I have to confess to, and apologize for, having preconceived notions about Jenny Sanford that turned out to have nothing to do with who she actually is. I heard “wife of conservative Christian governor,” saw the picture of her with those four well-groomed boys and figured her for someone who wouldn’t have the spine to stick up for herself.

Boy, was I wrong. She is as smart as Elizabeth or Hillary — trade the law degree for an investment banking vice presidency (Lazard Freres) — and may be tougher, too, at least when it comes to husbands.

What I admire most about Sanford’s response is that she has apparently concluded — correctly so — that the person who is humiliated by her husband’s affair is, in fact, her husband, not her. And so she is not standing by his side, but she is not hiding in a hole, either.