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Sanford Confusion: Gov's Office Won't Say They've Talked To Him
The Where In The World Is Mark Sanford story is only getting weirder.
The office of the Lieutenant Governor, Andre Bauer, is now telling reporters that the governor's office says it's reached Sanford and that he's fine. (Bauer would take over the governor's duties in an emergency.)
But here's the thing: The governor's staff himself doesn't seem willing to confirm that directly to the press. Instead, Sanford's spokesman Joel Sawyer released the following statement
Gov. Sanford is taking some time away from the office this week to recharge after the stimulus battle and the legislative session, and to work on a couple of projects that have fallen by the wayside. We are not going to discuss the specifics of his travel arrangements or his security arrangements.
Then a few hours later, Sawyer followed that up with a second statement:
The governor put in a lot of time during this last legislative session, and after the session winds down, it's not uncommon for him to go out of pocket for a few days at a time to clear his head. Obviously, that's going to be somewhat out of the question this time given the attention this particular absence has gotten. Before leaving last week, he let staff know his whereabouts and that he'd be difficult to reach. Should any emergencies arise between the times in which he checks in, our staff would obviously be in contact with other state officials as the situation warrants before making any decisions.
In neither of these statements is Sanford's office saying that they've been in touch with him. Indeed, the clear implication is that they haven't been, or presumably they'd say they have.
In fact, it's unclear how closely the office even knows the guv's whereabouts. If it did, why the need to track his cellphone location? And if he told his office, why didn't he tell his wife?
Josh
Zachary
One wonders why Sanford would need to go away and not tell his wife. Hmmm...
John
June 22, 2009 6:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
See what happens when you live on hate? It will drive you crazy.
June 22, 2009 10:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Father's Day weekend, of all occasions. Great guy.
June 22, 2009 6:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Gov. Sanford is taking some time away from the office this week to recharge after the stimulus battle and the legislative session..."
--Add to this dodging the barrage of softballs from Greta van Susteren, Hannity and Chris Wallace every week and Fox..and you can see why this guy needs a major league vacation.
June 23, 2009 12:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
He's gotta be in rehab. It's the only explanation that makes sense.
His wife and office know perfectly well where he is (although possibly not at first, as in the cell tower thingy), but they're not letting on.
June 22, 2009 6:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
That was my first thought...
Second thought, he's on a binge and needs rehab.
June 22, 2009 8:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Who drove him to it,Pres Obama,or his party,for encouraging this nonsense against his own state?
June 22, 2009 10:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
If he was in rehab he wouldn't be allowed to text. But that was a good guess.
June 22, 2009 6:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
But do we know the Tweets are really his?
The theory holds a good amount of water I think. Or something of the sort. But clearly the staff and wife were not in on the loop from the get-go. Otherwise they would have had a better cover story.
June 22, 2009 7:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm missing it, why is this of consequence? Give it another day or two, than we can all jump to the whole he's been kidnapped by the working poor and unemployed of South Carolina who are looking for their stimulus jobs. Currently, he's just coming off as a workaholic with little regard for his children or wife who turned off his cell phone and employed a vague press staffer.
June 22, 2009 6:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
You think it's even that? I'm thinking he's just an attention whore.
June 22, 2009 6:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
YOu know what is wierd. Nobody noticed until today.
But considering how power mad and useless he wasn't missed
June 22, 2009 6:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is one weird story. WTF? Who doesn't hang out with their kids on fathers day, especially a politician? So weird.
June 22, 2009 6:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe he was declared an enemy combatant and rendered somewhere.
June 22, 2009 7:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
That'd be extraordinary.
June 22, 2009 10:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
They need to get their stories straight if they want anyone to believe this is nothing unusual.
June 22, 2009 7:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe he's off partying with Vitter and Ensign.
June 22, 2009 7:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is an option I'd buy into. That or Stone Mountain will stone him.
June 22, 2009 9:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Gone Fishing. State closed.
June 22, 2009 7:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe somebody should check the current whereabouts of Cindy Hampton
June 22, 2009 7:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
lol
June 22, 2009 8:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Weird, weird, weird. If he's in rehab, I gotta feel for the guy. And I respect him for taking that step in his life. But how can you not tell people where you're going to be? I don't like his frickin' politics, but on a human level, I hope he's OK and taking care of his $hit.
Post Snark - Why can't Rush Limbaugh go missing and never come back?
June 22, 2009 7:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
I believe he's creating some drama so he'll get attention after he writes some screed about SoCar. government issues, and why he wants to be POTUS so he can inflict his idiocy on the whole country. He's gonna come out of the Wilderness, and probably drop names, like "jesus" (but not Carlos Casteneda) and become the Savior of the Re.pubic.an Party. Or so.
June 22, 2009 8:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Occam's razor says Rehab or binge...
June 22, 2009 8:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Actually, something similar to this happened nine years ago. Al Gore "disappeared"; nobody knew where he was, but nobody was panicking. It was a ploy, of course; V.P. Gore had gone rockclimbing, and his staff figured it would help his faltering image if it appeared Gore 1) had gone on such a studly, rugged endeavor 2) on the QT. That, I figure, is what's going on here; whatever Sanford is doing, it will eventually be presented as something noble and uplifting. He's got a presidential campaign to think about, afte all.
June 22, 2009 8:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
So, apparently there was a cell response from a tower in Atlanta. If I were truly curious I would check one of the finest strip clubs in the world-The Clairmont Lounge on Ponce de Leon! Sanford is just snuggling up to Blondie for some good times!
June 22, 2009 8:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just asking....Isn't June Gay Pride Month? Could he be in NYC for the celebrations this weekend?
June 22, 2009 8:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
With any luck, he may never re-appear.
June 22, 2009 8:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
could it be that he got one of the palin girls preggers?
June 22, 2009 8:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
He the friggin governor, people depend on him! Maybe its just me, but this sound kind of irresponcible.
June 22, 2009 8:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Duh!!
June 22, 2009 9:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
He's clearly "on retreat" with Foley, Haggard, Craig and Allen @ an I-85 rest stop
June 22, 2009 10:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
What do fellas do in that case> Take turns? Roll the dice?
June 23, 2009 1:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
It sounds like his staff is preparing the people for a possible rising emergency.?
And, AWOL isn't exactly a great history or experience for your resume, especially for a supposed Presidential hopeful.
P.S. maybe he & the GOP really are lost in the wilderness.
June 22, 2009 10:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have to give credit to Mr. Sawyer for his excellent flacking:
"...it's not uncommon for him to go out of pocket for a few days at a time to clear his head. Obviously, that's going to be somewhat out of the question this time given the attention this particular absence has gotten."
He was just about ready to come up with a plan that would fix the economy, defeat al-Qaeda, and reform the way we pick a college football champion, but YOU NOSY NELLIES DISTRACTED HIM WITH YOUR FUSSING! NOW YOU GET NOTHING!
June 22, 2009 10:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
I nailed it! (See #24 above.) His staff says he's hiking the Appalachian Trail!
June 22, 2009 10:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Leave us your address and we'll send you a t-shirt.
June 23, 2009 12:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
So, let me get this straight. He takes out a state law enforcement SUV, doesn't tell the SLED what he's doing with it, doesn't tell anyone else where he's going...
His cell is tracked to an Atlanta cell tower - because they don't know where he is, they spend the law enforcement resources to try and find him.
And now his staff says he's hiking the Appalachian Trail - the southernmost end of which is about 60 miles north of Atlanta, and well out of cell range to that city. There's no good reason for someone driving from SC to go all the way to Atlanta on his way to the start of the trail.
So - what was he doing in Atlanta?
June 23, 2009 10:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
Lee Atwater has speculated from Hell that he may be hooked up to jumper cables.
June 22, 2009 11:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Second thought. Aside from bored reporters does anyone else in SC care that he is missing??
Well to the speculators he is rather tall dark and good looking.
June 22, 2009 11:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
OK, in light of the most recent developments (ie Appalachia), this might make me sound like a jackass (and earn a scolding from our TPM overlords) - BUT I have to say.
Appalachia???
Squeal boy, squeal...
June 23, 2009 12:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
cue the banjos!
June 23, 2009 1:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
I can't help but think of sordid reasons why the Guv went missing:
1. 4-day drunk
2. Went to clinic to dry out.
3. Snuggled away in love nest with sweetie.
etc etc
June 23, 2009 1:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's not like he's a private citizen and can go off without telling his wife. Hello, he's the governor and as so must have to follow some kind of rules.....I think the Lt. Governor should request to be acting Gov. It all seems very strange to me.
June 23, 2009 2:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
my state is probably better off without Sanford.
June 23, 2009 2:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
Does a day go by without some GOP stalwart saying or --in this case--doing something stupid?
You may have been able to get away with something like this a generation ago but in an era of constant communication? I don't think so.
June 23, 2009 2:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
So now the ridiculous fetish that of the "security detail" and "security bubble" that has grown up around the President over the last 15 years (5! C-5 Galaxys full of equipment followed the President around the last Pacific visit) is being extended to the **governor of South Carolina**? His "security detail"? The governor of South Carolina has a "security detail" that has to track him 1440 minutes/day 365.23 days/year? Why exactly? Who cares if he is out on the trail for a few days? Will he be unable to reach the nuclear football in time? Oh wait...
June 23, 2009 8:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe Limbaugh took his private jet again, loaded up with Viagra again, and took another trip to the Dominican Republic taking Sanford along.
June 23, 2009 8:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
This sounds like crack addict behavior! Does anybody know where Cynthia Hampton was at the time? And why is it so hard to find a picture of this woman? She has been in the public square forever!
June 23, 2009 8:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
Wouldn't you think that, by this time, someone would have crossed his path on the Trail and word would have gotten back )via cellphone or hikers re-entering civilization for supplies, etc)? The AT is pretty well populated by this time of year, especially in the southern areas.
June 23, 2009 10:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
he's a M-A-V-E-R-I-C-K.
June 23, 2009 11:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
What a surprise, Sanford is a weirdo! Who would've thought? He has a stunningly skewed set of priorities revealed yet again.
This nonsense about him being too far afield to find is a bit much. Cell phone, GPS, all that... He's hardly Daniel Boone out in the wilderness.
Maybe he's looking for a burning bush to help him pray for his suffering constituents.
June 23, 2009 11:43 AM | Reply | Permalink