Another one bites the dust
29 June, 2009
By Bryan Lower
Mark Sanford’s scandal leaves a thin field of Republican presidential contenders for 2012.
Photo by Scyza
I didn’t see this coming. South Carolina’s governor Mark Sanford was skillfully setting himself up as the logical challenger to run against President Obama in 2012. He refused to take the federal stimulus money for his state (a position he fought for and lost in the courts). He was as ideological as Limbaugh or Gingrich, but his was rhetorically less shrill. With his conservative street cred, Sanford could have been the candidate that galvanized the GOP base without alienating the center. All of Mark Sanford’s potential is wasted because of a zipper problem.
Politicians are no more prone to philandering than anyone else. Take a look at the divorce filings in your local courthouse if you think the general citizenry is any more virtuous than Mark Sanford. We have an unrealistic expectation that our elected officials will be more perfect than the rest of us, so when they fail we take great glee in mocking their failings and reconfirming what we always knew about those sleazebags in the expensive suits. The real problem with politicians is not that they are less saintly than you or I; the problem is they are us. They come from our population and they exhibit all of our flaws.
That being the case, Mark Sanford’s affair should be none of our business. If a private citizen had a similar lapse in judgment, it would not be a national news story. The publicity would not be good for anyone, including the wife and kids. A regular person would not have to endure the prodding questions of our coworkers. We would feel it is a family matter and nobody else’s affair (forgive the pun).
In Sanford’s case, there are a couple factors that make it our business.
First, Sanford himself made marital fidelity a political issue when he condemned Bill Clinton for his sex scandal. As he now requests privacy for his family in this difficult time, one can’t help but remember that he did not afford the Clintons the same courtesy. By opening up this line of questioning, Sanford made himself vulnerable to the same treatment. Even if we gave him a pass on the affair, his hypocrisy would still be an issue.
Second, Mark Sanford was the serving governor of South Carolina when he left the country to visit his mistress. He didn’t tell anyone where he was going. Suppose there was an emergency. How could Sanford’s home state have contacted its executive officer? The tryst represents a shocking abdication of Sanford’s responsibilities as governor. The voters of South Carolina have a right to question Sanford’s commitment to the job.
In light of these facts, it seems almost trivial that Sanford charged the state for his little Argentinean adventure, for which he will “reimburse.” [1] Each new detail that comes out makes Mark Sanford a less sympathetic figure. Not only was he reckless, he was stupid. How did he ever think he could get away with it?
Despite all this, I do have the deepest sympathy for the governor’s wife, Jenny Sanford, and their kids. Mrs. Sanford has decided to stay with her husband, [2] a decision for which she has been criticized. While I do think the public has standing to criticize Mark Sanford’s hypocrisy and his official misconduct, the family does have a right to deal with the crisis in any way they feel is appropriate. I would never criticize any woman for her personal choices in family matters.
I’ll be the first to admit that Democrats are not immune to the same human errors as Republicans. We have seen some big names in the Democratic Party go down to the same vice: John Edwards, Eliot Spitzer, and Bill Clinton, though Clinton survived politically. The difference is in the Republican preaching about Christian morality and family values. Their sanctimonious moralizing makes them fair targets when they reveal themselves as less than saintly.
Governor Sanford’s mistake will place him out of the running for president in 2012. As time passes, the GOP presidential field becomes less clear. If any more Republican contenders drop out, they may have to run Bob Dole again.
Sources:
- “Sanford spends day with family amid calls for his resignation,” Peter Hamby, John King and Jackie Damico, CNN, 6/25/2009, http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/06/25/sanford.governor/index.html
- “JENNY SANFORD STATEMENT: Wife Says She Told Him To Leave ‘To Maintain My Dignity’,” Huffington Post, 6/24/2009, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/24/jenny-sanfords-statement_n_220425.html
© 2009 Bryan Lower
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Bryan Lower studies Political Science at Northeastern State University in Oklahoma. He currently resides in Tulsa with his wife and two daughters.Email: bryan@grindstonejournal.com
