Where is South Carolina's governor? or Waldo

[larrymeyer]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090622/...governor_where

SC governor's whereabouts unknown, even to wife


55 mins ago
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Where is South Carolina's governor?

The lieutenant governor doesn't know, and neither does a state senator who's a close confidante. Even Gov. Mark Sanford's wife is in the dark.

And while his staff said they knew where he was, a spokesman said he wasn't aware that any of them had spoken with the governor since Thursday. Sanford's wife said she hasn't heard from him in several days, including Father's Day.

"He was writing something and wanted some space to get away from the kids," Jenny Sanford told The Associated Press while vacationing with the couple's four sons at their Sullivans Island beach house. She said she didn't know where he was, but wasn't concerned.

Sanford, who's also chairman of the Republican Governors Association, earned a reputation as the nation's most vocal anti-bailout governor by refusing $700 million in federal stimulus money for schools until he lost a court battle earlier this month.

His spokesman Joel Sawyer said the governor was taking a break after losing the fight.

"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," Sawyer said.

Sawyer told The Associated Press that he hadn't spoken with Sanford since Thursday and wasn't aware that any other member of the governor's staff had, either. The governor told his staff where he was going last week and planned to check in.

"If an emergency arose and we were unable to immediately reach him, we would obviously consult with other state officials before making any decisions," including Bauer, Sawyer said.

Sawyer wouldn't say where the Sanford was, but said it was an area with limited communication.

A post-session wind-down isn't uncommon and he goes "out of pocket for a few days at a time to clear his head," Sawyer said. "Obviously, that's going to be somewhat out of the question this time given the attention this particular absence has gotten."

Asked how he knew the governor was OK, Sawyer referred a reporter to his prepared statements. "Again, this is not unusual. We are not at all concerned," Sawyer said. He expected Sanford would return later this week.

Law enforcement officials who handle his security declined to comment and Sawyer wouldn't say whether Sanford had a security detail with him. Sanford is known for taking walks and runs without security, but flight logs show he seldom leaves the state without it.

Sanford typically is open about his whereabouts, and his office makes no secret of time spent on vacation or out of state.

But politicians, including the lieutenant governor, said they did not know Sanford was taking time away from his office.

State Sen. Tom Davis, a Beaufort Republican, Sanford confidante and former chief of staff, said his calls to Sanford were going straight to voice mail. Calls from The Associated Press to the governor's cell phone also went to voice mail.

Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer said he didn't know where Sanford was but said he had not been put in charge.

Sanford's critics were quick to criticize the governor.

"It's one thing for the boys to go off by themselves, but on Fathers Day to leave your family behind? That's erratic," said Senate Minority Leader John Land, D-Manning.

Sanford's unannounced absence was a cause for concern because the National Guard and the state's top law enforcement agencies report to him, Land said.

"And when those officials can't get in touch with the commander, it's really weird. That's not responsible," he said.

Sen. Jake Knotts, a Lexington Republican and a persistent Sanford critic, said the state needs to know where its governor is.

"The way things are in the world today and homeland security, we need the governor to be fingertips away," Knotts said. "Somebody's got to be in charge."

[FNG19]

SC governor's whereabouts unknown, even to wife

Didn't NJ's governor pull this a few years ago only to turn up at a drug rehab center or somesuch?

[308man]

I like this man. He sticks to his guns and fights for what he believes. So what the man is clearing his head probably working on some new politcal stratgey. I wonder if anyone noticed if I was missing for a few days? Thats right I'm a nobody right winged nutjob, so no.

[larrymeyer]

Didn't NJ's governor pull this a few years ago only to turn up at a drug rehab center or somesuch?

Nope he turned up with a guy

[FNG19]

Nope he turned up with a guy

I must be thinking of something else. Maybe it was a NJ city mayor who up and disappeared, only to show up in Drug Rehab.

[Ten*K]

well, he was a thorn in the Fed's foot, refusing to allow stimulus money in so that the Fed could bully more control of the State for itself.

maybe he'll "hang himself" like so many other folks who "hung themselves" after daring to cross the Fed.

[Halftrack]

*cough * Vince Foster *cough*

[Berks_Iraq_Vet]

Saw on the news this morning he went hiking an the Appalachian Trail to clear his head and blow off steam after losing some fights with the state legislature.

[camper]

Saw on the news this morning he went hiking an the Appalachian Trail to clear his head and blow off steam after losing some fights with the state legislature.

Saw the same thing. Maybe he got tired of hearing about Jon & Kate plus 8 incessantly on the news, and wanted to get away from hearing how 'hard' the media freak shows' life really is.

camper

[nijwnfi]

"He was writing something and wanted some space to get away from the kids," Jenny Sanford told The Associated Press while vacationing with the couple's four sons at their Sullivans Island beach house. She said she didn't know where he was, but wasn't concerned.

Wow, what a bitch. Bet that made the kids feel good, knowing dad wanted to "Get away from them". As far as the disappearing act, the people who elected him should take this into consideration next election. What would he do in a real crisis?