Former Mark Sanford spokesman Barton Swaim ripped into his ex-boss – and the rosy treatment he was given in a new e-book written by reporter Tony Bartelme of The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier.
Yes, THAT Post and Courier.
Swaim, who spent four years in the S.C. governor’s office, has few kind words about Sanford on the occasion of his political comeback – referring to him as a man who “doesn’t know when to leave the stage.” He also lambastes Bartelme for basically letting Sanford define the terms of “Second Chance,” the reporter’s account of said comeback.
Here’s the salient passage from Swaim’s piece, published over the weekend in The Wall Street Journal …
Too much of Mr. Bartelme’s narrative comes directly from Mr. Sanford. The anecdotes about his life are the ones he routinely tells about himself: the story of how, after the death of his father, he and his brothers built a coffin and buried him on the family farm; the story of how he got into politics after hearing a lecture on entitlement spending and the national debt; the story of how the newly elected governor was approached by a legislative leader and told that, to be the best governor he could be, he needed to follow the advice of legislative leaders (advice he rejected).
Mr. Bartelme’s Mark Sanford is a charming and eccentric man with a penchant for getting elected despite some cockamamie political views. The truth is closer to the reverse. Mr. Sanford is among the most prescient and dauntless politicians now in office, and he is almost alone in both grasping the implications of untrammeled deficit spending and having the pluck to stand against it. Yet he is also a deeply self-absorbed man, instinctively ill-humored and petty, relentless in the pursuit of glory and apt to equate the greater good with whatever benefits his reputation.
Wow …
‘Plus two’ to Swaim for slamming Sanford so cogently … and another ‘plus two’ for his spillover slam of the lamestream press. Well-played, good sir. Not only is Swaim’s piece artfully written, it illuminates a key component of the “Sanford comeback” – the supplicant nature of the media outlets covering him.
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47 comments
I’ll defer to Swaim’s up-close experience, and it’s apparent that Sanford is pretty adept at the Smart-For-Sanford style of politics. But isn’t it possible that Sanford is also an extremely lucky guy who ran in the right state? SC GOPers melt at the “take back our freedom” tough-guy rhetoric, but strangely seem averse to measuring their politicians’ records of actual legislative success. Sanford and DeMint both presented a purist style, and famously accomplished next to nothing. I’m sure Sanford is a narcissistic as Swaim (and Sic Willie, for that matter) claim, but there’s a lotta luck involved, too.
Luck has been on his side for sure. Won the election, got the woman he wanted, kept close relationships with sons and Sanford family, and got away from going to jail by settling with ex-wife.
All politicians who are successful get lucky at some point, for sure. But he really tops them all.
Luck had nothing to do with it…..Mark was chosen by God. Can’t believe you didn’t know that.
I am curious as to how he would have done in a state wide race?
You mean like governor? My startlingly-clear crystal ball sez he’d just as easily have won. Maybe he’d get less love from the Greenville crowd, but even that’s doubtful.
I’ll defer to Swaim’s up-close experience, and it’s apparent that Sanford is pretty adept at the Smart-For-Sanford style of politics. But isn’t it possible that Sanford is also an extremely lucky guy who ran in the right state? SC GOPers melt at the “take back our freedom” tough-guy rhetoric, but strangely seem averse to measuring their politicians’ records of actual legislative success. Sanford and DeMint both presented a purist style, and famously accomplished next to nothing. I’m sure Sanford is a narcissistic as Swaim (and Sic Willie, for that matter) claim, but there’s a lotta luck involved, too.
Luck has been on his side for sure. Won the election, got the woman he wanted, kept close relationships with sons and Sanford family, and got away from going to jail by settling with ex-wife.
All politicians who are successful get lucky at some point, for sure. But he really tops them all.
Luck had nothing to do with it…..Mark was chosen by God. Can’t believe you didn’t know that.
I am curious as to how he would have done in a state wide race?
You mean like governor? My startlingly-clear crystal ball sez he’d just as easily have won. Maybe he’d get less love from the Greenville crowd, but even that’s doubtful.
You endorsed him in the runoff. And you bent over backwards to trash his opponent in the general election despite famously not endorsing anyone. And you attended his victory party in Charleston.
Quit being publicly disgusted by Sanford and lauding everyone who critiques him when you had the chance to, at a minimum, stay out of the race and not attack either candidate after your boy Grooms failed.
You endorsed him in the runoff. And you bent over backwards to trash his opponent in the general election despite famously not endorsing anyone. And you attended his victory party in Charleston.
Quit being publicly disgusted by Sanford and lauding everyone who critiques him when you had the chance to, at a minimum, stay out of the race and not attack either candidate after your boy Grooms failed.
I believe it was Mr. Swaim that had a column printed in “The State” that defended Mr. Sanford after Mr. Folks resigned after Mr. Sanford’s “hiking” problems. Mr. Swaim’s column was written quite well and I thought at the time he had defended Mr. Sanford far better than Mr. Sanford had defended himself. It’s a shame Mr. Swaim isn’t more involved in local politics or he may be and I’m just unaware of it.
You’re getting Mr. Folks confused with Mark’s other little toady of a spokesman.
Folks got canned much earlier than the hiking incident.
I believe it was Mr. Swaim that had a column printed in “The State” that defended Mr. Sanford after Mr. Folks resigned after Mr. Sanford’s “hiking” problems. Mr. Swaim’s column was written quite well and I thought at the time he had defended Mr. Sanford far better than Mr. Sanford had defended himself. It’s a shame Mr. Swaim isn’t more involved in local politics or he may be and I’m just unaware of it.
You’re getting Mr. Folks confused with Mark’s other little toady of a spokesman.
Folks got canned much earlier than the hiking incident.
Mark who?
Mark who?
To follow the legislative leaders. lol. You think those old timers would like that. To many chiefs now. It sucks now how the state is set up. The Republican Party should find out who the LL will even let in their neighborhood. The good old boys ain’t what it use to be. The good old south has some new people in town. It gets me when you go to the GOP meeting or any other kind. People want to put down the citizens and let them know that the people are still as backward and dumb as rocks. We have in South Carolina what the elect officials approve. TERM LIMITS
To follow the legislative leaders. lol. You think those old timers would like that. To many chiefs now. It sucks now how the state is set up. The Republican Party should find out who the LL will even let in their neighborhood. The good old boys ain’t what it use to be. The good old south has some new people in town. It gets me when you go to the GOP meeting or any other kind. People want to put down the citizens and let them know that the people are still as backward and dumb as rocks. We have in South Carolina what the elect officials approve. TERM LIMITS
Sounds like Swaim is a reader of BigT..
“Yet he is also a deeply self-absorbed man, instinctively ill-humored and
petty, relentless in the pursuit of glory and apt to equate the greater good
with whatever benefits his reputation.”
That’s almost verbatim, what I’ve said about Sanford…
….. that just begs for a graphic!
Good point. Stupid (and illiterate) people are more comfortable w/ pictures. Words can be challenging for some, I’m sure.
The proof of your statement is showing up in some of your recent posts. Not only are they becoming more concise, literate, grammatically correct (including spelling), make sense,and readable, but are actually understandable. Keep up with your lessons.Your teacher deserves a bonus.
Ya know, I knew Cockamamie, once. She was more blond than redheaded.. but WHAT A FIGURE! Too bad about that bus accident. Oh well.. But her son makes a great mascot..
But did you see at the end where he defined Sanford as not a “nice” man but maybe a “great” one. Sanford is sure to be OK with that characterization. It plays into his flawed man schtick.
But did you see at the end where he defined Sanford as not a “nice” man but maybe a “great” one. Sanford is sure to be OK with that characterization. It plays into his flawed man schtick.
Swaim is apparently more ignorant of economics, as opposed to Randian dogma, than the thicker than wheat paste Sanford.
Swaim is apparently more ignorant of economics, as opposed to Randian dogma, than the thicker than wheat paste Sanford.
WOW………another slushee..??!
We wonder if Wil or Amy or Nancy actually understands what questions Mark Sanford should ask Samantha…??
http://www.politico.com/gallery/2013/06/how-well-do-you-know-samantha-power/001102-015527.html
Obviously Wil Folks and Nancy Mace are vetting for book deals to offer this back slap article..!!
Is your new avatar/picture a MRI of what your mind looks like?
I think its a NOAA photo of a hurricane over the east coast. But I don’t know what it is supposed to signify.
Is your new avatar/picture a MRI of what your mind looks like?
WOW………another slushee..??!
We wonder if Wil or Amy or Nancy actually understands what questions Mark Sanford should ask Samantha…??
http://www.politico.com/gallery/2013/06/how-well-do-you-know-samantha-power/001102-015527.html
Obviously Wil Folks and Nancy Mace are vetting for book deals to offer this back slap article..!!
Is your new avatar/picture a MRI of what your mind looks like?
I think its a NOAA photo of a hurricane over the east coast. But I don’t know what it is supposed to signify.
I’m surprised Tony would write anything about a such a (self-described) dishonest politician with boundaries set by the politician — totally unprofessional in journalism. His book, like its subject, seems quite compromised — oily, slippery, foul-smelling — like fish gone bad. Evidently Tony needs money badly and has sold his soul for it. Like Doctor Faustus.
I’m surprised Tony would write anything about a such a (self-described) dishonest politician with boundaries set by the politician — totally unprofessional in journalism. His book, like its subject, seems quite compromised — oily, slippery, foul-smelling — like fish gone bad. Evidently Tony needs money badly and has sold his soul for it. Like Doctor Faustus.
W, You crack me up, who ever heard of this so-called Swain-Pork before you gave him fame… I certainly never met him with Gov at the house ever, so real high level pig stuff you are shoveling…
W, You crack me up, who ever heard of this so-called Swain-Pork before you gave him fame… I certainly never met him with Gov at the house ever, so real high level pig stuff you are shoveling…
Will,
Don’t you mean to say “SYCOPHANT” SC Press?
Will,
Don’t you mean to say “SYCOPHANT” SC Press?