Everyone is talking down here about cheater Mark Sanford.
Forget Iran.
Forget the economy.
Forget Guantanamo.
Forget Obama.
We got ourselves a big juicy scandal. And everyone is weighing in on it.
According to an online poll by The Sate newspaper, 70% of those responding think he should resign. But, do they want him to resign because he's a cheater, an adulterer, or do they want him to resign for his vanishing act?
I include myself in that latter group.
Adultery is not a Republican thang, so let's get off that high horse.
John Edwards anyone?
Bill Clinton, then?
Cheating on a spouse is a bipartisan issue, so lets not run Mark Sanford out of town on a rail for being an adulterer, and a liar and a cheat. Let's give him the boot for acting irresponsibly as governor, and for vanishing without a word. As I said yesterday, though I didn't vote for him, Mark Sanford, in effect, works for me. And as my employee, I expect you to be on the job, or let me know your whereabouts, if you decided to take a walkabout.
I think he should resign for his "let them eat cake" attitude regarding the stimulus package and how he fought that, not out of principle, but out of seeing himself as a viable presidential candidate in 2012.
I think he should resign because he is against marriage equality and has spouted that traditional line of BS, and that sanctity of marriage crap, while living a double life.
I think he should resign because he doesn't even believe in civil unions instead of marriage; he doesn't believe gay Americans deserve the same rights in any, shape or form as so-called regular Americans.
He's against gay adoption. He'd rather see kids raised in group homes by the state rather than in loving homes where they can be nurtured and loved and protected.
He can cheat on his wife all he wants. That's their issue.
My issue is his politics. And his politics suck.
And it's not just me weighing in, here's some other South Carolina voices:
Speaker of the House, Republican, Bobby Harrell:
“Today’s revelations are disturbing and shocking. There is no excuse for the unfortunate events that have transpired in recent days. ... For five days, the governor let his staff deceive the press and the people of South Carolina regarding where he was and what he was doing.”
Carol Fowler, chairwoman of the South Carolina Democratic party:
“When it comes to the real needs and concerns of South Carolinians, Mark Sanford has been pretty much missing in action for the last 6½ years. But it is not acceptable for him to be actually missing.”
Senate Minority Leader, Democrat John C. Land:
“The governor’s office misled the media, the lieutenant governor, and the people of South Carolina. Never in my 32 years as a state senator have I witnessed a governor and his staff act in a more dishonest, secretive and bizarre manner.”
Republican Senator Harvey Peeler:
“I’m deeply disturbed that no one knew where Governor Sanford was over the last five days. He left the country and deliberately made himself unavailable without delegating power to the lieutenant governor. In the process, he misled his staff who unknowingly misled the public.”
Republican Attorney General Henry McMaster:
“We all know that leaving the state without a governor for any period of time is not acceptable. I suspect Governor Sanford now understands that better than anyone else.”
Democratic Senator Vincent Sheheen:
“This is an unfortunate distraction for our state, and we cannot afford to lose sight of the problems that desperately need to be addressed in South Carolina.”
Republican Rep. Nikki Haley first praised Mark Sanford's fiscal conservatism, and then added:
“However, another component is behaving in a manner that allows people to trust in their public officials and feel good about their government. Obviously, the governor has fallen far short in that regard and that is extremely unfortunate.”
Republican Senator Hugh Leatherman, who has clashed repeatedly with Sanford over money issues, said:
“We on the Senate side, and on the House side, are looking to get a definition of what’s an emergency and what’s an abandonment of office.”
Apparently, in an emergency, there are things that only the governor can do. Monumental selfishness on his part.
ReplyDeleteIt is 7.23am PST and do you know where your governor is??
Republican or Democrat, I don't get how these guys think they can get away with this stuff? Do they not watch the news? Are they stupid enough to think they are that much smarter than anyone else? But you are right, it isn't the affair, it is the lies, duplicity, and arrogance that should cost him the job.
ReplyDeleteStephen Colbert once said that this dude is the most boring person on the planet ever. And likened him to a blank piece of paper.
ReplyDeleteCome to think of it, that was probably the moment when Sanford decided to cheat on his wife and run away. Royal jerk, yes. Boring, not so much anymore. Take that Colbert hahaha.
Not just because of his unavailability...he also needs to go because of his really lame Harlequin romance-style writing in his emails to his paramour. Those were downright painful to read! ;)
ReplyDeleteWell said.
ReplyDeleteHasn't he resigned yet? I'm sure he'd be one of the first people to demand it if it were someone else.
ReplyDeleteExcellent post, Bob! Good point, Beth! That really was cringe-worthy writing. He's such a loser that I can't imagine what she sees in him. She probably liked those cheesy, horribly-written Twilight romance novels, too.
ReplyDeleteThe post are excellent, but I think you will agree some of the comments are classics.
ReplyDeleteWhen he was a congressman back during Clinton's tenure, this same man called Mr. Clinton everyhting but a child of god. KARMA a motha
You're absolutely right about adultry being a bipartisan thing. Sanford's shirking his Gov duties is why he should resign. Plus all that other hyprocritcal stuff.
ReplyDelete