What's God Got To Do With It?

It's a good thing that Mark Sanford has God on his side.  In his acceptance speech Tuesday night, the former South Carolina governor told us that he was "saved by God's grace."  He wanted to "publicly acknowledge God's role in all of this," and he said that God spoke to him and said, "Not that you'll win but you'll learn."  Sanford spoke of a "God not just of second chances, but of third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth chances."

Uh-oh.  Sounds like we're in for more hikes on the Appalachian Trail.  A God of first and second chances is one thing, but after that you're on your own.

Or are you?  When you can so easily pull God out of a hat and wave your magic God wand, you can get away with anything.  Especially in the Bible Belt where God and sin go way back.  Sanford knows his constituents and knows his God talk, and God didn't let him down.

Sanford Saga

What can you say about former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, one of the creepier politicians in the news these days?  He should have exited quietly, following his North Carolina counterpart John Edwards.  But he didn't.

Here's James Taylor's lovely song "Carolina In My Mind," twisted into a tale of Sanford sleaze:

"In my mind I'm going to Carolina.  Can't you see Mark Sanford, can't you just see his soul mate?
And ain't it just like a guy like him to put his ego first?  Yes, I'm going to Carolina for some sleaze.

Jenny, she's the jilted wife, she just charged her ex with trespassing,
He was standing on her porch.
A cellphone flashlight in his hand has left him guilty, and he went to Carolina by mistake.

There ain't no doubt he should have walked the Appy Trail as he first claimed
'stead of meeting his soul mate.
And hey, babe, it's Argentina calling to him, but it's Carolina where he should have been.

So for now he's running in Carolina.  Can't you tell he's nutty?  Can't you just tell he's too loose?
And it ain't it just like this governor to run a rambling ad? 
It's the Alamo he thinks he's up against.

Going to Carolina for to win.  Yes, he'll win in Carolina in his mind.