S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford’s office has confirmed that he is hiking the Appalachian Trail, answering a riddle that made national headlines earlier today after a State Senator questioned why the governor was out of contact with both his office and his security detail for a period of more than four days.
The following statement was just sent out by Sanford’s press office:
I wanted to pass along the following update regarding the governor’s location.
The governor is hiking along the Appalachian Trail. I apologize for taking so long to send this update, and was waiting to see if a more definitive idea of what part of the Trail he was on before we did so.
I want to emphasize that this isn’t something that either staff or Mrs. Sanford is concerned about. As we said earlier today, it isn’t unusual for the governor to be out of pocket for several days after the legislative session. We knew he would be difficult to reach, and that he would be checking in infrequently. Given the media attention this has generated, we’ll obviously update you once we have some more specifics to pass along.
And the mystery is solved.
We had received information earlier today that Sanford was on a hunting and fishing trip with several of his friends, although we were unable to independently confirm the location provided by one of our sources.
Hunting is permitted along most of the Appalachian Trail, which also features dozens of excellent fishing spots along its 2,178 mile route.
By El Guapo June 22, 2009 at 10:29 pm
I do all my best writing while hiking the Appalachian Trail…
By Sand Hill June 22, 2009 at 10:30 pm
Awesome.
He isn’t writing something.
He isn’t working on some projects.
He isn’t hunting.
He isn’t fishing.
He IS hiking.
What’s next? Knitting?
Can’t wait for the next piece of BS.
By fitsnews June 22, 2009 at 10:34 pm
Sand Hill,
Actually, we heard they took the guns and rods and are indeed hunting and fishing.
Of course, we’re also starting to not care much.
-FITS
By Fashizzle June 22, 2009 at 10:34 pm
Just more subtle propaganda to convince people the world can’t exist for a second with government. Please find one real person who this impacted. Hell, please find one real person who even noticed.
He should have left a phone on, but it’s not like he has the nuclear launch codes. This is a manufactured event. The legislature is gone, and there is nothing in the short-term the governor is needed for.
By castellan June 22, 2009 at 10:39 pm
@Fashizzle: I agree. Four days went by and nobody noticed. I cannot wait until next year when voters in South Carolina (I’m one of them) will have a chance to vote for someone who will actually be missed when he’s away. Sanford has been a disgrace to this state (and that’s really saying something) and it’s time for him to go.
By Tommy Ates, Austin, TX June 22, 2009 at 10:40 pm
How can Gov. Sanford be hiking when Sunday was Father’s Day and he is the father of FOUR sons?? Even his wife didn’t know where he was and Mrs. Sanford stated he needed to get away from her and the kids to write something “important.” Supposedly only the Governor’s office knows where he is..and his cell phone was last traced to Atlanta, a long way from the Appalacian Trail..
This long-winded “rolling disclosure” is B.S. Common sense dictates that if the Governor’s office isn’t telling anyone where he is, including the Lt. Governor..they probably HAVEN’T actually talked with him..they are buying time. Plain and simple.
Gov. Mark Sanford is most likely STILL missing!
By Tim June 22, 2009 at 10:40 pm
I hear there’s two-legged dears involved.
By Sand Hill June 22, 2009 at 10:42 pm
Will – BS. If you didn’t care, you wouldn’t have written 4 posts with multiple updates.
And, dammit Will just stop with the hunting shit. None of the hunting seasons along the trail coincide with the month of June or July.
By madcock June 22, 2009 at 10:42 pm
But his wife said he went somewhere to do some writing. Hilarious. Maybe he and John Ensign were at a Promise Keepers Convention.
By Mike June 22, 2009 at 10:43 pm
Maybe now some other “story” (and I use the term loosely) will edge out at least one of the FOUR “Oh my God the Governor left town and didn’t tell us where he was going” spots on the creepy-obsessive lead banner.
By JoeSchmoe June 22, 2009 at 10:46 pm
Andre Bauer just issued a press release saying he “just want(s) to know that our Governor is safe.” Yeah, right. There’s simply no dumpster these guys won’t dive in to throw trash at Sanford.
I hope you’ll get to the bottom of he and Jake Knott’s political games in this case – the governor took a freaking vacation and his office messed up the response. Big deal.
The sun will come up tomorrow. Promise.
By Dingo June 22, 2009 at 10:47 pm
Thought it was pretty interesting that earlier today it was no big deal to his staff that the Governor was gone. They said they knew where he was and everything was under control. Then at 10pm tonight they decide to send out an urgent update saying he was on the Appalachian Trial.
If the governor being MIA wasn’t a big deal this afternoon, why did it suddenly become such a big deal tonight that they felt the need to let everyone know?
Also from Appalachian Trail.org appears our Governor is breaking one of the cardinal rules of hiking alone.
“Let someone know your plans. If you are going on a day-hike, let someone know where you will be and when you plan to return. On a long-distance hike, leave behind a copy of your itinerary, and a guidebook such as the A.T. Thru-Hikers’ Companion. Check in regularly, and indicate when you expect to check in next. Establish a procedure to follow if you fail to check in or show up when expected. If you change your plans, be sure to let someone know; otherwise, family members may worry and initiate a needless search. Be sure your contact knows your trail name, if you have one, as well as details about your gear.”
By Johan Santana June 22, 2009 at 10:48 pm
HOPE HE’S ENJOYING THE FEDERALLY FUNDED PARK.
By Sand Hill June 22, 2009 at 11:04 pm
Fashizzle – Please stop being so obtuse. It is hurricane season; if something were to come up we have to have an executive in place to make decisions.
If the Governor wants to go on vacation, just let the Lt. Gov. know and elevate him to the role the Constitution gives him.
What is so hard about that?
Instead, the Governor and his staff are playing games.
By Sand Hill June 22, 2009 at 11:06 pm
Will – My bad. You’ve written 5 stories about this, not 4.
By flipnut June 22, 2009 at 11:09 pm
I hope he plans on going all the way to Maine. I just wish he’d taken the whole legislature with him.
By dianne June 22, 2009 at 11:15 pm
What part of the App Trail goes through Atlanta? Isn’t that where the last cell phone tower placed him?
By Snead June 22, 2009 at 11:18 pm
Friggin’ hippy. Get a haircut and a job, Sanford.
By BS Factory June 22, 2009 at 11:32 pm
Will–
Why don’t y’all just come out and admit you have no idea where this guy is. Sawyer’s press release pretty much said he is somewhere on the Eastern Seaboard, and, since he is out of reach, why isn’t he handing over the reins to Andre. I’ve been on the Trail, and I have never had cell phone service, and it is impossible to walk and write at the same time. All of this is BS, and his bush league operation needs to own up to it.
I want to see the guy in the flesh tomorrow…
By BIN News Editorial Staff June 22, 2009 at 11:32 pm
Just a publicity scam. BIN News has been monitoring this scam from our international news headquarters since the moment it started.
Get this straight. Governors with an IQ above room temperature don’t just disappear and let everyone wonder where they are.
They are public figures for goodness sake!
They know what will happen if they “disappear.”
They will get publicity!
Publicity! Get it? Free publicity!
gub’ner sanfraud made such a fool of himself over the stimulus money he knows he can’t get any positive news coverage.
So, he went hiking and planted the seed that he was AWOL.
Instant neutral news coverage. Instant publicity scam.
But think about it. If he will sneak out of the house on Jenny as gub’ner, think about what he might sneak out and do if he was Palin’s Veep.
This looks like an idea from the same moron political consultants who told him it would be a good idea to bring pigs to the State House.
BIN News Editorial Staff
Flair and Balanced
P.S. For a really good read, check out Bakari Sellers’ great letter in The State. He really nails Howie and his voucher clowns for their voucher scam. Some people will do anything for money.
http://www.thestate.com/editorial-columns/story/835864.html
By Laurin June 22, 2009 at 11:33 pm
I just think it’s strange that Jenny made such a point to tell the Associated Press that he was just trying to get away from his kids. On Fathers’ Day.
By BIN News Editorial Staff June 22, 2009 at 11:43 pm
BTW, sic(k) willie, our Funding Editor has asked us to let you know that your little porn blog has become even more boring than usual.
She suggests the best way for you to fix that is to expose the Midlands’ elected official you once claimed has a Strom problem.
Facts, details, birth records, photos and interviews with reliable named sources would help. Maybe you could get a live interview with Senator Strom to get his thoughts about your allegations.
Or, you could just admit you took the bait and lied.
Anyway, read Bakari Sellers’ letter. It’s great!
By enkidu June 23, 2009 at 12:00 am
What does one hunt at this time of year?
By Silence Dogood June 23, 2009 at 1:58 am
What kind of utter stupidity is going on here -
“he’s out of touch, no big deal, right?”
“Okay, Okay, we found him because his cell phone is on near Atlanta”
“He had to get away from the kids for Father’s Day, to write”
“Oh wait, here’s a press release to let you know (that apparently it is a big deal) and he is on the Applichain Trail”
“Oh wait he is hunting, on the Applichain Trail”
As Sand Hill already pointed out:
http://www.appalachiantrail.org/atf/cf/%7BB8A229E6-1CDC-41B7-A615-2D5911950E45%7D/Hunting%20seasons%20table%20thru%20may%202009.pdf
the above PDF link shows NOTHINT is in season right now???
What an odd dodo bird Sandford is. I think he feels he is going off to write mathematic principia or something but will instead come back with a product more indicative of the GOP like incoherent ramblings of mein kamph, and instead of wearing shit kickers covered in Appilachian mud in his boats he will be wearing effiminate loafers covered in pigglet poop.
By Sandy June 23, 2009 at 2:44 am
“The governor is hiking along the Appalachian Trail. I apologize for taking so long to send this update, and was waiting to see if a more definitive idea of what part of the Trail he was on before we did so.”
This spokesperson needs to be fired if this is true. Because they wanted to know where Sanford was on the Trail, they allowed this story to blow up into a national mystery. If they knew the gov was hiking, the statement should have initially been “Governor Sanford is taking a few days for a hiking trip along the Appalachian Trail.”
Therefore, I don’t believe Sanford ever told them anything. Hardly presidential material if he can’t stand the rigors of being governor and needs to drop out. It is also irresponsible.
By Sam June 23, 2009 at 5:51 am
When Lt Gov Bauer goes whore mongerning with his NASCAR friends….does he tell the press what bed he is in? What city? What gal or guy he is sleeping with?
By Bob June 23, 2009 at 7:00 am
I think that very few remember where this originated. From Jake Knotts. Like he was really concerned where Sanford was. He just wanted to pump up his buddy Andre.
If Sanford had been a liberal, everyone would be talking about how great it is that he can reconnect with nature.
Gee. Give the guy a break. We just returned from a hike on the trail and it is a chance to renew, write, and truly look at the misplaced, short sighted priorities of our populace.
Go Mark!
By Um,no June 23, 2009 at 7:01 am
One thing to come from this sorry episode is it pretty well establishes that this blog makes it up as it goes along.
By Bill the Lexington GOP delegate June 23, 2009 at 7:54 am
They guy can’t take a vacation? Geez! Leave him the heck alone and let him relax for a week.
After all, we’ve still got Lindsey Grahmnesty, Glenn “My way” McConnell and Porky Knotts to spend us into oblivion, should any emergency arise. If only those turkeys would take a vacation once in a while (like from January to June).
Toss the bums out.
By funny June 23, 2009 at 8:01 am
I think his 15 mins of national fame have long been up! Its time for him to be like the governor of North Dakota (who is that you ask?? – see that works)…
However – THANK YOU for NOT putting Crash-Bauer in charge. Surely we would have all crashed and burned with that.
By appy trails June 23, 2009 at 8:18 am
Whew! There’s a lot of crime and muggings along the app. trail. I’m glad he took guns for hunting to also protect himself. The Trail is long and if he were in trouble it would be impossible to rescue and days before the worst scenario were known counterbalanced by much publicity. i hope the stimulus package allows a GPS. I hope none of the grizzly bears or moderate conservative Republicans encounter him. Whew, there are no rhinos (RIN0s) on the trail. maybe he will encounter only a dear, ahem, that is deer, and what were yall saying about two legged ones? They say to pack light in hiking. I hope he did not pack so many provisions that he didn’t get to carry much paper and pen for writing. And hey, the App Trail starts not too far from Atlanta. That part has no bears, only Cheetah and beavers. And to the poster who said nothing is needed fom the governor at this time of year, could we change the Constitution to make the guv a part-time job, and save money. Mark wouldn’t care or know the difference. Which press will be the first to inquire if the guv put in for annual leave? Oh well, Guv Thoreau, it’s on to Walden, where the simple life befits your brain. A preview of going back to the plantation, er, that is, farm.
Appy Trails to you Guv
PS Sic Willie: Maybe you could boost readership by having a contest to come up with a nickname for the guv. An example was Gov. Jerry Brown was
called Gov. Moonbeam.
By Toyota Kawaski June 23, 2009 at 8:32 am
tried to tell ya that along with the fits staff and Man-d he is in the Castro district of San Francisco
By Recovering Lobbyist June 23, 2009 at 8:48 am
For those of you who can’t read a map, the Appalachian Trail start/end is about 75 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta near Dahlonega, GA. If you are traveling from Columbia, SC, to that area, a common route to Dahlonega is THROUGH ATLANTA.
By lou June 23, 2009 at 9:10 am
Why take a SLED vehicle to go hiking ???
By w June 23, 2009 at 9:30 am
Fashizzle – err Ashley Landess – what will SCPC do without Mark in town?
By BC June 23, 2009 at 9:36 am
This story has once again risen SC into the national spotlight for something stupid and siimply ridiculous in nature. Gov. Sanford is certainly welcome to take a break away from his role just as any of us take a break from our roles at our workplaces. But, the reality is when you take a vacation from work you notify your supervisor and your subordinates of your departure. He (Gov. Sanford) informed his subordinates but failed to notify the people of the State of South Carolina. The man has a news conference for everything else in the world, so why would this be so different. Lastly, if Gov. Sanford planned to be away from his office (regardless of how you feel personally) that is why we have a Lt. Gov. in place. This is just another example of the lack of leadership the governor is showing and the many of you that blindly support him really needs to wake up.
Under normal circumstances, such a story like this wouldn’t get much press or any press coverage at all; but when you beg to be in the limelight you must roll with the punches. This means you are no longer just an average citizen and that everything you do will be examined closely. No, he did not need a permission slip from anyone. No, he did not have to inform the media. Yet, he should’ve notified the Lt. Gov. office of his absence for continuity purposes. Careful sounding that out kids! Also, for someone that is so family driven and concerned about the future of our childrens’ children…he really didn’t seem to care about his own since he decided to skip Father’s Day away from them. Great example Mr. Governor. You really put the “F” in Father’s Day!
By Silence Dogood June 23, 2009 at 9:40 am
Hey “Bob” you noted that
“By Bob on June 23rd, 2009 at 7:00 am
I think that very few remember where this originated. From Jake Knotts…”
Yep, it is looks like Knotts brought this whole thing to light, made Sanford go missing, forced Sanford’s communications people to botch the whole thing, forced them to make conflicting statements, made Sanford choose father’s day weekend to run out on the kids. Made Sanford’s wife unconcerned that she nor nobody else know where he is. Forced him to “apparently” leave his cell phone in Atlanta while illegally hunting on the App. Trail.
That Jake is a real snake Bob.
I don’t really care for Jake Knotts, but unfortunately for Mark Sanford. Jake didn’t create his blunder, he just pointed it out.
By male sapphist June 23, 2009 at 9:57 am
With the Snakes, Vipers, Rabid Weasels, and the all of the RHINOs in the legislature I think Mark Young-Skywalker Sanford deserved a break from the dangers and pitfalls in Columbia. I still suspect he is on call for a powerbroker audition but maybe he just went to observe a state that is only 80% as corrupt as South Carolina.
By Bob June 23, 2009 at 10:35 am
Silence Dogwood,
Appreciate the words about good ol’ Jake. I just thought it funny that Sanford’s wife didn’t worry, his friends didn’t worry but Jake was extremely worried about his dear Governor.
When hiking, people often don’t really know exactly where you are. We go out sometimes and the folks at home know that we are either in NC, SC or Va. but may not know exactly where. We often don’t know where we are going until we get on the road and decide. That makes it a little more adventurous. We just got back from a long weekend on the AT and had a good time, writing, reading, shooting the breeze and just enjoying being out. I think that this kids and wife know that he is capable of getting out into the woods for a long weekend away without the help of the legislature.
Also, their family is close enough for the kids to respect and actually understand the need to get out and away.
So in spite of Jake’s concern, there was never really anything to worry about but thank you anyway.
By Tim June 23, 2009 at 3:48 pm
The trail in the pic is kickass. I know every inch of it, and onward to Myrtle Point.