What a horrid affair, in more than one sense of the word.
As Philip
Klein points out, it is awful on so many levels. The
question is not, will Mark Sanford resign? It is, when will
he resign?
The affair and family betrayal are terrible. Add to that
betraying his staff and having them lie for him, looking foolish
in the process. And then abandoning his state duties,
leaving his security detail in the dark, and being out of touch
even for state emergencies, in order to fly to another
continent for sex. (Yes, he said he wanted to
break off the affair, but the story sounds no more plausible than
his hike along the Appalachian Trail.)
A politician can survive betraying his family. But betray
enough people, including the entire state's population, and you
become a figure of ridicule, unable to perform your
duties. How can he regain the credibility necessary to do
his job?
He's outta' there. The only question is when.
And if he has any decency left, he will resign
now. His family, whom he is putting through a
public horror show, needs all of him if there is any chance of
him making amends. His family should be his priority,
and it needs healing, which isn't likely to commence in the
glare of national publicity. His only decent
option is to quit now.
