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Whoa, boy. Gov. Mark Sanford's press conference was various shades of uncomfortable. After disappearing for a few days, the South Carolina Republican turned up on television to explain that -- no, the Appalachian trail "ain't where [he] went" -- yes, he was off cavorting in Argentina -- and, by the way, the jaunt had something to do with an extramarital affair. Sanford apologized to all of the usuals: his wife, his kids, the people of South Carolina. He was candid about the relationship, even offering details that were, by his own admission, unnecessary. He had sinned in the eyes of God, and now he is willing to accept responsibility for his actions.So, will his apology have it's intended effect? That is, is his political career not completely and absolutely shot?Last year, Sam Boyd offered some hints on how to craft a political apology in reaction to Sen. David Vitter's affair:
The admission of guilt should ... explain what exactly the offense was. ... In most cases, the public knows what the politician did wrong; avoiding naming the offense undermines the admission of guilt, which is essential for a credible apology.Excuses are another way of denying guilt, and therefore undermine apologies. Apologizing while blaming drug addiction or upbringing is as common in political apologies as it is counterproductive. ...Finally, an apology should be prompt -- ideally coming before the public learns of the misbehavior or, if the transgression was public, as soon as possible after it occurred.Sanford may have been upfront, but was this too little, and too late? Is the total weirdness of the situation just too much to overcome?--Alexandra Gutierrez
