A Higher Standard?

He disappeared for five days and lied to his staff about his whereabouts. I dont care about his private habits, but for the head of a state to abandon his job that way is pretty much a good reason for his removal.

H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-S-Y-!!!

Sanford's NEOCON-christian fundamentalist HYPOCRICY is why he is unfit.

When fundamentalists go around telling others how to live in order to get elected they must pay the ultimate price when it turns out they are HYPOCRITES.

I guess the MSM doesn't grasp the average American's disgust at such actions.

If you wrap yourself in the flag you'd better not treasonously "out" a covert CIA agent like Dick Cheney did.

If you wrap yourself in the flag and bible you'd better not call hookers to diaper and wipe you like southern politician David Vitter DOES.

And if you're a NEOCON selling yourself as all business, all Jesus, all the time you'd best not irresponsibly leave your state without a leader at the helm to go visit your mistress in Argentina.

Sanford is a hypocrite and is very likely unhinged.

It's not about the sex or ability to govern. It's about Sanford being a phony. Another bible-thumping southern hypocrite trying now to wrap himself in the bible. He's just what I expect from a governor of S. Carolina. They can have him. If he were to run for president I would not be inclined to vote for him, but not because of his trysts. Rather because he is a phony.

I don't care what he does in his personal life, but when it crosses-over to his professional then it's a problem. If he used public funds to help finance his liaisons then he should resign or be removed. On another note, ALL politicians should refrain from using their platform to espouse their moral beliefs if they are going to violate them.

if he was my governor i would be all over by representative,senator to get rid of him .not for adultery but for dereliction of duty.and for bringing god up at every second. i got a feeling god is getting pissed off at these people using his name all the time. i dont believe him and odds are 70% of american people dont believe him.

When a politician makes "family values" a political issue, and he doesn't have any, then yes, his infidelity matters.

LET SANFORD BE HOISTED BY HIS OWN PETARD

Get rid of him.

I assume these gays are kidding !unfaithful husband but good leader ? are boys just sick. it figures a couple old fools like you guys would even say something so warped !! get a life!!

I don't care that how to get to his zipper. What I care about is that he left the state of SC vulnerable. Is no one getting the key issue. If the national guard had to be called due to a riot and looting. If there was a hurricane, fire, police problem, etc., etc. etc.

That is the issue.

Forget that one babe has a better curve and talks better sweet nothing. That is all irrelevant except that he is a hypocrite.

To repeat, the issue is his incompetence in understanding the role of a Governor of a state (period)!

It's not about the sex. It's about the hypocrisy. Bill Clinton was a disgrace and Teddy Kennedy was a hound dog in his day but neither of them thumped their Bibles and preached about the evils of adultery and the need for politicians to uphold those ubiquitous family values most conservative politicians love to crow over. Get rid of him. I don't care what kind of a leader he is, he has betrayed the people he's supposed to represent because he presented himself as one kind of man and his behavior clearly indicates he's another kind entirely.

I don't care that how to get to his zipper. What I care about is that he left the state of SC vulnerable. Is no one getting the key issue. If the national guard had to be called due to a riot and looting. If there was a hurricane, fire, police problem, etc., etc. etc.

That is the issue.

Forget that one babe has a better curve and talks better sweet nothing. That is all irrelevant except that he is a hypocrite.

To repeat, the issue is his incompetence in understanding the role of a Governor of a state (period)!

Sanford is an arrogant, reckless jerk who has no business in a position of responsibility to citizens. He should leave office immediately.

In the past there were leaders who conducted their personal lives in similar ways and they were good leaders.

But this was before the 24/7 news cycle and transparency. Standards have changed.

There is no talent in hypocrisy. Bill Clinton was not a good president. For me, he was one of the worst president in America coz his policies continue to destroy America upto now just as how Truman's policy does. They're long gone but we're still reaping their idiotic policies.

Sanford should resign or else this man would destroy America too. He would be least effective if he opposes Obama's idiotic policies. Nobody would listen to a hypocrite.

There is no talent in hypocrisy. Bill Clinton was not a good president. For me, he was one of the worst president in America coz his policies continue to destroy America upto now just as how Truman's policy does. They're long gone but we're still reaping their idiotic policies.

Sanford should resign or else this man would destroy America too. He would be least effective if he opposes Obama's idiotic policies. Nobody would listen to a hypocrite.

The quality of Sanford's decision making is the problem here. If he didn't have enough common sense to delegate his duties to the next in line during his absence, I don't think he is rational. That alone is why he needs to step down. I believe he believes he fell in love (unlike Clinton who was in it for sex), but that is no excuse for his behavior. There are clues in his upbringing to how he ran his staff that this man is wound tighter than a drum. And now the lid's blown off. His mind is not on the state of SC.

Some perception of honesty is required in getting people to listen to you and follow your lead. When exposed as an adulterer, your lead is pretty much blown. People see you lying to your children, the mother of your children, and your lovers. Then the next question is "when did he lie to me?"

I'm backing up commenter 'onestring'. It's the hypocrisy, stupid.

Yes, we're all hypocrites and liars. Most of use do not have the power or time or money to systematically harm others using our hypocrisy as a weapon.

A person with power often ceases to believe that the same consequences apply for getting caught. This leads to arrogant hypocrisy: spitting on others for doing what the powerful hypocrite indulges in himself.

Finally, the powerful hypocrite uses his hypocrisy to garner more power, no matter the harm to those he "smears" as the power-granters demand.

He also has no feeling for all those who are harmed incidentally. Family, close friends and associates, and even periphally strangers -- all wind up paying some sort of price, if only lawyer fees. None of this is the concern of the unaffected powerful hypocrite using them as peons in his game de ajedrez.

It is the harm these hypocrites inflict on others even as they indulge themselves in that for which they excoriate others as they climb over their assasinated bodies to the top of the heap.

There is something about the powerful hypocrite who feels himself invincible purposefully publicly humiliating his own ilk for his own gain, his zealous willingness to harm even innocents, that is unhealthy for human societies.

Thios type of hypocrite is profitting by his his hypocrisy at the expense of his peers, even his betters, to the detriment of us all.

If there is any point in voting for trustworthy people, then the point would be to avoid powerful people who use their resources for greed and self-indulgenceat the expense of the public good.

A hypocrite who wields his hypocrisy like a lash to gain power is not the best person in any job on earth. His empowering, viagra-like hypocrisy, his lack of affect, his inability to feel, is dangerous if not fatal in a nation of democratic and free people who rely on government to protect their freedoms.

The powerful hypocrite instead attacks us systematically for what he should know is mere forgivable human fraility, and he attacks us with all the weapons at his disposal, including those with long-term affects.

He is hateful because he is a liar who lives and lives well by his lies at a great human cost.

He is, odds on, a Christian.

Not living up to the highest moral standards!

What tripe!

We are talking about the most basic ethical elements of human behavior, faithfulness to your wife and honesty.

As Ross Perot once said, any man who will lie to his wife will lie to me in business.

Can you really trust that a man who would lie to and cheat on his wife would be honest with his constitutants?

The Republican Party seems to have a lot of "closet liberals" in its membership, like drug addict, Rush Limbaugh, gay trolling, Senator Larry Craig, whoring Senator David Vitter and now this so-called "born again" Governor Mark Sanford whoring with a floozie. Are these family values that you'd recommend to members of your family?

The Republican Party seems to have a lot of "closet liberals" in its membership, like drug addict, Rush Limbaugh, gay trolling, Senator Larry Craig, whoring Senator David Vitter and now this so-called "born again" Governor Mark Sanford whoring with a floozie. Are these family values that you'd recommend to members of your family?

When I vote for a government leader, I look closely at his/her character. Sanford shows serious defects in character and he obviously cannot be trusted. He has shamed his sons, his wife, and his voters. His sincere-like apologies do not erase or excuse his deep character flaws and risky decision making. It takes years to re-build trust, not just a few "I'm sorry" statements.

I think Gov. Sanford should withdraw from public life. Where is his own personal sense of honor and decency? He may be a brilliant and effective politician, I really don't know. He has, however, no sense of his obligation to maintain personal virtue. It was the same with Clinton. It is a mystery to me how one can allow hubris to blind one to loss of honor. He should retire to a private life of asceticism.

I expect that there is much more to this lying Sanford's sexual escapades. Drunken with political power and fueled with religious self righetoueness, he likely has no limits. Does he go for gay sex like Larry Craig does while denying he is gay? Or is he travelling to foreign countries for sex because he is a pedophile?

Tell you daughters: A man who cheats with you will cheat on you. He's a cheater.

As a liar is a liar...even if it involves ONLY a woman who'se your wife.

Or to sum up: A crook is a crook.
A liar is a liar and a cheater is a cheater...there aren't fenses around
the whats, whens and wheres. N'est pas?

And if you're a rat who compares yourself to King David you'll still wake up a rat.

Everyone makes mistakes.

If we were to exclude from leadership all individuals who have made mistakes, who would be left to serve?

Depending on the circumstances and type of offense, leaders who have made mistakes in the past can be given second chances.

However, once in office – a position of great public trust – most Americans believe political leaders have a duty to respect and honor that trust. One thing that rankles the public more than anything else is the hypocrisy demonstrated by some officials that say one thing and do another. And with every new example, Americans grow more cynical of leadership. It is this cynicism that erodes overall trust in all leaders. And that’s the worst of all outcomes from ethical lapses by politicians.

At the end of the day, it’s up to the voters to decide. For me it comes down to one fundamental question: If a political leader is willing to lie about their private life while in office, what else would they be willing to lie about?

I don't think infidelity is wrong. Marriage vows, in my opinion, have no binding moral force whatsoever. It's absolutely inane to expect someone to never have sex with anyone other than their spouse for the rest of their life just because of a promise. It's as ludicrous as expecting abstinence from teenagers. And if this is really what we care about, we deserve bad government.

I don't care about infidelity as much as the man's recklessness. If a pretty woman can wreak this much havoc in this man's life, what else is he capable (or incapable) of?

Some thought might be given to the idea that Sanford described his relationship with a cultured, intelligent women as a 'soul mate'. There is a form of loving between literate accomplished men and women that is empathic enough to be all consuming. The empathic relationship involves something very close to a 'spiritual union' between the two people and is far more intense and enjoyable than a mere sexual relationship tied up with power or greed or lust. The empathy is sufficiently powerful that it is sometimes called 'obsessive-compulsive' and usually is described in books as completely destructive because the empath 'soul sharing' is so intense. It is also so intense that the two people cannot stay in each others company for very long, even when sex is a minor addition to the sharing and don't even need to if the empathic relationship is strong enough. Empathic loving is a very powerful paranormal, and generally random, relationship that just happens.

Except for the inexcusable dereliction of duty he volunteered for, Sanford and the lady might not have been in a state of hypocrisy and intentional harm to others. They could have been caught up by something neither knew how to deal with and it might even have enhanced their core values. But allowing that 'Soul Mating' to harm others who have loving relationships, such as long term family, defeats its positive nature. Fortunately, that kind of loving won't be common for another century.

Let's be honest. South Carolina is at the bottom when it comes to funding for education, health care, and the welfare of her citizens. Not only is the governor a failure in his personal life, he is also a failure as a governor. TIme for the citizens of this backwards locale to jettison him back to hicksville.

Apparently he has soul mated with a handful of women, never of course, crossing the line...like Chuck Robb just getting a message.

a captain who leaves a ship of 2,000 people drifting into a glacier to save a single mistress with four sons and a deserving wife who is largly responsible for getting him where he is is NOT a good leader.

if it were just cheating that in itself is bad, but this speaks directly to his job so we CAN say he is not a good leader based on his poor decision making to run off to gaze in someone's eyes while leaving an entire state governless!!!

NO.... A GOOD LEWADER HE IS NOT... THE INFIDELITY WAS JUST THE MEANS TO MAKE IT APPARENT.

"anything hidden shall come to light and whatever you wisper in the night shall be heard from the rooftops."

Ben, Steve:

I love you guys. I say this with utmost respect for both of you. But what planet are you on?

It's not his really interesting sex life that offends, it's all the sanctimonious hypocrisy he cloaked it in. It's not the canoodling, it's the disappearing act without telling anyone, including his second in command and the people he works with. As a matter of fact, if all he did in Argentina was go to an all night showing of Evita he should still be in trouble. For God's sake, I'm a copywriter in an ad agency, a nobody. And I'd be fired if I disappeared for 5 days without a word to my associates.

If people reject Gov. Sanford, all they would be losing is an irresponsible moron.

Sanford said he decided not to resign because the lessons he will learn from staying on as governor will help him in whatever comes next for him. His motivations are overwhelmingly self-serving. The needs of the poor in South Carolina are clearly beneath his notice.

LEADER, WHISPER ...('sorry)

If a person can't / won't keep his promises and commitments to those who are the most important in the world to him or her--the spouse and children, how can we trust that they will keep the promises they make to mere voters? I can't put a lot of stock in promises made by someone who clearly can't keep even more important promises. Competence is not enough. Character counts. And it takes priority over more fleeting traits of competence.

If a person can't / won't keep his promises and commitments to those who are the most important in the world to him or her--the spouse and children, how can we trust that they will keep the promises they make to mere voters? I can't put a lot of stock in promises made by someone who clearly can't keep even more important promises. Competence is not enough. Character counts. And it takes priority over more fleeting traits of competence.

he neglected his obligations not only to his wife.

she just might take him back; and just like her we dont have to take him back... ... he needs to be held accountable for what he did and to let him remain sends not only a poor lesson to his children but to all future politicians.

WHAT POLITICIANS DO MATTERS.... if it didnt matter who we choose then why bother with voting, elections, looking into character, etc? why do we have them come into our schools, clubs to speak to our young people? so that they can see someone whom they wish to become like.

in their position they have daily reminders that they are to be held to a higher standard instead this man had time to contemplate on it... he was warned against it, he still went with eyes wide open hoping to cash in on his wife's Christian values... well Christians dont have to be wimps, and divorce is acceptable in the Bible. He knew she would be forgiving.... well its wrong to treat her like a doormat, and so publicly at that. what a disgrace he is to himself. how dare he leave these children with memories like these? TOTALLY IRRESPONSIBLE!

Sanford had his opportunity to do the right thing.. now its OUR turn.

yes we can forgive but that doesnt mean we need to take the abuse along with it.

oh, LARRYMAN, you so get it!!!!

the man has PROVEN beyond a doubt why he is NOT a leader. its as simple as that.

p.s.
larryman: "five days"?
for most employees its two days and that's pushing it... one day out and they come looking for you - - sanford is lucky they didnt call out the FBI to go hunting for him - - then he'd really be in a sling.

What a short memory we americans have! President Kennedy cheated on his wife repeatedly and his wife did too, nevertheless he is revered as one of the best and most loved Presidents we've had. Franklyn D. Rooseveld had his mistress living in the White House and Gen Eisenhower had an english mistress in London.

I judge politicians and other leaders by their conduct on the job. Thus, I do not disqualify Governor Sanford for suitability for office on the basis of marital fidelity.

What gives me pause, however, is his on-the-job conduct. He abandoned his state and his responsibilities without giving his staff or his security detail a way to reach him. What if there had been a public emergency in which his counsel was required? I don't necessarily fault Governor Sanford for taking a personal trip to Argentina, but I do fault him for not leaving contact information with his staff and security detail. I am also concerned about Governor Sanford's continuing interviews about his personal affairs-- these do nothing to inspire confidence. South Carolinians will have to make their own determinations as to whether the Governor's on-the-job conduct warrants his resignation.

I feel compassion for Governor Sanford, Mrs. Sanford, Ms. Chapur and their families, as marital and romantic problems afflict many. As to the Governor's recent job performance, I am more critical than sympathetic.

If one cannot lead himself, can he lead others? Does leadership include leading by example?

Yonkers, New York
01 July 2009

Why is governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina "unfit for command?"

The clear answer is that the good people of South California would [and should] feel terribly betrayed by a governor who is guilty of the crime of "moral turpetude" and who besides is a high-profile hypocrite.

Is he the kind of leader the people of South Carolie, especially the youth, can look up to for good, capable and virtuous leadership?

Of course not. The sooner he recovers his senses and resigns, the better it will be for himself, his family, his staff, the Republican party and the good people of his state.

Mariano Patalinjug

When it comes to questioning Sanford's leadership qualities one can't overlook the fact that he didn't seem to be concerned with leaving the country for days at a time without giving any indication where he was. He illustrated his unsuitability to lead by being MIA when South Carolinians were enduring the worst wildfires in that state's history several years ago. It took days for him to pop up. Forget the girlfriend, or girlfriends, he has no conscience and seems to have forgotten why he was elected in the first place.

Sanford's issue is not about sex, but all about leadership judgment, which he lacks.
His recent trip to Argentina, while pretending he was hiking in the Appalachians was an abdication of responsibility, and showed a dismaying lack of judgment.
That is why he is not fit to lead the state I live in.
He should resign as soon as possible.
I am a Republican.

I wish we get beyond the reproductive track when we talk about morality. How about the morality concerning our care of our neighbor and the care of the environment, truthfulness and on and on. I care little about the Gov's sexual peccadillos I worry about his refusal to aid out of work citizens in his state. Finally as a leader I just don't see much backbone in this whiney, blubbering, wimpish man.

Can he be a good leader when he is so grossly immature? He is speaking (and acting) as a very hormonal immature 13 year old in their first infatuation would.

I don't care that he fooled around, he's not my husband thank goodness, and greater majority lie about an affair when they get caught -- but it is the frightening degree of immaturity he has shown since he as come 'clean' over it -- she's my true love, my soul mate, I'm trying to fall back in love with my wife ....

He has shown himself to be a ridiculous man-child.

It's more the deceit. Not unlike Bill Clinton, when he stood in front of the TV cameras and looked straight into the lens and lied to us. Mr. Sandford willingly gave up his family,career and his integrity for love. Now he is free do live with it.

Every analysis I've read is wrong.
Sanford is trying to bolster up his bonafides for 2012. Some genius over at the Republican party has convinced everyone else that the only way to beat Obama, the youthful sex symbol, is to appeal to the now younger voting base by being sexually active and not a stodgy old Republican..get it? They are wrong again. Obama is appealing because he stands for things people aspire to be, and is not filandering and abusive.

Leader?

This dude is weird.

Soul-mate? If you are mutually engaged in deceit and lies then I suppose he is envisioning a certain kinship. But soul-mate, no that's impossible, neither of them have one.

Why is Sanford unfit for command you ask?

First, that's a strange way to put it. The citizens of his state are supposed to be commanding him, not the other way around.

Most importantly, anyone, him included, that gets elected riding a moral high horse and is subsequently de-saddled by a low hanging branch can't function with a compound fracture of the hypocrisy bone. That's why.

The nitwits who vote for Republicans on the basis of "family values" have a lot of examples where they've been duped. At some point, even the dimmest of wit is going to start wondering why they invest so much confidence in these sanctimonious frauds.

And to think this character is now trying to spin this into some sort of tragic love story -- meanwhile admitting this isn't the first trollop he's shacked up with during his "sacred" marriage.

Simple, Sanford should pack his bags and take the next plane for Argentina.

I for one am sick of the self-righteous, hypocritical rhetoric from these Christian right-wind, neo-cons.

Sanford is a disgrace to his family and state, his wife should cut his balls off.

While having an extramarital affair does not preclude all ability to lead, it does hamper trust and judgement. If one does not have the moral fiber and discipline to be true to his wife and family, then one certainly has a proclivity to display poor judgement in other areas of temptation - bribes, favours and coverups, to name a few.

Marital infidelity in and of itself is not a problem in a leader.

However, it is a problem when it's clandestine; as the participants are subject to coercion from the other party, or a third party. Blackmailing a politician that someone has the goods on is not in the best interests of the public; and anyone who would allow themself to be placed in such a position is definately not a good leader.

Furthermore, the use of government resources to conduct such an affair is stealing from the tax payers. Doesn't matter if it's out in the open or hidden; it is indicative of a person who doesn't care about the people who he is supposed to represent or lead. And again, definately not fit to lead.

Give me a leader who is 100% open about his or her extramarital affairs and has a valid reason for them. (Current spouse is frigid, has a sexual disease, is too infirm, can't travel, muslim or mormon fundamentalist polygamist, etc.) Just as long as he or she properly provides for the needs of the spouse and his or her children. Affairs are never a valid reason to neglect your children.

Doesn't it demonstrate a person who is willing to lie to get and do what he wants, regardless of the trust a bond implies? Is marriage such a different issue that breaking the bond doesn't stand as a valid reason to withdraw trust? If a woman politician did the same exact things, what would be said about her and what would the outcome be? Or are women an exception to "the exception"?

Even if he had kept his brains in his pants, Mark Sanford was anything but a leader.

Let's get some statistics .Surely it can't be true,but I had heard that 90% of US males are unfaithful at times.If that is even close to the truth,then that would include a lot of the self-righteous MEDIA,
& probably a lot of commenters.
From Jefferson to Kennedy,to Roosevelt
to Eisenhower to Clinton ,to Edwards ,to Sanford,polititions have ERRED.It doesn't
diminish their ability to do their jobs.
Frankly, I do not condone such behavior,
but I do not want to hear about it.
They are not elected to be Saints.
I would rather have had Kennedy in charge of the Cuban Missile Crises than a fine family man like Obama,who would probably
have met the Russians with a kumbaya
seranade.
Marital fidelity does not equate with
statesmanship & leadership.
From what I understand,only God (Jesus)
has the authority to JUDGE,so their private lives are none of our business.

umm, because he is a liar? because he shows incredibly bad judgement? because he betrays those closest to him? Because his word can't be trusted? because people in leadership are held to a higher standard? jeez, you have to ask why?

The self-indulgence Mr.Sanford is exhibiting is the most troubling part for me. The adultery is Mrs. Sanford's cross to bear.

You guys are jealous. This is none of your business. 40% of people cheat on their spouses in all walks of life and still do their jobs.

find something else to talk about it. You guys are hyprocritical and jealous. We know that you wish that you had an Argentenian lover instead of the fat slob that you are watching Shrek 3 with along with your four brats.

MYOB

Thomas Jefferson, Franklin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Bill Clinton, Teddy Kennedy, the mayor of Los Angeles, the mayor of San Francisco, ...the list could go on and on.

What we need to examine is ourselves. Why do we churn these stories over and over, debated endlessly, while public corruption gets so little notice.

Read the front page today about Senator Inouye and his banking deal. Or the recent allegations of insider trading by members of Congress. Or the corrupt dealings of John Murtha and his family.

Public corruption is much more destructive to the nation than private and yet it gets a 'ho-hum' from the public and the media.

Sanford's infidelity may be indicative of his trustworthiness to his wife, but not to his ability to govern. But as long as Republicans like Sanford make "family values" part of their campaign, and a factor in laws they support, infidelity should matter. He needs to resign.

The cornerstone of any relationship (personal, business, society) is TRUST and since trust involves character (being constant) and competence (being situational). As a Leader you have to be trustworthy. The real question is whether or not Sanford is trustworthy? Whether or not we should impeach a leader (like Sanford) base on a character flaw depends largely on the leader’s ability to restore trust once it has been lost. How Sanford handles this situation will reveal whether or not he is a Leader or a façade…

If the bloggers had the brains god gave a billygoat, and knew anything about SC government, they would instantly know that the governor of SC is powerless, that all power rests with the legislature -- that having to do with the Colonial years and British rule that offended SC people so -- and to even suggest he can or cannot "lead" is a ridiculous topic. Governors in SC do not lead; they cut ribbons for photo ops. As for Sanford himself, he could not lead a two-man parade.

Mr. Sanford's relationship with his sex partners is of no interest or consequence to me (or frankly his constituents). If he enjoys consentual adult sex with women, men, or animals is really irrelevant, despite the tabloid mentality of our nation, including this newspaper. He should, however, be held to task for simply abandoning his post for nearly a week. This is the crux of the responsibility question, and this is what appears to make Mr. Sanford unfit for office. When a public official feels that he or she can simply disappear for a week without contact or consequence, that person has failed to live up to the most basic principle of any job---- You have to show up.

I have been with many women. If I, and two of them, or more, wanted to be together in a bond of matrimony it would be against the law in the "land of the free." What right does the state have to qualify how many individuals can engage in solemn obligations before God? I am alone. Many of the women I have been with may be alone. Would it have been better for me to have been with any number of them and what business is that of anyone else? I lived with two women once. That was legal, but if the three of us decided we wanted to stay together as a team and wanted to marry that would have been, and is, against the law. Governor Sanford has a problem. He has two women. It should not be out of the question for him to be wed to both. There are those who believe it is most correct that only one man and one woman be wed; and others who believe that having multiple partners is okay. Should we not all be permitted to do as we believe in our multicultural society with varying beliefs and varying practices anyway? Is there a lesson to be learned here? Is there debate and dialogue to be engaged? I know I am rocking the boat. Rock on! Samuel Margolies - Las Vegas

The real issue is the never ending stream of conservative politicians who spend years demonizing liberals, gays, hollywood etc. etc. for their sinful sex lives while sneaking around in airports, hotel rooms and now other countries doing the same things and worse. I believe that many arch social conservatives take to hard line moral stands and religion because our society has created such powerful stigmas and value judgements about the whole issue of sex. The Grand Old Party should be renamed the Repressed Old Party. I love the line from Hamlet " The lady (man) doth protest too much, methinks". All these republicans who forever rail against all things related to sex are probably afraid of and trying to compensate for their own seething desires.

those raising the issue of morality as a litmus test for political office are trying to divert attention from Sanford's dereliction of duty and use of state funds (likely to a much larger degree than has been reported to date)for purely personal and, yes, questionable aims.

No one is perfect and one should be cut some slack when he/she strays from the straight and narrow; but Sanford's "sins" are about his public duty and oath and not his overactive libido; let's all stay focused!

those raising the issue of morality as a litmus test for political office are trying to divert attention from Sanford's dereliction of duty and use of state funds (likely to a much larger degree than has been reported to date)for purely personal and, yes, questionable aims.

No one is perfect and one should be cut some slack when he/she strays from the straight and narrow; but Sanford's "sins" are about his public duty and oath and not his overactive libido; let's all stay focused!

the affair was simply the VEHICLE that exposed his inability to lead.

until then he had us ALL fooled.
his infidelity he can work out with his God and then his wife.

his LACK of leadership has been solidified:::: forget what he did during his failure, but that REMEMBER he took off... HE TOOK OFF AND LEFT A STATE HE PROMISED TO PROTECT IN THE LURCH!

my three-year-old would say, PFFFFFFFF! NO!

AND IF I MIGHT ADD:

he didnt just take off for a day without calling. he took off for almost a WEEK!!!

is there a single person out there who can say an adult with his first job doesnt know better than a simple thing like that?

in essence he said, "this woman is more important that you guys back home and please dont bother me about it. i'll get to you when i'm good and ready." IMO.

WHY do we have to settle for nonsense like that?

another testament to his lack of leadership is his stubborness not to step down. why would you put your state thru more of this? GO!!!!

i really liked sanford but right is right and there needs to be a clear message sent here - not just for upcoming politicans but its the least we can do in helping to show his children that this is not acceptable behavior.

I believe that having a sexual affair is not as bad as being a hypocrite. I particularly disdain people who critized President Clinton while they themselves were having extramarital affairs but had not yet been exposed. I believe hypocrisy is a common practice among evangelical leaders, politicians, and probably among a large percent of the general population who decry extramarital affairs.

Argentinian women are hot. I know because I lived there.
American women are confrontational, spoiled, and for the most part fat.

Can you blame the governor?
Now since he has been a typical moralizing Repub I think he should be removed for his hypocrisy.
As far as taste in women goes he should be complimented.

If I were him I would leave everything in the US behind and start living in Buenos Aires. Trust me Buenos Aires is much nicer than Charleston SC. lol

This guy is a straight pimp. I admire his frankness, although I'm certain his spouse does not admire that another woman is his soul mate. Wow! I thought you were supposed to profusely apologize - publicly and privately to your spouse if you're caught cheating - not tell them and the world how the other half is your soul mate.

I think most Americans see Sanford as another "Ho Hum, he screwed up" phenomenon. What I and many others object to has been his moralizing and finger-pointing since Clinton was in office and facing impeachment. True, Sanford went to NY and Argentina for trysts; easier to forget his four sons left behind that way. From where I am, in the Midwest, Sanford doesn't appear to be much of a leader, with or without Ms Argentina.Leaving his state for 5 days, rejecting stimulus money earlier, when his state has one of the worst school systems in the U.S.----these are not signals of leadership but rather of narcissism and narrow focus. One apology to the public and then some quiet soul-searching and BEGGING his wife to take him back would have been more dignified. What a louse; I think he is fascinated with Maria and likes to talk about her, to hell with the consequences. So the rest of the country has to put up with this? So GLAD Mrs. Sanford didn't adopt the sorrowful victim stance of Mrs. Vitter, et al.

Go back to before his disappearance - the legislature of South Carolina took the stimulus money for the people of the state after Sanford refused it. Did that cause him to run to the arms of his mistress so she could console him?

Face it - he abandoned the people of his state who depend on him for leadership. Dereliction of duty - no other words for it.

In the current climate of rich screwing the rich, let him go play the game, but get him out of office. Career change time.

who cares about the affair. that's between him and his soon to be ex-wife.

he used public money to finance his trip, and he left his office for a week and no one knew how to reach him.

done... ballgame!

if he wanted to stay in office, he would have pulled a Parris Glendening (Democrat Governor of MD in the 90's) and divorced his wife, announced his lover, gone on a week long vacation to see her, then married her and brought her back to the governors mansion... pregnant.

Glendening got away with it because he was never part of "promise keepers" or the "moral majority". He said his wife was frigid and went and married his younger, hotter, aide.

Once again, it's the hypocrisy. Can you trust a person to lead when he makes a big deal about morality and family values, and then engages in behavior that is the antitheses of what he's been moralizing on about? Can we safely assume that his dishonesty will not also manifest itself in other areas of his life?

I'm not really concerned about anyone's sex life. I'm concerned about hypocrisy, dishonesty and bad judgement.

Leader?

This dude is weird.

Soul-mate? If you are mutually engaged in deceit and lies then I suppose he is envisioning a certain kinship. But soul-mate, no that's impossible, neither of them have one.

It is not the affair. It is the public statement filled with lies and crying and the blabber mouthing which was so humiliating to his family, that makes him unqualified to continue to lead. This man's actions over the last week make me believe he may be having a nervous breakdown. In any case, he was clearly rejecting and running away from his career and family when he went rushing down to South America to be with his Maria. He should have just stayed in Argentina.

It's not a matter of what he did behind closed doors, that's for Jenny and Mark to settle out. What spoils it is his utter inability to do his job. The people of SC did not elect him to go out of the country and LIE to everyone, fail to inform his Lt. Governor, and think that this is OK. He swears an oath to lead the citizens of SC so help him God, not to abandon the state for 6 days to scratch an itch. Jenny should run for Governor, she was the brains behind the operation and clearly more of a man than he'll ever be. Wonder what it is like rasing 5 boys....

This is one of the silliest, most irrevlant topics ever at this website. Having an affair has absolutely nothing to do with leadership skills. Look at General Eisenhower's superb leadership, in military and diplomatic areas, as commander of Anglo-American forces in Europe during World War II. Having a reckless private sex life, with numerous affairs, did not hinder President Kennedy's wise judgment during the Cuban missile crisis or otherwise seem to interfere with his duties.

Publicly lying about an affair shows poor character traits, but does not necessarily prevent a president or leader from exercising sound judgment.

Well, surely there are other "leaders" who run off with their mistresses. Maybe that's just what "leaders" are like?

Give me a break - a ridiculous question about Sanford and leadership. Although, let me think now. Oh yes, I got it - he leads with his hormones.

Having a problem here, pick a fight over the stimulus package when you can't afford scrutiny?

She's his political advisor, and she's jumped ship?

He's still mooning in the tv cameras about how he will go to his grave knowing he's met his soul mate?

He's convinced this is in the end, a love story, tragic and sad, but a love story, and by the way, citing biblical references the whole way, going to do his best to fall in love with his wife all over again?

He is not stable, she is not stable....I don't think what SC does can possibly bother the rest of the US - Lots of judgemental twits anyway...

The man is unfit to serve in any public capacity. He is irresponsible and takes his public trust as his right. He should seek psychiatric help as he has severe mental problems. I feel sorry for his wife and kids. She should file for divorce, and clean out his closet.

test test test

WE have so few leaders today. Most of the people in leadership roles are controlled by the campaign money that they can collect. It would be refreshing if there was someone who said what they thought and the hell with the big campaign dollars. but if that happened, they would never get elected. so sad but true.

Deborah Kolb's article in the Washington Post Business Section of July
5 is reprehensible, abhorrent and disgusting.

Her despicable misandry brings shame to American academia and to Simmons.

I urge the appropriate academic disciplinary and oversight committees
at Simmons to denounce and repudiate Deborah Kolb for the vicious evil
that she advocates.

The standard that formerly applied only to Caesar's wife is rightly met by Caesar, too - not for morality's sake but out of respect for the electorate and the dignity of the office.

Unless a politician makes his or her personal life a part of the election, uses it to garner votes, then their personal life has little to do with good governance. Roast the hypocrite, but leave the rest alone. None of our founding fathers were saints, but they did a pretty good job of setting up a country. Where would we be if Jefferson had been outed for his affair with Sally Hemings? George Washington visited his slaves for "favors", and ran the largest distillery in the area, using liquor to buy votes was standard practice. There are many examples of good governance occurring with less than perfect private lives.
That said, using public money to finance your private affairs is stepping over the line.