If you felt a tinge of déjà vu when South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford stood in front of news cameras this week and admitted to an extra-marital affair, it might be because you saw a different version of the same story just two weeks ago when Nevada Senator John Ensign admitted to the same kind of indiscretion.
Unlike the Spitzer affair and others, their wives spared us the painful moments of standing next to them as these two apologized and asked for forgiveness.
On the trail
At first the Sanford story seemed a bit like nosey press following a guy who needed a break. He had a spat with the state legislature over how to spend federal stimulus money—Sanford wants to retire state debt; the legislature wants to spend the money on education and other programs. But the Appalachian-Trail-trip-turned-Argentina-getaway quickly became a major mess not just for Sanford and his family but for the Republican Party.
Are we really talking about the 2012 election?
Both Ensign and Sanford were viewed as short-list Republican contenders for the 2012 presidential election, and news of the affairs is a setback to the party as it tries to redefine itself after the huge Democratic win in the 2008 campaign.
In addition to being rumored as a possible running-mate for John McCain last year, Sanford gained national attention this year for publicly opposing Obama’s $700 billion federal stimulus bill. He was also chairman of the Republican Governors Association, though he resigned from that position on Wednesday.
Ensign had already made the requisite “I might be running but then again maybe not” pre-campaign swing through Iowa this year, prompting speculation that he would run for the President. He was also chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, a post he resigned from after announcing his affair.
The big picture
It seems so early to be talking about 2012 but as you’ll recall we started writing about the last election a well ahead of the actual contest itself! Having these two young-ish, rising stars—whose names were often mentioned together as if on a ticket—knocked off the ladder is a real blow. If Republicans want to be organized heading into 2012 they’ll likely need to start identifying serious contenders in the next year. Some of the names you might see surfacing are Mitt Romney, Charlie Crist and Jeb Bush. And, of course, there’s always Sarah Palin.
My first thought upon hearing this story was "Is adultery the new normal?". It feels as if there is almost an inevitability of it among certain segments, particularly men in powerful positions. I don't think there is evil intent in deciding to embark on an affair, but it seems as if there is an addictive element that causes otherwise intelligent people to make decisions that are continually not in their best interests.
Posted by: Brittany | June 28, 2009 at 07:49 PM