MARK SANFORD IS STILL EMBARRASSING SOUTH CAROLINA
By Liz Gunn || Anyone paying attention when Mark Sanford was Governor of South Carolina probably had a good idea that it was Mrs. Sanford who ran the show. Rumors were rampant of her barking orders at him in his office, of her berating him publicly and so on. For those of us living in Columbia at the time especially, I feel like this was common knowledge.
With the latest break in the “Sanford Saga”, it appears Jenny Sanford is still completely in charge. She has managed what many a scorned woman could only dream of. She has single-handedly, perhaps with the assist from her legal team, put an end to his relationship with María Belén Chapur, the woman he left her for.
Mark Sanford and his never ending shenanigans have continued to be an embarrassment to this state. As Governor he constantly made national headlines for annoying publicity stunts (“pork projects” anyone?) and was nearly impeached in 2009. Anyone who voted for him for Congress should be ashamed. Now, his on-going custody battle with ex-wife Jenny has created a whole new chapter of embarrassment.
I have to say, I am impressed with Jenny’s strategic, unwavering manipulation of the man she once called her husband. I think most women, even if quietly, do cheer for the woman who got left behind; especially in such a public, humiliating way. She is winning this divorce, in my opinion.
What gives me pause is that she is hurting her four children in the process. When you mistreat your spouse, current or former, it has a ripple effect on your children. In this case, the results of both of their actions are not just hurting their children, they are directly tied to them.
Mark Sanford’s Facebook status claims that he ended his relationship due to a nasty, ongoing custody battle with his bitter ex-wife. I have to note here that according to The Washington Post, his rambling on Facebook is longer than his entire speech output on the floor of the US Congress for 2014. I can’t say that I don’t think Mark Sanford deserves the abuse he’s getting from his ex-wife after what he put her through, but I certainly don’t believe his children deserve to be dragged through it as well.
It’s bad enough when the entire country finds out via televised press conference that your father wasn’t exactly hiking in Appalachia like his staffers said (although the metaphorical comparisons to what he WAS doing are limitless.) It’s bad enough when your mom goes to great lengths to make your father miserable by desperately trying to ruin not only his career but his love life, as well. But when your father takes to Facebook to strangely announce the end of his engagement and blames your mother for it outright? Ouch.
I am so embarrassed for their family and I’ve grown tired of this story. I’m not really sure why I, or anyone else, should care anymore. For the sake of your children, Mark and Jenny Sanford, just shut up. It’s the least you can do for them and for the rest of us.
Liz Gunn is a wife, mom, author, businesswoman, travel enthusiast, food snob, fashionista, lover of great wine and the No. 1 Gamecock football fan … ever. A graduate of the University of South Carolina, she lives in Columbia, S.C. with her husband and daughter.
91 comments
“She is winning this divorce, in my opinion.”
What pathetic commentary. Divorce is a lose/lose and if kids are involved it’s a lose/lose/lose.
Divorce is a lose/lose
There’s plenty of people who “win” at divorce. Lots of sociopaths out there.
Yes, you are correct.
Just ask all of the children, in the much publicised cases, posted here on fits.
Too bad Mark and Jenny couldn’t just handle it like two well adjusted adults, for the sake of their kids. They’ve both given much fodder to sensationalize the matter and make a spectacle out of something that should be kept fairly discrete. Shame on them both for being petty and shame on media outlets for preying on another’s loss.
These are the idiots that gave us the miscarriage called Trikki Nikki Rabdwahaaaaaaaa Haley.
Her concerns are legitimate. The guy has deficits that are far from benign. And she was beyond stretched covering for him and trying to make it right for her kids, herself, and his constituents.
Now his soulmate is seeing the truth. We’ll see whether she has the fortitude to not be drawn back in.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/blog/2014/09/14/airplanes-flown-at-children-on-deadbeat-dad-mark-sanfords-deadly-south-carolina-plantation-wonkette/
Nah, kids need to know when they have a parent who is a lying, cheating, self-centered narcissist. They need to understand now that they will never be able to count on him for anything other than embarrassment. He will always let them down, if its not good or him, or convenient for him.
For that matter what does this lier have to offer a child? Lessons in morality? Relationship advice? Advice on how to be a mature adult that puts his responsibilities ahead of his self gratification? How to live on the backs of the taxpayer? Is he a role model you would want for your child?
Good points. My ex was a nobody I met in college that was a victim of sexual abuse by her father. It destroyed our family as she became mentally ill.
I didn’t have the money to fight for my children and neither the Family Court or DSS were helpful. Two families destroyed.
I have a wonderful new family today but no relationship with the three children I was the primary care giver too. Children were brainwashed and never came back.GRANDPARENTS were eliminated from a relationship.
Mark is doing the right thing putiing his children first.
Mark Sanford isn’t embarassing SC. Oh, heavens no. SC is doing that on it’s own by electing his ass time and time again.
If only we would put T-Rav back into politics, then our idiocy would be unbeatable.
And undeniable!!!!
What idiot kool aid drinkers.
Now reelect Haley and it will get even worse.
It’s 4th and inches Mark with 1;33 left in the game, you’ve got to make the stop and give it to your lawyers to score. You can do it. Go team go, go team go.
LOL…..ROFL…….Liz, Liz…..Lizzy…!!
“…MARK SANFORD IS STILL EMBARRASSING SOUTH CAROLINA…”
Liz, by doing what, being himself and putting his thoughts on FACEBOOK and not a post on FITSNEWS or the Post and Courier..?
LOL
We wonder how many people realize what you are doing by penning this article..?
“…LIZ GUNN IS STILL EMBARRASSING SOUTH CAROLINA…..!! “
“The women he left her for”. Seeing errors like this from professional writers is akin to finding a hair in your soup at California Dreaming.
it took you all morning to find a small mistake in an online post? congrats you did it. you’re the smartest person alive.
That’s right the talent matches the pay I am sure.
Ha, it got fixed too!!!!!!!!!! It must have mattered to someone.
Maybe there was more than one.
“Divorce is like a golf swing – it always makes someone happy.”
Andy Mill, Olympic skier and Chris Evert’s ex, taking a dig in the newspaper by flinging Greg Norman’s own words back at him after Chrissy told Greg to take a hike. Greg allegedly took Mill’s son away on his private jet when he heard that Mill was coming to Fla. to visit his son. Mill left Colorado, got to Florida and found out his son was landing in Colorado on Norman’s private jet. That was enough for Evert.
Jenny’s book was how many words? A zillion? How many hundreds of pages??? Lots of rabbling there, eh? HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAA!! … .And now many national talk shows and radio shows did Jenny go on talking about Mark? HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHA!! …
And then we have Mark Sanford’s little micro Facebook post. *sighs*
Jenny Sanford “has managed what many a scorned woman could only dream of. She…put an end to his relationship with María Belén Chapur, the woman he left her for.” So that’s what women dream of? Kind of catty, isn’t it? What about just moving on?
“Anyone who voted for him for Congress should be ashamed.” This is SC. We (but not me) kept sending the racist hypocrite Strom Thurmond back to Washington long after he was a witless withered vegetable. We (but not me) elected Nikki Haley. We (but not me) will re-elect her in about six weeks. There’s a lot of shame to go around among SC’s voters.
“Kind of catty?” After being publicly humiliated on national TV by your husband of 20+ years? No. It’s kind of karma.
“Rumors were rampant of her barking orders at him in his office, of her berating him publicly and so on. For those of us living in Columbia at the time especially, I feel like this was common knowledge.”
I’m not defending Mr. Sanford, but seems as though the public humiliation street ran both ways. As evidenced in your opening paragraph.
It’s true – and as evidenced by my last paragraph, I am asking both of them to stop it. (or at least shut up about it publicly)
So women crave some kind of emotional revenge? That’s the kind of stereotype which keeps too many women from being taken seriously. As far as Jenny is concerned — she married him! He didn’t SUDDENLY become a smug, self-righteous, spoiled douche bag.
Middle aged women, or men for that matter, who have their life ripped out from under them by a philandering spouse? Probably. That’s human nature.
Elizabeth, maybe you’re just too young to understand. But some middle aged women with Jenny’s circumstances have maturity and grace and do not dream of ending the adulteress affair that ended their marriage. Put middle school behind you, not all women are that insecure.
Put middle school behind me? That doesn’t even make sense “xx”. If you’re so secure in YOUR thoughts on this matter, why post anonymously? I know a LOT – far too many, women who’ve been through this. It’s not insecurity that makes them vindictive. It’s anger. Insecurity is likely what made their POS husband cheat on them.
Ok. Well anger is not a virtue. When you grow up a little bit, you will understand that a bit more. And I will take issue with your last statement that “Insecurity is likely what made their POS husband ex cheat on them.” Shame on you- you are a sexist. As to your statement that I am “too old to care or have energy to dream of such,” you are entirely wrong. Hopefully, as you get older, you will become stronger, even though your youthful beauty will fade. And hopefully, you will be able to be gracious and forgiving. Your comments about “a women scorned” is very sexist. I agree that many women would want to destroy a disgraceful ex husband. But I sincerely do not believe that is the case with Jenny Sanford.
It seems like someone with maturity and grace would be able to respectfully disagree instead of condescendingly attacking for me needing to grow up. I’ve never been in her shoes. I’m speaking from my experience with a multitude of other women. And I’m sorry – but I don’t know a single one who wished their cheating husband well after the divorce. Maybe you should personally sit down with them and explain how THEY need to grow up. I assume that you’ve either been through this or that you are a counselor of some nature. You certainly seem to have all the answers.
Perhaps we misunderstood your statement that insecurity is what made their “POS” husbands cheat. Chump Lady and those of us who have experienced infidelity first hand and second hand would argue it was a sense of entitlement. Also, anger is the fuel that helps you move on. But still having to interact with the cheater (because of minor children and residual financial issues) who has been gas lighting, blame shifting and being passive aggressive for 20 years is horrid. That’s why going NC (no communication) is imperative for healing. Use e-mail or an intermediary (lawyer).
I can’t disagree -and I can only speculate on what makes a man cheat, especially after years of marriage where children are involved. I’m sure it is often a sense of entitlement. It’s probably different things for different people. I say people because of course it’s not always the man. For the record I strongly encourage those I know who have been a victim of infidelity to move forward and let it go – being angry is only hurting them, not him. He clearly moved on a long time ago! But not many seem to be able to do that with ease. I have not been in their shoes so it’s not possible for me to say what I really would or wouldn’t be able to do. I do wish (as I stated in my post) that both parties in this case would go “NC”!
Maybe you’re too old to care or have the energy to dream of such. Nice PR spin calling it “maturity and grace”. Your comments here don’t seem to prove much of either.
You can buy Jenny Sanford’s book on Amazon, “Staying True” for $1.50 …. Its hundreds of pages long and sure to entertain you while she talks trash about her children’s father.
Way to protect the kids there Jenny.
You are right…but not the way you mean.
How is dragging him through the mud protecting anyone, except herself?
Read her book? She exposes herself as much as her former husband. It is profoundly sad, even as she tries to find a silver lining and move on, giving Sanford the freedom he wanted. If more voters read it, they would have picked up that Sanford needed to remove himself from public life and get help and/or reassess priorities. Guess he really couldn’t afford to do that? Was she wrong?
Yeah. Jenny went on that man hating women’s show, “The View” to talk vindictive trash about her ex husband. Nice way to protect the kids, huh.
Her interviews were so boring because the hosts generally could NOT engage her to talk smack about her former husband or his mistress. One time she said something like “…Chapur is probably a nice woman, but I don’t trust her judgement…”. Wow, so cruel- not. Her theme was primarily the importance of faith, family, and friends in keeping you accountable and “Staying True.’
Writing a one thousand page book about the divorce, promoting it non stop, going on the national talk show circuit, yeah …. the woman talks out both sides of her mouth. She is a twisted narcissistic pathological liar. Keen minds see right through her bullshit.
You can buy Jenny Sanford’s book on Amazon, “Staying True” for $1.50 …. Its hundreds of pages long and sure to entertain you while she talks trash about her children’s father.
Jenny called Oprah Winfrey’s producers last week. She asked them if they would be interested in a interview to talk about the latest. Meanwhile, Jenny states in her court pleadings that she is just wants to protect her boys.
I agree with everything you said except for blaming Jenny for breaking up Mark and Maria. I don’t see any judge penalizing Mark in his visitation rights if he married Maria. Mark’s refusal to set a date is what broke them up, according to Maria. The only way it hurt Mark’s visitation is if he only wanted to continue to shack up.
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/09/14/us/mark-sanford-mistress-affair-engagement.html?_r=0&referrer=
Remember, it was Maria who broke up Mark and Jenny’s marriage and family, yet Liz doesn’t criticize her. Both Mark and Maria are equally guilty.
I’m not sure I agree with the last part. I feel like the person who is married is always more at fault – the third party (Maria) in a marriage is deplorable, BUT it’s only the spouse who is breaking promises and going to be held accountable. The mistress (or mister in some cases) is wrong, no doubt, but not AS guilty…in my opinion.
ALL Mark had to do to settle down the situation with Jenny was marry Chapur so the kid was visiting Mark at the home with his wife, not his paramour. He could not do it. Some of us knew that wouldn’t happen six months after the divorce was final. I’m surprised it took Jenny this long to haul his sorry self into court about that.
You read Jenny’s book, didn’t you. Bought 5 copies?
Bless Your Heart
I warned the people of the 1st district, if elected, he would be an ongoing embarrassment! I told you so!
Now, let me warn you, reelecting Haley will be worse!
You’ve been duly warned…again!
Dear Jenny Sanford…….ya know, dare to wonder if Liz Gunn really knows how to wear a man’s pair of pants…!?
Jenny, have you read this article “hear” and reflected upon how Liz reacted..?.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/14/hannah-storm-nfl_n_5818382.html
Jenny, do you think Liz was smart enough to realize how Hannah Storm will cry about a Ray Rice video but FAIL to tell viewers of the NFL games she covers about the outright slaughter of women and kids that our SLAVERY to fossil OIL results in…?!
Jenny, when you have tea with Liz again………..slap her for us all….!!
poor ole P-Lip, lonely and looking for love in all the wrong places.. Sounds like PLip had his heart broken and trying really hard to remember when he actually mattered to someone besides his mom..P lip has lots of time on his hands, explaining the incessant rambling about nothing anyone here cares to hear or truly gives a fuck.. Get back to playing your Atari douchebag
I wonder how long it will takr Jenny to groom one of the boys for politics?
I’m ambivalent about Jenny’s attitude and moods. Perhaps some humor in her life would be helpful, and I’m willing to go for it on a 90 day trial basis. Room, board, car, weekly allowance and Thursdays and Mondays off.
Jenny and her female lawyers are all going through menopause. That means possible wild mood swings.
hmmmmm……
Jenny’s just mad that the men don’t pause, when she walks into the room.
Can you keep the dog from roaming the streets?
How many dogs does she have – I seem to remember there was a brouhaha about her dog(s) running loose.
Only one that has made the papers.
After checking back in here and reading the new comments, should I read her book before before offering to improve her Humor IQ? And is it really 1,000 pages?
It may be worth the time, if one can borrow it from the library.
Yep. She would let them out, and they would poop in the neighbors yards. Sullivan’s Island has a leash law. The fines are steep. She tried to fight those fines in municipal court. Made an ass out of herself.
“Police Chief Danny Howard says the fine is high because several other dogs also wandered off from the Sanford residence.”
Jenny claimed they “escaped” … lol … The fine is $1000.00 for each incident.
Poor dawgs.
Didn’t she have an electronic fence malfunction?
Gotta control your dogs – that’s high on my list of pet peeves….
Then that would be the first time she ever had one.
Ass, that is!
Jenny was an investment banker at Lazard Freres and Mark was in sales at Goldman when they met. She’s far smarter than he is but she’s also a ka-bilionaire, so I wonder if Judge Garfinkel is going to hit him in the pocket. In the PR war, I agree, she’s winning big-time. Meanwhile, he’s probably trolling for new twat.
“Rumors were rampant of her barking orders at him in his office, of her berating him publicly and so on.”
While no excuse if true, I would offer that it can be very trying when one has to deal with a passive-aggressive person. Frustration levels run high when you feel your partner purposely won’t meet you half way and then won’t even offer his reasoning.
That is what was said by people around her in the governors mansion and in the statehouse. Look at Jenny’s background. She was not the perfect little angel she and her supporters will try to have you believe. She was a big time main stream businesswoman who was in charge of things. With those kinds of positions comes swollen dominating mindsets.
Jenny ran the CAMPAIGNS, which is why they were so successful, but the job of actually being Governor was more Mark it seems, which is why it was so F’ed up..
The facts and history state she only helped. She did not do it all.
You’re correct.
Her carpet bag full of money really did it.
I never said she licked every postage stamp. She called the shots though.
Why do we never hear anything about Maria’s two children? Does anyone have any details?
I guess now that Mark can kiss any potential ambassadorship to Argentina – goodbye!
“Liz Gunn is a wife, mom, author, businesswoman, travel enthusiast, food snob, fashionista, lover of great wine and the No. 1 Gamecock football fan”
NONE OF WHICH QUALIFIES HER TO WRITE A POLITICAL OP-ED!
Real?OK,but tell me,what EXACTLY “qualifies” ANYONE to write a political op ed?
Sanford was elected as a social conservative and protector of the unborn.That is what really bothers a feminazi like Liz.
She can write whatever she so chooses, as long as it is within the bounds of the law, of course. As most of us know, writers can be neutral or one sided or … .. . (unfair, unbalanced).
Sometimes people fail miserably when it comes to writing from a biased pov (point of view). But then, some like to stir the pot with sensationalism, too.
Dear Liz Dunn, your article in better suited for The National Enquirer. There is no news here, just your opinion that Jenny Sanford is retaliating, rather that trying to protect her 15 year old son from a father with poor judgment, anger management issues, drugs, alcohol and being exposed to an unwelcome concubine.
Let me guess, you’re new herel? It’s an opinion piece -like 90% of the other things posted here. Look around. Or head the NYT or WaPo if you need news.
Here? -Where? This is the internet- there is no “here.” Here pertains to the real world. Try living in it.
Here as in FITS News, dumbass. Context clues. Try using them.
thanks for the super insightful feedback!! I’ll give the Enquirer a call & see if they’re hiring.
“When your father goes on Facebook to end engagement and blames your mother “? Ouch…….Even Chapur saw the lie in that, and no doubt so did the son’s who lived their entire lives with the idiot….Surprised you didn’t.
When your mother writes a book about your father, goes on the national talk show circuit, countless radio talk shows, interviews, and talks about your father ———– think about it.
Her interviews were so boring because the hosts generally could NOT engage her to talk smack about her former husband or his mistress. One time she said something like “…Chapur is probably a nice woman, but I don’t trust her judgement…”. Wow, so cruel- not. Her theme was primarily the importance of faith, family, and friends in keeping you accountable and “Staying True.’
Jenny didn’t invite her husband of that many years to humiliate her in the manner that he did. Beyond having an affair, he betrayed her as well as their kids. He checked out of that marriage long before he got caught. At the end of the day, Mark put Jenny in the position she is in now and he doesn’t get to dictate that she go away quietly. He deserves everything Jenny and her lawyers throw at him. Sure she exercised some poor judgment with the book and the national media tour but we have to cut her some slack because she was living in the fog of betrayal. What was Mark’s excuse? It’s sad that adultery and the subsequent abandonment are so commonplace that we tell the scorned woman to get over it and move on.
I agree with this summation 100%.
As bad as all of this sounds to the folks of South Carolina, Bob McDonnell in Virginia would trade places with Mark Sanford in a heartbeat.
From your description, it’s hard to imagine anyone wanting to be married to Jenny Sanford.
Jenny Sanford seems like a bitter scorned woman who wants to use her children and any power she can for revenge. The best revenge is to move on and live a happy life. Let the man move on and find happiness and success as well. It isn’t just the mistress or Mark that hold responsibility for the failure of the Sanford’s marriage. Jenny was in a failing marriage and while he was not honest and there is no excuse for that, she no doubt was part of why it failed. Her behavior after certainly represents a very manipulative and difficult personality, no doubt reasons that contributed to a failing relationship.