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Web posted Thursday,
January 30, 2003
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Editorial: Sanford first made commitment to
state
Carolina Morning News
Gov.
Mark Sanford says he will honor his commitment. We
ask, which one?
Sanford is not merely a
first lieutenant in the Air Force Reserve. He is
governor of the state. And he started his run for
the governorship almost a year before he
officially joined the reserve.
Now,
however, he says he will ship out with his
military unit if it is called up to join the fight
against terrorism. "The bottom line for me is that
I made a commitment and I am going to keep it. ...
As to any orders I receive I will do just as
anyone else in my unit and follow
them."
That's brave talk. The governor has
proved that he is not a coward. It's also
impressive that the governor wants to serve as an
example to his sons and honor the promise he made
to Uncle Sam.
But he needs to remember that
he first promised the voters of this state that he
would serve if elected. And he made more promises
during his State of the State address earlier this
month, when he laid out in detail how he plans to
fix the state's ills. He can't fix those things if
he ships out with the 315th Aeromedical Evacuation
Squadron in the Air Force Reserves.
Sanford has been on the defensive since he
joined the reserve about a year ago. His critics
say he did so for political gain. The best way to
prove them wrong is to join the fight
overseas.
That would certainly allow him to
claim victory in the debate with his critics, but
it would also come at great cost to the
state.
South Carolina is in trouble
financially. The state's voters believe Sanford is
the best man to help lead the state out of its red
ink. That's what he should do.
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