Bob Inglis, Clinton Attacker, To GOP: Lose The "Stinking Rot Of Self-Righteousness"

Wall Street Journal:

South Carolina Rep. Bob Inglis made a name for himself in the late 1990s as one of Bill Clinton's most zealous pursuers, an impeachment "manager" who attacked the moral failings of the president with a gusto that earned him a devoted following in the staunchly conservative "Upstate" of conservative South Carolina.

But with his governor now felled by similar temptations, Inglis sees an opening for the Republican Party, a chance to "lose the stinking rot of self-righteousness" and "to understand we are all in need of some grace."

Read the whole story: Wall Street Journal

Comments

[PeaceIsMyName]

How is the GOP anymore "self-righteous" than the Democrats? Both sides think they're correct and the other side is wrong.

[stalingrd]

It's the religious moralizing and family values(tm) politics the right plays on TV and for the people to eat up. They don't look so good when they say one day they are Promise Keepers the next that they totally cheat on their wives are gay or whatever they were forever against last week.

Since they take the "moral high ground" for political gain the insinuation is that they are better than the rest of us heathen sinners out here and we should trust them, vote for them and give them money because gosh darn it they have "values" and they'd just do right by us. They're good christian people, we can trust them. It's a good political strategy that has worked for the past 15 years or so - to the detriment of the country.

Democrats can be self righteous about the environment or other things, but really the republicans take the cake with the religious moral stance. The guy in this article is realizing they can't live up to the image they present. Less and less of their constituents are believing their moral "righteousness" and their political strategy is going to have to change. People can only believe this moral righteousness stuff for so long, especially when they keep blowing their cover.

[Joy Garcia]

I agree - to a point. I'm a registered Republican, but am becoming increasingly frustrated with the party as a whole. I am truly exasperated with its claims of valuing morals. It seems the Democrats do far less righteous-boasting.
How in the world can Mark Sanford call for Clinton's resignation and not see the need for his own?
Also, I SO appreciate the fact that Jenny isn't publicly supporting him. She's a wise woman. It doesn't take a week to break an illicit relationship. I think Sanford is still very much involved with the other woman.
I'm a Republian South Carolinian who would be most happy to accept the resignation of my governor. I haven't liked the majority of his political decisions, and I certainly don't like his current personal decision to abandon his wife and family.

[MAH1952]

The sad part is that Unzipped (let the poor starve) Sanford will survive this as well as all his cronies is due to the incredible stupidity of the American people. Instead of being outraged they will forgive him because he is a 'moral' person and anyway he was just proving himself a man. The fact that he made a mockery of his religion, of his DOMA, and of all the other platitudes that he so easily mouthed means nothing.

[GodBlessAmerica]

I'm not South Carolinian, nor a Republican. Why should I even decide to forgive him or not?

I'd appreciate you not calling the American people stupid.

[stalingrd]

A better word for the American people these days may be gullible. Also, perhaps addicted to shocking TV personalities. When a majority of news watchers chose Fox, they're just buying the infotainment of negative crazy "did he just say that?!" news and after a while it becomes reality. If a majority of Americans believe entertainment is the truth or real news I'd be hard pressed to not call them stupid. But I won't out of respect, as in the end they are just victims of propa ganda which in turn, lowers their intelligence.

[henrypapillon]

No buddy, you have lived with the rot of self righteousness. You will have to wear that coat until the stink wears off.

[joeyfoto]

How can this possibly work? If the GOP looses the "Stinking Rot Of Self-Right­eousness," there goes the "base." What ruse will they then use, to whip up economic imbeciles into a furry of moral indignation, to get them to vote against labor unions and rational market regulation, and for their own economic extinction?

Since the "Party of Business" has degenerated into a party of bad business, what will the GOP do, without a base among the self-righteous who vote in church-bus-loads; at a time when folks who can match socks hold the party's incompetence in contempt? Maybe it is time to bury the rotten head along with the foetid body, then hope for some Phoenix-like rebirth or god-forbid some resurrection of this small-tent­-revival-m­eeting that is what 's become of the once honorable Republican Party.

As for Mr. Inglis' conversion to Christian kindness and humility... It's too late. The GOP set a standard for handling personal matters of marital infidelity. It made them a justification for political jihad. Party talking-heads did this over the vocal objections of many of us, who wrote that it was a sickeningly low, sleazy and self-destructive standard. If Republicans can't face this cross, they shouldn't have crucified Democrats on it.

If there is a moral law older than Judeo-Christianity, it is: "What goes around, comes around." Here it is Governor Sanford, the standard, as you demanded it, demands your resignation.

[dwillisno1]

Are you saying that stink is better than no smell at all?

[loveobamas]

Republicans set themselves up as m.o.r.a.l judges, and when they fail their own standards, the only thing left is their self righteousness h.y.p.o.c.r.i.s.y. So many examples, they parade their VP nominee's pregnant 17 year old daughter, and praise that she did not consider a.b.o.r.t.i.o.n, like it was some triumph of m.o.r.a.l.i.t.y.

[SharpDressedMan]

Did Bob Inglis speak out against Bob Livingston, Newt Gingrich, Mark Foley, Dennis Hastert, Larry Craig, David Vitter, Jim Gibbons, and John Ensign?

He too had a case of "the stinking rot of self-righteousness" and didn't speak out against his fellow GOPers.

[AlexNYC]

The stinking rot of self-righteousness helped the GOP with their agenda of bringing down Bill Clinton during the 1990s. Now that all the moral hypocrites are being exposed, it's time to be contrite, is that it Mr. Inglis? Grace is like being humble, if you claim that you are, then you're not. I don't see any Republican leader today having any grace whatsoever, Bob Ingles included.

[loveobamas]

Hey Bobby boy, it is not just that they need to lose the self righteousness. It means they need to develop some compassion for the people in this country. They need to learn that despite what they think, corporations are not people. They do not deserve person hood. And greed and power should not be the only game in town to get their attention. And most of all, they need to learn that a healthy, educated population makes a strong country. And everyone is entitled to a shot at it.

But having said that, I won't hold my breath. Hypocrisy and power are the only things they recognize.

[damilitantone]

The saying "what goes around, comes around" has been at play for some time. The GOP is getting its comeuppance in spades.

[harriscrl3]

Its too late. That ship has sailed. If they had done it BEFORE they became plagued with sex scandals maybe they could have recovered now if they do it they will just look like hypocrites. They only want to change the rules when they are suffering under them.

[bluguy8]

who is this Grace that he needs ? is she in Argentina ?

[foxbat]

Why is it that there's never talk about "grace" until it's one of their own? I don't have a problem with someone taking the moral high ground on an issue as long as they are willing to suffer the same penalties that they advocated against those who had previously fallen.

By the way, "grace" is keyword for "Do as we say, not as we do ... but if we get caught, we're moving the goalposts."

[Coopforobama]

GREAT Foxbat, new definition for the republicans, "if we get caught, we're moving the goalposts". How befitting. Luv It.

[mrfreeze]

Perhaps, what Mr. Inglis needs to do is invite Bill and Hilary Clinton over to his home and ask them how, even after he and a multitude of other hypocrites humiliated them in public, THEY ARE STILL TOGETHER. If anything, this jerk owes them an apology. Not only that, but he should think twice before using the Gov. Sanford for political gain.

[RRundbaken]

That won't happen. They are addicted to the religious right and that is why they are the marginal party they are. That and the fact they have no credible ideas and all their past policies have proven to be unmitigated failures. And they all seem to be incredibly stupid. That's why they line up to apologize to Limbaugh for criticizing him and only watch the GOP propaganda machine Fox News.

[marignymitch]

Correct. They're never giving it up. Even the publically humiliated among them haven't given it up. Newty, wife abandoner, serial marriager and full-time sleazeball, sees himself as morally superior to the rest of us. Just ask him. As does Billo, whose sexual acting out cost him millions in court. Then there's addled Rushbaugh, who proudly claims to occupy the moral 'high' ground, even after being busted with an illegal Rx..

[EmeraldWorld]

Too late for that. The GOPers are knee-deep in their self-righteous BS and sinking.