In the throes of mid-life crises, lots of men do unexpected things, things that they often later regret. These men sometimes hurt themselves and those they love.

When you’re elected to a high government office — let’s say, as the governor of South Carolina — such indiscretions are amplified by media attention, exacerbating the damage to you and your family.

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, 49, is being tried in the court of public opinion now for his tryst with Maria Belen Chapur, a 41-year-old former TV reporter from Argentina.

If he were a regular Joe, this would be bad enough. But Sanford is so much more. He represents a state of 4.5 million people. They count on him to make sound decisions that benefit South Carolina. They count on him to bring honor and respect to the Palmetto State.

Is Sanford fit to govern? Our short answer: No.

The affair casts dark shadows on his integrity. And in terms of his standing as a statesman, the circumstances of the affair kept him from honestly and openly fulfilling the duties of his office.

Can the people of South Carolina trust Sanford after what’s happened? Clearly not. And when it comes to public officials, trust is the essential commodity.