So I chose freedom
Running around, trying everything new
But nothing impressed me at all
I never expected it to
Don't cry for me Argentina
The truth is I never left you
All through my wild days
My mad existence
I kept my promise
Don't keep your distance
Hiking the Appalachian Trail huh Mark?
Mark Sanford's admission that he is having an affair with an Argentinian dolly pretty much puts the brakes on his alleged presidential aspirations. Well, as a South Carolinian, I wasn't all that convinced of his political ability in the first place...and his business acumen even less. I agreed with his stance on not taking the so called stimulus money (no state should have) - it will almost certainly mandate federal government programs that SC taxpayers will forever be on the hook for; long after the government faucet stops flowing. And he seemed like a sincere guy, but I just never got the warm and fuzzies for his leadership style.
His Eva Peron stunt is just one more nail. His true down fall came with his inability to sell South Carolina's friendly business climate to potential investors. No large job creators came to SC during his administration, and several that considered the state bypassed it for better terms elsewhere. Governor Sanford instead chose to spend his two terms provoking the the good old boy infested State Legislature - the real seat of power in SC - at the expense of the traditional rainmaking duties of the SC governor. And when he did get involved in business it often had unpleasant results. Interjecting himself into a project going on in Greenville, he nearly wrecked the whole deal and did ultimately cost the city an automotive wind tunnel that would have nicely complimented the area's growing reputation in automotive research. The wind tunnel idea went to Charlotte instead. The Clemson University Automotive Research Center (built in conjunction with BMW) did eventually come to fruition, but no thanks to Mark Sanford.
I suppose we can view his dalliance and the likely fallout as political natural selection. Only the strong survive crooned Jerry Butler during the hey day of Motown: Governor Mark Sanford isn't looking all that strong...and it remains to be seen if his political career or his marriage will survive.
I just think he should have hooked up with an intern from his office. Then he´d be having a hard time finding a comment about it in the sports section ;-)
ReplyDeleteMyname is mike..he'd have had a hard time finding a comment in the sports section if he were a Democrat, too!
ReplyDeleteThis is sickening....I know you weren't a big fan, Larry, but I knew only enough about him to really like him. He sure did set a great example for his four young sons, huh...? and the rest of the children of America? Disgusting.
Governor Sanford should resign, pronto. This is not how a grown man ought to run his life. It would be one thing if it were a one-time mistake with the lady down the street. It wasn't - it was going on for months, and Sanford put his staff in a position where they had to cover for his prolonged absences.
ReplyDeleteOnce he resigns, he can hike the Appalachian Trail as long as he likes. The bastard.
Mike: We don't know that he wasn't "hooking up" with an intern. If he'd go as far as Argentina for a fling, then I'm sure he was trolling the local talent.
ReplyDeleteZ, I hope he can pick up the pieces and put his personal life back together. He's got a tough row to hoe (as they say down here), but his political career is toast. This sordid affair only further illustrates Governor Sanford's inattention to the states business.
ECI, the sneaking, the covering and the spending of state money while on a bimbo hunt are all troubling questions that I think will come to the surface as the details trickle in. Stay tuned.
Hey Larry,
ReplyDeleteI can offer no insights on Mr. Sanford's political operations as you are able to, but I can embrace your hope that "he can pick up the pieces and put his personal life back together."
Sometimes, when the lid comes off, there might be more in the barrel then what one expected. Other than what happened, hopefully his barrel is empty. Either way, and as you said, "He's got a tough row to hoe..."