S.C. governor to return to work Wednesday

[sabra]

Source: MSNBC/AP

Sanford leaves state leaders in dark as he goes on secretive hike

COLUMBIA, S.C. - A spokesman for South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford says the Republican checked in with his staff and was surprised by the attention given to his secretive vacation.

Sanford spokesman Joel Sawyer says the governor called his chief of staff Tuesday morning. His last known contact with staff was five days earlier.

Sawyer says the governor was taken aback by the interest his trip to the Appalachian Trail has garnered. Sawyer says the governor decided that with all the attention he'd return to his office Wednesday.

The dayslong absence by South Carolina's governor left fellow state leaders scratching their heads.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31501458/ns/politics-more_politics/

[predfan]

1. Anyone else remember the Nevada Senator in "Godfather 2" who blacked out

and lost a day or so?

[Demoiselle]

6. Or the runaway Florida Governor in the Carl Hiassen novels....

I can't remember his name, but he appears in several books...he was a good guy...a tough defender of nature who went a bit bonkers, ran away from the world to live in the Everglades, , ate road kill and strapped himself to a bridge abuttment during a hurricane (among other things!)
I wish that Sanford was as decent and sane.

[Missy Vixen]

12. Skink

In the meantime, Sanford isn't that smart. This has blown up in his face.

He'd better have spent the past four days curing cancer, because the press will discover what he was doing, and it will be made public.

[dgibby]

2. Bad news.

The only "work" this jackass does is detrimental to the citizens. I was hoping he'd be wandering out there for the next 40 years or so.

[Catbird]

3. Two words -- Andre Bauer

All things considered, I think I'd just as soon have Sanford back.

FYI: Andre Bauer is South Carolina's lieutenant governor.

[dgibby]

4. Andre Bauer is Sandford's best insurance policy for staying in office.

SC government resembles a clown car in a circus. Open the door and out rolls Sanford, Baues, Graham, and DeMint. Problem is they're not entertaining or funny. I can't wait until I'm able to move back to Va.

[pattmarty]

5. This is what makes America such a great country: ...........

................Great drugs, hookers and premium liquor!!!!:sarcasm:

[Graybeard]

7. Did he "check in" with his four sons?

When is he going to give them the opportunity to say, "Happy Father's Day daddy"? This is one strange dude.

[eagertolearn]

8. This is so stupid. Let the guy clear his head while hiking...good for him!

[demoborn47]

9. Yeah clear your head...

... but over the father's day weekend, without telling his family? That is weird and pretty selfish.

[eagertolearn]

19. I've always seen mothers and fathers day as being the day that they can both do

what ever they want. If it means doing something so you can come back and be a better father then I think it is great. This year I was with several girlfriends for a "girls weekend" on mothers day and my husband got to get a full day of windsurfing in on Fathers Day.

[Demeter]

10. Better He Should Clean Out His Desk

Good Government isn't a sometimes thing.

[staying left]

11. Oh Really?

Totally irresponsible for an adult, let alone a Governor, to go off for days without informing anyone. What if there was an emergency in SC? Who would've known how to reach him? Kiss 2012 goodbye loser!

[eagertolearn]

20. I'm sure someone who needed to know knew.

[damntexdem]

13. Can't he stay away a little longer -- a few more months?

Or years?

[liberal N proud]

14. Darn, I was hoping for a few more days of this folly

[BrightKnight]

15. There is nothing wrong with spending a little time on the AT!

I am a Democrat but I would never fault any Repug for that. It sounds like he likes to do a little backpacking from time to time. I completely respect that. He clearly could not provide too many details about his trip for security reasons. His wife knew more than she was saying. The trip happened to fall on Fathers Day but I am sure that his kids will survive. If he missed Christmas or a birthday there might be a valid concern.

I spent 2 weeks on the AT in May and if I lived in SC I would be in the backcountry ever chance I had. I never thought that I would be defending a Repug on DU.

[BrightKnight]

18. The AT story is now obviously BS. Just another lying Repug

Nobody would every fly out of State to section hike the AT in Georgia this time of year. It is way too hot, humid, and strenuous. Some locals might go up there and there might be a hand full of very, very late starting through hikers. Also, the closer North Carolina section is far more impressive. I fly all over the Country to backpack. I always choose the most beautiful places.

His car was parked at the airport 80 miles from the trail and his cell call was from about 100 miles from the start of the trail.

I would defend an AT hike but he was apparently doing something indefensible.

[JerseygirlCT]

16. I wonder what would happen if one of the Governor's employees

took off without word to anyone for several days, and then just showed up, expecting to go back to work, no questions asked?

[IndianaGreen]

17. Sources Question Governor's Story (Sanford's car left at Atlanta's airport)

Sources Question Governor's Story

Gov. Mark Sanford Says He Disappeared To Go Hiking

POSTED: 5:01 pm EDT June 23, 2009

On Tuesday, sources told News 4's Nigel Robertson that a state vehicle is missing and was tracked down, not to the Appalachian Trail, but to the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta.

Sources told Robertson that a federal agent spotted Sanford in the airport boarding a plane. Robertson was told that the governor was not accompanied by security detail.

<snip>

But sources told WYFF News 4 that the federal agent who spotted Sanford saw him at the Atlanta airport, which is about 80 miles from the start of the trail.

WYFF News 4 has not yet confirmed where the plane was going or how the governor got to the airport, but it is clear there are two very different stories.

News 4 called the governor's office, and was told again by staffers that they stand by their original statement that the governor is hiking the Appalachian Trail. They did not want to comment on this story.

http://www.wyff4.com/news/19837234/detail.html