Sanford admits he never hiked!

Foxnews ^

[ConservativeMan55]

Brian on Fox and Friends now says the Governor took a Cruise...

This is getting weirder!!

[cripplecreek]

He’s a big boy.

[Vinnie]

He flew to Juneau to discuss who was going to be on the top of the 2012 ticket.

[doodad]

I knew it was questionable when they said he was in Atlanta. Getting to the AT from Columbia does not require going through Atlanta. Going to the airport does though.

[Daisyjane69]

Now my tinfoil hat wearing friend gets his 15 seconds in the sun. He sent me this earlier tonight:

http://216.221.102.26/blogger/post/SC-Governor-iswas-serious-about-suceeding-from-US.aspx

oh boy....

[GovernmentShrinker]

No, his office said they couldn’t reach him and didn’t know where he was. His wife also said she didn’t know where he was but that she “wasn’t worried” (huh?).

[4yearlurker]

I would guess like so many men before him,this guy was thinking with the wrong head and went astray. So long Gov’ner.

[ETL]

Even if he did this, my question would be why he didn’t take his wife. What’s up? Who goes on a cruise by themselves?

Maybe he was trying to get away from his wife. FoxNews IS now reporting that he claims he went on a cruise. I thought earlier that Brian K might have been just joking around again. I hope it wasn't a nekked cruise!

[mcjordansc]

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.

"But I said 'no' I wanted to do something exotic," Sanford said "... It's a great city."

Sanford, in a brief interview in the nation's busiest airport, said he has been to the city twice before, most recently about a year and half ago during a Commerce Department trip.

Sanford said he was alone on the trip. He declined to give any additional details about what he did other than to say he drove along the coastline.

Sanford, who was wearing a blue and white button down shirt and brown denim pants, said he left for Buenos Aires on Thursday night from Columbia International Airport and had originally planned to come back tomorrow.

Media reports said a SLED SUV the governor drove that night was spotted in the airport's parking lot.

The governor said he cut his trip short after his chief of staff, Scott English, told him his trip was gaining a lot of media attention and he needed to come back.

When asked why his staff said he was on the Appalachian Trail, Sanford replied, "I don't know."

Sanford later said "in fairness to his staff," he had told them he might go hiking on the Appalachian Trial.

Sanford said he decided not to return via the Columbia airport to avoid the media. The State Media Company was the only media who greeted Sanford this morning.

"I don't know how this thing got blown out of proportion," Sanford said.

From The State Newspaper

[csmusaret]

Everyone is entitled to a little free time and most of his constituents agree with me.

[Slapshot68]

“They like to play whack-a-mole whenever any viable Rep candidate emerges. “

Knowing the MSM is what it is, you’d have to even further call into question what the hell Sanford was thinking by doing this.

[TomGuy]

His WH aspirations are over.

Yep.

If he does try, however, the first debate question to him will be:

Will you cut and run and go into hiding from the stress at the first presidential crisis?

[mewzilla]

I hope it wasn't a nekked cruise!

If it was, Sanford'd be better off just changing his party affiliation. D is for degenerate.

[9YearLurker]

The article I posted above — http://www.thestate.com/local/story/838823.html — says he flew to Argentina and ‘cruised’ in his car, alone, along the coast.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"Aren’t you amazed at how many people there are who think this guy has to answer to them?"

Well, you're right. He doesn't have to answer to most of us. However, he does have to answer to his employers. The people of South Carolina. The governor is on call 24/7. If he goes away, the least he has to do is appoint his Lt. Governor to be in charge while he's gone. Apparently he didn't do this. So yeah it's curious.

Again, I could care less except for one thing. The guy definitely has Presidential aspirations. So then I could be his perspective employer and therefore want to know all about him. You have to find this curious and would you want a John Edwards moment to come upon this guy when he has become our nominee to run against Obama in 2012 or now?

[Sacajaweau]

Thanks...But the media sure likes to play games...with Republicans...

[Slapshot68]

“Everyone is entitled to a little free time and most of his constituents agree with me.”

If I were a resident of SC, I wouldn’t be happy that my governor was completely out of contact.

[Red in Blue PA]

Free time is something wholly different than dropping off the radar while being a sitting Governor.

I believe most of his constiuents would agree with that simple statement.

[mewzilla]

Everyone is entitled to a little free time and most of his constituents agree with me

Free time isn't the issue. It's being outta touch without anyone, presumably, knowing where you are when you're the governor of a state.

That said, I'll bet the WH knew where Sanford was. Someone should ask Gibbs.

[rintense]

'Something exotic' in political speak means a 21 year old girl with an accent. Longest nookie run ever.

This whole story just doesn't pass the smell test.

[Rebelbase]

Interesting link. Maybe he was trying to get Canadian recognition and support in the form of ironclads to protect cotton shipments to Europe.