Censure and MoveOn?

The South Carolina Republican Party took a page from the largest progressive organization in America. Never thought I'd write that.

After nearly four hours of deliberation and multiple rounds of balloting, the South Carolina Republican Party voted Monday night to censure Mark Sanford for traveling overseas to visit his mistress -- but stopped short of calling on the governor to resign.

Members of the South Carolina GOP's executive committee approved a resolution censuring Sanford for conduct that demonstrated "repeated failures to act in accordance" with the party's core principles and beliefs, according to GOP sources on the teleconference.

The resolution also reprimands the governor for "falling below the standards expected of Republican elected officials."

Sanford issued a short response to the censure through his spokesman late Monday.

"The governor fully appreciates the party's position, and he intends to work diligently to earn back its trust," said spokesman Joel Sawyer.

The censure is a first for any sitting Governor in South Carolina, but it looks like the state GOP will let it lay there.

Just like they did for Bill Clinton.

Right?

(Incidentally, Clinton didn't leave America without telling anyone to go huddle with Monica Lewinsky for a week. That would be the difference.)