# So the governor of South Carolina is MISSING? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 22, 2009, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-governor-of-south-carolina-is-missing/500655 "2009-06-22T22:30:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-governor-of-south-carolina-is-missing/500655/141 "2009-06-25T15:56:22Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > Agreed. When I run for office I will be ambiguous about my feelings on murder for hire, that was if I ever get caught paying someone to kill my wife, then I can take the moral high road.. Good luck getting elected by appealing to the professional assassin block. Although having Leon as your running mate would be pretty bad ass. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-governor-of-south-carolina-is-missing/500655/142 "2009-06-25T16:00:41Z")
> [@Jodi](#): > > So basically, cheating democrats are not hypocrites because they didn’t condemn the behavior in the first place. > > I’ve never really understood why people think this is a good rejoinder. Your cheaters aren’t hypocrites because they never claimed to stand for “family values” anyway. Gold star, I guess. A politician doesn’t even have to condemn cheating to be a hypocrite upon being caught cheating. He or she need only try to convince voters that allowing gay people to marry will somehow cheapen the moral wonderland of heterosexual marriage and that telling teens not to have sex before their wedding night has zero foreseeable negative consequences. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-governor-of-south-carolina-is-missing/500655/143 "2009-06-25T16:02:17Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > When will people quit looking to religious leaders and politicians to show them the way to live their lives? If you want to put a firm date on it, I’d say N-E-V-E-R. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-governor-of-south-carolina-is-missing/500655/144 "2009-06-25T16:02:34Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > If you DO make an issue over it, and then you cheat on your wife, then you’re saying that that “sanctity of marriage” BS wasn’t all that important to you, really, when the rubber hit the road. And if a political party is overwhelmingly against gay marriage because of the importance of preserving the “sanctity of marriage,” but aren’t willing to kick Vitter and Ensign out of their caucus for their violations of marriage’s sanctity, then the whole party doesn’t mean what it says, and the value its political stances should be appropriately downgraded as mere posturing. Well, let’s say I agree with this analysis. In my view, if a message board poster is willing to apply this reasoning to the Republicans and not to equivalent issues for the Democrats, then that poster doesn’t mean what he says about those equivalent issues, and the value of his stances should be appropriately downgraded as mere posturing. Or is “the sanctity of marriage” _sui generis_, with no other issue possibly being analogous? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-governor-of-south-carolina-is-missing/500655/145 "2009-06-25T16:02:41Z")
> [@Mr.Moto](#): > > Why is John Edwards’ political career over? Because he’s annoying, has run for President twice, and everybody just wants him to go away. Fuck, that man is smarmy. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-governor-of-south-carolina-is-missing/500655/146 "2009-06-25T16:04:53Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > Although your attempt at not understanding my point has already been addressed by others, I’ll also address it. > > Democrats haven’t spent the last however many years condemning gays, condemning feminists, condemning non-Christians, condemning anyone who isn’t an evangelical Republican, and in some of these cases, actively denying equal civil rights to those people, and then turning around and having affairs and engaging in behavior that they condemned in others. And then expect either 1) to not get caught or 2) to be forgiven. OK – so why did John Edwards suffer any negative consequences from Democrats? Or did I imagine that? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-governor-of-south-carolina-is-missing/500655/147 "2009-06-25T16:06:26Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Well, let’s say I agree with this analysis. > > In my view, if a message board poster is willing to apply this reasoning to the Republicans and not to equivalent issues for the Democrats, then that poster doesn’t mean what he says about those equivalent issues, and the value of his stances should be appropriately downgraded as mere posturing. > > Or is “the sanctity of marriage” _sui generis_, with no other issue possibly being analogous? What issue is equivalent to marriage for Democrats? What issue are Democrats constantly campaigning and preaching on, and then proceeding to violate? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-governor-of-south-carolina-is-missing/500655/148 "2009-06-25T16:06:48Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > [Patterson **loses sight** of New York to Spitzer](http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/06/spitzer-now-more-popular-than-paterson.html). Inadvertent or bad joke? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-governor-of-south-carolina-is-missing/500655/149 "2009-06-25T16:08:28Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > OK – so why did John Edwards suffer any negative consequences from Democrats? > > Or did I imagine that? John Edwards’ cheating did not make him particularly hypocritical, since he hadn’t been all about Teh Ghey and abstinence education. It did still make him a jerk for cheating on his wife, and there was also an element of “if this had come out in October when you were the nominee, we’d have been sunk, you asshole”. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-governor-of-south-carolina-is-missing/500655/150 "2009-06-25T16:12:54Z")
> [@Jodi](#): > > So basically, cheating democrats are not hypocrites because they didn’t condemn the behavior in the first place. > > I’ve never really understood why people think this is a good rejoinder. Your cheaters aren’t hypocrites because they never claimed to stand for “family values” anyway. Gold star, I guess. What do you think the word “hypocrisy” means? What are you alleging IS hypocritical about engaging in behaviour you haven’t condemned? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-governor-of-south-carolina-is-missing/500655/151 "2009-06-25T16:15:47Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > OK – so why did John Edwards suffer any negative consequences from Democrats? > > Or did I imagine that? I think you imagined it. I’m not aware of any negative consequences that John Edwards suffered from the Democrats. Cite? At the time his affair became outed to the public, he held no elected office and was no longer even a candidate for one. He was just a private citizen. What are you allegng hat the Democrats did to him? ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-governor-of-south-carolina-is-missing/500655/152 "2009-06-25T16:18:40Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > OK – so why did John Edwards suffer any negative consequences from Democrats? > > Or did I imagine that? Am I not communicating in English? Republicans (not Democrats) have campaigned for years as the only party interested in upholding traditional family Christian values, including (among other things) straight monogamous relationships, as any other kind would destroy the fabric of our country. So, when Republican political leaders engage in the very behavior that they condemn in others (and in some cases, the very behavior that they have used to deny others equal civil rights), it’s much more hypocritical than when someone engages in the behavior but is NOT a member of the party that’s spent so much time, energy, and political capital in using it as a bludgeon. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-governor-of-south-carolina-is-missing/500655/153 "2009-06-25T16:30:48Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > OK – so why did John Edwards suffer any negative consequences from Democrats? Why didn’t he, you mean? There were no negative consequences left for him to suffer at that point, him being a private citizen with no remaining electoral prospects. Nor, for that matter, any respectable reason for anyone outside his family to care. > [@](#): > > Or did I imagine that? You imagined _something_, that’s for sure. Are you seriously asking why hypocrisy is bad? Why claiming (implicitly) to be morally superior when the facts show otherwise is bad? Please. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-governor-of-south-carolina-is-missing/500655/154 "2009-06-25T16:34:09Z")
> [@Mr.Moto](#): > > Why did Eliot Spitzer resign? Hookers. Illegal, remember? > [@](#): > > Why did Jim McGreevey resign? Loss of popular support, but his sexuality was a useful cover story. > [@](#): > > Why is John Edwards’ political career over? It was over before his affair came out. Why the constant attempts at equivalency? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-governor-of-south-carolina-is-missing/500655/155 "2009-06-25T16:39:18Z")
> [@Mr.Moto](#): > > Why did Eliot Spitzer resign? > > Why did Jim McGreevey resign? > > Why is John Edwards’ political career over? You know, these decisions are as much personal as political, but in your first two examples, there were issues that went beyond sex. Spitzer was accused of breaking the law, not just cheating on his wife, and McGreevey allegedly put his boyfriend (or whatever the male equivalent for the word “mistress” would be) into a public job that he wasn’t qualified for. I wouldn’t be so sure that Edwards’ career is over, but he was only a private citizen, with no elected office and no current candidacy for any when his affair got exposed anyway, so there was no possibility for any party consequence. I think the treatment of Edwards by the right wing media was actually pretty disgusting. They were hounding a private citizen about his sex life. There was no public interest being served in reporting on that. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-governor-of-south-carolina-is-missing/500655/156 "2009-06-25T16:51:32Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Well, let’s say I agree with this analysis. > > In my view, if a message board poster is willing to apply this reasoning to the Republicans and not to equivalent issues for the Democrats, then that poster doesn’t mean what he says about those equivalent issues, and the value of his stances should be appropriately downgraded as mere posturing. > > Or is “the sanctity of marriage” _sui generis_, with no other issue possibly being analogous? Give it your best shot, bucko. I can see the bad arguments coming already. Gonna do Al Gore and his house again? Yawn. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-governor-of-south-carolina-is-missing/500655/157 "2009-06-25T16:56:24Z")
He’s got “Bush lied us into a war, Obama lied about maybe not always being able to keep your doctor, so they’re just the same” going on already over in GD. Ain’t false equivalency grand? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-governor-of-south-carolina-is-missing/500655/158 "2009-06-25T16:59:28Z")
> [@Jodi](#): > > So basically, cheating democrats are not hypocrites because they didn’t condemn the behavior in the first place. > > I’ve never really understood why people think this is a good rejoinder. Your cheaters aren’t hypocrites because they never claimed to stand for “family values” anyway. Gold star, I guess. To follow up on what **Captain Carrot** said, nobody is saying Dems who cheat on their spouses deserve any sort of gold star. They’re being jerks. Bill Clinton, John Edwards, Elliot Spitzer, whoever. But their cheating doesn’t make them bad _Democrats_, just scummy _people_, nor does it undermine the credibility of Democratic policies. Their cheating doesn’t run contrary to the principles they’ve espoused and fought for as Democrats. Neither has anything to do with the other. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-governor-of-south-carolina-is-missing/500655/159 "2009-06-25T17:01:40Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > He’s got “Bush lied us into a war, Obama lied about maybe not always being able to keep your doctor, so they’re just the same” going on already over in GD. Ain’t false equivalency grand? I hear Obama forgot to tell people that if their doctor died, they wouldn’t be able to keep the same doctor. One can only call that omission a damned lie! ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-governor-of-south-carolina-is-missing/500655/160 "2009-06-25T17:06:25Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > He’s got “Bush lied us into a war, Obama lied about maybe not always being able to keep your doctor, so they’re just the same” going on already over in GD. Ain’t false equivalency grand? Thanks for the heads-up. I’ll stop responding to his questions in this thread now. Saves me a lot of time if I know the person in question isn’t really interested in discussion in good faith. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-governor-of-south-carolina-is-missing/500655.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-governor-of-south-carolina-is-missing/500655.md?page=9)