I think Republicans are missing a huge opportunity with this guy. Ronald Reagan was on his 2nd marriage when he became president.
This is a chance for Republicans to shun away from the conservative right influence and to embrace Sanford as a fiscal conservative. Basically, to say that, yes, we did try to moralize and it was over the board. But it’s time to get to the business of the country and away from the petty. By embracing Sanford and making a commitment to not air dirty laundry the Republicans can regain their voice at the serious discussion table.
As for Sanford himself, he is just being a straight shooter. He realized that he did something wrong and he keeps talking because the doesn’t want to create any room for a possibility that he lied. He already said that he told his wife about the affair 5 months ago. If she can forgive him, I think the media is gonna have to do the same.
There is 4 accusations that are being slinged at him:
1. He lied about the affair.
Clearly not true. He tells everything and tells it as soon as the question is asked.
2. He was away and not available to do state’s business.
This is clearly a stretch. He clearly broke down after realizing that as much as wanted to “save” the sate from the obligations attached to federal money, he wouldn’t be able to do it. He put up the fight to do what he saw as saving the state and he lost. The major business was over as far as he could see. So he broke down and left to take a proverbial breath of fresh air.
3. He was unfaithful to his wife and that indicates lack of character.
No, it indicates that human beings are complicated and that no one can help falling in love when it happens out of their control. Anyone who hasn’t experienced such an event has missed out. Anyone who has (fallen in love at an inconvenient time without being able to control it) knows that it is the best of times and the worst of times.
4. He is a hypocrite because he was damning Clinton for doing the same thing — cheating.
This is by far the strongest of all accusations. And I was tempted to believe it until I saw what Sanford actually said while damning Clinton. He said that lying was one of the most egregious things a president can do. He didn’t say “cheat on his wife” or “show lack of character” or any other code word for naughty behavior. He specifically said lying. And, as someone who voted for Clinton, I still have to agree. Lying to a grand jury was certainly a crime. And the only reason the question about sex was asked in a grand jury setting was that it was a sexual harassment trial. Asking about a history of marital infidelity is perfectly appropriate in a sexual harassment trial because marital fidelity can be used a defense.
So while he did lend his voice to a chorus that took advantage of the scandalous nature of Clinton’s crime, he never himself crossed the line of being scandalous. Demanding that a president not be allowed to lie to a grand jury does not rise to the same level as being too weak to resist falling in love.
Mark Sanford's Campaign Ad Promoting "Christian Values"
July 3rd, 2009 at 12:17 amI think Republicans are missing a huge opportunity with this guy. Ronald Reagan was on his 2nd marriage when he became president.
This is a chance for Republicans to shun away from the conservative right influence and to embrace Sanford as a fiscal conservative. Basically, to say that, yes, we did try to moralize and it was over the board. But it’s time to get to the business of the country and away from the petty. By embracing Sanford and making a commitment to not air dirty laundry the Republicans can regain their voice at the serious discussion table.
As for Sanford himself, he is just being a straight shooter. He realized that he did something wrong and he keeps talking because the doesn’t want to create any room for a possibility that he lied. He already said that he told his wife about the affair 5 months ago. If she can forgive him, I think the media is gonna have to do the same.
There is 4 accusations that are being slinged at him:
1. He lied about the affair.
Clearly not true. He tells everything and tells it as soon as the question is asked.
2. He was away and not available to do state’s business.
This is clearly a stretch. He clearly broke down after realizing that as much as wanted to “save” the sate from the obligations attached to federal money, he wouldn’t be able to do it. He put up the fight to do what he saw as saving the state and he lost. The major business was over as far as he could see. So he broke down and left to take a proverbial breath of fresh air.
3. He was unfaithful to his wife and that indicates lack of character.
No, it indicates that human beings are complicated and that no one can help falling in love when it happens out of their control. Anyone who hasn’t experienced such an event has missed out. Anyone who has (fallen in love at an inconvenient time without being able to control it) knows that it is the best of times and the worst of times.
4. He is a hypocrite because he was damning Clinton for doing the same thing — cheating.
This is by far the strongest of all accusations. And I was tempted to believe it until I saw what Sanford actually said while damning Clinton. He said that lying was one of the most egregious things a president can do. He didn’t say “cheat on his wife” or “show lack of character” or any other code word for naughty behavior. He specifically said lying. And, as someone who voted for Clinton, I still have to agree. Lying to a grand jury was certainly a crime. And the only reason the question about sex was asked in a grand jury setting was that it was a sexual harassment trial. Asking about a history of marital infidelity is perfectly appropriate in a sexual harassment trial because marital fidelity can be used a defense.
So while he did lend his voice to a chorus that took advantage of the scandalous nature of Clinton’s crime, he never himself crossed the line of being scandalous. Demanding that a president not be allowed to lie to a grand jury does not rise to the same level as being too weak to resist falling in love.