Published: June 29, 2009 11:30 am      

Gov. Sanford should step down

The year was 1988 and it seemed to me as predictable as the sun rising in the east. Our next president was going to be Gary Hart. How could he not be? He was a young, good looking, articulate Senator. In my mind he had the aura of an 80s version JFK without the annoying Boston accent.

If there was ever someone who looked like he belonged in the White House, it was Gary Hart.

Then it happened. Someone caught wind of the fact the Senator might have been unfaithful to his wife. Mr. Hart took umbrage with this line of questioning, boldly telling inquisitive reporters if they thought he was having extramarital relations they could very well trail along behind him if they liked.

They liked.

What happened next was best summed up by one of Hart’s associates who said at the time that while Hart is an extremely sharp guy, it’s as if he has an “A” diode and a “B” diode in his brain that are supposed to connect, but do not.

Within a couple of days a reporter’s telephoto camera lens caught a young Donna Rice sitting on his lap as they rode a boat whose name, “Monkey Business,” made it clear it was more afloat in irony than water.

You can’t make it up.

Hart’s presidential stock plummeted and his campaign folded.

Last week South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford got into similar hot water. Though Sanford’s campaign for the presidency is nowhere near that of Sen. Hart (in fact, Sanford hasn’t even announced, but was thought to be considering a run), he should fold his political tent and go to the house.

Not that we expect our politicians to be pure as the driven snow. Perfection is a tough standard to live up to. Bill Clinton should have been thrown out on his ear for his despicable conduct with an intern, but then no one should have been surprised either. Though he should never have been elected in the first place, when he took office we all subconsciously suspected he was destined to be the Philanderer in Chief.

But it is too incongruous to make a great show of endorsing family values, as Gov. Sanford did, and then succumb to the dark side by allowing his libido to trump his common sense. The hypocrisy is too blatant to ignore.

But there is another strike against Mark Sanford. He too must be suspected of suffering from freely dangling “A” and “B” diodes in his brain. When one assumes governorship of a state, there are no true days off. One is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

It is just too loopy for a governor of a state to vanish and think no one will notice. In fact, it is downright irresponsible.

Sanford’s lack of judgment has undermined his relationship with his family, his state and his party. He should resign as governor for the good of all three.