Additional Reporting By Sahil Kapur

When does an embattled Republican suddenly become an embattled Democrat? When Fox News is covering him, of course.

The network known for its conservative leaning ran footage of Mark Sanford admitting to an extramarital affair on Wednesday with a Chyron identifying the South Carolina Republican -- near tears -- as a D, for Democrat.

Media Matters has the screen grab on its site and notes that Fox News later changed Sanford's party affiliation to Republican.

But it's also worth adding that this is not the first time the network has misidentified a GOPer in the midst of acknowledging misconduct. When former congressman Mark Foley admitted to having problems with alcoholism -- after reports that he had behaved inappropriately with congressional pages -- Fox News also identified him as a Democrat.

There is, of course, a small danger to these quick journalistic missteps. They get repeated. Look, for instance at this Google News finding for "Mark Foley, D-Florida."

Fox News Identifies Sanford As A Democrat