Sanford: I "failed mightily" in personal life, but not with taxpayers

Former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford. / William Thomas Cain

In an ongoing bid to rebuild his political reputation, congressional candidate and former Gov. Mark Sanford, R-S.C., argued in an interview with NBC this morning that while he has "failed mightily" in his personal life, most people will ultimately "fail at something" - and "the one place I didn't ever fail was with the taxpayers."

Sanford, whose career was derailed in 2009 after he got caught visiting his extramarital girlfriend in Argentina, is attempting to remake his political image as part of his bid for the seat vacated by Tim Scott in South Carolina's 1st Congressional District. Sanford held that seat from 1995-2001, and Scott was recently tapped to replace Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., who left the Senate to join a conservative think tank.

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"The reality of our lives is, if we live long enough, we're going to fail at something," he said in an interview with NBC's "Today." "I absolutely failed in my personal life and my marriage. The one place I didn't ever fail was with the taxpayers."

He said he has been on "something of a personal journey" through which he has learned that "ultimately our brokenness as human beings is ultimately our connection and that goes to a larger article of faith and a whole lot more."

Sanford also touted his conservative credentials, which he pointed to as evidence that he would work to "get our financial house in order," as "all too few" in Washington are actually trying to "take real action" about the nation's "spending problem."

"If you look at my 20 years in politics, what you would see is a fairly remarkable consistency in trying to watch out for the taxpayer," he said. "I was actually rated number one in the entire United States Congress by the National Taxpayers Union in efforts to try and reduce government spending. Rated number one in the entire U. S. Congress by citizens against government waste, rated the most fiscally conservative governor in America. "

Asked if his political bid was merely an effort to achieve redemption in the wake of his 2009 demise, Sanford said "I think that we all hope for redemption in our lives" but that his focus is on the economy.

Yesterday, Sanford released the first campaign ad of his congressional candidacy, appealing to "a God of second chances" while also arguing "none of us go through life without mistakes."

[hurtin4sertain]

So THAT'S what shameless looks like!

[signseeker1717]

Yeah, you're lookin' at it. The only thing bigger than his hypocrisy is his ego.

[AttilaThePlumber]

Another lying, lazy creep on the public teat !

I imagine the Republicans will be furious with him..... oh, I see..... he IS a Republican.

Never mind.

WWHPTJC?

(When Will He Play The Jesus Card ?)

[Martha12345]

With you background, perhaps you could get a job as Bill Chilton's intern.

[cntrygirl3]

So what happened to the lady from Argentina? Not that it matters, what does matter is he apparently did indeed misuse public funds, shirked his duty and ultimately quit his job as governor. And he really expects the South Carolina evangelical crazy republicans to vote for him. You got to marry the lady and wait a few years like Gingrich.

[josephp5]

And Gingrich's last campaign was a disaster! I suspect Gingrich knows that he will never get elected again, and ran just to increase his profile and therefore his speaking fees. Mark Stanford does not seem to have enough intelligence to realize that.

[talis4]

God, I LOVE right wing morons. They are a laugh a minute. I don't know if it's the hypocrisy, the perversions, the anger, hatred or just plain ignorance, but they never fail to entertain.

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mjvwsr]

just go away

[lloydbest1]

People have affairs all the time. It's not nice nor is it ethical but his ex-wife was a shrew and his personal life is really no one's business but his own.

Where he DID fail mightily was, in fact, with the taxpayers. Charging the state of South Carolina for his clandestine trip to see his Argentine sweetie Is only one such example...

[josephp5]

Hey Former Luv Nut: Stanford did NOT pay for the 2008 trip with his own plastic. South Carolina taxpayers paid! It was supposed to be an international "trade mission" to both Brazil and Argentina. But Stanford skipped the Brazil part and went straight to his mistress. He ended up reimbursing SOME of the cost of the trip after his fellow South Carolina Republicans howled.

[Ericwvb]

Let's see, South Carolina's State Ethics Commission charged him with 37 violations and he paid $74,000 in fines to settle those.

He disappeared completely "hiking the Appalachian" trail to go be with his mistress in Argentina.

I wonder what Sanford's definition of "failure" is.

[josephp5]

Stanford's claim that he only cheated on his wife but never with the taxpayers is baloney. There is evidence that he used state planes to fly himself and his family to all sorts of personal events, including trips to get his hair cut, trips to the dentist, trips to campaign events, and trips to meet high dollar contributors. Stanford reimbursed the state for part of the cost of a 2008 trip ostensibly to attend trade mission meetings in both Brazil and Argentina, but where he skipped the Brazil part and met his mistress in Argentina. If Stanford came clean and honestly asked for forgiveness, that would be one thing. But he evidently thinks he can pull the wool over the public's eyes and make this all about a personal moral failing, ignoring his hypocrisy, corruption, and dereliction of duty. The man has no self-awareness.

[signseeker1717]

Oh, he did hold a Press Conference at the time, and CRIED, namedropping God and asking for "forgiveness", but here he is back again DOWNPLAYING it. "Sanfraud" (as we call him here in the Low Country) has NO shame for ANY of it. And the truly disgusting part is that upstate backwoods types will go ahead and vote for him anyway.

[BajAmerican]

It's all about YOU, isn't it Mark? Your little mistake? You should be forgiven, because we are so stupid and amoral, we can't find anyone better in the entire State? Or we don't really care any more that someone who \represents\ us also represents our values? Keep repeating that... to yourself... and to any amoral media outlet that gives you airtime, because THEY have nothing better than to trade on prurient interest and publicize the worst aspects of our culture. Yes, we can be charitable and \forgive\ you... just get out, and STAY out of our sight. I need to go puke!