Retreating, Not Advancing

posted by Alan Greenblatt

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin offers a sobering variation on the Peter Principle -- the idea that because talented people are usually promoted, they "rise to the level of their incompetence." Most people, if they keep going up, eventually reach a level where they can't cut it.

Palin was clearly not qualified to be president, which is why picking her for vice president was such a bad decision on John McCain's part. But it was her exposure as a vice presidential candidate that ultimately showed Palin's inability to thrive as a governor.

Palin's resignation statement lies so far outside the normal metrics of political calculus that it's already inspired reams of speculation about her "real" motivation. Did she make the mistaken bet that this would position her better for a presidential run, etc.

I'm certainly in the camp that this deals the mortal blow to any further national aspirations she may have entertained. But I'm going to take her at her word -- she felt like her family was suffering in the spotlight and that, once she declared her a lame duck, the job wasn't worth having.

On its face, that's a bad call.

Her family has decided, Palin proudly notes, that it was time to get out of the gubernatorial kitchen. I don't want to question what anyone does for the sake of her family but would only recall that she didn't seem to worry about her young family's possible concerns -- her newborn son, her pregnant teenage daughter -- when she "unblinkingly" accepted the VP nod last year.

But more to the point, she has an entire legislative session to go. Her strength as governor was largely in knowing how to push her advantages as far as she could and also how to play the media -- at least, before her vice presidential run. With oil prices heading back up, there were certainly some pet initiatives she could have pushed -- or further "permanent fund" refunds she could have secured for her citizens.

But aside from guessing what she might have done in Juneau, certainly being governor -- and the country's most famous governor, outside of Arnold Schwarzenegger, at that -- provided her with a better platform to push her views on energy and national security, as she says she intends to do, than any TV gig or whatever else she decides to pursue next.

Simply on principle, however, this decision is an insult. The argument about another Republican governor resigning turns on the question of whether he has become too great an embarrassment to the state, but it's also about the need for leadership for South Carolina. No one says, well, Sanford's only got 18 months left, it doesn't really matter at this point.

And what about all those other lame-duck governors? Nearly every state limits its governor to two terms. Should we expect mass resignations at the end of each governor's seventh legislation session? "You take it from here, boys -- I just don't have it in me to play this out."

Being a governor of a state is a serious job, one that at its quietest requires constant political decision-making and a stickler for management.

Palin had always brilliantly exploited every opportunity that came her way. But she has now blown the great opportunity that was already hers, which is why even supporters have turned so hard against her over the last 24 hours.

Sanford Saga: No Crime Involved

posted by Alan Greenblatt

Saying his agency doesn't "intend to be used in a political battle about the governor," Reggie Lloyd, head of South Carolina's State Law Enforcement Division, says he has found no evidence of crime related to Governor Mark Sanford's trips to visit his mistress.

SLED reviewers had access to Sanford's personal financial documents because the governor volunteered them, not because they had any probable cause to request them, Lloyd said.

"The man has been very open with us," he said.

...

"What he did on his own personal time doesn't require him to pay back anything," Lloyd said. "He did that for his own reasons. There was no legal requirement that he pay back any of that."

In other good news for the governor -- who continues to insist he will stay on as governor, Jenny Sanford today issued a statement saying, in part, "I am willing to forgive Mark for his actions."

The Sanford family will spend the holiday weekend together in Florida, visiting the first lady's parents.

The prospective publisher of a Sanford book on fiscal conservatism, however, was less forgiving, releasing Sanford from his contract.

How Many Jobs Does a Playground Make?

posted by Ellen Perlman

"When it comes to jump-starting the economy, a playground isn't going to cut it," according to a story in the Virginian Pilot today.

That's what U.S. Housing and Urban Development officials told the Norfolk City Council. The city wanted to spend $50,000 in stimulus funds on a playground, but the feds said that really wouldn't do much for job creation.

So the council voted instead to put the $50,000 toward drainage improvements in the South Suffolk neighborhood. (Not all that fun to play in, really)

Then it moved the same amount of money out of the drainage project and into swings and slides. "In other words, you take money out of your left pocket and put it in your right pocket," Vice Mayor Curtis Milteer Sr. said.

Hmm, is this how it's going down around the country? Other examples out there of projects being rejected for funding or of cities or states moving the money around?

Under Pressure

posted by Alan Greenblatt

Always finding new ways to look bad, S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford is backing away from a promise to release financial records relating to his travel to see his "soul mate."

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford has backed out of a promise to release personal financial records proving he did not use state money for trips to see his mistress.

A day after Sanford declared in an emotional Associated Press interview that his mistress is his soul mate, spokesman Joel Sawyer says the governor does not want to discuss personal matters in the media anymore.

Too late!

Sanford is still baring his soul to legislators, apparently. Sen. Larry Grooms tells Politico that when he called the governor to say he'd be calling for his resignation, Sanford said, “Senator, you need to understand something. This is a story about true love.”

“His physical presence may be in South Carolina, but I think his mind is in Argentina,” Grooms said.

Blogger Josh Marshall agrees and says "just go be with her!" Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post says it's a question of when, not if, Sanford will resign.

Sen. Tom Davis, Sanford's friend and former chief of staff, has met with the governor and spoken by phone with Jenny Sanford but says he's going to continue to do "due diligence" before taking a public position on the idea of Sanford staying in office. Note that he's not offering Sanford support, necessarily.

Sen. Chip Campsen, another Sanford friend, says he has also reached out to their family but isn't saying publicly whether the governor should stay or go.

$4B in Stimulus Money for Broadband Ready, Biden Announces

posted by Ellen Perlman

Finally, $4 billion dollars in loans and grants will be available for expanding broadband access in underserved and un-served areas, Vice President Joe Biden announced Wednesday. It's the first of three rounds of Recovery Act funding for broadband and the administration expects the funds not only will decrease the technological divide but also create jobs building out the infrastructure.

"This funding is a downpayment on the President's commitment to bring the educational and economic benefits of the Internet to all communities," Biden said in a statement.

Applications will be accepted starting July 14 and through August 14.

The Recovery Act allocated $7.2 billion total and the administration hopes this first round will create jobs, inspire additional investment and create "model" projects that "can better inform our national broadband stategy," according to Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, former Washington governor.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (U.S. Commerce Department) and the Rural Utilities Service (U.S. Agriculture Department) will accept a single applications form for loans, grants and loan/grant combinations, making it easier to apply for funding. 

Commerce and USDA will host public, informational workshops on the funding and the application process this month in Albuquerque, N.M.; Billings, Mont.; Birmingham, Ala.; Boston; Charleston, W.Va.; Lonoke, Ark.; Los Angeles; Memphis, Tenn.; and Minneapolis.

More information at: http://broadbandusa.gov

SC Senate President Calls for Sanford Resignation

posted by Alan Greenblatt

Glenn McConnell, Senate President Pro Tempore, joins the chorus:

"That decision is his alone. I do believe, however, that the Governor has lost the support of the people that is needed to govern. Therefore, I would ask the Governor to look in his heart and decide whether with his family situation and the public uproar over what he has done and said locally and nationally whether he can lead our state for the remainder of his term."

Ten Republican state senators have asked the governor to step down, while others say they are leaning in that direction. The Associated Press is reporting that 14 Republican state senators are supporting a resignation, which is a majority of the 27 GOP members.

The Charleston Post and Courier looks at the ramifications for McConnell if Sanford steps down. The state constitution calls for McConnell to take over as lieutenant governor, but that would be a clear demotion in power from his current job.

The count of newspapers calling for resignation stands at six.

Will Sanford Be Forced Out?

posted by Alan Greenblatt

The number of Republican senators signing Majority Leader Harvey Peeler's petition for South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford to resign is up to 12, out of 27 in the caucus.

In yet another sign that S.C. Republican powers want Gov. Mark Sanford to resign, U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint of Greenville this morning urged his fellow Republican Sanford to make the “right decision.”

“He’s dropped the flag. The rest of us have to get up and go on,” DeMint said during an interview on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends.” “A lot of us are talking to him behind the scenes in hopes that he'll make the right decision about what needs to be done.”

Asked what the “right decision” would be for Sanford, DeMint said: “I don't want to say.”

Will Folks:

Additionally, some of Sanford’s closest friends have reportedly been advising him to step down privately from the beginning of this crisis - which began a week ago - but have been holding their tongues publicly.

That could be changing today.

Sources tell FITS that one of Sanford’s closest friends and legislative allies, Beaufort Sen. Tom Davis, traveled to Columbia this morning to meet with the governor.

Resignation Drumbeat Deepens

posted by Alan Greenblatt

If S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford hoped to quiet his personal controversy by laying out more of his past indiscretions, the strategy hasn't worked. More and more Republican lawmakers, including previous Sanford allies, are calling for his resignation:

Six of 27 members of the conservative Senate Republican Caucus Tuesday night issued a letter calling on Gov. Mark Sanford to resign.

Two additional senators considered among Sanford’s staunchest allies, also said they want him to resign though they did not sign the letter. Two other senior senators who spoke to the State said Tuesday’s revelations moved them closer to asking Sanford to step down.

The letter was crafted by Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler, R-Cherokee, and was circulated among Senate Republicans on Tuesday.

The senators take a more in sorrow than in anger tone.

“It’s as though we’re looking at a completely different person — one we didn’t know existed,” Martin said of Sanford.

Sanford's spokesman considers to insist he won't resign. House Speaker Bobby Harrell says that talk of removal is premature, barring further investigation. Reggie Lloyd, head of the State Law Enforcement Division, says he sees nothing criminal.

The Greenville News explores the possibility of a special prosecutor. That paper, which had editorialized against Sanford resigning on Sunday, reverses course and says he must step down.

Sanford Fuels Fire

posted by Alan Greenblatt

Chris Cillizza of The Washington Post suggests that Mark Sanford's AP interview today, in which he admitted to non-line-crossing encounters with additional women and took other trips to see Maria Belen Chapur, has damaged his prospects of staying in office.

For one thing, state Attorney General Henry McMaster, who'd been talking down the idea of an official investigation, now wants one.

"In light of the governor's disclosure of additional travel today, I have requested that SLED conduct a preliminary review of all Governor Sanford's travel records to determine if any laws have been broken or any state funds misused," McMaster said in a statement.

Earlier today, state Sen. Vincent Sheheen, a Democratic candidate for governor, called for Sanford to resign.

It's not clear to me how Sanford, by giving interviews calling Chapur his "soul mate," hopes to reconcile with his wife. Her forgiveness has seemed to emerge in the past couple of days as a key to his staying in office, in some eyes.

But the latest Insider Advantage poll, conducted last night, shows half of South Carolinians want Sanford to stay in office.

Among the 949 registered voters surveyed Monday night, 49.8 percent said Sanford should remain governor, compared with 41.4 percent who said he should resign. The remaining 8.8 percent had no opinion.

McGreevey's Second Act

posted by Alan Greenblatt

A blog called Shankbone outlines former New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey's good works:

McGreevey volunteers at Exodus Ministries at the Church of Living Hope in East Harlem, New  York, which tries to help newly-released prisoners learn life skills and handle the significant challenges that ex-convicts face.   It’s not just job-hunting.  One of the photographs below shows Jim helping one young man figure out how to set up a free e-mail account on Yahoo.  With limited access to computers, the guy had no idea how to do this.  This is not atypical.  We take this kind of knowledge for granted, assuming everyone knows how to set up free e-mail.  They don’t.

The gifts that McGreevey brings to these formerly-incarcerated men and women are vast.  He still retains many of the contacts and friendships in government that he had when he was Governor, which has been a Godsend to a program that needs state assistance to function (when I was stalked by an anonymous New Jersey resident, it was McGreevey who helped put me in touch with one of his government appointees to figure out what avenues I could pursue to have the person unmasked and criminally punished).   McGreevey knows  how the system works; he knows resources that are available to these people; and he is gifted with an ability to teach and reach them.

Hat tip: Andrew Sullivan, who notes that McGreevey is studying for the Episcopal priesthood.

Sanford Tells AP of Earlier Meetings With Chapur

posted by Alan Greenblatt

AP has interviewed Gov. Mark Sanford:

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford said Tuesday that he “crossed lines” with a handful of women other than his mistress — but never had sex with them.

The governor said he “never crossed the ultimate line” with anyone but Maria Belen Chapur, the Argentine at the center of a scandal that has derailed his once-promising political career.

...

They met in New York two more times in 2008: two nights in Manhattan in September and three nights in the Hamptons in November. Each time, Sanford claims he flew coach, paid for it himself, paid for the hotels in cash and told his staff he was reachable via cell phone.

"At that point I was very careful, everything was paid for in cash," Sanford said. "And you won't find a credit card record."

In early 2009, after Jenny Sanford discovered the affair, the couple went into counseling. She has told The Associated Press that he asked her several times to visit the mistress and she refused.

But the governor claims he wanted to end the affair in person and, with his wife's permission, went to New York with a "trusted spiritual adviser" serving as chaperone. The three went to church and dinner together and parted ways the same night.

But he visited Chapur again in Argentina on June 18, the trip that brought the whole affair to light.

Bauer Makes His Case

posted by Alan Greenblatt

The State uses its turn to interview South Carolina Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer to profile the man and his career. Bauer confirms yesterday's news that he has been talking about serving only the remainder of Gov. Mark Sanford's term with a pledge not to run in 2010, to dispel worries that he'd otherwise have the advantage in that race as a sitting incumbent.

“Because somebody has to be the adult here,” Bauer told The State newspaper Monday, a phrase he repeated several times on television throughout the day. “People are too concerned about the gubernatorial race, and nobody is worried about the people of South Carolina."

Bauer seeks to distance himself from an aide who was caught out yesterday by The New York Times openly campaigning behind the scenes to put Bauer on the throne. And he denies rumors that he might be gay.

Update: The State editorial page argues that Sanford should stay on to keep the playing field level for 2010. Pretty harsh on Bauer:

If we’re looking to rid our state of embarrassment, it’s hard to see how replacing Mr. Sanford with Mr. Bauer would accomplish that. And it’s hard to overstate the potential long-term downside of such a move.