A couple of quick thoughts about our selfish, self serving and isolated Governor Mark Sanford. I think the contrast in tone and tenor between Sanford and fellow Republican Governors Schwarzenegger and Crist is stark. While Sanford campaigns to be the GOP Presidential nominee in 2012 and shores up support among die hard conservatives, Florida Governor Crist and California Governor Schwarzenegger are working to do what’s best for all of their residents. During a recent appearance on ABC’s “This Week” Schwarzenegger exhibited his stubborn determination to do what is best for the people of California saying he would press for health insurance coverage for all Californians, though it would require new taxes. “Even though it’s against your principles or philosophy,” Mr. Schwarzenegger said he believed office holders should “do what the people want you to do rather than getting stuck in your ideology.” In Florida, Governor Crist supported Obama’s stimulus package, appearing with the president to appeal for its passage. “There is a national leader, his name is President Obama, I think we do need to be bipartisan…we need to be, in fact, non-partisan.” The NY Times reports that Governor Crist took issue with the Republican governor’s criticism of the unemployment compensation funds. “In the past five weeks, I’ve visited six unemployment offices throughout Florida. I look into the eyes of these people and I understand the challenges are serious that they’re having to deal with, and I want to do everything I can to help them.”

Contrast Governor Crist’s pragmatic and empathetic actions to Governor Sanford’s response to a desperate man in South Carolina. During an appearance on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal, Sanford took a call from a Charleston resident who said he lost his job because he had been taking care of his seriously ill mother and sister. The caller told Sanford he is “wrong” to decline the money. “A lot of people in South Carolina are hurting. And if this money can come and help us out we need it.” In response Sanford offered his prayers, “Well I’d say hello to Charleston because its home and I’d say hello to this fellow this morning and say that my prayers are going to be with him and his family because it sounds like he is in an awfully tough spot.”
Watch the interview by clicking here…

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/02/23/sanford-prayers/

Are you kidding me? This poor man pours his heart out about losing his job because he’s caring for his mother and sister and you offer prayers and a shout out to Charleston? Is Sanford hopelessly out of touch, heartless, selfish, self-serving or some combination of all of these?

Still clinging to those conservative beliefs that only lazy people are homeless and jobless? Watch this Oprah episode about tent cities in America and if you aren’t scared and or depressed when you finish, call Governor Sanford, you may want to host his next fund raiser.

http://www.oprah.com/dated/oprahshow/oprahshow_20090218_recession