No, being above reproach isn’t enough, because the media can make up and distort anything about you or your family, it no longer matters how well you comport yourself. And I will not hesistate to criticize FReepers who pile on here when they don’t know what happened and swallow these media accounts without question. I don’t blame Gov. Sanford, I blame those who lie and distort and smear him. There’s a small contingent of FReepers who hate his guts because he is one of the most principled Conservatives in elective office today, perhaps the most principled Conservative Governor in the country. Just like with Palin, he has to fight a vicious RINO clique out to destroy him within his own state. Interestingly, some of the names associated with this story are the very people who happen to be a part of that clique. I hold THEM responsible for their role in this.
BTW, back in 2006, in my state of TN, we had our Democrat Governor vanish for weeks that didn’t get a fraction of the coverage this did, and it happened to be during the election season when the Lt Governor was an incompetent, senile man in his mid-80s. They didn’t turn anything over to him. Of course, our Gov is a Democrat, and we all know they get a pass for everything... unless they do anything Conservative.
i guess we will see about that. one week ago, the same could have been said for Ensign, could it not? pardon my skepticism, but conservative politicians have demonstrated FEET OF CLAY in spades.
But looking at this SHORT list:
Republican politicians that have had extra-marital affairs:
- Newt Gingrich
- John McCain (first wife)
- Rudy Giuliani
- David Vitter
- Larry Craig
- Henry Hyde
- etc.
Democrat politician that have had extra-marital affairs:
- Kennedy (take your pick)
- Bill Clinton
- James McGreevey
- Jon Corzine
- Eliot Spitzer
- John Edwards
- etc.
SO, sadly ... yes, perhaps some of us are “trained” and come to expect such things from politicians, from both sides of the political isle.
When ANY governor (chief executor) disappears for a few days, and his wife doesn't even know where he was — yeah, it does make me curious as to what was going on ...
THAT said — it does NOT mean he was having an affair — he may have just wanted to get away from it all, just like you or I might feel like doing from time to time.