I am continually befuddled by the fact that Americans judge a politician’s ability to govern (and deservingness of office) far more harshly by what he does in his personal life than the actual track record of his career. The obvious comparison is between the Clinton and Bush presidencies. How is it possible that an entire party of senators and representatives could have spent months calling for, and almost succeeding in the impeachment of a president who damaged his personal life and marriage, but an opposition party was too afraid to display the same boldness against a president who wrecked the lives of hundreds of millions, and who endangered the very foundations of our nation—economy, security, and liberty.
But none of that seems to matter. No, what gets Americans really worked up is a good old-fashioned sex scandal. Never mind that who a president, governor, senator or representative sleeps with has no actual bearing on how he does his job. I wouldn’t care if Barack Obama had a harem, I would still rather have him and the policies he supports than the most straight-laced right-winger in the White House.
However, there exists this dangerous belief in American politics that governing is really more about the person than the ideologies that person supports and espouses. Its evident every election cycle when the media analyzes the seemingly perennial question, “who would you rather have a beer with?” Who gives a shit is the logical response. If the president is an asshole who is excellent at running the country, then let’s put an asshole in the White House…
Just look at the majority of the media coverage of Sanford. It has focused mainly on the details of his affair. But what about the fact that he abandoned his post as governor without telling anyone where he was going for 7 days? Mark Sanford should resign as South Carolina Governor, not because he cheated on his wife, but because he went AWOL from his job and was irresponsible with the office he was elected to.
