Are Republicans And Conservatives Really Going To Embrace Mark Sanford?

See THIS is exactly what the GOP and conservatives need now...the rehashing of nut job Mark Sandford's history.

Sanford, who you'll recall famously "hiked the Appalachian Trail" which is as we all know is a euphemism for "cut out on my wife, kids an the state I'm Governor of to screw my mistress in Argentina". I think it makes more sense in Spanish but there you have it.

With Tim Scott's appointment to the Senate, Sanford sees this as a golden opportunity to get back on the public payroll. Some, including Erick Erickson, are even supporting this ridiculous notion.

I really don't care much about Sanford's marital infidelities. Stuff happens in life and people fail. I get that and I hope they and those they hurt can put their lives back together. What I have ZERO interest in rewarding or forgiving is a gross dereliction of public duty. Sanford wasn't some one in 435 member of the House when he had his personal crisis, he was the chief executive of a state. For better or worse, that's a 24/7/365 on call thing. You can't simply disappear and render yourself unavailable. That type of behavior permanently disqualifies from holing any office of public trust again. End of story.

Well it would be the end of the story except people seem to think having a "fiscal conservative" in office is the end all and be all. As Gabe pointed out on Twitter the other day, the notion that Sanford is a fiscal conservative is undermined by the fact he used tax funds to underwrite his dalliances. Sanford, now on a public rehab tour says he didn't do anything wrong and just paid the money to make it go away. Sure.

Then of course there's the politics of this. How great an advocate can Sanford be for fiscal conservatism when he's always going to be "that guy"? Sometimes a messenger is so flawed he hurts the message.

Sanford is right that people make mistakes and forgiveness is a noble thing. You can forgive a man his sins but you don't have to validate him or his choices with election to the House of Representatives.

posted by DrewM. at 10:26 AM

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