You don't have to be one of South Carolina Mark Sanford's few remaining supporters or sympathizers (and I am neither) to recognize the following AP headline as ridiculously, sarcastically biased:
While this headline might make be good water cooler and late-night comedy fodder (perhaps that was the point?), it's more than a little unprofessional, and beyond that more than likely inaccurate.
To headline that Sanford is "cheating" is to assume that he still is. How does Seanna Adcox or anyone else at AP know that? If they do, they owe us new evidence.
That isn't to say that there isn't a lot of justification for wondering whether it was a good idea for Sanford to publish an open letter to his state's residents -- and of course, the rest of the world -- that moves from spiritual musings, to promises to do better with God's help (NOT, as implied in the AP's headline, passively having "God .... make him better"), to hope that a changed approach on his part will lead to a "far more productive last (legislative) session."
The full context of where the AP would claim to justify the "God will make him better" portion of its headline follows:
.... life is indeed about way more than public standing or political views, it's about recognizing that none of us are the arbiters of truth, that there are moral absolutes and that there is a God to whom we will all report for our actions.
My failure has been most glaring on this front, where no public apology can make wrong right. As a consequence, it is on this plane that I've grown the most over the past weeks - and where I'm committed to growing the most going forward.
I've been humbled and broken as never before in my life and, as a consequence, have given up areas of control in a way that I never have before - and it is my belief that this will make me a better father, husband, friend and advocate.
It's in the spirit of making good from bad that I am committing to you and the larger family of South Carolinians to use this experience to both trust God in his larger work of changing me, and from my end, to work to becoming a better and more effective leader.
Sorry, Seanna and AP, that passage doesn't justify the headline in what is supposed to be an objective report.
Additionally, for better or worse, Adcox's claim in her report's first paragraph that Sanford is "clinging to office" isn't supported by the content of the rest of her report. The best she has is this assertion:
Some lawmakers have called for Sanford to resign, and one state senator plans hearings on whether state money was used to facilitate the trysts. A criminal probe found nothing illegal.
Name That Party trackers should note that Adcox identified Sanford as a Republican in the third paragraph.
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.
—Tom Blumer is president of a training and development company in Mason, Ohio, and is a contributing editor to NewsBusters
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Comments Policy
Story designed to paint Sanford as a hypocrite
July 19, 2009 - 09:30 ET by nkviking75Having read the entire article, I think the whole thing was constructed to make Gov. Sanford look like a phony and a hypocrite. And he may well be, for all I know. For the MSM, there's nothing worse than a scripture quoting politician.
IMHO, Sanford would do well to resign and let the Lieutenant Governor serve out the remainder of his term. Sanford has a lot of personal issues to deal with. He owes his family more attention than he can give them while in office. And I'm sure the people of South Carolina would love to move on.
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
classy
July 19, 2009 - 09:34 ET by regimeofterrorStay classy AP, stay classy. Were the heck are all these layers of editors on this garbage?
Saddam Hussein and terrorism. Trying to tell the rest of the story at http://www.regimeofterror.com
Sanford
July 19, 2009 - 10:27 ET by iveseenitallThe more he talks, the more he gives fodder to the hypocrites on the left. Take a leaf from their playbook Mark and brazen your way through it. Clinton, Frank, Jefferson , Kennedy, Rangel, Turbo Tax Tim, et.al. never sincerely apologize, no matter what they've done. We'll probably see John Edwards run again.They have no shame. Keep your shame to yourself, forget flogging yourself in public. It's not appreciated, it's mocked.
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"
I Agree 100%
July 19, 2009 - 13:56 ET by BW222Sanford keeps digging himself in deeped, The $550,000 in travel expenses he racked up on flying first class or business class and staying at luxury hotels didn't help either.
We're just fortunate that Mark's idiocy came to the front now rather than during the 2012 election.
BW222
Amen ....
July 19, 2009 - 13:59 ET by Tom Blumer.... to that.
If
July 19, 2009 - 09:52 ET by jessieHIf you intend to question the liberals on anything, be shure there aren't any skeletons in your closet. They will find them & use it to destroy you. Liberals don't need facts, they have T.V. They can make up stories about you, and it's up to you to prove the stories are false. Just ask Sara Palin.
Acually, I'm just
July 19, 2009 - 10:04 ET by motherbeltAcually, I'm just surprised that they didn't put quotation marks around the word God.
Give 'em about ....
July 19, 2009 - 10:06 ET by Tom Blumer5 years.
What did the AP say...
July 19, 2009 - 10:25 ET by CobraManwhen Clinton talked about his "sin" of adultery during a White House prayer breakfast on August 17, 1998?
"But I believe that to be forgiven, more than sorrow is required - at least two more things. First, genuine repentance - a determination to change and to repair breaches of my own making. I have repented. Second, what my bible calls a ''broken spirit''; an understanding that I must have God's help to be the person that I want to be; a willingness to give the very forgiveness I seek; a renunciation of the pride and the anger which cloud judgment, lead people to excuse and compare and to blame and complain." Source
You can't get better much that that for mixing God and Sorrow. What Say Ye, AP?
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.
The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus.
The US Supreme Court
My "AP" version of Clinton's speach
July 19, 2009 - 10:40 ET by CobraManHere's my "AP" version of Clinton's speech, following the template they used in "reporting" Sanford's letter:
Clinton enlists God and Lawyers in Legal Battle.
During a speech at the White House prayer breakfast, President Clinton outlines his strategy to enlist God and Lawyers in his legal defense. After admitting that he has "repented", Clinton stated that he "must have God's help" and "my lawyers," along with "pastoral support," in order to "mount a vigorous defense" against the charges of perjury and obstruction of justice he now faces, charges that he claims are attempts to "blame and complain."
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.
The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus.
The US Supreme Court
Cobra... Clinton and what
July 19, 2009 - 15:56 ET by bigtimerCobra...
Clinton and what you have posted about came to my mind to while reading this.
Glad I read the posts here first...you said enough for me.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
Sanford
July 19, 2009 - 12:01 ET by Patriot IINot to condone what the Gov has done for one minute....but lets take a look at the difference between a liberal and a conservative....Sanford, admits his sin, apologizes and especially makes every attempt to make it up to his wife and kids.....Clinton now as an example, says "I didn't have sex with that woman" inspite of certain evidence......and he said "it depends on what your interpretation of is..is!" Explains the two groups to me! For those airheads that can't see the difference....I pity you!!!
I gotta get this off my
July 19, 2009 - 12:41 ET by danboI gotta get this off my chest.
Let's not play into libs creepy hands. Too often we fail to support those among us with whom we disagree. Or whom disappoint us. Too many of us sit back and don't go to the polls. As an example. Many right to lifers won't vote for Ruddy. Even though they'll agree with him on 85%.
I disagreed with Mc on 40% of what he said. But to not vote would help the man I disagree with 85% of the time.
When we won't support those who we're disappointed in, all the dems have to do is find the issue that will make us stay home. And they're looking. That's what they tried to do to Sarah. (And they whine about calling O by his middle name. Or ask to see his birth certificate.)
The democraic party honors a man who let a woman drown in his car, and never called for help. They defended a woman who may be guilty of rape. (They replied the statutes of limitations.) And they have the kahunas to lecture us when this man may have run around on his wife.
If we don't support each other; in 4 years we'll be whinning about Obama's re election.
Limited Disclosure: I used to belong to the Sierra Club untill they went crazier. Worse of all, I was bribed by Exxon with free New Orleans Saints glasses with fill ups in the 70's.