He Took A Hike

Big news down here in good old South Carolina.

The governor disappeared. Poof. Gone!

His staff didn't know where he was; nor did his wife. He just up and left town. But then late Monday afternoon we got word that he took my advice, as well as the advice of most of South Carolina.

Governor Mark Sanford took a hike.

His staff announced that the governor was hiking on the Appalachian Trail, ending four days during which staff and state officials said they had not heard from him. Four days a governor can just up and disappear?

Neither Sanford’s office nor the State Law Enforcement Division--SLED--which provides security for him, had been able to reach Sanford since last Thursday when he left the Governor's mansion in his black, government-issue Suburban SUV.

Joel Sawyer, the governor’s mouthpiece, wouldn't say exactly where Sanford had taken his hike, or if he was hiking, ahem, alone. And his wife, First lady Jenny Sanford, said Monday that he had been gone for several days over Father’s Day weekend and she did not know where he was, and she was not concerned.

Your husband disappears over Father's Day weekend, your husband the governor and you're not concerned, Jenny? What did she do while her husband went missing? She took her kids to the Sanford's multi-million dollar beach house on Sullivan’s Island.

In a statement released earlier on Monday--before the story of the 'hike' was released--Sanford's office said, “Governor 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."

So, he's let things slide during his foot-stomping-posturing-posing-as-a-presidential-candidate tirade over the stimulus package? That's how he governs? When he doesn't get his way he runs off? I used to do that when i was five.

He should take another hike.

And to make matters worse, this is, apparently, not the first time Marky had gone missing, eluding SLED.
Senator Jake Knotts , a longtime Sanford critic, said he contacted SLED Chief Reggie Lloyd Saturday after he heard reports the governor could not be reached. “Chief Lloyd confirmed that my information is legitimate,” said Knotts. “I was recently made aware that Governor Sanford has frequently been eluding SLED agents and disappearing at odd times. He [Lloyd] shared my concerns about succession of power.”

“As the head of our state, in the unfortunate event of a state of emergency or homeland security situation, Governor Sanford should be available at all times to the chief of SLED,” the senator said. “I want to know immediately who is running the executive branch in the governor’s absence.”

As would most of South Carolina, governor.