Sanford's Vehicle "Tracked Down-Not To Appalacian Trail, but to Airport In Atlanta"

[kpete]

On Tuesday, sources told News 4's Nigel Robertson that a state vehicle is missing and was tracked down, not to the Appalachian Trail, but to the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta.

Sources told Robertson that a federal agent spotted Sanford in the airport boarding a plane. Robertson was told that the governor was not accompanied by security detail.

Sawyer has emphasized that the governor was hiking on the Appalachian Trail and that it wasn't something the staff or Jenny Sanford were concerned about.

But sources told WYFF News 4 that the federal agent who spotted Sanford saw him at the Atlanta airport, which is about 80 miles from the start of the trail.

http://www.wyff4.com/news/19837234/detail.html

[sarcasmo]

1. A get together with his Mistress. More family values on display.

[lpbk2713]

10. Her name wouldn't be 'Elizabeth', would it?

:shrug:

[sarcasmo]

44. Don't call me LIZ!

[sarcasmo]

49. I love being right.

[Are_grits_groceries]

2. Oooooooooooooo!!

All those people lying! Where was Mark??

[babylonsister]

3. Curiouser and curiouser. Liasoning? nt

[madaboutharry]

4. If were actually on a 5 day "hike", would that not require

a good deal of equipment and provisions?

Now a federal agent reports having seen him getting on an airplane, it is just very bizarre.

[Missy Vixen]

9. Let's be blunt here

There's no hike. There's no "writing".

He's off doing something (or someone) else. When it's discovered, it will hopefully blow any chance he may have had for the 2012 GOP nomination out of the water. If we're really lucky, he may have to resign over it.

[seabeyond]

12. this is what i can handle. saying it is about catching him doing wrong, not this "pretend"

and concern of him leaving without word and oh the wife and oh the job. this whole thing is a hunt to see what he is hiding. that is the honest in it. gossip news. go after the personal for political gain.

[Missy Vixen]

29. seabeyond, you're a wife as well

Let's just say that something similar happened to me several years ago, and my husband does not govern a state. When he failed to call home during a three-day period on a business trip to London, I told him if he did it again, he'd come home to paperwork. I knew where he was staying and whom he was with, and the other guy involved got it with both barrels from his wife, too.

I feel badly for the wife and the kids in this situation. Nice to know that Daddy is so terminally irresponsible that he would leave them to face the press alone.

[seabeyond]

32. bah hahah. see, i think that is funny. hubby has gone on business trips

and calls home nightly, says he will call next night before hangs up and i think ... why? lol lol. he is doing his business stuff, i am doing the taking care of family thing. unless some reason to chat, why call. lol lol. ah well. he always call, i guess he is suppose to.

maybe this is why i jsut dont see the deal. i keep trying to see it. lol

[Sal Minella]

37. And abandon four kids on Father's Day weekend. Family Values forever!

[RB TexLa]

45. Father's day is somehow for the children? Huh?

[Sal Minella]

48. "You're a great dad and we love you"

just doesn't sound convincing when four kids are talking to an empty chair, yanno? That is all.

If the kids had signed cards ready for him, they can just save the cards for next Father's Day. Maybe he'll be back by then.

[Orangepeel]

47. a governor can't just disappear without telling relevant people where he is

It's not about his wife. That's weird, but their business. He didn't tell his security detail. He didn't tell the Lieutenant Governor. He didn't leave anyone in charge. It's majorly irresponsible.

[RaleighNCDUer]

25. My thought is he was meeting someone for that very purpose-

Cheney, Rove, Murdoch, Pat Robertson, Satan - getting things arranged for '12.

[OregonBlue]

42. Possibly a male friend and thus the extreme secrecy?

[chimpymustgo]

43. "Was he spotted in the airport men's room? Was there foot-tapping?"

From the comments section:

Was he spotted in the airport men's room? Was there foot-tapping?

Jun. 23, 2009 7:02pm EDT | from concernedcitizn

http://www.wyff4.com/news/19837234/detail.html

[Blue_In_AK]

5. Where's Sarah?

[malaise]

22. I thought about that

:popcorn:

[eShirl]

6. going to the other state that he's governor of

under a different name of course

[Bankhead_ATL]

7. Oh this is getting good..........

:popcorn:

[HopeHoops]

8. 80 miles is NOTHING of a hike for a right wing idiot.

"How long's a mile? Is that like a block and a half or somethin'?"

[hvn_nbr_2]

13. How long's a mile? 3 brazilian centimeters, more or less.

Oh, sorry. This isn't the Lounge.

[HopeHoops]

14. No need to apologize. It is about 3 brazilian centimeters. You are correct.

I bet it took three showers for him to get his the perfume from his mistress off of his body. The dry cleaning bill was probably charged on his government account.

[DJ13]

11. A flight to the Betty Ford Center?

[TuxedoKat]

21. That's what I was wondering (nt)

[Demeter]

15. You Know, I Have Zero Interest In Britney, Sarah, Bristol, or any GOPper Male

Dysfunctional is dysfunctional....the details are irrelevant, and unless they are looking to get their acts together, we cannot help them, and they sure aren't going to help us. Ain't got time for gossip, either.

[alfredo]

16. The trail starts north of Atlanta, but why leave his car there?

[rvablue]

17. I get riled up when people this dumb assume everyone else is...

as dumb as them. But, then again, maybe I shouldn't, as intrepid reporters wouldn't find little golden nuggets like this one.

From the onset, it was obvious there was much more to the Governor's little getaway than what his aide was letting on. If it was something as germain and "wholesome" as a hike along the historic Appalachian trail, why not just announce it?

Now, today comes three interesting developments:

1) Instead of "no comment" or putting a nice little spin on things, Mrs. Sanford comes out with a "don't know and don't care" statement to the press.

2) State officials tell reporters that Governor Sanford has often traveled out of state and has always informed them in the past -- making this "trip" very unique and obviously something he didn't want people to know about.

3) And now his car is found at the Atlanta airport. If he was hiking the Appalachian Trail there certainly was no need to take a plane, if you'd already driven all the way to Alanta. And isn't the Atlanta airport now one of the hubs from which international flights depart?

[Old and In the Way]

19. Hatsfields is well south of Springer Mountain.

When the cell phone was traced to Atlanta, I thought the whole 'taking a hike' cover story was BS.

[Old and In the Way]

18. The news cycle continues!

Now it gets interesting. Sounds like a cover-up of something no one was supposed to know about. I thought the hike was BS...it now appears that's the case. Add his wife's "I really don't give a shit" responses, you have to wonder.

[Canuckistanian]

20. Nasty, tricksy Governor!

Sneaky little Governor. Wicked, tricksy, false!

[Metta]

23. Oh, you mean people are lying. Quelle suprise.

As you sow ....

[BrightKnight]

24. Georgia would not be my first choice for a section hike this time

of year. The weather is getting very hot and most people would start further north. This is not the most beautiful section and it is very strenuous with a lot of ups and downs.

A shuttle service would have met him with his car at the destination point and driven him to to the start. I would like to know how he planed his transportation.

If he was indeed hiking the AT then I have absolutely no problem with that.

[rateyes]

28. You're right. I used to live near the trail in TN.

He could have flown to another part of the trail, have someone pick him up at a different place along the trail, drive him to an airport and fly back to Atlanta.

I don't believe that's what happened. I think there is something fishy here, but it could happen like that. I know two people that have hiked the whole damned trail. Takes several months.

If, however, this is what he is doing, then it's his own damned business. And, if he's doing anything else, it's his own damned business, unless it impacts on his ability to do the job in S.C.

[ljm2002]

33. As Governor of a state...

...it most decidedly is *not* his own damned business where he is, given that he did not make arrangements with his Lieutenant Governor ahead of time to handle that pesky governing stuff in his absence. Which he did not do.

If he had gone into rehab, for example, well good on him -- but he would have had a cover story and he would have made arrangements for governing. If he is only dodging security -- well, again, arrangements. It's a question of responsibility. He really is under an obligation as Governor; if he won't honor his obligations then he should not hold the office.

The fact that his wife is making unusual statements -- she doesn't know where she is, she is not worried, she is busy being a parent -- makes it juicier.

[dorkulon]

26. How many reporters/photogs are swarming Appalachian trail atm?

20? 50? Must be weird for the hikers.

[BrightKnight]

30. I bet any late season through hikers are getting free sandwiches and soda.

It would not be difficult to track down other hikers on the trail during this time.

[dbonds]

27. He flew to stonehenge to celebrate the solstice with the pagans.

A grand old time standing naked on a big stone to watch the sun rise.

[ellie]

31. So he's unstable and a liar!

And a repuke! Color me surprised!

[TheCowsCameHome]

34. Maybe he's meeting with Limbaugh in the Dominican Republic for some action

Mmmmmm.

[grantcart]

35. he flew over the trail before he went on to meet with some important constituents

in a seedy motel

[ecstatic]

36. Hmm.... Was Larry Craig in town too?

:hide:

[mikelgb]

38. the plot thickens

[sarcasmo]

46. Destroyed his potential run for President in 2012.

[Bolo Boffin]

39. I don't think it's a good idea for politicians to disappear for six days or so during Pride Month.

Just saying.

[jazzjunkysue]

40. Looking forward to finding out where the plane went.

[jmowreader]

41. Sounds like he's fleeing town to me

I don't think it would be for an affair. I mean, the guy ain't the sharpest bit in the box, but he ain't stupid enough to park his staff car in airport parking if he was going off to screw hookers with Rush Limbaugh.

Are there any scandals in South Carolina that are almost ready to break? My bet: he did something impeachable (no, "just getting elected" is not an impeachable offense--though if you're a Repuke it probably should be) and he's hauling ass before word breaks.