Some GOP folks love the idea of Dick Cheney running for President in 2012, according to the Huffington post. Hey he definitely fits a Republican candidate's profile at least since Ronald Reagan in 1980. Cheney''s had less than six heart attacks AND he's under the age of 90. There's also former Reagan Secretary of State Alexander Haig who after Reagan was shot in March of 1981 told reporters "i am in control here. This of course while overlooking that the Constitution called for VP George Bush to temporarily take over as POTUS. Perhaps thats just ancient history and Haig is truly ready NOW. Alright, he may be a bit rusty as far as the Beltway goes, but look, at least he's only 85.
Elliot Spitzer, according to the NY Post may be eyeing a run at something in 2012. The state Senate seat occupied by appointed Senator Kirtsen Gillebrand could be that something. Spitzer has reinvented himself to some degree, by not only stepping down, but by offering analysis and opinions on news channels, even writing pieces for publications such as Slate Magazine. A sound economic reputation will also help the guy who cheated on his wife with a hot prostitute. Which is none of our business but hey this is not the JFK 60's, where trysts could be known by the media yet not written about in order to protect a public figure's reputation. Not anymore people! Decency is over. Class? Ha! Respect? Please!! We got cell phone camera pics, twitter feeds, facebook posts, and pictures galore at sites such as lastnightsparty.com. Privacy? Forget it. If you are doing something BAD, we'll know about before you're even finished doing it.
Which brings us to South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford who has, as of late thwarted the attempts to pressure him into resigning for banging an Argentinian reporter behind his Wife's back. AP reports that half of SC wants him to resign according to a new poll. The similarity between Spitzer's mistake and Sanford's is that both cheated on their wives while in office. The difference is that Spitzer stepped down. Sanford on the other hand tries to fight through the mess while still in office.
Sanford might want to as CBS sports anchor legend Warner Wolf likes to say "go to the video tape" and look back at other embattled players who also chose to weather the storm by going public, in order to win over more support. The famous "Checkers" speech that Ike forced Nixon to give in 1952, freed Tricky Dick from the threat of being taken off the GOP ticket over alleged "improprieties relating to a fund established by his backers to reimburse him for his political expenses. (Wikipedia)" Nixon then won over sympathy by going over his salary and personal expense report on TV before saying that the only gift he received was his dog Checkers and by golly he was gonna keep it. Who could argue with the intentions of a dog lover like Nixon (his next dog famously hated him in the White House years later)?
In 1988 Jimmy Swaggart the Televangelist pioneer was known to have hooked up with a New Orleans prostitute (though she says they never had sex. Poor Swaggart. No sex. ever. Yea THAT'S normal) , went in front of his TV audience and broke down hysterically crying saying "I have sinned against you, my Lord, and I would ask that your precious blood would wash and cleanse every stain until it is in the seas of God's forgiveness." Swaggart got a 3 month suspension. Had he not been caught with another hooker in 1991 again, Swaggart would have regained his reputation to a large degree. OK OK not the perfect template but wait, what about Slick Willie Clinton's "I did not have sexual relations with that woman?" Clinton REDEFINED what sex was. Considering the charges of impeachment facing him at the time, one has to agree that this reinterpretation under such pressure, was one of his greatest achievments in eight years.
The point is, its 2009. Everything and anything is fair game. People love to watch the big dogs fall only to listen to them beg on their knees before propping them up again. Sanford just has to play into this a little bit. Now the same doesn't seem to go for to Spitzer at this point ( polls show him ahead of Gillebrand right now) but for the guy who was really only saved by the insane Micheal Jackson coverage, it may be time for a big Cryingpallooza on TV. Just for Sanford to insure himself that this Summer ends with a bang. No, not the kind of bang he found in Buenos Aires. Rather, the kind of bang that denotes keeping a job that may otherwise be in serious jeopardy as we head into the Fall.
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