Aug. 24, 2009
Jennifer Sanford's Friends Speak Out
Tell The Early Show Their Friend Learned About The Affair After Finding A Letter
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Play CBS Video Video Future of Sanford's Marriage S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford is in trouble again after not disclosing who paid for his travel expenses to see his mistress. Maggie Rodriguez spoke with close friends of Sanford's wife.
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Jenny Sanford (AP Photo/Alice Keeney)
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Marjorie Wentworth, left, and Virginia Lane, (CBS)
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The AP found that Sanford, who took office in 2003, had not disclosed on state ethics forms or campaign reports who had paid for the travel, as required by state law. Sanford was been trying to regroup after admitting to a year-long affair with an Argentinean woman.
As for Jenny Sanford, the governor's estranged wife, she spoke out about the affair last week. She said these affairs are almost like an addiction to alcohol or pornography.
She has moved out of the governor's residence with their four children and says it's up to her husband to decide if it he wants to stay married.
Two of Jenny Sanford's friends, Marjorie Wentworth and Virginia Lane, appeared on The Early Show for an exclusive interview Monday to discuss how their friend is coping with the marital woes and attention.
Lane, a friend of Jenny Sanford's for 20 years, said she is doing as well as can be expected. "She's always had this amazing ability to focus when all these trials are going on around her. Focus on what's right, what's wrong, and how to get to protecting her boys."
The women remember when Jenny Sanford told them about the affair. "It was heartbreaking. Mark's the last person on the planet we thought this would happen," Lane said.
"Everybody was shocked. And she, I think it was easier that she knew about it months before it went public. And I think it would have played out differently had that not happened. But, again, the last person you'd ever expect this to happen to," Wentworth added. "I mean, they seemed like the perfect couple with beautiful children, and his star was rising politically. So everybody is shocked. But she is doing great."
Jenny Sanford's friends say she found out about the affair after discovering a letter; they say the governor didn't deny its contents or the affair.
Asked what the focus of their relationship was after the revelation, Lane said, "She's got this amazing capacity for forgivness. And very quickly said I can forgive adultery but not condone it regularly in a marriage."
Still, the governor took that trip to South America even after his wife had found out about the affair. Wentworth says Jenny Sanford didn't know where her husband had gone in June.
Asked why she didn't play the "good wife" and stand by her man publicly like several other political wives have done in the past to support their disgraced husbands, Wentworth said, "Everything about her behavior is not surprising."
Does Jenny Sanford believe the marriage still has a future?
“She's giving it her best shot," Lane said.
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- bonjour
l'infidélité a toujours existé, de nos jours elle est banalisée , dans ce csa précis celui du couple sanford la médiatisaion n'arrangera pas les choses
s'ils tiennent a sauver leur couple, ils n'ont qu'a régler cela entre eux
ça ne les concerne qu'eux....au revoir. - Reply to this comment
- From the beginning, Mark Sanford's lovesick behavior has looked exactly like an addiction. It is a love addiction with the same force as a drug addiction. If you have ever seen such behavior up close and personal, you can understand the lying, deception, secrecy, and hold it has on the person. The normally nice person is transformed into a person who will do almost anything to get that "fix." Hopefully, Mark can get beyond his addiction to Maria.
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- by formrusmcsgt August 24, 2009 11:59 AM EDT
I personally am not, but if it's what works for others and they both agree, who am I to condemn?
But that has nothing to do with this instance.
She obviously was not in agreement or he wouldn't have hid it from her.
He failed her as badly as a man can and she still wants to "find a way".
Like I said, no dignity whatsoever.
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Maybe you don't give her enough credit. Divorce and alimony are concrete decisions spelled out in legalese. Who knows what sort of deviant designs Ms. Edwards has concocted in order to exact revenge on this schlub. I bet an ultimatum has already been proffered. Financially, it's a win-win for everyone if they stay together. Plus she gets to spin that sword of Damocles every once in awhile.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned but some women are able to mete out that fury out over long, extended periods of time. - Reply to this comment
- an investigation by the Associated Press finds he failed to report 35 trips on private planes as required by state law. <Are you sure it's the AP? Not the Enquirer?>
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- Mark Sanford has confessed his sins at the "C Street Community" in Washington, D.C.
All is forgiven and all of you peons please note that annointed Repubs are not bound by the same rules as you. - Reply to this comment
- Shame on CBS for doing a society piece on how poor little Sanford's wife is coping!
Wow, that looked so bad on the TV this morning. How is she doing? OMG. You looked bad this morning CBS. - Reply to this comment
- by xlib August 24, 2009 10:30 AM EDT
And yet, another diversionary tactic and the state run media is right there to oblige.
I understand edwards moved his baby mama and baby close by. Now there's a great guy for you.
ROFLMAO! 'Lizabeth Edwards is another example of dumb. Gotta luv the southern mentality! (Or lack therof). - Reply to this comment
- She knows on what side the bread is buttered.
If she's sticking with him, it is only until she has wrung out of him everything she wants. Since she isn't hurting for money (her estate was 10x his) and she has recieved public sympathy and accolades for her handling of the affair, it has to be a custody agreement.
Once the SOB has assigned her full custody and limited visitations, she drop him like a sack of cememnt. - Reply to this comment
- Let me get this straight he takes free trips takes money from the tax payers and then refuses money to help his state.
What a jerk and what else is it called oh yes hypocrite. - Reply to this comment
- by formrusmcsgt August 24, 2009 9:29 AM EDT
Men or women who stay with a cheater have no dignity whatsoever.
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I see you're not into 'open' relationships. - Reply to this comment
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- I personally am not, but if it's what works for others and they both agree, who am I to condemn?
But that has nothing to do with this instance.
She obviously was not in agreement or he wouldn't have hid it from her.
He failed her as badly as a man can and she still wants to "find a way".
Like I said, no dignity whatsoever.
- I personally am not, but if it's what works for others and they both agree, who am I to condemn?
- by cambone2 August 24, 2009 9:38 AM EDT
Give us a break - both the Sanfords and their friends should keep their mouths shut. This is a private matter and should not be all over the news - it's nothing more than a distraction.
NOT! He is a high profile politician, hopping around in taxpayer funded aircraft etc, so it is not private when one gets caught. And my censored word above was dilldo! - Reply to this comment
- Mark Sanford is a hillbilly *****. MY wife would rake me thru the coals if I even THOUGHT about cheating, beat my a$$, do her 48 hours, get out & beat my a$$ again. And rightfully so. All these political wives are just so dumb.
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- ianlou's right,
"The reason they don't leave is because they married for power, not love".
At least that seems to be the case with good ol' Jenny. C'mon - once, okay maybe, or an affair goes public, and you either deal with it and resolve it or splitsville. She keeps allowing this - she's basically an enabler. She keeps giving him do-overs. In fact she defends him: "She [Jenny Sanford} said these affairs are almost like an addiction to alcohol or pornography." Like she knows. Not. she's providing cover so the marriage goes on. And [she said] "it's up to her husband to decide if it he wants to stay married." Now Mark, you only have 75 chances left to clean up your act. But if you exceed that, maybe I'll give you another 20 chances if you think you need it.
Ya gotta just love the quote from Jenny's g/f Virginia Lane: "She's got this amazing capacity for forgivness. And very quickly said I can forgive adultery but not condone it regularly in a marriage." REGULARLY?? Okay Mark, here the deal, you can go scr*w her 12 times over a three-year period but it can't really be a regular thing. Understand honey, just don't make it look so regular and make me look like a COMPLETE doormat or you'll force me to give up up all this fame and fortune.
Yeah, to the commenters who said, yeah, it's a private cesspool, leave it alone, notwithstanding my own, I agree. But when the guy clearly abuses everything he comes into contact with - his wife, his "principles", taxpayer money, time to hang him and his dirty laundry out to dry. Oddly, Jenny Sanford isn't the only one looking foolish - the taxpayers of SC look pretty dumb for putting up with it.
- ianlou's right,
- Men or women who stay with a cheater have no dignity whatsoever.
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- Dignity, schmignity. She's a total idiot. She should have taken every cent he could ever hope to make, and then left him. She could then find a man who would be willing to be faithful and true to all of her money.
- Politician's wives hang out with other politician's wives.
Jennifer Sanford's Friends Speak Out simply means there sharing horror stories. (horror spelled with a w)
- @mswolfestock... the money belongs to Jenny Sanford... she is an heiress... she could leave and take just about everything if she so desired... i really believe she wants to stay with her husband because she still loves him... it is hard to walk away from the person who owns your heart, whether that person is obviously a total dumb ass or not
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