When it was first confirmed that Gov. Mark Sanford had been located in Argentina, my first thought was that whatever he was doing was none of my business. My second thought was that when it comes to politicians, that usually means something pretty bad. As it turns out, Sanford had disappeared for several days because he was having an affair.
Politicians having affairs isn't shocking, especially given the divorce rate here in the land of traditional marriage. I suppose what's shocking to me is that we still engage in ritual moralistic hyperventilating whenever a politician is unfaithful. In some cases, outrage is warranted--such as when politicians try to legislate their personal views on morality, or when they use the infidelity of their political rivals against them even as they engage in similar behavior. Sanford, incidentally, is one of these people. But in such cases, outrage should be directed at the hypocrisy, rather than pearl-clutching fury about the very possibility that someone might cheat on their spouse.
Marital problems shouldn't be political fodder--unless the unfaithful individual has sought to make political hay of other people's private affairs. Personally, I don't care that Sanford was unfaithful to his wife--that's none of my business. What I don't understand is why he thinks other people's relationships -- particularly those of gay people -- are his business. Like Tim, my issues with Sanford are confined to his nutty political positions, like his opposition to the stimulus even as the unemployment rate in South Carolina skyrocketed. And like Dana, I suppose I'm glad for her that his wife wasn't forced to stand beside him in public while he copped to it.
As for whether this ends Sanford's political ambitions, I doubt it. In the long run when it comes to affairs, Republicans are pretty forgiving of their own. As long as the affair was heterosexual.
-- A. Serwer
