PoliticalDerby.com

A funny skit about the “Sanford Affair”.

I’m sorry, it was too funny to pass up.

Watch Robert Gibbs get grilled and flipped in yesterday’s press conference over Obama’s “town hall” meetings and more.

“I know Mark Sanford. I know him quite well,” Bennett said. “He needs to get his life back in order, his marriage back in order. He is embarrassing himself.”

“There is the old notion of indecent exposure, usually that refers to somebody showing some skin, and there’s another form of indecent exposure. He is telling us way too much,” Bennett continued. “We’re not interested. He needs to stop and take care of his life.”

This is the letter I faxed to both of my US Senators yesterday. I felt like they needed to hear from a private citizen of their state the mood and passion about the current legislation (health care and climate control). Actually, this is the first time I ever directly contacted either one. Not like they’re taking my calls these days…

Feel free to copy and use it, or craft your own to tell your Senator how you feel.
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July 1, 2009

Senators Arlen Specter & Bob Casey Jr

Dear Senators:
Click to read more …

The chorus of resignation calls continues to build for disgraced SC Governor Mark Sanford (below). It’s fine that he wants to compare himself to King David. It’s lovely that he’s said he won’t resign because King David didn’t.

Why doesn’t Sanford understand that this isn’t ultimately about an affair? It’s about deceit from the highest elected official in the state. Lies to his staff, the media, fellow lawmakers. He has lost his credibility and his judgment will now be questioned every single day by colleagues in both political parties. He needs these people to be successful, period, and they no longer trust him.

-The state AG is pouring over every trip he’s ever taken to determine if resources were abused.

-Polls say a majority think he should resign.

-His staffers are being paraded out to correct his lies about when, where and how many times he wasn’t where he said he was.

Governor, this isn’t about you and it certainly isn’t about being judged for adultery. It’s about your ability to effectively and credibly lead the state that elected you.

It’s time to say goodbye.

More GOP leaders demand Sanford’s resignation
Posted: 09:45 AM ET

From CNN Political Producer Peter Hamby

COLUMBIA (CNN) — Six more Republicans in the South Carolina Senate are calling on Mark Sanford to resign, including Majority Leader Harvey Peeler.

Late Tuesday, the senators jointly issued a press release demanding that the governor step down because he has lost the trust of South Carolinians.

“The bottom line is that the Governor’s private matters should remain private, but his deception and negligence make it impossible for us to trust him, and for him to govern in the future,” they wrote.

Peeler told CNN that Sanford “has lost his ability to lead, and I’m afraid he has lost his ability to function as a man.”

“He is sitting all alone in that big governor’s mansion, totally alone,” Peeler said. “It’s about leadership and moving forward and it’s time for him to resign.”

Peeler was joined GOP state senators Hugh Leatherman, Paul Campbell, Jake Knotts, Larry Martin and William O’Dell.

Earlier Tuesday, two of Sanford’s top conservative allies in the senate — Larry Grooms and Kevin Bryant — also said Sanford must go.

Last month marked my thirtieth year in the real estate business. I began as a broker in the late 1970’s. Why is that important? Because I thought I had seen just about everything when it comes to the housing market.

But today marks a new day of discovery and enlightenment for me.

The Obama administration’s “housing rescue program” now offers the following:

“Homeowners taking part in the Obama administration’s housing rescue program through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will now be eligible even if their loan-to-value ratio is up to 125 percent. That means they can have up to 25 percent negative equity and still get a refinance.”

For all you non-finance folks out there - that also means getting a lender to give you a loan for 25% more than the house is actually worth!

Now that can’t turn out bad – can it?

Wait, there’s more…

“The new LTV rate will be offered only to borrowers who are current on their mortgages that are owned by either Fannie or Freddie.”

That’s called getting while the getting is good! Now when has that ever happened?

Consequences to follow – totally plausible administration explanation to follow that.

Thank you Mr. President!

A couple days old, but still well-worth a read.

Mitt Romney’s team awaits 2012
Politico

Mitt Romney says publicly he’s not considering another presidential campaign, most recently on Sunday during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” But many of his loyalists expect one and remain at the ready for 2012.

When dozens of former Romney aides and advisers convened on the terrace of Charlie Spies’ fashionable Penn Quarter loft earlier this year on a warm February night, the purpose was ostensibly to help raise money for the Virginia state House race of Romney strategist Barbara Comstock.

Read the rest.

UPDATE: Coleman has conceded. Classy. He could have gone on to SCOTUS.

In case you didn’t know, the Minnesota Supreme Court selected, Al Franken, of SNL Stewart Smalley fame, to the US Senate today. What this now means is that the Democrats have a filibuster proof Senate. God help us all.

The CNN Political Ticker reported late yesterday that Rudy Giuliani is pondering a run for governor of New York in 2010.

Asked by CNN’s John Roberts on American Morning if he’s seriously considering a gubernatorial bid, Giuliani said “I’m thinking about it but I don’t know if I’m at the point of seriously considering it. It’s a little too early.”

Giuliani would instantly become a favorite to beat incumbent Democrat David Patterson, that is, if Patterson is the nominee. Patterson faces a potential challenge from Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who is currently pasting Patterson in a purse of polls.

Say that three times fast.

Cuomo would also likely be tough for Giuliani to topple in a general election, especially if he runs for guv like he ran for President.

In other words, badly.

According to Rasmussen:

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Tuesday shows that 31% of the nation’s voters now Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Thirty-three percent (33%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -2. That matches the lowest level yet recorded.

This morning the Supreme Court has validated what most Americans such you and I believe, and what Sonia Sotomayor does not–that racism is wrong. It has reversed the lower court ruling on Ricci v. DeStefano, a case where White and Hispanic firefighters were denied promotions earned through passing the promotional test because no Black firefighters passed the test.

You may remember that Sotomayor ruled against the firefighters who were denied promotion as an appellate court judge. Now she is likely to sit on the Supreme Court to espouse her view of the world, where lady justice’s blindfold has been torn from her face and ripped to shreds. Lucky us.

I think Harvard Economist Greg Mankiw nailed it in Sunday’s New York Times. You should read the entire article. However, for your convenience, I’ve provided snippets after the jump.

Click to read more …

While I’m sure the supporters of these Tax Day related Tea Parties mean well, they are accomplishing nothing.

Do these protesters ever take the time to research a viable initiative to create legislative change to cap government spending? Probably not, because they are too busy planning tea parties all over the country.

The use of the word “party” in and of itself implies a certain mindset to have fun instead of getting the job done. These venues regularly invite key note speakers to attract hoards of people who are tired of paying exorbitant taxes. No kidding, we are all tired of it, but throwing “whining parties” about taxes goes over about as well as a hole in a tea bag. If I were a Spend Politician, I’d be laughing at these colonist “wanna be’s” all the way to the bank.

I would bet these tea parties don’t even provide recycling bins for the tons of paper and plastic waste they leave behind. The organizers are simply too engrossed in finding ways to nail down their fifteen minutes of fame that exists only in their minds.

They are costing themselves (and us) even more in taxes. Protest venues are not a rite of passage for feisty youth, misdirected adults and popular media figures. If they are going to protest, they should at least have specific goals laid out for how they plan to formally activate change.

Can someone make a case for how he survives this?

(CNN) – A second South Carolina newspaper is calling for Gov. Mark Sanford to resign.

The editorial Friday morning in the Orangeburg Times and Democrat comes two days after Sanford admitted to an extramarital affair with a woman from Argentina. The governor also acknowledged Wednesday that he did not tell his staff that he was in Argentina during a five-day period over the past week.

“Sanford should exit not because of his personal problems but because in dealing with those problems, he has shown clearly that he cannot be an effective leader. The entire episode vividly illustrates irresponsibility and poor judgment. He could not have handled the situation worse,” the paper says in an editorial.

Watch it. Shake your head to be sure you’re really seeing it. Watch it again. Rinse. Repeat. Comment.

This is from the floor of the Louisiana House.

“Mark Sanford cannot navigate a deep and painful personal crisis and lead the state through its economic crisis at the same time,” read an editorial printed in The Spartanburg Herald-Journal. “This kind of personal issue is consuming. It will be more than a distraction from his duties as governor, it will be a higher priority.”

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/06/25/paper-calls-on-sanford-to-resign/

Statement from First Lady Jenny Sanford

I would like to start by saying I love my husband and I believe I have put forth every effort possible to be the best wife I can be during our almost twenty years of marriage. As well, for the last fifteen years my husband has been fully engaged in public service to the citizens and taxpayers of this state and I have faithfully supported him in those efforts to the best of my ability. I have been and remain proud of his accomplishments and his service to this state.

Click to read more …

Governor Sanford admits to affair and also resigns as Chairman of RGA.

Speaks extensively about his faith and apologizes to family and constituents.

Sad to say that one of the Republican hopefuls just lost hope.

Scratch the top GOP horse for 2012.

To be blunt, I didn’t know much about South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford. He seemed like a nice enough guy with pretty solid conservative bona fides so this early in the theoretical 2012 Race for the Oval, I wasn’t disappointed to see him lead the PD pack on the sidebar.

Well, I just got done watching the tail end of Sanford’s press conference where he attempted to explain his unannounced and unplanned trip to Argentina. Turns out Sanford really wanted to get off the grid – to someplace where he would be unrecognized. Here’s the bottom line.

Sanford went to Argentina to meet a woman (not his wife). El Rushbo quickly dubbed this new woman in Sanford’s life “The Girl from Ipanema”. I must geographically disagree with El Rushbo. Ipanema is in Brazil – a beach in Rio actually – not Argentina.

But I digress.

I’m trying hard not to judge the guy for making such a spectacular lapse in moral judgment. Really. I am.

But what kind of guy hops an 7,000 mile flight whilst telling everyone he was hiking the Appalachian Trail?

Talk about flaming out an falling to earth.