1. Sanford left the state without informing anyone of his location. Who would have known what the chain of command would have been if there was an emergency? While I admit that the last big emergency was a hurricane named HUGO in 1989, you expect your leaders to communicate. Sanford's Staff and last of all Sanford's family really did not know where he was at this time. (Other than suffering crushing defeats by having the state legislature over turn his Veto on many different bills such as the stimulus, the State Ports Authority, etc.) If he had an affair, that is a personal life. To leave a state without anyone knowing the location of your state's executive leader is begging to have a political career ended. (Rightfully so!)

2. Besides humiliating his family and those that live in the state of South Carolina, every move he has made is now under the closest eye of scrutiny. We have now found a reason that we can not or do not trust Sanford's judgment. We question wether or not he used state funds inappropriately to fund part of the cost of the trips to see his mistress. The Democrats want a full investigation. The Republicans say the media is doing that job just fine. South Carolina now has an integrity issue with Sanford on the issue of public trust. (His wife is not the only one that does not trust him!) This trust can not be won back with in the year he has left on his term.

3. Sanford did bring attention to himself by being forced to take stimulus money by the state legislature. I do not feel that trying to refuse the stimulus is a “Reason” to be kicked out as the governor of a state; however, where are all those principles he stood by. He did make himself a target and then gave the public, media, and his adversaries reason to “Shoot!” I do not feel that the stimulus itself cause his demise anymore than his bible stories justify or explain his actions.

Sanford is a bible quoting lame duck. He has only one more year left; however, the Democrats, the Republicans, and those that do not know quite where they are will not allow him to make a decision based on our trust as a society. I realize that he does not want to step down. He wants to redeem his career. I think personally he needs to go home and take care of his family. His career here is over. No one will trust him. No one will have faith in his decisions no matter what his faith is in his religion. He will continue to be the punch line of jokes in my area.

I would say his popularity rating is really not existent anymore.

I have to agree with you when you say that:

“The difference with the democrats is that they don't vehemently play the values card… so it's a bit easier to forgive someone who's not pretending to have moral high ground when they get caught being human…”

Unfortunately democrats find other areas to be hypocritical about. Just look as FISA wiretapping and the way they have conducted Congressional business under the Tom Delay method since taking over power for a good examples.

You asked:

” leo – so, even if he broke the law, you will still support him? “

then you accuse:

” Now THAT is partisanship at its very worst, and why democratic governments become corrupt over time.”

but you didn't read what I wrote apparently when I said:

” I don't care what happens in other people's bedrooms as long as no laws are broken”.

Reading is fundamental

The difference with the democrats is that they don't vehemently play the values card… so it's a bit easier to forgive someone who's not pretending to have moral high ground when they get caught being human… get it?

Now THAT is partisanship at its very worst, and why democratic governments become corrupt over time.

Sanford broke no laws. See the NPR piece here:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?st...

On the Clinton impeachment, Sanford was concerned about the lying under oath part, ie breaking a law:

“The issue of lying is probably the biggest harm, if you will, to the system of Democratic government, representatives government, because it undermines trust. And if you undermine trust in our system, you undermine everything.” [Sanford on Clinton, CNN, 2/16/99]

I think drewrichards should rething his own cognition.

Governor Sanford BROKE the “Chain of Command” in my state (SC) leaving us with NO immediate response capability in the event of an emergency. For this action and this action ALONE he should be impeached! I don't care that his wife didn't know where he was or not. I don't care he had an affair. I do care that his staff either covered for him or did not know how to reach him and he had not released power of authorization to the Lt. Governor as ANY Governor would have if they were going incommunicado.

Spin the rest of the story anyway you want but dereliction of duty makes him a dangerous liability to our state.

Now should he be attacked publicly?

For 15 years Gov. Sanford presented himself as a rabid family values candidate and has now been caught in dereliction of duty due to his INFIDELITY!

Are we not to point out the hypocrisy of this man's actions and beliefs?

Remember this man publicly demanded Clinton resign for his “infidelity” with Lewinsky.
At least Clinton never disappeared and left us with no chain of command.

I believe you should rethink your post because it smells of Republican hand wringing more than a true cognitive thought on the proper response to this issue.

Now if it turns out that he went for legitimate reasons on the tax payer dollar and saw his mistress when his schedule was not filled with official business, *shrug* Thats his personal business and not mine.

I wouldn't. I would support criminal charges.

I never said you did defend him.

What double-standards? This thread has nothing to do with this thread. This isn't about any Democrat or any other Republican than Gov Sanford and his own personal actions. Let's not go off on tangents but just to cover your examples:

– Clinton didn't run on a family-values campaign. It wasn't the BJs in the office it was the lying, not that any of us believed him for a second, that lost respect in my eyes at least.

– This thread isn't about “unsavory ties to lobbyists” or “sweetheart deals” to friends. Both of which I do oppose BTW no matter the party affiliation.

On a personal note: AR, I'm glad to hear your daughter is recovering. I'm glad to hear it's not getting her down, having a good mental outlook helps recovery.

thank you AR,
dr.e

“I think there is somewhat of an identity crisis in the Republican Party. Are they going to be a party that attracts values voters, and are they going to be the party that lives by those values?”

I thought “they” already were

I, unlike many Democrats, do not believe that having an affair means you can break the law and it is OK.

Physically, well, it is a slow road to recovery, and nothing can change that. Mentally she is in a great place, which makes us very proud of her.

Now we wait for the military medical board discharge process to run its course before she can come home (likely until September).

You are all correct, btw. It is the hypocrisy. That has been my point from my first post on this thread. The irony is you all fail to see where the hypocrisy is coming from, especially given I never defended his actions, and said that he deserves to be toast. You all just can't stand having the mirror held up to yourselves on the Left's double standrds and own hypocrisy, because in your blindness, most of you truly fail to see it even exists.

To this particular instance, and Clinton as well for that matter, Jim put it best. It is a shame for the family more than anything. These are difficult enough situations for them to deal with, but when it becomes national news, it is just that much harder.