivoire. Upon the sudden and tragic death of Honorable J.W. Crabtree, a SUBSTANTIAL SUM of money has been left in certain BANK ACCOUNTS that I now control. For tax reasons, I must now move 13.2 MILLION (US) DOLLARS to a bank in North America, and I plead now for your KIND ASSISTANCE in this matter. Also, I'm going to TOTALLY SWINDLE YOU and keep you on the hook for as long as possible until I have DRAGGED OUT EVERY LAST THIN DIME from your pitiful life. So don't say I DIDN'T WARN YOU. In Our Savior's Name, Right HOLY Rev. Jackson Luck
- ratnerstar
February 2, 2010 at 7:31pm
Gold, ratnerstar. Gold.
- adaglas
February 2, 2010 at 8:37pm
Yeah yeah yeah. On the other hand, if he had come out and said he thought that non-monogamy was right for some people, as monogamy is right for others (and maybe the wife agreed at the time, being of sound mind and body, and hadn't just been pushed into it), would he ever have had a career in GOP politics. Or in any politics in the United States, come to that. Given the sad combination of hypersexualized angst and creepy moralizing that marks our sexual culture today.
- ironyroad
February 2, 2010 at 9:11pm