BECAUSE HE’S GOT A CRUSH ON OBAMA

Yes, it’s true. Like 24-year-old hottie Amber Lee Ettinger, who rocketed to Internet fame with her “Obama Girl” video, our own Gov. Mark Sanford has a crush on Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. Now, this isn’t really a secret, as Sanford wrote about it in The State last month, but now it appears CNN wants the whole world to know.

The above clip aired on Tuesday’s Situation Room. They referenced the January article in which Sanford called Obama’s candidacy “a potentially history-making quality that we should reflect on.”

It is one that is especially relevant on the sensitive topic of race — because South Carolina and the South as a whole bear a heavier historical burden than the rest of our country on that front. [...]

Sen. Obama is not running for president on the basis of his race, and no one should cast their ballot for or against him on that basis. Nonetheless, what is happening in the initial success of his candidacy should not escape us. Within many of our own lifetimes, a man who looked like Barack Obama had a difficult time even using the public restrooms in our state. What is happening may well say a lot about America, and I do think as an early primary state we should earnestly shoulder our responsibility in determining how this part of history is ultimately written. [MARK SANFORD]

The real news here is that CNN, whether they know it or not, may have solved the mystery surrounding Sanford’s missing presidential endorsement. Our brilliant governor missed his chance at becoming the GOP’s vice presidential candidate not because he didn’t want to endorse a Republican, but because he didn’t want to not endorse Obama.

I guess he truly is a romantic after all. If Obama gets a few dozen roses from an anonymous admirer for Valentine’s Day tomorrow, I think we’ll all know who they’re from.