- Home
- About Us
- Contributors
- Departments
- Topics
- Back Issues
- Weekly Archives
- AmSpecBlog
- Subscribe
- Newsletter
- Advertise
- Donate
- Contact Us
- Daily Digest
- Templeton Essays
AmSpecBlog
Sanford Likes To Be in South America
Mark Sanford surfaced today at the airport in Atlanta, and he told the State that he was actually in Buenos Aires, driving along the coast of Argentinia. He says he had originally planned on hiking the Appalachian Trail (where his staff thought he was), but then, he told the newspaper, "I said 'no' I wanted to do something exotic." There's something really wonderful about this, and I admire his sense of adventure. In general, I think it would be cool if more people did this sort of thing more often. With that said, I found this comment by Sanford pretty surprising: "I don't know how this thing got blown out of proportion." Huh? He's a public figure who is governor of a state. He just got through a brutal legislative session that made him enemies of many if not most of the lawmakers in the state, and he also is at odds with his own Lt. Governor. I don't know how he thought he could ditch his security detail, disappear, not tell anybody where he's going, lead his wife and staff to give conflicting information on his whereabouts, and think it wouldn't become a big deal. The side of me that loves travel and eccentric characters is thinking, "Awesome!" But the side of me that follows politics is wondering, "What was Sanford thinking"?
UPDATE: Needless to say, the affair changes everything. How disappointing. Not just the affair, but the fiasco, putting his staff in the position to lie to reporters. Unreal.
Comments
Leave a Comment
- Michael Ledeen on Iran and Democracy
- Advent Is Coming
- The Podhoretz Method
Snodgrass Bashford| 6.24.09 @ 10:15AM
Sanford WASN'T thinking. He just kissed his presidential ambitions goodbye, whether it was a conscious or subconscious effort.
Alan Brooks| 6.24.09 @ 10:29AM
oh those Southern rebels, they do as they please.
Jimmie| 6.24.09 @ 11:49AM
Do we know he gave his wife and staff bad information? I think that's a rather large assumption. Why not assume that his wife, knowing his intention to get away from the press for a few days, gave the press bad information so as to give her husband what he wanted.
Also, we know that the Governor was in contact with at least one person on his staff. It says so in the article where he recounts the conversation he had with his Chief of Staff. Now, ever Sanford called him to check in, or the CoS called Sanford to let him know that the press were getting antsy. Either way, he was in contact.
I think this story is a big load of nothing. I would like more governors and high elected officials to take unannounced vacations. Perhaps then we'd see that they aren't quite as important as they tell us they are.
Tim| 6.24.09 @ 1:18PM
Bonehead.
hmm_contrib| 6.24.09 @ 1:18PM
Right Jimmie. The chief executive vanishes, incorrect stories are released to the public, his #2 wasn't placed in charge, and no one could find him. And since we heard conflicting stories, someone was lied to, lied to us, or guessed. That's a big load of nothing? If Obama did this, or a D governor, you'd go nuts.
james23| 6.24.09 @ 1:33PM
Phil,
forget about the political/governmental angle. The guy flew to SA on a lark, leaving his family and co-workers in the lurch. If your neighbor or colleague at TAS did something like that, you'd probably be wonder if he doesn't need professional help or counseling.
james23| 6.24.09 @ 1:37PM
and if you were an employer in any business and one of your employees did that, you'd probably start looking for a replacement.
Don | 6.24.09 @ 1:49PM
This is great. He needed to get away so what. TR did this as President. Why does any clear thinking person care? Was anyone hurt? It is amzing folks can not get along without the Governor. Recommend all folks who are upset that they need to get a life. He just moved up on my list for potential Prsidential candidates.
Angel| 6.24.09 @ 2:05PM
hmmm, I wish Obama would disappear, but it would be impossible because the slavish press has permanently attached its lips to his backside.
sandyinohio| 6.24.09 @ 3:01PM
WTF, can't any of these Republicans keep their pants zipped? It's an outbreak! Must be an allergic reaction to Obama's so-called success. Get a clue folks; you are too old for this nonsense; YES, I said TOO OLD, FART!
Robin| 6.24.09 @ 3:14PM
I'm from Columbia, South Carolina and have been a huge Sanford supporter. I believed him and believed in him. I was looking forward to seeing him run for president. He has supremely disappointed me. It's not a matter of forgiveness-I can do that. But the future looks much bleaker.
Grzmlyk| 6.24.09 @ 3:31PM
He acted like a callow adolescent, not to mention a selfish pig. It had to be deliberate on some level.
Assuming they think at all, I don't know why politicians - especially Republicans - think they'll get away with this stuff. If he were a Dem, of course, he'd spend the requisite time period wandering in the wildnerness, then write a book and rematerialize on Oprah to pick up the pieces and move on with his career.
No such recourse for Republicans.
As for Obama disappearing, unfortunately, that's not humanly possible: His ego is so outsized that it's visible from space.
And those ears . . . oops. Some men in suits just showed up next to my computer desk, and they're not laugh. . . . .
Smitty| 6.24.09 @ 5:12PM
Get a grip, Sandy. What a moron.
Lillian| 6.24.09 @ 8:36PM
TRASH,TRASH,TRASH
wholesale shoes| 7.8.09 @ 10:33PM
We are professional cheap kids shoes online store .We provide Nike shoes cheap ,Nike air jordan,cheap kids clothing
cheap womens clothing,Nike shoes online store,Nike shoes cheap,Nike shoes for kids,air jordan sneakers,nike air jordan,air jordans,brand shoe,shoes brand, dropship Nike shoes , brand clothes,brand clothes ,shoes brand,cheap kids clothing for cheap wholesale Air Jordans shoes for kids & women.