In a lengthy and emotional interview with The Associated Press in his Statehouse office, the governor described five meetings with Maria Belen Chapur over the past year, including two romantic, multi-night stays with her in New York before they met there again intending to break up.

He said he met her two other times, including their first meeting in 2001 at an open-air dance spot in Uruguay.

“There was some kind of connection from the very beginning,” he told The Associated Press, though he said neither that meeting nor a 2004 coffee date in New York during the Republican National Convention were romantic.

His interview was the first disclosure of any liaisons with Chapur in the United States and contradicted a public confession last week during which Sanford admitted to a total of five encounters over their eight-year relationship.

He previously announced he would reimburse the state for money spent during a government trip to Brazil and Argentina in June 2008 when he saw Chapur. It was then, he said, that their relationship became physical, and the e-mails they’d exchanged for years reflected their anguish over what they had done.

“Now I am frightened,” he told the AP, describing his state of mind at the time. “It was before safe. But now it’s not safe. We gotta put the genie back in the bottle.”

He insists no public money was used for any other meetings with her.

He saw Chapur again in mid-June of this year, visiting Argentina without telling his staff he was going to be out of the country. He instead led them to believe he was hiking on the Appalachian Trail.

By the time he returned to a puzzled public, staff and family, his public image and emotional state had unraveled. He admitted the affair at a rambling press conference.

Now Sanford is attempting to salvage his personal and professional lives. He and wife Jenny, parents of four sons, say they are trying to reconcile their 20-year marriage but have not been sharing the same house for several weeks. Jenny Sanford found out about the relationship in January when she discovered a letter the governor had written to his mistress. She did not immediately return a message seeking comment Tuesday.

The governor said he met Chapur in Punta Del Este, Uruguay, in 2001 after his final term in Congress and before his first term as governor. He said the two struck up an e-mail correspondence after meeting on a dance floor — a chance encounter during which he counseled her into the night about her failing marriage.

For the next seven-plus years, Sanford said, the two exchanged messages, sometimes sporadically.

They met in New York two more times in 2008: two nights in Manhattan in September and three nights in the Hamptons in November. Each time, Sanford claims he flew coach, paid for it himself, paid for the hotels in cash and told his staff he was reachable via cell phone.

“At that point I was very careful, everything was paid for in cash,” Sanford said. “And you won’t find a credit card record.”

In early 2009, after Jenny Sanford discovered the affair, the couple went into counseling. She has told The Associated Press that he asked her several times to visit the mistress and she refused.

But the governor claims he wanted to end the affair in person and, with his wife’s permission, went to New York with a “trusted spiritual adviser” serving as chaperone. The three went to church and dinner together and parted ways the same night.

But he visited Chapur again in Argentina on June 18, the trip that brought the whole affair to light.

Goodbye old friend. Been a fun 6 years together, but this is my last visit. No way you will see my ass here ever again. Time to let someone else clean up my mess.

With literally NOTHING left to do but watch “the store” and make sure things don’t get even worse then they already are, outgoing President Bush made a surprise visit to Iraq today. The only reason I can think that he made the secret trip was to say goodbye to his best friend in the world - Iraq. Without Iraq President Bush would not have any friends at all.

U.S. President George W. Bush made an unannounced farewell visit to Baghdad on Sunday, just weeks before he leaves office and bequeaths the unpopular Iraq war to President-elect Barack Obama.

Slipping out of the White House over the weekend, Bush flew secretly to the Iraqi capital to hold talks with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and address a rally of U.S. troops. “Bush has come to meet Iraqi leaders, thank the troops and celebrate the new security agreement,” a White House official said. Source.

Celebrate??? Celebrate what? If the war was completely over today what would we have gained? What benefit has this entire war had for the American people? (more…)

She must be the dumbest person in the entire world. what an idiot! This video is almost to amazing to be true. Be warned that it is a little gross if you do not like seeing turkeys killed.

From the Huffington Post:
Some videos you just have to see to believe. On Thursday, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin appeared in Wasilla in order to pardon a local turkey in anticipation of Thanksgiving. This proved to be a slightly absurd but ultimately unremarkable event. But what came next was positively surreal. After the pardon Palin proceeded to do an interview with a local TV station while the turkeys were being SLAUGHTERED in the background!! Seemingly oblivious to the gruesomeness going on over her shoulder, she carries on talking for over three minutes. Watch the video below to see for yourself. Be warned, it’s kind of gruesome

Original Post at - Sarah Palin Turkey Incident: Does TV Interview While Turkeys Are Slaughtered In The Background (VIDEO)

Today I was sent a link to a site with a new cartoon attacking President Bush. The site is yet another attack on Bush and hits on just about everything associated with the things people hate him for over the past 8 years. The site features a relatively humorous video with pretty good graphics. The video is filled with bush jokes and place to sign up to be part of some sort of send off for the President when his term officially ends in a few months.

What I wonder is if sites like this will end up being right on about President Bush’s time in office, or history will judge him as a leader who led our country during a difficult time of war that was started by the worst terrorist attack on our country in history? It is easy and fashionable to attack him now, but what will be said in 20 years?

Regardless of how the history books end up writing about him, I think we all agree it is time to make some changes, get the troops home safely as soon as possible and figure out a way to improve the economy. The video is humorous and worth at least one viewing.

I love finding out stuff like this, especially at this time of the year and this close to the big elections. Apparently the domain sarapailin.com is available to rent. In addition there are all types of questions about who actually owns the McCain Domain.

How people would ever know in advance to register the domain name for Sarah Palin is beyond me. But I guess people are cyber-squatting on every name of anyone even remotely in the public eye. Luckily I have registered my family name, children’s name, and every different spelling even close to my name I could think of just in case any of us ever become stars!

I found these stories on an entertaining news blog called Single Pill. It is a good read and one I enjoyed when finding this information to post here. Check it out!

In the past SIX MONTHS I have purchased 1 pair of jeans from Express, 1 pair of khaki pants for work from Walmart, a few shirts here and there and 1 pair of Nike sneakers that were on sale at Dick’s sporting goods. I MIGHT have spent $100-150 total and that was over a 6 month period.

Today the AP reported that “the Republican National Committee spent about $150,000 on clothing, hair styling, makeup and other “campaign accessories” in September for the McCain campaign after Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin joined the ticket as his running mate.” $150,000!!????????!! ON WHAT? (more…)

Who else thinks that both of these guys aren’t that impressive? I keep watching and hoping to be inspired by one of the candidates. But both seem to fall short for me. On top of everything else I have my concerns about McCain’s age, views on religion, abortion, and choice for VP. At the same time I worry about Obama’s experience, past relationships with some questionable individuals, and ability to manage the country’s foreign policy and relations with the rest of the world.

So I eagerly watch the debates to see which man feels more “presidential” to me. With only a few weeks to go I still don’t know clearly who I am going to vote. And my current confusion does not seem to be an isolated case. Many in this country are divided and undecided. Many have issues with both candidates that make neither the standout leader for their support. (more…)

I saw this on another site so full credit goes to them for finding this, but I agree that it is brilliant. Please make sure to check out the Pink Sheep of the Family site where I got this info. I agree with the guys over at Pink Sheep that this is a fantastic video! Whoever did this video is incredibly talented with the dubbing.
Make sure to stick with the video till after the opening song.  George W. Bush is Rose - the dumb one. / John McCain is Sophia - the old one. / Hillary Clinton is Dorothy - the mean one. / Sarah Palin is Blanche - the slutty one. / Barack Obama is the African American woman.

I love this!

“A Really Bad Disney Movie.” This one line sums up what Matt Damon said publicly a few days ago and many people have felt privately since her announcement as VP candidate was made.

This is about the most honest and straight forward attack on Palin’s qualifications, or lack of them, yet. I think that this could be the first of many high profile stars that come out and openly question the decision to put her one heartbeat from the Oval Office.

Watch the video below. Do you agree? (more…)