Sunday, May 5, 2013

Watch what I do, not what I say

Columbia journalist/blogger Brad Warthen had this to say a few days ago:

But Sanford isn’t “right-wing;” nor are those who tend to flock to his banner. He is libertarian, a classical liberal, which is why, even as his party establishment deserts him, he is backed by the likes of Ron and Rand Paul.

Contra, consider David Weigel's column in Slate yesterday, about a day spent hanging with Sanford:

The big press event of Sanford's Saturday (he doesn't campaign on Sundays, so the b-roll needed to happen FAST) was an endorsement event with the Tea Party Express in Summerville. Sanford fans and Tea Partiers from as far away as Beaufort (about 90 miles south and east) drove up for the event; Ann Ubelis, a Beaufort Tea Partier and radio host seen to Sanford's left (camera right), introduced the man by warning fellow conservative of "what Dante wrote about hell." The hottest places were reserved for those who saw evil and did nothing. Evil, in this case, would be failing to back Sanford.

Sanford's pretending an empathy he does not possess, either in person (read his wife's book) or politically. When questioned about the usual red-meat social issues in this campaign, he pivots to talking about humility and understanding others better. But he doesn't answer the questions in terms of how he'd vote. He leaves it to listeners to think he's learned something and would show a broader-mindedness in a second go as a congressman.

He won't. It'll be reusuable post-its redux.

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