Wednesday, June 24, 2009

A.W.O.L.

Well, talk about character. Or lack thereof. Governor Mark Sanford, (R-SC) disappeared for a week. Since nobody knew where he was, and he hadn't handed authority over to his Lt. Governor, essentially, the state of South Carolina was without a Governor. The people of South Carolina were lucky that nothing really big happened requiring his attention and/or emergency action. If, like John Stewart, you're shrugging your shoulders... it's just South Carolina... that's an attitude you can afford only if you don't live there.
Anyway, initially it was reported that he was in the Appalachian Mountains. Hiking. Just getting away from it all. But, unless international flights use the Appalachian Trail as a runway, that obviously wasn't it. 'Cause when he returned, he stepped off a flight from Argentina. That's where he was while he was AWOL. He was "visiting" a woman with whom he was having an affair. Like that's not bad enough, this guy is not only married, but he and his wife have 4 sons. And, even if he and his "friend" have a child together, you'd think he'd consider postponing his visit to Argentina until after Father's Day, in order to spend it with his (first) 4 kids, wouldn't you?
I may be in the minority here, but to say that I'm disappointed would be a gigantic understatement. But putting my disappointment and my reasons for it aside, I know what's usually the response to this "kind of thing": "I don't care about his personal life." Well, guess what!? I DO. Read my previous post where I talked about Integrity and Character.
Putting those two things aside, if that's possible, I have to wonder what was he thinking? Of course, that's assuming he was using the brain that's in his skull, attached to his neck, not the one... well... Whatever. Anyway, what is with these politicians who somehow think they can even have a public life? They don't call it "public" service for nothing. (As for the "service" part, well, that's a subject for another time.) When you decide to run for an office, if you are so naive and uninformed as to think otherwise, you would be well-advised to look for a future elsewhere.
Of course, now he says he's sorry. Now he says the affair is over. Now he wants the whole world to know that he didn't mean for this to happen... that it started out as an innocent, "dear friends" email relationship. And, according to him, it was only because when you're in politics where everything is fodder for the evening news, you can't talk to people about what's going on. For fear it'll be spread around, I suppose. I'm sorry, but isn't that one of the "perks" of having a husband or wife... you have someone to talk to that you can trust to keep your secrets?
Unless that secret is a mistress, of course. In that case, I'm pretty sure that's not something most wives would want to sit down and chat about over a cup of coffee, is it??

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