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Flashback: Sanford Voted To Impeach Bill Clinton

TPM reader JP reminds us that Mark Sanford, who was a Congressman back in 1998, voted for three of the four articles of impeachment against Bill Clinton.

You can check out the roll call votes, here, here, here and here.

Think Progress has rounded up some of Sanford's comments at the time, both about Clinton and the sex scandal that derailed the leadership ambitions of Rep. Bob Livingston (R-LA).


32 Comments

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I read it a little earlier.

I can't help but think Karma is a bitch and on a vengance streak.

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I think it's going to be pretty interesting to listen to Sanford explain, in the coming days, whe he shouldn't resign. It will also be interesting to listen to Republicans try to justify why infidelity is grounds for the president to resign, but not grounds for senators and governors to resign.

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I think it apparently involves having a sense of integrity and forthrightness, which Democrats like Gary Hart seem to have, and which Republicans like Craig, Vitter, Ensign and now Sanford don't. I don't expect our little moral watchdogs in the media to notice the double standard.

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I don't expect our little moral watchdogs in the media to notice the double standard.

No. They're pickled in IOKIYARism.

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Why the MSM, with their penchant for the salacious, don't devote an entire hour to the moral hypocrisy of the GOP with regard to marital fidelity alone is beyond me. They don't need to talk about any of the myriad other facets of their hypocrisy. Just focus on their specific condemnations of others over adultery and how often they've been guilty of the exact same offense even while uttering those condemnations.

Just one hour. Hell, there's enough material to go three hours.

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I dont think its the sex that gets them in trouble its the jet lag going to and from Argentina.

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Yet another hypocrite. Not even the GOP has a rug big enough to sweep all of this dirt under.

Next we're going to find out that Mitt likes a frozen margarita from time to time, and when he's feeling really naughty, he watches Cinemax.

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David Vitter...
Newt Gingrich...
Mark Foley...
Larry Craig...
John Ensign...
Mark Sanford.....

drip...
drip...
drip......

Hey, nobody's perfect... but it's the holier-than-thou attitude of these characters that really sticks in my craw...

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So, why is it that Obama can't push through repealing DADT and DOMA? I would think that now would be an opportune time to exploit the overexposed moral bankrupcy of the "Loyal Opposition."

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Not "can't" but "won't".

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Damn you liberals. If you hadn't weakened the sanctity of the holy institution of marriage by pushing the homosexual agenda, none of those fine upstanding men would have cheated on their wives with hookers/subordinates/underage male pages/random dudes in restrooms/their best friends wives/exotic South American tomatoes. God will surely punish you liberals for the transgressions of these men.

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Oh gosh, now I feel so responsible for their unfair demise. These guys... they're just victims of my liberal agenda, really. And I've... I've got tomato juice on my hands, I guess...

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drip... drip... drip......

Hey, nobody's perfect... but it's the holier-than-thou attitude of these characters that really sticks in my craw...

don't forget Newt "Sorry about your cancer surgery, honey, here's the divorce papers" Gingrich...

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David Vitter
Newt Gingrich
Mark Foley
Larry Craig
John Ensign
Mark Sanford

Any time any of these bozo's or anyone in their party starts talking about the definition and the sanctity of marriage being between a man and a women, just point to these bozo's.

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how did gary hart demonstrate a sense of integrity? was it when he said "go ahead and follow me at night, I don't care, I have nothing to hide" ?

I just want some journalists to ask Sanford how he felt justified in beginning the affair when he had built his career on moral issues and family values. or how did he feel justified in continuing in his post after beginning the affair.

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how did gary hart demonstrate a sense of integrity?

When he got caught with his pants down, he dropped out of the race and was never heard from again. Integrity isn't just avoiding the sin; it's also accepting responsibility and taking your lumps when required.

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I want to hear journalists ask those questions, too, but I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for them.

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I think the Republican's God is outing them as punishment for being such hypocrites.

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If it's the biblical God they keep harping on about, then they should be smoking grease smears from the lightning strikes where they were just standing.

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If he still has any inklings of 2012 he needs to have not only marital counseling, but psychotherapy as well.

The next call of his calls he should make is to John Edwards and ask him what it's like to have a political future end in an ugly way, and the futility of a comeback.

It is sad especially so when there are children involved.

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And, of course, Fox News identified Sanford as a Democrat ("SC GOV MARK SANFORD (D)"), as they always do when Republican gets caught with his pants down.

Can't this be taken to the FCC? No other network has made that 'mistake' so frequently and so consistently to the detriment of the Democratic party that their intention is a forgone conclusion.

Fox is the propaganda arm of the GOP and it serves no other purpose. The FCC should start taking the constant lying seriously.

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Palin-Sanford 2012!

We Don't Care Who Gets Screwed!

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I think it's interesting throughout all the dumb comments above, no one points out the obvious: Clinton wasn't impeached for having an affair. He was impeached for perjury and obstruction of justice. In other words, for things Sanford hasn't done, in case you're still not grasping this.

And no, I don't expect that pointing out the facts will make the slightest impression on any of you.

- AJ

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Nobody's talking about impeaching Sanford. He's a liar and a hypocrite. To my knowledge there hasn't been an official investigation for him to obstruct or in which to perjure himself. But, here's what he said about Clinton:

"The issue of lying is probably the biggest harm, if you will, to the system of Democratic government, representatives government, because it undermines trust. And if you undermine trust in our system, you undermine everything."

He campaigned on being honest and moral and a family man. He's been lying, at least for several months, about what he's been doing. He needs to resign. Nobody can believe what he says anymore. He was still lying right up to the beginning of the press conference today.

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The Gov. needs to be gone.

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Immediately, if not sooner.

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Gov. Mark Sanford was one of the first conservatives to condemn Bill Clinton and former Rep. Bob Livingston for their infidelities. But now that we see he's guilty of the exact same crime, what type of double-standard are conservatives selling???

FROM THE ARTICLE: "I Have Sinned"

There are several things wrong with the Sanford story beyond the obvious angle. First, Gov. Sanford abandoned his state, which is a big NO NO! Second, it has been discovered that Sanford has taken many trips to Argentina AT TAXPAYER'S EXPENSE, which is also a huge NO NO! Third, it is believed Sanford thought he could slip away to Argentina, visit his "chick-on-the-side," and sneak back into South Carolina without anyone ever knowing he was away or even why. But the media foiled his plans when reporters were tipped off that Sanford was not "hiking," but was out of town and would be arriving at Atlanta's Hartsfield Airport where they were waiting for him. And finally, Sanford (like many other conservatives) has always taken a "holier-than-thou" approach to morality. He has always placed himself at the very pinnacle of morality and beyond reproach when it comes to family values. In other words, he's been among the first to cast a stone against the very activity he himself has now admitted being guilty of.

FULL STORY: http://okwassup.blogspot.com
`


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So can we expect that he will recall his vote on the impeachment of Bill Clinton. Can we expect him to pay back the tax payers of South Carolina for his trips to Argentina? Can we expect him to do the right thing and resign? Can we expect everyone to stop feeling sorry for this pathetic guy after that train wreck of press statement? Get real. He is a hypocritical jerk who abused his office, his family, his wife, and the public trust. Maybe after giving up the office and getting his life back in order we can consider some sympathy, but not during this twenty four hour news cycle. If the GOP continues to harp on the "sanctity of marriage" while working to undermine the full rights of all Americans to the benefits of marriage law, shame on them too.

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I wonder what Ken Starr thinks about this when it happens.

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I have absolutely no "empathy' for Sanford.

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In effect this hypocrite staged a press conference yesterday to ask for Christian forgiveness. Sanford is emblematic what a moral train wreck the GOP has become. Meanwhile the GOP Senators take millions from Big Pharma and the insurance lobby to block any meaningful healthcare reform --- while piously claiming they are protecting the taxpayers from socialized medicine. So I guess there is now only the beautiful hair and ethical purity of Mittman left to cleanse and revitalize the GOP. May God save us from him!

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Just b/c one falls to something doesn't mean that they can not still believe that what they have done is wrong. IF he doesn't step down and do what is honorable, than bad on him. That does NOT mean that his denouncement of Clinton is any less correct.

One person does NOT represent the GOP and they certainly do NOT represent conservatives. I always find it amazing how libs are so quick to denounce ALL conservatives and GOP members when ONE does something wrong. As if there aren't millions out there doing what's right.

It's the same old liberal/Dem way - when somebody on the "other" side falters in the same way that scores MORE of their people have faltered, they put them on a stake and mount it outside their liberal city. You HAVE to do this b/c the number of people on the conservative side who publically get ousted for these things is so much less than those on the liberal side. Of course, so many more on the liberal side do it and don't get ousted b/c most of their believers think it's A-ok.

What funny, and yet sad, hypocrisy.

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