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You are here: Home / Elections / Election 2014 / Evening Open Thread, and Note that Maybe God Loves Me

Evening Open Thread, and Note that Maybe God Loves Me

by Soonergrunt|  January 15, 201311:31 pm| 50 Comments

This post is in: Election 2014, Proud to Be A Democrat, Assholes, Clown Shoes, Good News For Conservatives

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Mark Sanford, he of the naked hiking on the Appalachian Trail–who knew it went all the way down to Brazil?–will supposedly announce tomorrow that he’s running for Congress in South Carolina.  There is no report as to whether or not his ex wife will vote for him at this time.

Sanford will announce via press release tomorrow; there will be no press conference or public events associated with it, according to an aide.

NBC previously reported that Sanford would attempt a political comeback running for his old first congressional district seat. Sanford would be running to replace Tim Scott, who was appointed to Jim DeMint’s Senate seat.

Get the popcorn and the beer!  This is gonna be fucking great!

UPDATE: We have the de riguer invocation of God’s Will ™:

“I’m not saying it was God-ordained or anything like that,” Sanford said, “but a series of rather miraculous events have coincided here, that did not escape the attention of the friends who were urging me to look at this.”

God DOES love me, to give me such a show!

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Reader Interactions

50Comments

  1. 1.

    burnspbesq

    January 15, 2013 at 11:33 pm

    Anyone out there have any experience dealing with Amazon Data Services? I’m thinking about using them to store an offsite backup of my 2.4 terabyte music library.

  2. 2.

    burnspbesq

    January 15, 2013 at 11:36 pm

    God loves us all. Bach and beer are indisputable proof of that.

  3. 3.

    red dog

    January 15, 2013 at 11:37 pm

    for a while there it was reported that his wife was going to run against him…she dropped out. What a shame as it could have been constant Comedy Central fodder. Did he marry the Brazilian?

  4. 4.

    balconesfault

    January 15, 2013 at 11:37 pm

    I thought that Jenny Sanford was going to be jumping in as well?

  5. 5.

    Comrade Dread

    January 15, 2013 at 11:37 pm

    “I’m not saying it was God-ordained or anything like that,” Sanford said, “but a series of rather miraculous events have coincided here, that did not escape the attention of the friends who were urging me to look at this.”

    It’s always amazing that God tells folks to run for higher office when Jesus did His best to ignore the political powers that were and spent almost all of His time ministering to the poor, the sick, the hurting, and the spiritually needy.

  6. 6.

    Joseph Nobles

    January 15, 2013 at 11:38 pm

    My apple cider caramels are almost cool enough to slice and wrap. My coworkers owe me bigtime.

  7. 7.

    Corner Stone

    January 15, 2013 at 11:40 pm

    Ok. Is it him, or his ex-wife? MSNBC was fucking me up with this earlier.

  8. 8.

    YellowJournalism

    January 15, 2013 at 11:41 pm

    @balconesfault: I hope not, because Sooner’s poor heart would explode with glee.

  9. 9.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    January 15, 2013 at 11:43 pm

    @Corner Stone: I think his ex-wife officially backed out last week.

  10. 10.

    Gin & Tonic

    January 15, 2013 at 11:43 pm

    @red dog: She was/is Argentinian, but I don’t know if she wised up and dumped him or not.

    It was funny because an early story of his was that he went to Buenos Aires to go to the beach or something like that. There’s no beach in Buenos Aires, it’s at least a 4-hour drive away.

  11. 11.

    sneezy

    January 15, 2013 at 11:50 pm

    @burnspbesq:

    Anyone out there have any experience dealing with Amazon Data Services? I’m thinking about using them to store an offsite backup of my 2.4 terabyte music library.

    Unless I’ve screwed up the arithmetic, 3 TB of S3 storage will cost you $255 per month. I think it would be a lot cheaper to buy a hard disk and put it in a safe-deposit box.

  12. 12.

    t(MZ)rex

    January 15, 2013 at 11:55 pm

    Sanford and Chapur are engaged.

  13. 13.

    MikeJ

    January 15, 2013 at 11:56 pm

    @Joseph Nobles:

    My apple cider caramels are almost cool enough to slice and wrap. My coworkers owe me bigtime.

    I saw you mention them earlier, and I already had cider in the fridge. Making some tomorrow.

  14. 14.

    burnspbesq

    January 15, 2013 at 11:56 pm

    @sneezy:

    No, you didn’t screw up the arithmetic, but I was thinking about the “glacier” service level, which only costs one cent per gig, so divide by ten.

    I thought about the drive-in-a-safe-deposit-box option, but an earthquake that takes out my house is also likely to take out my bank, and the storage space where the CDs and vinyl are kept.

  15. 15.

    Ash Can

    January 16, 2013 at 12:00 am

    With this kind of background, this guy needs to STFU and retire to Buenos Aires with his dolly. Instead, he’s running for fucking congress?? This cretin doesn’t know enough to come in out of the fucking rain.

  16. 16.

    ? Martin

    January 16, 2013 at 12:04 am

    @burnspbesq:

    I thought about the drive-in-a-safe-deposit-box option, but an earthquake that takes out my house is also likely to take out my bank.

    Not likely, actually. Get a good waterproof heatproof container that fits in the box and holds a few drives and you should be good. Use a 2nd drive to hold all of your financial records and passwords and stuff (I also have my parent’s information on mine). Rotate them out every 6 months or so.

    Even if the earthquake takes out the bank, the bank will have automatic fire suppression outside of the safe deposit vault (which is why you want to waterproof your drive), and any earthquake that takes out the vault – well, you won’t fucking care about your music after that baby hits.

    Not that Amazon isn’t a perfectly good option, but I personally think there are enough other benefits to the safe deposit box to prefer that route.

  17. 17.

    Punchy

    January 16, 2013 at 12:05 am

    So Sporting KC terminates its naming agreement w/ Livestrong. Turns out however, that Livestrong “fired” SKC, not other way around. Just what size of brass bawhlz do they have to cut a surefire revenue stream (yes, SKC was paying them for the name, the only naming agreement like that in the US) in the midst of all the Armstrong bullshit?

    What a fuckin mess Armstrong caused…

  18. 18.

    dead existentialist

    January 16, 2013 at 12:10 am

    Brazil? I thought he went to Argentina.

  19. 19.

    Villago Delenda Est

    January 16, 2013 at 12:11 am

    So this irresponsible layabout, who could not be bothered to let his lieutenant governor, or anyone on his staff, or for that matter his wife, know he was going to be out of the state, incommunicado, and therefore unable to perform his duties and made no arrangements at all for anyone to take them over in case of an emergency, thinks he should be elected to any fucking public office ever again?

  20. 20.

    JCT

    January 16, 2013 at 12:12 am

    @Villago Delenda Est: It is South Carolina after all.

  21. 21.

    WaterGirl

    January 16, 2013 at 12:16 am

    Wife dropped out earlier this week. He is still engaged to the other woman.

  22. 22.

    Mandalay

    January 16, 2013 at 12:18 am

    @Villago Delenda Est:

    So this irresponsible layabout…thinks he should be elected to any fucking public office ever again?

    It’s even worse than that. Last month he asked his ex-wife to run his campaign:

    When Sanford came by his ex-wife’s house for their conversation about holiday visitation, we’re told it quickly turned into a discussion about his desire to run for his old seat. Needless to say, Jenny was not keen on the notion.

    “She asked him not to (run), not to put her and the kids through that,” our source says.

    Sanford’s response?

    Not only did he insist on jumping into the race, he actually asked her to reprise her role as his campaign manager (Jenny Sanford ran each one of her husband’s successful congressional and gubernatorial campaigns from 1994-2006

    http://www.fitsnews.com/2012/12/31/a-very-sanford-christmas/

    I think John Edwards is coaching Sanford on how to be an obnoxious scumbag. He taught him well.

  23. 23.

    Mandalay

    January 16, 2013 at 12:35 am

    @WaterGirl:

    He is still engaged to the other woman.

    I’m starting to wonder about that. No details about how they spent Christmas together, no recent photos of them together, no details on his recent trips to Argentina, or the marriage date.

    If they are to have a life together then she must move here, or he must move to Argentina without his four sons. I have not read that Sanford even speaks Spanish. Perhaps the practical details of their situation are starting to loom large.

    My guess is that the relationship is now over, jobs offers are not pouring in, he needs money, and so he has decided to run for Congress. The “amicable” breakup with the love of his life will be carefully leaked to the press in the early stages of his doomed campaign, late on a Friday afternoon.

    The poor bastard had everything going for him once.

  24. 24.

    gian

    January 16, 2013 at 12:43 am

    Read a note that the RNC lost a bid to undo an old consent decree on voting rights today.

  25. 25.

    Joseph Nobles

    January 16, 2013 at 12:50 am

    @MikeJ: Careful on the salt. Mine are a little too salty, because I didn’t have “flaky sea salt.” I just had rock sea salt in my grinder and I should have cut the salt by a quarter or even a half. But they are not “Ooh, spit this out, way too salty!” They are just, “hmm, a little too much salt om nom nom nom!”

  26. 26.

    Mnemosyne

    January 16, 2013 at 12:56 am

    @? Martin:

    They probably use an inert gas fire suppression system inside the vault, actually. It causes a lot less trouble for everyone, especially if paper is expected to be stored there, and doesn’t require the kind of cleanup that water does.

  27. 27.

    MikeJ

    January 16, 2013 at 1:02 am

    @Mnemosyne: A friend of mine was on the air when the halon went off at the radio station we worked at. Happily, engineering was right across the hall and they puled her out. She was awake again before the emt s even got there, but still pretty scary.

  28. 28.

    Gex

    January 16, 2013 at 1:02 am

    Hey all,

    Long, long day. It was day two on the ventilator and we just didn’t see the improvements we needed to see. I’m pretty sure we’ll be extubating her tomorrow. And of course after that, you don’t know what will happen or how long it will take.

    I know I detailed some of the difficulties I have with her and her love of stand up comedy. But I am really grateful I was able to give her the opportunity to pursue it.

    She was horribly abused as a child. Her mother divorced her father and married a sociopath that raped her between the ages of 5 and 15. I’ve no doubt that he is continuing to victimize her with this cancer. Early sexual activity is a risk factor, and if it wasn’t that it was her inability to get the annual exams that would have headed this off much earlier, before it metastasized.

    In 2008, she quit the office job she hated. She didn’t want to be part of the problem anymore, working for Wells Fargo. I’m so grateful I was able to support her and that she spent her last years doing something that she truly, passionately loved.

    Things happened so quickly this weekend. It looked like we were turning a corner towards recovery when the port infection took over and she took a sudden turn. Even though I lived in that room with her for almost two weeks, we didn’t have the conversation you’d like to have if you get the chance before a loved one dies.

    And I’m okay with that. Beyond supporting her in comedy, the cancer months also provide me with a peace of mind on that front. I know that I could not have done one single thing better when caring for her during her cancer treatments. There isn’t anything I could have said last week that would do a better job of showing her how much I love her. I’m glad I will not have to wonder about that and that I won’t have any regrets over it.

    Such a strange place to be in. This isn’t done, but there’s nothing left for me to do. Real life continues moving right along out there somewhere, but I haven’t been in it for a while. I will have to return to it. The idea of trying to catch up when I am so depleted is stressful. I’m glad I don’t have to do that just yet.

    My communications have abrupt stops these days. When my brain is done, it is done. It’s done now.

  29. 29.

    Gex

    January 16, 2013 at 1:10 am

    @Gex: Should I repost this in the fresher thread? I don’t know. Don’t want to have to follow two though, so I hope the people who would want this update find it.

  30. 30.

    Mnemosyne

    January 16, 2013 at 1:13 am

    @MikeJ:

    Halon isn’t used anymore — apparently it produced fluorocarbons and ended up being banned for environmental reasons.

    We have an inert gas system at work that’s primarily argon, which won’t do any permanent damage if inhaled. If you get stuck inside a vault when the system goes off, you’ll probably pass out, but there won’t be any permanent damage from what you inhale.

  31. 31.

    Steeplejack

    January 16, 2013 at 1:15 am

    @Gex:

    So sorry for you and your partner. You will be in my prayers.

    ETA: Your other comment has disappeared. I (and I am sure others) will bookmark your update and point others here as they inquire in future threads.

  32. 32.

    Mnemosyne

    January 16, 2013 at 1:16 am

    @Gex:

    I’m so sorry, Gex. I know you guys have been fighting this thing hard.

    The only advice I will give you is to go ahead and say whatever else it is you need to say, even if you think she’s unconscious and can’t hear you. I’m convinced that my dad was able to hear us up until the end even though he couldn’t communicate anymore.

    Many {{{{hugs}}}}.

  33. 33.

    cmorenc

    January 16, 2013 at 1:19 am

    @burnspbesq:

    Anyone out there have any experience dealing with Amazon Data Services?

    On first glance, I misread your request as being about “Amazon dating services, and wondered “Amazon has gone into that online business too? Only a matter of time I supposed…”
    :=)

  34. 34.

    Yutsano

    January 16, 2013 at 1:19 am

    @Gex: No words, just hugz.

  35. 35.

    Debbie(Aussie)

    January 16, 2013 at 1:20 am

    What on earth can one say (((((((Gex)))))))))

  36. 36.

    WaterGirl

    January 16, 2013 at 1:23 am

    @Mandalay:

    The poor bastard had everything going for him once.

    I guess he picked a bad week to hike the appalachian trail.

  37. 37.

    Ash Can

    January 16, 2013 at 1:30 am

    @Gex: Hard to find words at a time like this. You are both in my prayers.

  38. 38.

    balconesfault

    January 16, 2013 at 1:31 am

    @Comrade Dread: For the record, God told me not to run for the Senate.

  39. 39.

    jenn

    January 16, 2013 at 1:38 am

    @Gex: I am so sorry, Gex. Thinking of you both.

  40. 40.

    WaterGirl

    January 16, 2013 at 1:39 am

    @Gex: @Mnemosyne: When my dad was dying, he wasn’t able to communicate anymore, either. But when I said “I love you”, he squeezed my hand 3 times. I know he was saying I love you back to me.

    Gex, I agree with Mnemosyne. If there’s anything you need or want to say to Kate, I hope you’ll say it. Even if it’s to tell her that it’s okay to stop fighting now if that’s what she needs to do.

    So very sorry. Big hugs.

  41. 41.

    MikeJ

    January 16, 2013 at 1:45 am

    @balconesfault: I said no such thing.

  42. 42.

    NotMax

    January 16, 2013 at 1:47 am

    @

    At the Consumer Electronics show just this past week, there was a 1TB flash drive unveiled to be on the market very shortly. And a 2TB flash drive displayed, to follow somewhat further down the line.

    A 500GB flash drive is already on out there for sale now.

    Pricey, but as with all things electronic, will come down somewhat after introduction.

    So you could fit your entire library into a pocket (flash drives are sturdy little buggers) and still have room for a pack of ciggies to trade for food after the Big One.

  43. 43.

    Gex

    January 16, 2013 at 2:22 am

    @WaterGirl: I have been talking to her. I hadn’t actually thought too much about what she’s getting out of it. It’s all been things I need to say.

  44. 44.

    WaterGirl

    January 16, 2013 at 3:24 am

    @Gex: I can only imagine how horrible and scary this must be for you, especially when you’re running on fumes.

    And then I think about how awful and terrifying the lsat few days must have been for Kate, fighting so hard and then boom, everything is out of control, and the worst that you feared may be happening. It’s just heartbreaking, and I don’t even know either of you.

    I’m so sorry.

  45. 45.

    WaterGirl

    January 16, 2013 at 3:28 am

    @Gex: My network connection was down for about an hour, so I don’t know if you’ll see the message above, but I hope you do.

    I know this will be an unbelievably long night for you, with a truly difficult day ahead of you tomorrow.

    I hope you and Kate both find peace.

  46. 46.

    Sammy

    January 16, 2013 at 3:49 am

    @WaterGirl: Wonder if she will be campaigning for him?

  47. 47.

    sharl

    January 16, 2013 at 4:21 am

    @Gex:

    Aww, {{{{Gex}}}}. You’re gonna make me start believing in angels.
    May we all be so fortunate as your Comedian, to have someone like you when the need arises.

    Take care of yourself, Mortal Angel.

  48. 48.

    WaterGirl

    January 16, 2013 at 4:27 am

    @Sammy: I assume the she you are wondering about is the mistress/ fiancé? That would possibly be the strangest thing ever in a campaign, but as far as I can tell, all republicans have gone mad, so who knows?

    Since the ex-wife asked him not to run, I can’t imagine she would campaign for him.

    I wonder if there are any women who would vote for him?

  49. 49.

    Johannes

    January 16, 2013 at 7:34 am

    @Gex: so very sorry, Gex. You are both in our prayers.

  50. 50.

    Elizabelle

    January 16, 2013 at 9:26 am

    @Gex:

    You and Kate are in my thoughts and prayers.

    And good on you for giving Kate such good last years.

    Hoping Kate might take a turn for the better, if that’s possible, and wishing peace and solace to you.

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