Mark Sanford, Extreme Hiker?

While the office of Republican South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford already assured the press and the public that the governor was no longer missing and had been found somewhere, more detailed information on the whereabouts of the ostensibly former 2012 presidential contender has come out this morning.

Sanford’s spokesman gave out the breathless news that Gov. Sanford has been found “hiking the Appalachian Trail” and that his cell phone has been traced by law enforcement to the Atlanta area. The spokesman also contradicted earlier comments from the governor’s office by insisting Sanford told appropriate government officials where and when he was going to drive off in a state SUV.

A representative for Governor Mark Sanford says the governor is hiking the Appalachian trail and taking some time away from the office this week to recharge after the stimulus battle and the last legislative session.  Joel Sawyer also says that before leaving last week, Sanford let staff know his whereabouts and that he’d be difficult to reach. Should any emergencies arise between the times in which he checks in, our staff would obviously be in contact with other state officials as the situation warrants before making any decisions.

Sanford’s wife, Jenny, told the Associated Press her husband has been gone for several days and she doesn’t know where he was, but he was not concerned.  She also told the Associated Press that Sanford did not contact her or their children on Father’s Day.

Governor Sanford is said to be working on projects that fell by the wayside.

According to AP reports,  Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer said he didn’t know where Sanford is but said he had not been put in charge.

News 2 spoke to Republican State Senator John “Jake” Knotts by phone this afternoon. He calls Sanford’s actions irresponsible. Knotts is worried first about Sanford’s safety, but more-so about who was watching the state.

We still are not sure where Sanford was, but authorities and Knotts say a cell phone signal was traced to the Atlanta area. 

Sanford is still not back in Columbia or even South Carolina for that matter, and there is no word when he can be expected back. Sanford’s family seems to have gone silent on the matter following the initial reports from his wife that she had no idea where the governor was.

Questions remain in this decidedly bizarre story. Like how did Sanford’s office come up with the info that he was hiking when he is supposed to have no cell phone, did not tell anyone where he was going, and when his office specifically admitted that they had no clue where he was for four days before this.

And why the cell phone trace to the “Atlanta area” when that is nowhere near any section of the Appalachian Trail and, again, Sanford is supposed to be without his phone?

However, there is another, er, “industry” for which the “Atlanta area” is well known for and with which Gov. Sanford could certainly “recharge”certain parts of himself…

Assuming Sanford is not dead or crazy or out f the country, does this officially take him off of the GOP’s top prospects list for 2012?

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