"I've spent the last five days crying in Argentina"

Gov. Sanford admits his affair -- and we have just the musical accompaniment

Published June 24, 2009 8:25PM (EDT)

During Mark Sanford's strange, addled press conference Wednesday, he explained his sudden disappearance from South Carolina by admitting he hadn't been hiking the Appalachian Trail after all but had instead been much further South visiting with a "special friend," i.e., cheating on his wife. In fact, he made reference to having "spent the last five days crying in Argentina." Was the wayward Governor really unaware that he had lapsed into showtunes? Did he mean to quote Evita? Because he had every right -- the overlap between his own emotional turmoil and that of the imagined Mrs. Peron is uncanny. Just read the lyrics to "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina": "I had to change/I chose freedom/Running around, trying everything new." Better yet, pay homage as Broadway diva Patti Lupone sings them, below. (But first, listen to the inimitable Charlotte Greenwood "Sing to Your Senorita," from the musical "Down Argentine Way"!)

 


By Caitlin Shamberg

Caitlin Shamberg is a former multimedia editor at Salon.

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By Mark Schone

Mark Schone is Salon's executive news editor.

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