Yes, but is God registered in South Carolina?

I have a lot of sympathy for Jenny Sanford. Her husband, Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina (for now), has kind of blown out a major marital gasket for all the world to see. He has offered such on-record romantic gems as saying that he's "trying" to fall back in love with her (which is just exactly the kind of Hallmark-worthy thing that women love to hear, I would guess), that his mistress is his "soul mate," and that theirs was the kind of tragic love that lives forever in legend or on the covers of countless adolescents' spiral notebooks. Truly, she must be simply ill with gratitude at how very sensitive a man he is.

But, I must quibble a bit with her public pronouncements about his transgressions. From the Times:

“Mark showed a lack of judgment in his recent actions as governor,” he said. “However, his far more egregious offenses were committed against God, the institutions of marriage and family, our boys and me.

“Mark has stated that his intent and determination is to save our marriage, and to make amends to the people of South Carolina. I hope he can make good on those intentions, and for the sake of our boys I leave the door open to it. In that spirit of forgiveness, it is up to the people and elected officials of South Carolina to decide whether they will give Mark another chance as well.”

I should take the time to point out that this is from an article in which they report that Sanford was cleared of using any government money for his assignations. So, fair point in his favor.

I also want to honor her general sentiment of forgiveness for her husband. Though this seems to be the theme for political wives, it must take guts to do it. Were I her, I would have been tempted to kick him in the yarbles during his mea culpa press conference, then move to Aruba on his dime. So, fair point in her favor.

But, no matter how grave his sins against God or her or his boys (all of which are sizable, and are not getting any smaller in the midst of all his maudlin "poor me" post-affair whinging), they aren't really a public concern. The appalling "lack of judgment is his recent actions as governor" are. No matter how big his other sins may be, from my perspective they are moot when we consider if he should keep his job. (No.)