Jenny Sanford Barbara Walters Interview: I Wouldn't Have Stood With The Governor, Even If He Asked Me

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Even if her straying husband had asked her to, South Carolina first lady Jenny Sanford says she wouldn't have stood with Gov. Mark Sanford when he faced cameras to tell the world about his affair with an Argentine woman.

Jenny Sanford told ABC's Barbara Walters for a special airing Wednesday her husband's actions have caused consequences but not robbed her of her self esteem. Excerpts of the interview were released Tuesday.

As she has said in earlier interviews, Sanford told Walters she found out about her husband's affair last January and forbid him to see the other woman. She said she told him not to see his four boys or her for a month last summer as well.

"My hope was that he would wake up from whatever he was in the throes of and maybe see what he might lose," she said.

"Certainly his actions hurt me, and they caused consequences for me, but they don't in any way take away my own self-esteem," she said. "They reflect poorly on him."

Jenny Sanford said she did not know where her husband was for five days last summer when his disappeared from the state.

The governor told his staff he was hiking the Appalachian Trail although he was in Argentina seeing his lover. State lawmakers are considering whether to impeach Sanford for abandoning the state when he took the trip.

When he returned, Sanford, at a tearful news conference, confessed the affair.

But Jenny Sanford was not beside him and she told Walters that the governor never asked her to appear.

"I wouldn't have. If he had asked me, I would have said no," she said.

Many of Jenny Sanford's counterparts have stood with their spouses for similar moments of scandal, including the wives of former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey, who outed himself as gay; former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who acknowledged he was the client of a call-girl ring; and Idaho Sen. Larry Craig, who was arrested in an airport bathroom sex sting.

The Sanfords no longer live together. The governor remains in Columbia at the Governor's Mansion while Jenny Sanford and their four sons live at the family's beachfront home on Sullivans Island, 120 miles away.

Jenny Sanford's memoir, to be published by Ballantine Books next May, will describe her dealings with this year's difficulties.

"Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009" airs Wednesday at 10 p.m. EST on ABC.

Comments

[speakmymindnow]

06:50 PM on 02/06/2010

Barbara's questions carried a double-standard - perhaps HIS needs weren't being fulfilled, HIS existing marriage and family weren't enough for HIM, perhaps she was a sub-par wife (Barbara's implication in asking whether it's challenging to be political advisor by day and be the sexy wife at night. Insulting.)
What about HER needs? Jenny said she was not satisfied in the relationship either, but she didn't cheat! She made the responsible choice NOT to. Dissatisfaction with one's marriage does NOT justify cheating. If his whole spiel about soulmate romance etc. were true, then he should have told his wife up-front instead of sneaking around. He could have sucked it up, sought a divorce through appropriate channels and respectful mediums for the sake of the family despite the damage to his career - instead of turning this into the media/political train wreck it became, which ultimately hurts the kids. But he doesn't seem to care a shred about his wife or his kids - just himself, the narcissistic SOB. His media apology first to his lover, then to the public, then to his kids, then to his wife - were very telling as to where his priorities lay.
"The Woman Who Didn't Stand By Her Man" - The play on the traditional phrase implies what women are expected to do - even if he's a cheating, deceitful, reckless liar - and how extraordinary that Jenny didn't! No woman should stand by that kind of man. Good for you, Jenny! You're a REAL

[speakmymindnow]

06:48 PM on 02/06/2010

Kudos to Jenny Stanford! Jenny handled herself with incredible grace under Barbara's subtle scrutiny. Barbara led a very biased interview in favor of mistresses (perhaps from having been one herself...), asking questions like "What did he get from her that he didn't get from you?", "was there something in the marriage that he wasn't getting - the unconditional love that he says he got from her?" - putting Jenny (the innocent one!) on the defensive. Jenny thankfully stayed strong and didn't cave into Barbara's attempts to browbeat her into saying "Yes, Barbara - he must have had greater needs than I could provide for him - I couldn't provide the unconditional love that he wanted, etc." UGH.

[ladyvoter]

09:24 PM on 12/11/2009

I am a Democrat who is sick of hearing Republicans preach to me about family values. I usally take great delight when they are exposed for the hypocrites they are. But I must say that my heart aches for Jenny Sanford. And , as a woman, my heart also bursts with pride for the way Jenny Sanford has handled herself and her family during a dilfficult time. I was stunned that Gov Sanford would publically whine about his "tragic love story" and "soul mate." What on earth did this man expect his loyal, devoted wife, and mother of his children to do - feel sorry for him? You go, Jenny. Here is one Democrat woman that is rooting for you.

[wordvarc]

03:44 PM on 12/11/2009

She made him.

She's the rich and politically powerful one is this diad.

He was always just a shill.

[374662]

09:23 AM on 12/10/2009

I didn't see the interview but Jenny Sanford should have asked Barbara Walters why women have affairs with married men in politics and if they have no shame for the people they hurt. Granted it was many years ago but Walters has admitted she did so.

[Melissa]

01:44 AM on 12/10/2009

Good for her. I cannot stand that image , the wife is all forgiving and everything will be fine. It is so degrading. This is a smart woman and I wish her well. I hope we will never see Tiger's wife standing beside him all forgiving.

[RagingModerationist]

06:52 PM on 12/08/2009

tough situation for her