Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Mark Sanford

As the controversy swirls around Mark Sanford, the Govenor of SC, and his affair, it is important to keep a couple of things in mind:


  1. It will be painted as Republican hypocrisy. This is not true. It is Mark Sanford hypocrisy. It would be Republican hypocrisy if Republicans go out and defend him, or worse yet, if the Republican constituency votes him back into office. Does anyone remember Tom Foley or Larry Craig?

  2. There is a double standard. This is also not true. If Mark Sanford were a Democrat this affair would be no problem for they have no standards except that they remain in power and the constituency's checks don't bounce. Does anyone remember the late Gerry Studds? He had an affair with a 17 year old boy after which he was re-elected six more times.

  3. There is a media double standard. This is also not true unless one differentiates the media from the democrat party, which would be pure folly. If the love fest media health care circus didn't convince one of such, then the advantages of one being convinced enter into question.

  4. It is also folly to trust with enormous power a man who will lie to his wife and children. If this nation is unable to produce a leader unable to be trusted by his wife, or her husband, then I suppose it is safe to conclude that the grand experiment is over; we have failed; man can only expect to experience mere moments of fleeting freedom; here are our hands; go get the chains.

4 comments:

El Cerdo Ignatius said...

Fortunately, I believe Gov. Sanford is term-limited and cannot run next time around. However, anyone who knows better can correct me on this.

It bothers me that Gov. Sanford has not resigned from office. I realize the Eliot Spitzer business was another level altogether, involving prostitution and a police investigation, so I'm hesitant to draw a parallel. But I think resignation would be the right thing to do.

Stan said...

(Has anyone noticed how much El Cerdo Ignatius looks like Richard Nixon?)

No one seemed to bat an eye when they re-elected Marion Barry after his conviction on cocaine possession. When there was an uproar over Clinton and Lewinski, the cry in defense of the president was "Character doesn't count!" But let a Republican ... well, never mind.

It would be a double standard if we said, "Eh, who cares?" We're not.

Danny Wright said...

Even though we all know that if he were a Dem, all the libs and their media minions would be out equivocating and defending, and would probably get their way. Still, since, as I claim, we abide by a higher standard, I agree with you that he sould resign. BTW, the closest thing I've heard to a conservative defending him came from Dennis Prager. But he is as even handed as one could possibly be, which is one of his strengths. I would imagine that he would defend a Dem the same way which would make him at least consistent.

El Cerdo Ignatius said...

Stan: (Has anyone noticed how much El Cerdo Ignatius looks like Richard Nixon?)

Indeed, sir. It is the same phenomenon that causes our host to look like Don Knotts.