Subscribe to Breaking NewsWithers: Another sex scandal? So what?
I know how the game is supposed to play. Show some moral outrage. Be shocked and appalled that Gov. Mark Sanford, a Republican who had no problem voting against gay adoption when he was a U.S. senator congressman and was unequivocal in his opposition to gay marriage, got caught in some marital scandal. If I were a teenager still in the afterglow of a “Catcher in the Rye” high (I loathe that book), then indignation at hypocrisy would be called for. However, I haven’t seen my teenage years since Brothers Johnson ruled the radio.
The Sanford scandal is boring. Sure some of the details are rather juicy (seems to me he could have planned his Argentina trip with a smidgen more subterfuge), but infidelity is as common as dirt. As for the pretense, like Big Daddy noted that’s part of the human condition and I really can’t get bent out of shape when there is a glaring distinction between what a pol espouses and how she actually lives her life. That is not newsworthy, yet we as voters clutch the pearls when a politician admits some hot mess most of us have engaged in. No need to worry. I’m not sharing your secrets. And if you have been faithful to your lovah please don’t announce how you are a better spouse than Sanford.
This episode didn’t change my opinion about Sanford and I’m sure those getting the most pleasure out of his fall never gave him a dime or a vote. I would rather spend time critiquing his anti-adoption stance instead of getting some perverse pleasure out of failings that we all share.
You’re much too kind. He’s a homophobe, a bigot, and a lying hypocrite. I hope his whole life is ruined. He deserves it.
Perhaps some might let the irony of a Republican being caught in the destruction of his marriage, but I don’t.
These people have the audacity to tell me what marriage is about, yet they can’t seem to keep their own doorstep clean.
Ever heard the phrase “Phsycian heal thy self?”
This man and his party have taken every opportunity to inflict suffering on innocent people in the name of their morals.
I don’t find his reckoning and destruction the least bit juvinile.
Thank you for yet another judgemental damning of the gay community James.
Are you sure you’re not heterosexual?
Didn’t make my opinion favorable–which is the only way it COULD change. Didn’t like him; didn’t trust him; still don’t!
I feel Gov. Sanford deserves forgiveness and compassion for his human feelings: but deserves CENSURE for his “public double standards”.
Withers Said:
“I would rather spend time critiquing his anti-adoption stance”
And yet you’ve dedicated three paragraphs to telling us all how his affair is not an issue. You really are an odd little man.
I don’t care about his affair. What I care about is the hypocrisy. He presumes to tell the world that marriage is a sacred institution between a man and a woman, and then craps all over that institution. I can accept opinions on the sanctity of marriage from people who genuinely treat it as a sacred institution, and even if I disagree with those opinions I will respect their legitimacy, but I will never tolerate anyone trying to dictate what they think marriage should be if they are unable or unwilling to live up to those standards.
As for getting “perverse pleasure out of failings that we all share”, speak for yourself. I’ve been with my husband for eight years, never cheated, never considered cheating, and I have always respected the sanctity of our marriage, even though our government doesn’t recognise the union. These are not failings we all share, Mr Withers. Some of us actually have values and live by them. I’m sorry you don’t.
Oooh, you’re so cool, so adult and above it all. Gee, I hope I can grow up and be like you some day. But how can you critique his anti-gay adoption stance without taking his own sexual hypocrisy into account? You just don’t make sense sometimes. Too busy being a cool dude??
What a waste of space this column is. I am certainly not surprised to discover that this “family values” pol who glories in the “sanctity of marriage” is a hypocrite, but please let us enjoy the moment. Hypocrites deserve to have their hypocrisy bite them in the butt. I am now listening to CNN replaying old clips of him calling for President Clinton’s resignation for his affair with Lewinsky. I love the irony, and don’t need your fake moral superiority any more than I need Sanford’s.
Now if Sanford had been caught with a male, the vitriole and hatred coming from the far right would have been deafening and would be used to advance their anti-gay equality agenda. They’re a disgusting bunch of psychopathic liars, hypocrites and bigots. Note how the religious cults have remained silent on this one. Has anyone ever connected the dots…all of these cults vote for republicans
He was a U.S. epresentative not a U.S. senator.
He has been anti-gay on adoption AND he has this sex scandal. All of his history is relevant. We can’t pick and choose who someone is by not looking at all of who they are. History still happened and made them who they are even if we try not to see it to our own detriment.
Mark,
Thanks for the correction. Just changed it.
Sincerely,
James
I do not care that Governor Sanford had an extra-marital affair, I do care that this same man has espoused “family values” as his political platform. This man MADE his career by preaching to the conservative christians. He has been a dangerous man to have so much power. (The fact that he tried to keep S.C. from getting federal stimulas money had less to do with him sticking to traditional Republican values and more to do with pandering to a small base nationally; thereby demonstrating that he cares little for the constituents of his own state.)
The fact that this man has used political power to try to take away rights and discriminate against the gay community on the basis of ‘family values’ is the reason this affair is important. This hypocrisy should be highlighted as often as possible. Primarily because it has the capacity to disillusion people in the worth of those traditional values and enable some to see the other side of the argument, our side.
The affair itself and, although humorous, how anchors like Keith Olberman have picked apart his personal love letters should be no concern of ours. I do not believe in fidelity exactly, but I do believe if you make a commitment of fidelity than you should hold yourself to it, no matter what. And when someone like Sanford has used infidelity as a political lightening rod, he just about deserves whatever he gets, from his wife and from voters.
Yeah Im GLAD that the media isnt letting him get away with this one. What a disgusting hypocrit. It’d be one thing if this waste of flesh actually stuck to his words about gays and was really ‘holier-than-thou’, but he hasn’t.
Im glad people are raising a stink. He deserves it for being a self-righteous, power-mongering asswipe.
BTW, Catcher in the rye is my favorite book and im still a teen. =/
Ah, yes, another of the same group that preach hate against Gays, Lesbians and protecting the sanctity of marriage, meanwhile screwing their pants off with any little sweet heart that comes along that bears no resemblance to their wives! They call this honouring their marriage vows, yeah right! Maybe on a fantasy planet named “hypocrite”!!!
One by One…they all fall!!! Those that protest the loudest are usually those with the most to “hide” and right now it is the “most verbal right wingers.” Personally I am glad this is coming out…there will be more, just wait and see…times’ they are a changin’ —
Again I agree (I think this is the second or third time!). It’s boring. I don’t care what he does with his private life. I don’t think it makes him a better or worse politician (I mean they all pretty much lack any sort of moral fiber regardless of which side of the isle they’re on).