Mark Sanford's extraordinary press conference leads to a number of questions about what happens next to a governor and former congressman who was once considered one of the brightest stars of the Republican party. It was a deeply embarrassing and painful moment and one that seemed to answer all of the questions that have been looming. But there are still others:
1. Will pressure grow on him to resign the governorship? Sanford said he'd quit as chair of the Republican Governors Association but will pressure gather from South Carolinians, the state's Republicans and editorial pages for him to quit his office? And if so what's the case against Sanford: Leaving town without telling anyone?
2. Will South Carolina public opinion rally to him? It's not at all
clear to me that the public will lash out against Sanford. If they
stick by him and his wife doesn't seek a legal separation or divorce
then will the politicians follow?
3, Will Sanford be able to execute the duties of his office in the
coming days? Is he going to be able to get back to work today and
tomorrow? Part of what saved Bill Clinton was the sense that he was
going back to work. The public was willing to forgive him and punish
the excesses of the GOP. This sticking-to-work ethos saved Rudy
Giuliani, too.
4. Was taxpayer money used to continue the affair? It probably isn't a
good sign that he seems to have taken a state vehicle to the airport in
Atlanta. I imagine Democrats in the South Carolina legislature won't
have the appetite for an audit. But they might.
5. Will Sanford staff resign? They were basically lied to, although
Sanford was a little weasly about that part, suggesting that he was
really weighing the Applachian Trail as an option. If his staff quits
on him for misleading them, that could get things rolling. Of course,
Roland Burris's chief of staff quit and he's still in the Senate.
Figuring out who survives and who doesn't is a hard political game to get right. David Vitter seems in pretty good shape for his reelection in Louisiana despite his admitting, more or less, to cavorting with a prostitute which is not only untoward but illegal. Rudy Giuliani was done in by many things in his presidential bid but his affairs were not the coup de grace. Roland Burris is still in the Senate; Larry Craig isn't. I really wouldn't venture to guess how this plays out in the coming day.
"And if so what's the case against Sanford: Leaving town without telling anyone? "
Umm.. how about the case of not delegating duties of the head of the state government for a WEEK while being out of communication, and giving staff misleading information as to your location? Who was in charge of SC govt for the past week?
exactly.
he basically abdicated his responsibilities as governor. no one knew where he was, how to get in touch with him, when he'd be back. What if there was a statewide emergency? That's the issue, here. South Carolina was without a governor, and because Sanford didn't tell anyone he was leaving the country, there was no way to delegate that authority to the Lt Governor if they needed to.
I couldn't care less about his affair. I'm not married to the man. I care about the constitutional crisis that could have arisen due to the governor's extended absence...
As my fellow commenters have noted, spontaneously vanishing for a week and being unreachable for your staff and second in command would get you fired from a host of other Executive positions; it's not clear governor of South Carolina should have lower standards.
Plus embarrassing the state.
He might want to make his own coffee this week. His wife has managed to bypass humiliation by not playing along; his long-suffering staff who've been laughed at for an inept coverup and lied to by him have been humiliated. He didn't give them enough to work with for a decent coverup, but it still looks sloppy.
Pretty pathetic questions there, Matthew.
You sound like the typical FOX News (faux) journalist with nothing but a bunch of softball questions to ask because of the fact that Sanford is a Republican and you can't risk making him look bad.
I'm sure the Washington Post will be interested in adding you to their staff of conservative dictation takers.
Yes that was one of the wackier press conferences I've ever seen.
I think Sanford could survive politically if he wants to. But the problem with an Evangelistic politician cheating is they weigh in so heavily on marriage, then to do this... It's the hypocrisy factor more than the harm done or the cheating alone that I think could do him in. At least he cried, although he cried just as much for "Tim Davises" of the world as for his wife.
Anyway, I predicted it all here:
http://hubpages.com/hub/Is-South-Carolina-Governor-Mark-Sanford-Having-an-Affair
You may find my foresight impressive, or at least insightful. This is, in my opinion, another good reason for the GOP to get out of the "morality" business.
When will Severe Hypocrisy Disorder be added to the DSM? It seems like we have an escalating need for some kind of medical explanation for why so many men who should know better are behaving so incredibly badly.
Gingrich, Vitter, Foley, Craig, Ensign now Sanford. These bible punchers are wrecking the Republican party. As for Sanford I don't see him surviving this. He's already at war with part of the GOP in SC and given the weird circumstances of the past week it's hard to see how he doesn't at best become a lame duck. In the process he's given the Dems a laugh line "Argentina!!" And btw I don't think we've heard the last of the Ensign matter. No doubt as we speak numerous investigative journalists are burrowing into that other affair back in 2002.
Whether the Sanford fiasco is just today's blip, I don't know. At this point--together with all the other Republican self-immolation by the, ahem, moralists--it provides amusement amidst the many serious issues of the day. Yet, there is a certain serious quality when one considers a prolonged disappearance (together with state vehicle)by a top official without delegating any authority. Many years ago, in college, I read "The Psychopathology of Politics" by Harold Lasswell (aka the "father of modern political science.") At the time I believed Lasswell to be a bit unhinged when he observed certain unstable personality types associated with political power. Now, I wonder how Lasswell knew so much. Here, this manner of escapade suggests something not so funny. Then, I recall that Sanford reportedly opposed providing medicaid coverage to breast cancer and cervical cancer victims, and I recall his cavalier attempt to reject stimulus funds to help his state's people, and then...well, you get the point. Perhaps, Sanford weeps for himself; but then, Don't Cry For Me, Argentina. cp
Yeah and then you want to feel bad for his wife but... she's giving him at least a 3rd chance now as far as we know.
Weak. Their boys I feel bad for. And the wife. Actually, I feel bad for the non-hypocritical non-fanatical members of the GOP. Fiscal responsibility, strong defense, good. But legislating moral family values preferences while s**ting on your own family? Get the f*** out of my government you b***h.
I think Pascal's earlier post had it right. impressive forecasting. Maybe Sanford can blame it on the legalization of Gay marriage in Iowa.
And these were very white bread questions. No bite at all.
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