Governor Strays Off the Hiking Trail

Anyone that is familiar with hiking knows the rule of staying on the trail. South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, while supposedly hiking the Appalachian Trail, strayed off the trail and ended up in Argentina. See what happens when you break the rule. No one knew where he was. He was essentially missing and certainly not running the state in his abscence. Then the scandalous, sordid details emerged. Another politician in the throes of infidelity. And it gets worse. State funds are reported to have been used on at least one trip to Argentina that included a rendezvous with his love interest. Sanford has promised to reimburse the state, probably little comfort to his family.

Fellow Republicans are now calling for his resignation. He has no plans to resign in an apparent sign of arrogance. His political career is over and any future political aspirations have been hopelessly dashed.

There’s no doubt that Sanford is going to be a very ineffective leader of his state in the time he has left in office. It is in the best interest of South Carolina for Mark Sanford to resign. He can then try to reclaim some semblance of diginity and self-respect in privacy and out of the spotlight of public office.