COLUMBIA, S.C. South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford was in South America during a dayslong unexplained absence, not hiking the Appalachian Trail as his staff told the public when state leaders raised questions about his whereabouts, the governor told a newspaper.
The State reported that Sanford arrived Wednesday morning at Atlanta's Hartsville-Jackson International Airport on a flight from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Sanford's spokesman Joel Sawyer declined to comment Wednesday morning to The Associated Press
The Republican told the South Carolina newspaper he decided at the last minute to go to the South American country. The governor says he had considered hiking on the Appalachian Trail but wanted to do something "exotic."
Sanford said he was alone on the trip. He declined to give any additional details about what he did other than to say he drove along the coastline.
Sanford was last seen at work Thursday. On Monday, a state legislator raised questions about where he was after hearing reports from security officials that the governor could not be contacted and his whereabouts were unknown. The governor's wife, Jenny Sanford, told The Associated Press she had not seen him since Thursday but was not concerned because he'd told her he wanted to get away and do some writing.
Late Monday, Sanford's staff said he had been hiking the Appalachian Trail. They said Tuesday that he had called in and planned to cut his trip short and return to work Wednesday because of all the attention his absence was getting.
The governor's spokesman, Joel Sawyer, said Sanford wanted to get away to clear his head after the legislative session, during which he lost a key battle. Jenny Sanford said Tuesday, "Leave us to our privacy."
When The State asked Sanford at the airport why his staff said he was on the Appalachian Trail, Sanford replied, "I don't know."
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"Leave us to our privacy."?
A state that has one of the highest unemployment numbers and a governor who has critics who don't see him turning the economics around...disappears....lies about where he is going?
Yes he turned down stimulus money as is his right and there were enough South Carolinians who disagreed with that choice...but he disappeared on duty.
"Leave us to our privacy...."
I'm sorry, I don't think that's gonna happen.
Of course what has to be running on the minds of many...what the hell was going on in ARGENTINA that he lied about his whereabouts and who footed the bill?
If he EVER runs for president...an ad should run stating, "If the phone rings at 3am, do you know where your president will be to answer it?"
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