The pressure will build slowly, but it will be constant, and it will ultimately end with Governor Mark Sanford’s resignation. That is the view of noted Clemson University Political Science professor and Republican political consultant Dr. David Woodard. Despite the apologetic, contrite tone Sanford took in the meeting with his cabinet Friday morning with the appearance of “business as usual” Woodard says the deck is stacked against Sanford.

“I was in Tennessee when Governor Ray Blanton had to leave office early in 1978 and, of course, if you think about the Watergate scandal, usually as these demands to leave grow and grow. They’re investigations, new revelations and after a while just the sort of war weariness of it begins to lend to “we’ve got to change.”

Woodard says like other politicians who have faced scandalous situations, Sanford will slowly realize with the help of family, close friends, and confidants that his resignation would be best for all involved including the state of South Carolina because he and the citizenry will face this situation from all quarters of society.

“I think there will be more and more newspaper editorials, there will be more and more revelations. As that begins to build, so will be the demand that he leave just to stop the bleeding, because the state can’t take the abuse. The constant national news, the Letterman jokes night after night and all that kind of stuff after a while everyone’s getting hurt by this.”

Woodard says no one denies that Sanford’s infidelity was wrong and he has apologized for it. However, like many political figures before him, Sanford failed to realize the trap is set when you try to cover your tracks.

“What they did was wrong but that’s not really what they get dragged into court or dragged into impeachment for, it’s the cover up. Bill Clinton was convicted for things he said under oath and that is why he was brought into impeachment. It’s those kind of things that get you into trouble later on. That is where he (Sanford) will begin to stumble.”

Woodard says while Sanford’s affair and subsequent fabrication of his whereabouts will likely drive him out of office, history will ultimately show that the failure of Sanford’s reign as Governor is one of personality.

“You don’t have inherent powers in the office, they’re developed through the personality of the man who occupies the office. Carroll Campbell being the latest example here as somebody who could reach across the aisle and talk to people and spend lots of time negotiating to get what he wanted and he got quite a bit from a largely Democratic legislature. That is the opposite of Mark Sanford, because Mark Sanford did not like that part of the job, dealing with people that he didn’t feel like were of his class.”

Prior to his weekly cabinet meeting, Governor Mark Sanford took the opportunity to apologize to cabinet members for his indiscretions. Along with the usual suspects, there were other state notables on hand to hear the governor as well. One of those was former governor Carrol Campbell’s son, Michael Campbell. Campbell said he was present as a concerned citizen and a friend of the Sanford family. He also said that amid all of this controversy, the state still needs to be lead.

“I’m here really more in support of the state, so to speak,” said Campbell when asked if he was present in support of Sanford. “I wanted to hear what he had to say and I think he took a major step forward of getting back to the business of the state which is something that seems to have gotten lost in the shuffle the last few days. While this frenzy is going on, there is still work to be done at the state and it still needs to be lead. That doesn’t wait on anything.” [Read more...]

Lt. Governor Andre Bauer is next in line to become governor if Governor Mark Sanford were to step down. Bauer spoke with the governor on Thursday, but did not speak of Sanford resigning. Bauer says he feels for the Sanford family.

“They can’t walk out of the front or back door of their house without being on TV, and the strain it’s putting on the Sanford kids, I think is the worst thing of all. So, Mark Sanford has got to do some real soul-searching as to how he puts his life back together with his family,” says Bauer.

Bauer says this the “Sanford Scandal” has nothing to do with him.

“I have made it very clear, I went dark. The minute Mark Sanford had the press conference I tried to disappear, and since then, I have tried to stay in my house and let Mark Sanford explain himself and not Andre Bauer because I do not want to mislead anybody,” says Bauer.

Bauer says he will try and help the governor the next year and a half of Sanford’s term as governor.

“True leaders emerge in difficult situations and he may be able to resurrect by himself and come back and be the best governor this state’s ever seen. I think he’s gonna have a long, hard road to prove that, but I’m not saying it can’t be done,” says Bauer.

Bauer is expected to run in the 2010 gubernatorial race, but has not formally announced it.