Steve McNair's Funeral: Thousands Pay Respects To Ex-NFL Star Shot By His Mistress (Infidelity Hurts!)

Huffington Post, MSNBC----

(Police ruled McNair's a homicide. He was apparently killed by his young mistress, Saleh Kazemi. What a shame! This further proves that Infidelity not only hurts but it can prove to be fatal.)

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HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Thousands turned out in Tennessee to say goodbye to Steve McNair, and people in his native state were doing the same Saturday to give the ex-NFL quarterback one of the biggest funerals in recent Mississippi history.

"We're going to have church this morning, and we're going to praise God for Steve's life," said gospel singer Dottie Peoples, a close friend of McNair's mother, Lucille.

At least 4,500 turned out, though organizers anticipated a capacity crowd of 8,000 at Reed Green Coliseum on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi. Most of McNair's hometown of Mount Olive also arrived thanks to buses rented by the McNairs, and hundreds came out Friday night for a visitation. A private burial was to follow in Mount Olive.

The hearse carrying McNair's casket arrived a couple of hours before the funeral, escorted 30 miles down Highway 49 by nine police officers on motorcycles and several vehicles carrying family members.

A line outside the coliseum snaked down the sidewalk as early as 8 a.m., even with temperatures quickly rising into the low 90s on a humid day.

The hearse backed up next to the playing floor to deliver McNair's silvery-gray casket. Police escorted McNair's wife, Mechelle, and his mother, Lucille, into the stadium beforehand.

Brett Favre, who had a home near McNair's here in Hattiesburg, sat a few rows behind the McNair family. Titans coach Jeff Fisher and quarterback Vince Young, Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis and Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler also attended. Doug Williams, the first black quarterback to win the Super Bowl, also was on hand.

Young was added to the service late, and the quarterback drafted by Tennessee to replace McNair in 2006 called his predecessor "Pops" _ remembering how McNair served as his father and mentor since Young attended one of the man's football camps as a teenager.

"Steve was like a hero to me, and heroes are not supposed to die," Young said before stopping to rub his eyes.

Lewis said he once promised the McNairs he would visit with them in Mississippi. He played against McNair and was his teammate the final two years of his NFL career. Lewis talked of how he learned studying film and proper technique wouldn't help him beat a quarterback fueled by will, heart and sacrifice.

"I find myself in awe when I speak about a man like Steve McNair," Lewis said.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was among those who sent flowers. Titans owner Bud Adams attended the memorial service Thursday night in Nashville. Fisher was called up to speak from the audience, and he pulled Young up to the podium and led the audience in the Lord's Prayer just as he did during 11 seasons with McNair before every kickoff.

McNair was shot and killed on the Fourth of July by Sahel Kazemi, a 20-year-old girlfriend who then shot herself in the head.

Bobby Hamilton, who played at Southern Miss and in the NFL with New England and Oakland, used to sleep on the floor of McNair's oldest brother, Fred, when he played at Alcorn State. He also cheered on McNair during his career and recalled how McNair rallied Alcorn State by scoring two touchdowns with less than a minute left.

"It's very painful. We know he was a warrior. ... I can't even say the word how this warrior went down," an emotional Hamilton said.

The program included memories from McNair's mother, his wife and sons, brothers, and nieces and nephews. Photos were also displayed of the quarterback who played 13 NFL seasons with Tennessee and Baltimore before retiring in 2008.

Coach Nevil Barr brought the entire jersey-clad Oak Grove High School football team to the service. Steve McNair Jr. attends Oak Grove, and his father joined Favre at a summer workout two weeks ago to play catch with the kids.

"He was on our sideline every Friday night supporting his son," Barr said. "He loved to come watch Steve Jr., and we loved having him there. He always had that smile."

Deloris Cagins traveled from nearby Columbia to attend the funeral. She wore the purple and gold of McNair's alma mater, Alcorn State, and had a pompom tied to her walker. She has relatives who eventually joined her beloved Braves, where McNair made a Heisman Trophy run and set a number of NCAA Division I-AA records before going third overall in the NFL draft in 1995 to the then-Houston Oilers.

"Alcornites to me are a different breed of people," she said. "It's like a family. If you do something, we'll support you."



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Sources: Huffington Post, MSNBC, TMZ, NY Daily News, Examiner, Wikipedia, Google Maps

Selfish Sanford Visited His Mistress On Taxpayers' Dime, Steamy E-mails...He Needs To Resign!

Politico, The State----



E-mails, obtained by The State newspaper in December, between Gov. Mark Sanford and Maria, a woman in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

At the time, efforts to authenticate the e-mails were unsuccessful. However, Sanford’s office Wednesday did not dispute their authenticity.

The State has removed the woman’s full name and other personal details, including her street address, e-mail address and children’s names.

McClatchy special correspondent Angeles Mase on Wednesday visited the 14-story apartment building in Buenos Aires where the woman lives, according to the e-mails, which included her address. A woman at the address answered to the name in the e-mails and, at first, agreed to speak to a visitor, but she declined after the visitor identified herself as a reporter.

Shown a photograph of Sanford, the doorman at the building said he did not recognize him. According to the doorman, the woman has two sons, one a teenager of driving age and the other younger. The e-mails refer to the woman’s two sons.



From: Maria

Sent: Friday, July 04, 2008 4:26 PM

To: Mark Sanford

Subject: RE:

My beloved, (hope you also change the dearest ...)

I’am (sic) reading your last two mails sitting outside with a great seaview here in Ilhabela, a beautiful island near Sao Paulo. Have been thinking of you while watching the beautiful blue sea (a) great part of my day and remembering with a great smile on my face, the time we had spent together. As I told you before, you brought happiness and love to my life and (I) will take you forever in my heart. I wasn’t aware till we met last week, the strong feelings I had for you, and believe me, I haven’t felt this since I was in my teen ages, when afterwards I got married. I do love you, I can feel it in my heart, and although I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to meet again this has been the best that has happened to me in a long time You made me realized (sic) how you feel when you realy (sic) love somebody and how much you want to be beside the beloved. Last Friday I would had stayed embrassing (sic) and kissing you forever.

Don’t know why you think you bore me with the description of your farm. I am an urban girl but that doesn’t inhibit me from loving other things, specially if they are the ones you love. I was able to imagine the place with every single detail you wrote and had trassmitted (sic) me the love you have for your farm. It sounds to be a great and peaceful place and loved you had shared it with me.

Thanks for your beautiful words, I don’t know if I do need or not therapy but I have to find my new place in this new stage of my life. Life has been very generous with me and I want to return at least a little bit of what I have been given. I have time and think helping others who haven’t been as lucky as me will do me fine.

My address is (deleted by The State). It will be great finding at home once I am back, whatever you send me, I’ll keep it near my bed so as to feel you nearer.

Miss you so much... love you from the deepest of my heart. Sweet kisses.

----------------------------------------------

From:

To:

Subject: RE:

Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2008 01:42:46 -0400

Beloved back to you...

Got back an hour ago to civilization and am now in Columbia after what was for me a glorious break from reality down at the farm. No phones ringing and tangible evidence of a day’s labors. Though I have started every day by 6 this morning woke at 4:30, I guess since my body knew it was the last day, and I went out and ran the excavator with lights until the sun came up. To me, and I suspect no one else on earth, there is something wonderful about listening to country music playing in the cab, air conditioner running, the hum of a huge diesel engine in the background, the tranquility that comes with being in a virtual wilderness of trees and marsh, the day breaking and vibrant pink coming alive in the morning clouds — and getting to build something with each scoop of dirt. It is admittedly weird but one of my more favorite ways of escaping the norms, constant phone calls and formalities that go with the office — and it probably fits with my weakness in doing rather than being — though you opened up a new chapter last week wherein I was happy and content just being. Last point worth further discussion. Afternoon projects had me outside and by days (sic) end I pretty much looked like a homeless person ... but in this case a very content one. Enough about my love of heavy equipment and woods at sunrise ...

While I was getting exhausted with one project after another at Coosaw work week, you were basking (I’m certain gloriously) on the beach..

Sounds great, hope to hear more about what sounds a great spot.

Will now finally get some sleep and write you a longer note with a few more profound thoughts tomorrow or Wednesday. In the meantime I send my love and hope you know I am thinking of you.. M

P.S. I do not want to raise expectations, when I say I will send something insignificant I promise I will do as I say! It wont (sic) be worthy of bedside placement ... was just going to find the movie the Holiday as we had spoken of it last Thursday. Its music was pleasant and made me think of you — its mood and the notion of a holiday (wrapped up in our case over two days) certainly fit as well ... (though our visit in some ways for me was as well less of a holiday than it was uncovering and realization of some things and feelings that again are worth longer conversation)

Had also hoped to find the cd of a song that played as I was flying home and also20made (sic) me think of you. Who knows if I can find the music ... so all you may be stuck with is a long released movie — and if you put it by your bed I really be worried! Love you, good night and kisses back to you ...



From: Maria

Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 8:14 PM

To: Mark Sanford

Subject: RE:

My love,

I decided to rent a car and went by myself to the other side of the Island where it is located one of the best hotels. It’s name is DPNY Hotel and I find it quite interesting. I had lunch there in a restaurant on the beach with great seaview. I sat under a palm and ate a mixed green salad with grilled abacaxi (pineapple) and honey. in the afternoon I sunbathe and read on the beach. I ve started here “The age of turbulence” from Alan Greenspan which I highly recomend (sic) you. At five I left back to the small town had a coffee with pao de queijo (cheese bread which is something tipycal (sic) from Brazl (sic) and it’s delicious) read some magazines, walked around and finally back to meu Pousada that is hotel.

In the Island is taking place the sailing week and Rolex competition and this was the reason for choosing the place and also why luckily I am most of the time by my own. It may sound bad but it’s how I feel it. As I told you I shouldn’t have done this trip but I would have felt worst if I wouldn’t have come because it was too over the date, he is a very nice guy, great heart ... but unfortunately I am not in love with him ... You are my love ... something hard to believe even for myself as it’s also a kind of impossible love, not only because of distance but situation.

Sometimes you don’t choose things, they just happen ... I can’t redirect my feelings and I am very happy with mine towards you. Hope you have had a good day, guess with much work.

Send you all my love and goodnight kisses. Sweet dreams from down south. I’ll dream with you.

----------------------------------------------

From: Mark Sanford

To: Maria

Subject: RE:

Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:24:54 -0400

Sweetest,

It was indeed a long day. I am most jealous of your salad under the palm tree.

Three thoughts in one note now that I have a moment. One the travel schedule is about to get real busy (and this distresses me for the way it may well make it more difficult to get your notes over the next few weeks), two unfortunately all the feelings you describe are mutual, and three where do we go from here?

One, tomorrow leave at 5 am for New York and meetings. Will think about you on its streets and wish I was going to be there later in the month when you are there. Tomorrow night back to Philadelphia for the start of the National Governor’s Conference through the weekend. Back to Columbia for Tuesday and then on Wednesday, as I think I had told you, taking the family to China, Tibet, Nepal, India, Thailand and then back through Hong Kong on world wind tour. Few days home then to Bahamas for 5 days on a friends boat for the last break of the summer. The following weekend have been asked to spend it out in Aspen, Colorado with McCain — which has kicked up the whole VP talk all over again in the press back home.

Two, mutual feelings. I have been specializing in staying focused on decisions and actions of the head for a long time now — and you have my heart. You have oh so many attributes that pulls it in this direction. Do you really comprehend how beautiful your smile is? Have you been told lately how warm your eyes are and how they softly glow with the special nature of your soul. I remember Jenny, or someone close to me, once commenting that while my mom was pleasant and warm it was sad she had never accomplished anything of significance. I replied that they were wrong because she had the ultimate of all gifts — and that was the ability to love unconditionally. The rarest of all commodities in this world is love. It is that thing that we all yearn for at some level — to be simply loved unconditionally for nothing more than who we are — not what we can get, give or become. There are but 50 governors in my country and outside of the top spot, this is as high as you can go in the area I have invested the last 15 years of my life — my getting here came as no small measure because I had that foundation of love and support so critical to getting up in the morning and feeling you could give and risk because you already had a full tank of love in the emotional bank account. Since our first meeting there in a wind swept somewhat open air dance spot in Punta del Este, I felt that you had that same rare attribute. Above all else I love that inner beauty about you. That gift of yours is going to make a tremendous difference in (The State deleted sons’ names) life — and in anyone’s life who is blest to be touched by yours — you need to rest very comfortably in that fact. As I mentioned in our last visit, while I did not need love fifteen years ago — as the battle scars of life and aging and politics have worn on this has become a real need of mine. You have a particular grace and calm that I adore. You have a level of sophistication that is so fitting with your beauty. I could digress and say that you have the ability to give magnificently gentle kisses, or that I love your tan lines or that I love the curves of your hips, the erotic beauty of you holding yourself (or two magnificent parts of yourself) in the faded glow of night’s light — but hey, that would be going into the sexual details we spoke of at the steakhouse at dinner — and unlike you I would never do that!

Three and finally, while all the things above are all too true — at the same time we are in a hopelessly — or as you put it impossible — or how about combine and simply say hopelessly impossible situation of love. How in the world this lightening [sic] strike snuck up on us I am still not quite sure. As I have said to you before I certainly had a special feeling about you from the first time we met, but these feelings were contained and I genuinely enjoyed our special friendship and the comparing of all too many personal notes (and yes this is true even if you did occasionally tantalize me with sexual details over the years!) — but it was all safe. Where we are is not. I have thought about it and in some ways feel I let you down in letting these complications come into a friendship that I hope will last till death. In all my life I have lived by a code of honor and at a variety of levels know I have crossed lines I would have never imagined. I wish I could wish it away, but this soul-mate feel I alluded too is real and in that regard I sure don’t want to be the person complicating your life. I looked to where I often look for advice and counsel, and in I Corinthians 13 it simply says that, “ Love is patient and kind, love is not jealous or boastful, it is not arrogant or rude, Love does not insist on its own way, it is not irritable or resentful, it does not rejoice in the wrong, but rejoices in the right, Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things”. In this regard it is action that goes well beyond the emotion of today or tomorrow and in this light I want to look for ways to show love in helping you to live a better — not more complicated life. I want to help (one of Maria’s sons) with film guys that might help his career, etc. I also don’t want you walking20away (sic) from some guy (I take it the younger guy you mentioned a t dinner) because of me — and what we both have to see as an impossible situation. I better stop now least this really sound like the Thornbirds — wherein I was always upset with Richard Chamberlain for not dropping his ambitions and running into Maggie’s arms. The bottom line is two fold, my heart wants me to get on a plane tonight and to be in your loving arms — my head is saying how do we put the Genie back in the bottle because I sure don’t want to be encumbering you, or your options or your life. Put differently, given I love you, I don’t want to be part of the reason you are having less than an ideal week in what sounds like a cool spot.

Lastly I also suspect I feel a little vulnerable because this is ground I have never certainly never covered before — so if you have pearls of wisdom on how we figure all this out please let me know ... In the meantime please sleep soundly knowing that despite the best efforts of my head my heart cries out for you, your voice, your body, the touch of your lips, the touch of your finger tips and an even deeper connection to your soul. I love you ... sleep tight. M

PS. I will make it a point in NY tomorrow to drop by a store and get that movie I promised to send your way ... I am encouraged to know you will not keep it beside the bed least we have tangible evidence of two pathetic figures missing each other far too much to live a few thousand miles apart!


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Sources: Politico, The State, Google Maps

First Ensign, Now Sanford...The "Party Of No" Seems To Have A Problem Saying "No" To Infidelity

Politico----




Gov. Mark Sanford a week ago: an intelligent, handsome, well-spoken conservative who does not work in Washington, exactly the kind of politician who might have something interesting to add to a potential Republican revival.

Gov. Mark Sanford today: a humiliated man whose name prompts snickers among millions of Americans who know his name in no context except as a new synonym (as if one were needed) for political hypocrisy.

Not to mention another symbol of a party in crisis as it seeks to move past the Bush years and cultivate a new generation of leaders — many of whom keep taking themselves out of commission through everything from terrible speeches to presidential appointments to sex scandals.

One should be a bit cautious about invoking Sanford’s embarrassment as political metaphor. Weaknesses of the flesh, like those of the bottle and purse, have been known to affect Democrats and even some people who are not in politics.

But the sheer body count of recent months — culminating with Wednesday’s news conference in which the tearful father of four admitted he had, without telling anyone, skulked out of South Carolina to visit his Argentine mistress — is unmistakable.

In just the past two weeks, two prominent GOP officeholders have held news conferences to announce that they’ve cheated on their wives.

In what may be a new standard for straying politicians, The State newspaper in Columbia released e-mails obtained in December from Sanford to an Argentine woman named Maria. “I could digress and say that you have the ability to give magnificent gentle kisses, or that I love your tan lines or that I love the curve of your hips,” reads one. “But hey, that would be going into sexual details.”

All told, Republicans now have two sitting governors, Sanford and Nevada’s Jim Gibbons, and two sitting senators, Louisiana’s David Vitter and Nevada’s John Ensign, tainted by the brush of adultery.

“Republican candidates have got a big problem with ‘the spark thing,’” lamented Republican consultant Mark McKinnon, alluding to Sanford’s memorable characterization of the moment his friendship turned romantic. “They can’t seem to put out the ancient fire that has burned so many before.”

Both Sanford and Ensign had been mulling over White House runs, and their indiscretions have led to some gallows humor among Republicans about just who, if anybody, they may field against President Barack Obama in 2012.

More seriously, the fall of Sanford and Ensign deprives a party desperately in need of new blood of two figures who had been considered up-and-comers.

“As a party, we must pass on the mantle of leadership from an unpopular generation of politicians, led by [Dick] Cheney and [Newt] Gingrich,” said longtime GOP strategist John Weaver. “This episode, more than the Ensign affair, makes that task harder.”

But it’s not just sins of the flesh that are keeping the party down. Not only have the unpopular Cheney and Gingrich emerged as two of the most visible GOP spokesmen this year, but some of the party’s other young guns have stumbled.

With Jon Huntsman’s appointment to serve as ambassador to China, three potential 2012 White House aspirants have fallen by the wayside less than six months into Obama’s first term.

Just as notably, a party seen as being dominated by older white males has seen two of its most prominent nonwhite guys do damage to their political standing.

The already-polarizing Gov. Sarah Palin has suffered a series of mishaps, seen her approval ratings in Alaska plummet and generally become as much tabloid personality as serious politician.

And Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, while not as significant as the others, is still trying to put a poor State of the Union response performance that triggered comparisons with Kenneth the Page behind him.

But it’s Sanford’s bewildering tale of disappearances and romantic intrigue, as unexpected as it was unlikely, that has sent already-beleaguered Republicans into a new funk.

“It’s a blow to us — I’d be fooling myself if I didn’t think this was damaging,” said former South Carolina GOP Chairman Katon Dawson.

Dawson, one of the architects of South Carolina’s GOP resurgence this decade and the runner-up to become Republican National Committee chairman earlier this year, said, “Character and integrity matter to our party.

“It’s important to hold our leaders accountable, and Gov. Sanford has flunked that test.”

Democrats can barely suppress their glee.

“Sanford’s political suicide robs the GOP of an articulate, telegenic spokesman at a time when they can least afford it,” said Chris Cooper, a Democratic consultant and South Carolina native. “Like him or not ... he was an effective messenger for the economic-conservative wing of the GOP.”

The tangled tale, replete with multiple cover stories and perplexing travel schedules and e-mails full of painfully purple prose, became a bit clearer Wednesday at a dramatic news conference when Sanford admitted to the affair and resigned his position as chairman of the Republican Governors Association.

Later in the day, Sanford’s wife, Jenny, released a statement saying the couple had begun a trial separation two weeks ago.

“I have been unfaithful to my wife. I developed a relationship with what started out as a dear, dear friend from Argentina,” Mark Sanford said in a rambling and often emotional news conference at the state Capitol in Columbia.

“I’m a bottom-line kind of guy. I’m just gonna lay it out. It’s gonna hurt, and I’m going to let the chips fall where they may,” said Sanford, often touted as a potential 2012 presidential hopeful.

Sanford apologized to his family. “To Jenny, anybody who has observed her over the last 20 years of my life knows how closely she has stood by my side in campaign after campaign after campaign,” he said.

Asked if he and his wife had separated, Sanford responded, “I don’t know how you want to define that. She’s there; I’m here.”

“What I did was wrong, period,” he said. “I spent the last five days crying in Argentina.”

Jenny Sanford was much less vague, saying that after learning of her husband’s infidelity and first working “to reach reconciliation through forgiveness,” she had asked her husband to leave earlier this month.

“We reached a point where I felt it was important to look my sons in the eyes and maintain my dignity, self-respect and my basic sense of right and wrong,” she said in her statement. “I therefore asked my husband to leave two weeks ago.”

Jenny Sanford said the terms of the “short” trial separation called for the governor not to contact his family, so she was unaware of his whereabouts during the past week.

The governor said that his staff did not deserve blame for giving misleading statements about his whereabouts to the press — first that he was off writing and then that he was hiking the Appalachian Trail.

“I apologize to my staff,” Sanford said in a statement released after the 2 p.m. news conference. “I misled them about my whereabouts, and as a result the people of South Carolina believed something that wasn’t true.”

Soon after the news conference ended, the RGA announced that Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour — another potential 2012 candidate for the GOP — would be stepping in to fill Sanford’s previous role as chairman. If anyone in Republican politics had a good day Wednesday, it may have been Barbour, who just this week is beginning to get his toe wet in the 2012 waters.

“The news revealed today hurts all of us who have gotten to know Gov. Sanford over the years, and so it is with regret that the RGA accepted Gov. Sanford’s resignation as chairman,” Barbour said in a statement. “While this news is deeply disappointing, I also know it’s important to remain focused on the future, and Gov. Sanford’s resignation allows him and us to do just that.”

Sources: Politico