Sanford met in Atlanta after returning from South America

[Are_grits_groceries]

Source: The State

ATLANTA -- Gov. Mark Sanford arrived in the Hartsville-Jackson International Airport Wednesday morning, having wrapped up a seven-day visit to Buenos Aires, Argentina, he said. Sanford said he had not been hiking along the Appalachian Trail, as his staff said in a Tuesday statement to the media.

Sanford's whereabouts had been unknown since Thursday, and the mystery surrounding his absence fueled speculation about where he had been and who's in charge in his absence. His emergence Wednesday ended the mystery.

Sanford, in an exclusive interview with The State Media Company, said he decided at the last minute to go to the South American country to recharge after a difficult legislative session in which he battled with lawmakers over how to spend federal stimulus money.

Sanford said he had considered hiking on the Appalachian Trail, an activity he said he has enjoyed since he was a high school student.



Read more: http://www.thestate.com/local/story/838823.html

---

WTF! What is going on??

[DangerousRhythm]

1. This is becoming more bizarre by the day.

What the hell is this?

[Faygo Kid]

33. There's WAY more going on here than just a road trip to Buenos Aires.

Give me a break. Plus, he turned his phone off the whole time?? Missed Father's Day, and left his wife behind?

Something big will eventually come out about this, and it won't be pretty. My guess is that sex will be involved.

[Wickerman]

2. His emergence Wednesday ended the mystery.

Hardly.

[ixion]

3. and just watch how easily the MSM will accept the charade

they'll switch narratives w/o missing a beat. Just watch.

[Are_grits_groceries]

5. This is why I like

"The Enquirer" at times. I'll bet there are a stream of reporters heading down there now. In addition, don't think his "friends" in the legislature will let it drop.

[pattmarty]

6. You have an interesting point about the Enquirer. I never thought about it..........

..............before (and MOST at DU probably wouldn't use it to "wrap fish"), but with our self imposed media censorship the Enquirer might be more "mainstream" than the MSM.

[nc4bo]

8. I know you were replying to the OP but I really have to voice my agreement w/you. nt

[kskiska]

25. I was disappointed with the Enquirer

When Rush vacationed in the Dominican Republic with a bottle of Viagra I thought they'd send reporters to follow his tracks to see what he was really doing down there, but they didn't. Could have been a hell of a story.

[nc4bo]

4. What in the hell is going on?! Bizarre. nt

[konnichi wa]

7. I wanna see the stamp on his passport...

[Frustratedlady]

9. Man, you can't make this stuff up.

Bizarre was my first thought, too.

If he actually left without having someone in charge of various areas, he should be strongly reprimanded or kicked out. What a strange way to act when you are in charge of a state. Wanting time away without anyone knowing is one thing, but to just pick up and leave like that...don't forget Father's Day, as he apparently did...it is bizarre.

Someone has some `splainin' to do.

[Soylent Brice]

my money is on a drug-bender-sex-rampage, probably paid for by the taxpayers.

his own little "Rushcation", if you will.

[Festivito]

23. There is a child sex area of Argentina from the old Nazi days.

Something still in the DU archives somewhere.

Perhaps he didn't want to be followed after entering Buenos Aires.

[Soylent Brice]

35. with this situation, the possibilities are endless.

and nothing would surprise me.

[C_U_L8R]

10. The Bushes used to do this all the time

Remember when Bush would appear Monday morning with a mysterious suntan?
His dad used to go down to the Keys fishing with a Camp David cover story.

[dgibby]

18. Yeah, but the SS always knew where they were.

Sanford disappears for a week and NO ONE knows where he is or how to contact him. SC laws about when the Lt Gov. can assume gubernatorial responsibilities is vague, revolving around "state of emergency", which is poorly defined. So basically, there was no one in charge during his absence.
Bad way to run a state.

[sasquatch]

11. Is he planning a coup against Kerchner in Argentina?

[dgibby]

12. No doubt this will add fuel to the impeachment movement already in progress.

Something is seriously wrong with this guy.

[flamingyouth]

13. I love how his story morphs by the hour

I guess as soon as he found out it was Naked Hiker Day on the Appalachian Trail, that story didn't sound so great after all.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

14. This is strange

They are spinning it as best they can--wonder what really happened. At the very least, Sanford kept his staff totally in the dark about his whereabouts. Not the best behavior for a sitting governor.

[TheCowsCameHome]

15. Another rising star burns out - I'm lovin' every minute of it.

[maddezmom]

16. at the last minute he wanted to do something EXOTIC!!

[Odin2005]

17. WTF?

This is getting crazy.

[The Wizard]

19. Let me guess

He was there to restore Hitler's good reputation.

[Blue_Tires]

24. lol at that!

[Dappleganger]

20. If my husband pulled a stunt like that...

he shouldn't even bother coming home.

[SkyDaddy7]

21. Drug Binge?

Just guessing?

[Are_grits_groceries]

22. I just heard the reporter who met him in Atlanta on CNN.

She asked him if he was alone. He said he was. Then she asked him what hotel he stayed at. He told her he knew where this was going and wouldn't answer.

Well why wouldn't he name the hotel where he stayed? That just adds more fuel to the fire.

[Ganja Ninja]

30. He knew where this was going.

Yeah that'll make it go away.

Notice how 2 of the major potential GOP presidential candidates for 2012 have bitten the dust in less than 2 weeks? Think it's just a coincidence?

[DainBramaged]

26. Is Sanford one of the Promise Keepers?

In dissent with the Republican Party of South Carolina, Sanford, whose faith is Episcopal, opposes the faith-based license plates his state offers, marketed largely to the state's conservative evangelical citizens. After allowing the law to pass without his signature, he wrote, "It is my personal view that the largest proclamation of one's faith ought to be in how one lives his life."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Sanford

And then there is this;

Mark Sanford for President 2012
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7511542695

Looks like he'll be having lunch with Bobby Jindal sometime soon to talk about how they blew it.

[kskiska]

27. It's winter in Buenos Aires

49 degrees there right now. I hope he brought a jacket with him.

[Dulcinea]

48. Good point.

Gov. Sanford is from the South. Most Southerners are more afraid of cold weather than hurricanes, floods or alligators. They never go anywhere cold voluntarily.

So, it stands to reason that he went to Argentina for a very specific purpose, one that couldn't be fulfilled in SC or anywhere in the United States. What was it???

[undeterred]

28. He's depressed.

That's whats going on. He just decided to walk away from his life and his problems. Its not the most constructive way to deal with feeling bad, but its a way.

[Ghost of Tom Joad]

29. if he were a democrat

the coverage would be relentless

[sinkingfeeling]

31. Interesting. He goes to Argentina without even telling his wife? I bet he got 'recharged'!

[Fly by night]

32. Does Governor Sanford know where he is right now? Just askin'.

[bahrbearian]

34. So what was the DHS doing?

They can track fleeing Dems but not a Repug.

[Hawaii Hiker]

36. Maybe he did the ironman competition - he hiked the Appalachian Trail

followed by a swim to South America, lol

Like a post I started on the GD board yesterday, this story has to involve a mistress, call girl, or a dominatrix (or a combination of the 3)....

[dgibby]

46. You forgot live boy or dead girl. n/t

[JayMusgrove]

37. Who goes to Argentina during their winter to "re-charge"? There are no lovely

beaches and resorts in SC to "recharge" at?

This makes me think he's either crazy or a criminal or both.

[Vidar]

42. Tango dancers.

[dgibby]

47. He lives on Sullivan's Island and has a plantation in Beaufort.

No doubt he could get away in SC if he wanted.

[lisa58]

38. Sooooooo, what's her name?

[ret5hd]

40. Recharge. Weren't you listening.

[Epiphany4z]

39. he was writing a book

no no hiking....oh ya he was in Argentenia...ya thats the ticket....ya ya......


lol he is gona have to pick a story and stick to it eventually....

[Myrina]

41. ... does he have a side-career as a mule?

[disndat]

43. Sanford is a bizarre,

RW, Republican kind of guy, along with Vitter, Craig, and Ensign. Nothing has happened to his fellow Repug bizarros, so nothing will happen to him.

[InfiniteThoughts]

44. and ..

Sanford is one of the republican bright lights for 2012 The new age GOP is the gift that keeps giving (to the Dems!)

BTW, watch out late night shows, if you don't improve - the GOP will replace you ...

[dgibby]

45. Another twist to the story.

According to ABC, the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aries didn't know Sanford was there.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

I can hardly wait for the next episode of this soap opera. Gawd knows what will happen before the fat lady finally sings!

[Botany]

49. Report: S.C. governor says he was in Argentina

Source: CNN

COLUMBIA, South Carolina (CNN) -- South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford did not spend the last five days hiking the Appalachian Trail -- as his staff indicated -- but instead was in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he told The State newspaper.

Gov. Mark Sanford told The State newspaper he was surprised the story was attracting such attention.

Spotted returning from the trip at the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia, Wednesday morning, the Republican governor told The State he had considered hiking the Appalachian Trail after his state's busy legislative season ended but instead decided differently.

"I wanted to do something exotic. It's a great city," Stanford said, referring to Buenos Aires.

His staff and family seemed to be in the dark about his whereabouts. Sanford also said no one else accompanied him on the trip, the paper reported. The Republican governor and possible 2012 contender told the newspaper only that he took a drive along the coastline on his trip.

Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/06/24/south.caroli...

---

But he was thinking about hiking the Appalachian Trail ..... so it is all good.

[Beetwasher]

50. Can't Wait Until The Real Story Starts To Dribble Out

Fascinating!

[Botany]

51. Why do I hear the pina colada song playing?

[BBri]

64. C'mon!

My money is going on the "real story" involving either a)hookers or b)sex with another man. We have to remember, he is a Republican.

[sutz12]

79. Or both....

[No Elephants]

81. Sadly, pecker peccadillos know no political divides. That kind of talk will get us in as much

trouble as the Republicans got into after they tried it. Let's not pick up where they finally left off.

[Doctor_J]

52. He was surprised anyone cared

that he took off without telling his staff or his wife.

[CreekDog]

53. This guy is fucking stupid

and he possibly thinks we are as well.

[smirkymonkey]

57. Sounds like a psychotic break to me...

this was not the behaviour of a normal, sane person. Not someone in his position, anyway.

[Stuart G]

58. Correct...something very very strange, nt

[sutz12]

54. Did they frisk him for Viagara?

[CrownPrinceBandar]

55. This story stinks of illicit shagging.................

First he's writing something, then he's hiking somewhere, now he says he was in Buenos Aires? All without telling the majority of his staff, the Lt. Governor or his family. This story stinks more than Texas roadkill on an August afternoon.

edit: spelling

[Magleetis]

60. Prostitution is legal

in Argentina.

[CrownPrinceBandar]

85. You're right............

but I don't believe adultery is.

[raccoon]

68. I like that expression; is it original?

"This story stinks more than Texas roadkill on an August afternoon."

[CrownPrinceBandar]

70. Yup. Just pulled it out of the air.......n/t

[No Elephants]

83. Kudos! (I love expressions like that, but have no flair for them.)

[elocs]

56. It was a tossup: the Appalachian Trail/Buenos Aires. I could see how that might be.

As this gets curioser and curioser.

[Solly Mack]

59. Hmmm..wonder if he landed in BA and then flew elsewhere

if BA was his intended stop, wonder who he met up with....

Guv'ner Flighty

[benld74]

61. New Game - Not Where's WALDO - SOMEWHERE'S SANFORD!

[Vidar]

62. Made marvelous time on his hike.

[Wizard777]

63. Don't cry for me South Carolina.The truth is I never left you.

Don't cry for me South Carolina. The truth is I never left you.

[Kali]

72. ...

[dgibby]

73. We're not crying because he left. We're crying because he came back. n/t

[Wizard777]

86. So Governor Evita has returned? Has he made his grand balcony speech?

[dgibby]

87. Due at 2:00pm EDT.

And the plot has thickened. Seems TPM is reporting that there was another car parked next to Sanford's car at the Columbia airport and that the Sanford's are having marital problems and have been in counseling. Supposedly, he was not alone on his trip, and questions WILL be asked at the presser. I hope the MSM will be covering it. If not, maybe the local news here in Charleston will break into their regularly scheduled soap opera to cover the REAL soap opera going on in the SC capital.

[EC]

65. I want to know who else was there at the same time

he was...I don't think this is about a lover, I think this is about something political...making deals or something illegal..

[raccoon]

69. That's my second choice. First is nervous breakdown. nt

[InfiniteThoughts]

66. and ...

he is one of Republican frontrunners for 2012 ... (boy, they seem to be terrific bunch of folks, pun intended!)

Bring them on, i say ... we are looking at at least 20 years of dem presidential rule with folks like Sanford, Palin, Jindal around ...

[Bette Noir]

74. Palin looked good until she opened her mouth. Same with Jindal.

Sanford didn't even have to open his mouth to be thought a fool.

[KamaAina]

91. But when he does, he will remove all doubt

edit: header

[madmom]

67. Well they both begin with A.

[Bette Noir]

71. Fascinating. So, he took a trip abroad, missed Fathers' Day,

and didn't even tell his wife? He can kiss the Presidency goodbye, and likely another term as Governor, as well.

[dgibby]

76. He can't run as governor again-term limits-thank gawd!

Considering some of the other bizarre things he's done, such as taking pigs into the state house because he was mad at the legislature over the budget, making mind numbing speeches about irrelevant topics, etc, I'm opting for some type of mental problem. He's a control freak and the legislature handed him his ass on the stimulus, then overturned 9 of 10 veto's, so I'm thinking he's feeling really out of control about now. I'll bet he's not too happy about the Impeach Sanford Movement, either.

[MicaelS]

75. If I were a woman, there is absolutely no way

I would ever marry a man who wanted to run for office as a Republican. I would have to think long and hard if he wanted to run for office as a Democrat. Too many politicians think with their dicks and treat their wives like dirt. I'm really surprised that these women are able to refrain from the shooting the bastards.

[Blasphemer]

89. I think most of these marriages are "arrangements"

Some will put up with quite a bit in exchange for a comfortable and/or privileged life.

[Cass]

77. What a strange story this is.

The secrecy about his whereabouts, the fact that no one could reach him at all for days (including his wife), and the changing stories really highlight the BS here. None of this makes a lick of sense.

What the heck was this guy doing for 6 days? It is obviously something he wants to hide so my bet is on some kind of illicit business or political deal or a tryst with a lover.

[checks-n-balances]

82. I'll bet it's about both: Illicit Sex AND Money

He may have realized he's washed up in SC politics, so he's providing himself some kind of financial backup deal in case he doesn't make it to Washington, career-wise. Plus a little physical action on the side.

If it was only not-above-board financial, I think he would've still told his wife.

If he even gets considered by the gop on '12, they're even more insane than they've been heretofore.

[surrealAmerican]

78. He sounds like a total flake.

I hope he does run in 2012.

[gauguin57]

80. Isn't Argentina the cosmetic surgery capital of the universe or something?

I smell FACELIFT!

[checks-n-balances]

84. After all this attention, if it was a facelift, EVERYONE will know it

If he doesn't hurry up & come clean about all this, the public speculation will be even more out of control!

[DebbieCDC]

88. "Governor Evita"

[peaches2003]

90. Here come the tears

5 minutes into his mea culpa and the tears are starting to roll and he's already asking forgiveness. Uh-oh, he's starting on God already!

[JayMusgrove]

92. Unfaithful to his wife!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Will RESIGN from gov's association chair!

It's about another woman.

Trip to Argentina was to visit a woman??? Did I miss this?