Could you excuse a Sanford-esque lapse by your spouse?
Jenny Sanford
South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford’s admitted affair with an Argentine woman has been our only respite from news of Michael Jackson’s death. The latest word in the case is from Sanford’s wife, Jenny, who said in stories yesterday that she’d be willing to forgive him.
“Forgiveness opens the door for Mark to begin to work privately, humbly and respectfully toward reconciliation with me,” she said. “However, to achieve true reconciliation will take time, involve repentance, and will not be easy.”
She called her husband’s behavior “inexcusable” (gee, ya think?) — but is apparently willing, on some level, to excuse it. ”Mark has stated that his intent and determination is to save our marriage, and to make amends to the people of South Carolina. I hope he can make good on those intentions,” Jenny Sanford said.
According to one version of the story, the governor had even asked his wife for permission to travel to Argentina to see his mistress. When denied, he went against her wishes anyway. If you were in a similar situation, under what circumstances could you forgive your spouse? Could you? Would you? How? And what do you think of Jenny Sanford’s statements?
Kurt is the director of social media for the Post-Dispatch, where he has worked since August 2002. He's been a journalist since 1982, covering municipal government, courts, education and two hurricanes as a reporter before becoming an editor. 
If your or my spouse were to murder someone, we’d go out of our way to help them dispose of the body, cover the evidence, and try to forget that it ever happened. But, infidelity, that’s unforgiveable.
I hope that I never feel the need to go ‘hiking on the Appalachian trail’.
He’s goofy. I doubt if he can put it back together. He’ll pretend he’s back but he just wants his ego stroked thru his office and the power/fame attached to it. Mid life crises here we come. He’ll wake up in a pile.
He’ll be with some law firm as a partner lobbying in a few years. Wanna bet?
He must have all the money in the family, or she would have booted him out. He will be led around on a leash from here out. He gives men a bad name.
I cannot really answer this question, as ahving been fortunate enough to share a true and loving spousal relationship for over 32 years, I can’t conceive of being in this position. No relationship built on love, respect, mutual trust and reverence for your life’s partner should ever come to such a tawdry pass.
Jenny Sanford is in the same untenable position Hillary Clinton, Elizabeth Edwards, and so many others have been before her and who will be afterward. She is a political wife who is tempering her gut-level reactions to attempt to transcend the emotional outrage for the sake of the bigger, public picture. I cannot second-guess or criticize her. I have never been in her shoes and will never be. These are sad and demeaning stories, trotted out for the salacious inculgence of a populace sated on trash like People magazine and grocery store tabloids, a public feeding frenzy unworthy of us or of the Sanford family. Mark Sanford should be ashamed — although I suspect his main discomfort is at getting caught.
like many political and wealthy persons wives, I’m sure she would rather not lose her social status or wealthy position (alimoney would keep her wealthy, but can’t say she’s the Gov’s Wife). I’m sure her Red Hat Lady Chapter is gossiping up a storm.