Sanford resignation would end Democrats' giddiness

An old Democratic hand I talked with recently was giddy over Sanford staying in office so that the Democratic Party would have Sanford to punch around next fall in the statewide elections. There is serious debate going on within the Democratic Party about what to do about Mark Sanford. According to various sources, some contend that impeaching Mark Sanford would do enough damage to the SC GOP and give the Democrats an upper hand next fall. Others believe that the GOP standing by Sanford enough to keep him in office will be even more devastating next fall.

One man could end the debate within the Democratic Party and within the Republican Party. If Mark Sanford had the courage to resign his office, he would disarm the South Carolina Democratic Party as it licks its political chops for next fall. The Democrats remain giddy because it appears that Mark Sanford does not have the sense to remove himself and his personal issues from the scene so that his party can campaign on issues and not on him in 2010.

A few weeks ago, VUI called for Mark Sanford to resign as Governor. The call was not made in personal animosity as Governor Sanford and his remaining supporters have suggested such calls were. It was made because the staff of VUI understands political realities. As we pointed out, the longer Mark Sanford remained governor, the more embarrassing the details and digging the press would do. Since that call, Mark Sanford gave his embarrassing “soul mate” interview; his plane travel is under high scrutiny, and Jenny Sanford made not so subtle digs at Sanford and his lover in a Vogue magazine interview. Such things not only hurt the image of the South Carolina Republican Party, but the image of South Carolina itself, in a time in which South Carolina is struggling to create jobs for its people.

The honorable and right thing for Mark Sanford and, yes, even Jenny Sanford to do, is to exit the public stage. As stated a few weeks ago, if Sanford resigned as Governor, he could work on his private life more privately, and South Carolina and the South Carolina Republican Party could get back to business. The longer Sanford remains in office, the more the press and the bloggers will dwell on his personal life, his travel issues, and colorful things like where his lover is. Mrs. Sanford can keep feeding that as well with her own campaign in the press.

However, if the Sanfords left the scene, they could possibly one day rehabilitate their public images. It happened on a bigger scale in 1974. Richard Nixon believed until the day he died that he did nothing really wrong in regards to Watergate. However, in August of 1974, Nixon had the sense and, yes, even the sense of personal love of country and honor, to resign the most powerful office in the world so that his country would be spared more scandal and division. There are those who contend there would have been no Reagan election in 1980 had Nixon fought to the bitter end. Nixon saved his country a longer ordeal and saved the GOP from complete destruction by resigning. As a result, Nixon emerged in his elderly years as an elder statesman whose counsel was called upon. People bought Nixon's books.



Governor Mark Sanford faces a similar situation. Perhaps it is not fair or right in his eyes or in the eyes of his supporters that he faces resignation. However, the political realities are what they are. If Sanford stays on, he will hurt the Republican nominee in 2010, he will hurt the agenda he claims to care about so, and he will make himself a man who is remembered as small and petty. As members of the State House consider articles of Impeachment and the Democratic Party leadership tries to hide their collective giddiness, it falls on Mark Sanford to find the courage to shut all of that down by resigning his office and leaving the public scene.