Politico did some digging and the results reveal a Governor that is even more at odds with his public persona.

Long story short, he definitely used taxpayer funds to go visit his mistress.

More at True/Slant.

Sanford I have fewer problems with not resigning, although I think he should save South Carolina the embarrassment. His attention is clearly divided at this point and he let down the voters by abandoning his post.

But Ensign fired his mistress’ husband from his staff and then continued to pursue her after the fact. Not only that, his parents bribed her to the tune of $96K.

I mean, come on…

But here’s the kicker…he’s going to run for reelection!

From Las Vegas Sun:

When asked Monday whether he had any thoughts about stepping down, Ensign said his supporters are sending one message: “They say, ‘Don’t.’ ”

“I fully plan on running for reelection,” Ensign said late Monday evening. “I’m going to work to earn their respect back.”

The two-term Republican senator was back on offense Monday, saying his support is coming from his fellow senators as well as those “on both sides” of Senate leadership.

Ensign said his supporters are telling him, “Keep your head up. This thing will pass.”

This is standard boilerplate when controversy pops up, so there’s no reason we should believe that Ensign is getting this advice from anybody but true believers. Still, if he runs in 2012 and wins? Well, I would be shocked.

Amid fresh revelations that Sanford crossed a physical line with more women than his previously acknowledged Argentine affair, Republicans in South Carolina are letting the embattled Governor know publicly (and privately) that he should get with the program and scram.

From The State:

On Wednesday afternoon, Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn McConnell became the latest — and one of the most significant — members of the S.C. legislature to say the governor should consider stepping down after admitting to an affair. [...]

Ten Republican state senators have asked the governor to step down, while others say they are leaning in that direction. The Associated Press is reporting that 14 Republican state senators are supporting a resignation, which is a majority of the 27 GOP members.

Yes, but did they hear Sanford’s King David defense?

It. Is. Over.

Not that this is a big deal, and it very well could have been an innocent mistake…but come on…

I didn’t write about this before because it seemed odd, but there wasn’t a lot of there there.

Now there’s plenty.

From The State:

Gov. Mark Sanford admitted today that his secret trip to Argentina over Father’s Day weekend was to visit a woman he is having an affair with.

“I have developed a relationship with what started as a dear dear friend from Argentina. It began very innocently as I expect many of these things do, just casual email back and forth,” Sanford said. “But here recently this last year developed into something much more.”

Asked if Sanford was separated from his wife, he said “I don’t know how you want to define that. I”m here and she’s there. I guess in a formal sense we are not.”

Sanford said his wife has known about the affair and they have been working through it for the past five months. “What I did was wrong, period. End of story,” Sanford said.

Forget about Presidential aspirations…this guy will probably get booted as Governor since he was hanging out in Argentina on state time. Wow.

More as it develops…

This is Mike Fritz and David Murdock from ANP.

Senator Lindsey Graham was a passionate critic of the Bush Justice attorneys during this past summer’s Armed Services Committee hearings on interrogation.

Lately, however, Graham seems to have had second thoughts on the matter. At a recent Judiciary subcommittee hearing investigating the torture memos, Graham mounted a feisty defense of Jay Bybee, John Yoo and the lawyers who provided legal cover for detainee abuse.

This performance sent producer Mike Fritz back to the ANP archives to confirm that this was indeed the same Lindsey Graham we remembered from the summer, and sure enough, it was. As this video reveals, same guy – different message.

Click to view the whole story at Huffington Post.

MSNBC just called it, but I’m linking to CNN.

The state has 8 electoral votes.

More evidence that solidly red states aren’t nearly as solid this time around. Because while South Carolina went for Bush by 16 points in 2004, now we’re down to single digits.

Public Policy Polling shares why Obama is keeping it close…

The demographics fueling Obama’s ability to stay within striking range are the same ones that allowed him to win a dominant victory in the state’s Democratic primary. He leads 77-10 with black voters and 54-32 with voters under 30. John McCain leads within pretty much every other subgroup.

If there is a path to victory for Obama in South Carolina it includes maximizing turnout from those two groups favorable to him, and also hoping that more conservatives unhappy with John McCain will turn toward Bob Barr.

I have serious doubts that South Carolina will go blue, but, once again, if Obama can keep it close then there’s a chance that it will spread McCain even thinner come election time.

More as it develops…

Now, he contends he wasn’t even on McCain’s list…

Sanford was later asked if he was being vetted for the VP job. He said he has not been asked for his personal income tax records or other documents, which are standard when a campaign conducts a background check on potential vice presidential candidates.

Sorry, but whenever you see these folks on talks shows acting like surrogates for the campaign, you know they’re in contention. And now I can almost assure you that Sanford won’t be on the ticket comes this fall. That clip is just too painful.

They are…

1. Daniel Boan, South Carolina
2. Christine Brennan-Bond, South Carolina
3. Robert Groce, South Carolina
4. Susan Smith, South Carolina
5. Mike Evatt, South Carolina
6. Lauren Bilton, South Carolina
7. Machelle Crum, Iowa

This has the net effect of him winning South Carolina by another 12% (Edwards won 17.57%), which would mean he took 67% in the state to Hillary’s 26%. If Edwards 2 remaining pledged delegates switch to Obama, he would win the entire 17.57% and thus have 72.57%.

And it looks like Edwards himself is asking these folks to switch…

One Edwards delegate from Iowa, Machelle Crum, came out for Obama on Thursday morning, [...]. Crum made the decision after receiving a phone call from Edwards supporters encouraging her to make the switch.

By my count, Obama now only needs 125.5 delegates to clinch the nomination.

More as it develops…

From RCP:

[...] the Obama campaign has won the endorsements of Hawaii Rep. Mazie Hirono and Laurie Weahkee, a New Mexico superdelegate and lead organizer for the Native American Voters Alliance.

Also, Wilber Lee Jeffcoat…

Jeffcoat, a retired trucking supervisor and member of the S.C. Democratic Party executive committee, confirmed to Obama aides Friday that he would support the Illinois U.S. senator.

Jeffcoat said he’d planned to wait until all states had voted before choosing a candidate. But the tough delegate math U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton faces and fear the campaign could remain contentious prompted him to declare.

Post-Pennsylvania delegate pickups:
Obama – 38
Clinton – 12.5

Total superdelegates:
Clinton – 273.5
Obama – 267

Total post-PA pickups after the jump…

Obama superdelegate pickups:
Wilber Lee Jeffcoat (SC), DNC Vice Chairman – May 9, 2008
Laurie Weahkee (NM), DNC – May 9, 2008
Mazie Hirono (HI), Representative – May 9, 2008
Ed Espinoza (CA), DNC – May 9, 2008
John Gage (MD), DNC – May 9, 2008
Peter DeFazio (OR), Representative – May 9, 2008
Donald Payne (NJ), Representative – May 9, 2008
Rick Larsen (WA), Representative – May 8, 2008
Brad Miller (NC), Representative – May 8, 2008
Jennifer McClellan (VA), DNC – May 7, 2008
Inola Henry (CA), DNC – May 7, 2008
Jerry Meek (NC), Dem Chairman – May 7, 2008
Jeanette Council (NC), DNC – May 7, 2008
Lauren Dugas Glover (MD), DNC Vice Chairman – May 5, 2008
Michael Cryor (MD), DNC Chairman – May 5, 2008
Kalyn Free (OK), DNC – May 5, 2008
Jaime Paulino (Guam), DNC & Territory Vice Chair – May 4, 2008
Parris Glendening (MD), Governor – May 3, 2008
Inez Tenenbaum (SC), DNC – May 3, 2008
Brian Colón (TX), DNC – May 3, 2008
Paul G. Kirk, Jr. (MA), DNC – May 2, 2008
John Patrick (TX), DNC – May 1, 2008
Barbara Flynn Currie (IL), DNC – May 1, 2008
Todd Stroger (IL), DNC – May 1, 2008
Richard M. Daley (IL), DNC – May 1, 2008
Joe Andrew (IN), DNC – May 1, 2008
Bruce Braley (IA), Representative – Apr 30, 2008
Lois Capps (CA), Representative – Apr 30, 2008
Baron Hill (IN), Representative – Apr 30, 2008
Ben Chandler (KY), Representative – Apr 29, 2008
Richard Machacek (IA), DNC – Apr 29, 2008
Jeff Bingaman (NM), Senator – Apr 28, 2008
Charlene Fernandez (AZ), DNC & State Vice Chair – Apr 26, 2008
David Wu (OR), Representative – Apr 24, 2008
Audra Ostergard (NE), DNC & State Vice Chair – Apr 23, 2008
Brad Henry (OK), Governor – Apr 23, 2008

Clinton superdelegate pickups:
Chris Carney (PA), Representative – May 9, 2008
Brad Ellsworth (IN), Representative – May 7, 2008
Heath Shuler (NC), Representative – May 7, 2008
Theresa Morelli (Dems Abroad), DNC May 5, 2008
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend (MD), Lt. Governor – May 3, 2008
Jaime A. Gonzalez Jr. (TX), DNC – May 2, 2008
Andrew Cuomo (NY), DNC – May 1, 2008
Thomas DiNapoli (NY), DNC – May 1, 2008
C. Virginia Field (NY), DNC – May 1, 2008
Carmen Arroyo (NY), DNC – May 1, 2008
John Olsen (CT), DNC – May 1, 2008
Luisette Cabanas (PR), DNC & Territory Vice Chair – Apr 30, 2008
William George (PA), DNC – Apr 30, 2008
Ike Skelton (MO), Representative, Apr 29, 2008
Mike Easley (NC), Governor – Apr 28, 2008
Kathy Sullivan (NH), Add-On – Apr 26, 2008
John Tanner (TN), Representative – Apr 23, 2008

Clinton superdelegate losses:
Donald Payne (NJ), Representative – May 9, 2008
Jennifer McClellan (VA), DNC – May 7, 2008
Arlene P. Bordallo (Guam), DNC & Former Territory Vice Chair- May 4, 2008
Joe Andrew (IN), DNC – May 1, 2008

What’s interesting is Hillary didn’t give a speech. But Bill was speaking in Independence, Missouri and some think he basically gave her concession. Weird, eh?

Conservative Rich Lowry says this on Obama’s speech

Overall, a stunningly deft performance, and a moving one. It’s the best liberal case you’ll ever hear for moving on from the Clintons.

David Kopel of Volokh Conspiracy…

A citizen can disagree with governmental policy proposals of Barack Obama, just as a citizen could disagree with the the policies of Ronald Reagan. But there is no reasonable doubt that Reagan did an excellent job in his role as Head of State. A patriotic American can appreciate the good work of a President as Head of State, even while disliking much of the President’s work as Head of Government. Senator Obama’s victory speech in South Carolina suggests that he too might be an outstanding Head of State.

Maybe his resume could be a little heftier, but his ability to communicate and inspire is second to none. This much is apparent.

Here are Obama’s numbers compared to the top two Republicans in South Carolina:

• Obama: 295,091
• McCain: 147,283
• Huckabee: 132,440

That’s 295,051 to 279,723. Stunning.

Could Obama actually be competitive in South Carolina come election time? Some seem to think it’s at least plausible…

Obama can now say that he’s got the best ability to put southern states in play. Obama can attempt a true 50 state strategy. He probably would not win too many southern states, but winning a few absolutely obliterates the GOP’s chances in November.

If Democrats don’t realize at this point that Obama is an incredibly strong candidate, I don’t really know what’s going to sway them.

UPDATE:
Obama is also > the total Dem turnout in 2004: 280,000.

Again, stunning.

Again, this is a massive win.

Vote totals (95% reporting):

• Obama: 280,836
• Clinton: 134,536
• Edwards: 90,486

Does Hill have a male problem?

Obviously it was just because both Obama and Jesse share similar political views. It’s not about both of them being black. Not at all. Because Bill Clinton doesn’t ever play racial politics. No way, no how.

Sully sees it too…

I don’t think there can be any doubt about the Clintons’ racial strategy now. The people of South Carolina just rejected that logic by voting for Obama – white and black, male and female – in a diverse coalition in the face of a deliberate attempt at racial polarization. They threw the Clintons’ logic back in their faces.

As does Publius…

Seems pretty clear to me — Clinton is implying that Obama won because he’s black, just like Jackson did. And, his larger implication is that this victory doesn’t matter for that reason. Now, he seems to catch himself halfway through, but the implication seems clear.

I think this last comment is dead on, because you can really notice Bill thinking, “Did I actually just say it didn’t matter because of race? Better compliment Obama now…”

(h/t:TPM Election Central)

African-Americans: Obama 81%, Clinton 17%, Edwards 1%

African-American women: Obama 82%, Clinton 17%, Edwards 0%

Whites: Edwards 39%, Clinton 36%, Obama 24%

Edwards winning white men, Clinton white women.

Economy clear top issue.

ABC News: Preliminary exit poll results indicate a very large turnout among women and African-American voters.

ABC polling director Gary Langer: May be “the highest turnout among African-Americans in any Democratic presidential primary at least since 1984.”

More as it develops…

Bad news for the son of South Carolina, but will he stay in it for the long haul so he can possibly become kingmaker at the convention?

So what happened tonight? Well, I think when the numbers get broken down even further they’ll reveal that a lot of people who were considering voting for Edwards switched to Obama and gave him this massive victory. Just a hunch.