Update at bottom of page
South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford is missing; well sort of. The South Carolina Governor left the governor’s mansion on Thursday and hasn’t been seen or heard from until today. Only today did the Lt. Governor’s office say that Sanford had been reached.
Mark Sanford Missing?
Reports say that even Mark Sanford’s wife doesn’t know exactly where the Governor is, at least that’s her story and she’s sticking to it. Sanford, a Republican in his second term, has been known to give his security detail the slip a time or two to seek peace and quiet. From the Hill:
“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,” the governor’s communications director said in a statement.
The South Carolina Governor left his mansion on Thursday in a law enforcement SUV and has been out of reach since. His cell phone has been off since a tower near Atlanta, GA last picked it up. Governor Sanford has not answered calls, emails or any other form of communication.
Jenny Sanford, the governor’s wife, said that he wanted some time away from the kids to finish writing something he had been working on and hadn’t had the time to finish. Sanford also said that he needed to recharge after the recent stimulus fight that had actually gone to the South Carolina Supreme Court.
Sanford was one of a handful of Republican Governor’s who had wanted to refuse the federal stimulus funds, but he was forced to take the money by the State Supreme Court. Mark Sanford has a habit it seems of “going underground” when he wants to take time off. Right now, this is just fodder for his political enemies of which he seemingly has plenty.
Mark Sanford may be a little unconventional at times, the South Carolina Governor missing on Father’s Day Weekend is proof of that; but he’s a true conservative leader. Right now there aren’t a lot of those around. Sanford’s liberal enemies will certainly use this against him, while those who like him, well, it will only endear the Governor to them more.
Update: 6/23/2009
Here’s an interesting twist to the story over at Hot Air.
Update: 6/24/09
Mark Sanford, seemingly one of the bright spots in the Republican party is now just a political liability. Read more about his self inflicted mishap here. Ed Morrissey has more at Hot Air.
Mark Sanford on Glenn Beck
Photos: South Carolina Governor’s Office
June 22nd, 2009 at 7:56 pm
His enemies have really been after him since he tried to refuse the stimulus money that the current administration slammed down everyone’s throats. Plus, there’s been talk of him running for President in 2012 - so they certainly want to give him the same treatment they do Sarah Palin or anyone else that poses a political threat to them.
June 22nd, 2009 at 8:18 pm
Hi, I am writing. No wait, I am refreshing. Ooops, I am hiking. No wait, now I’m going to Disney World. Hey, this is the Alamo I’m at. This dude cracked, and has been cracked for a while. Time to take him out of office; he abandoned his duties and put the state in danger.
June 22nd, 2009 at 8:41 pm
I speak for all angry lefty liberals: We hope for Governor Sanford’s safe return. Nothing is more tragic than four small boys not having a father and a wife not having a husband.
I guess that’s the extent of how us left-wing enemies going to “[use] this against him”.
Grow up, you right wing whackjob. Just because ypou let politics get in the way of common human decency doesn’t mean we do.
June 22nd, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Seems he went to the same place as Obama, our invisible president.
June 22nd, 2009 at 9:40 pm
Perhaps he has gone to Never Never Land, to be with Peter Pan.
June 23rd, 2009 at 2:22 am
McCain,
Speaking of our president, even though he has nothing to do with this story, doesn’t it feel comforting to know during these perilous times he won’t disappearfor weeks at a time to Camp David or the back woods of Texas!
June 23rd, 2009 at 3:56 am
Who is running this state at a time where the unemployment is over 12% and public schools are in shambles. Who has time to just ‘disappear’. The way that Sanford has. No word, no nothing, shows no respect toward the good people of South Carolina.
June 23rd, 2009 at 6:14 am
I don’t begrudge Sanford his alone time, if that’s what it is, and can even understand why his administration doesn’t want to get specific about his whereabouts (even assuming they could). I can perhaps also set aside how odd it would be to leave one’s family behind on Father’s Day weekend–perhaps.
But I do find it odd that communications about his ‘taking a hike’ were so badly botched, leading to speculation.
What I absolutely cannot understand is why he wouldn’t tell his wife or staff by what date he would return. That’s basic common sense safety when you go hiking. Nor do I understand why no news outlets are asking his family or administration that question: “Okay, he took a hike. When will he be back?” If his spokesperson(s) can anwer that question then this is all much ado about nothing.
But if they can’t, then he’s been terribly irresponsible toward his family and his constituents, and could be in real trouble.
Let’s hope it’s just a communication failure.
June 23rd, 2009 at 6:22 am
Kammi you’re right, he’ll just hop a plane and grab a broadway show and dinner in New York.
June 23rd, 2009 at 6:56 am
I wonder where Rick Perry (gov of Texas) was? Maybe Sanford and Perry were drafting the “Articles of Secession”.
June 23rd, 2009 at 5:17 pm
What kind of a father goes away and doesn’t tell his wife and kids where he’s going? Why does his wife think this is normal? He’s very strangely detached from his family above and beyond the irresponsible manner he treats his office.
June 23rd, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Well I can just tell you I don’t want Mark Sanford in 2012. Not because of this, but just because I want someone better. Yet I do support his desire for conservatism.
June 23rd, 2009 at 6:19 pm
oh my, another eccentric politician? gee! I believe bush and the canadian prime minister, the old one, gave the secret service detail the slip and took a walk on the sly. Its probably true his enemies are hyping this up as a day and a weekend isn’t that long. Yes, we are seeing a lot of political sniping these days, and we are getting darn good at detecting it.
June 24th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
Senator John Ensign says: Welcome to the club bro! Welcoming him with open arms…I will not be surprised if someday they become best of friends.