Sanford Determined Not to Become President, Disappears
Mark Sanford is one of the absolute favorites for the Republican presidential nomination of 2012. Many believe him to be capable of winning this important race and afterwards of taking on and potentially defeating President Obama.
He’s making life rather difficult for himself, however, if he plays these games regularly:
Neither Sanford’s office nor the State Law Enforcement Division, which provides security for governors, had been able to reach Sanford since he left the mansion Thursday in a black Suburban SUV assigned to his security detail, said state Sen. Jake Knotts , R-Lexington, and three others familiar with the situation, but who declined to be identified…
Sanford’s last known location was near Atlanta late last week. A mobile telephone tower there picked up a signal from his phone, according to a source familiar with the situation.
Since then, the governor’s state and personal phones had been turned off, and Sanford had not responded to phone or text messages, a source said. Most mobile phones cannot be tracked if they are turned off.
Reporters asked his wife whether she knew where he was, but she said she did not, adding she did not worry.
Then, after four days, Sanford office said he had gone hiking. Hiking. Couldn’t he have informed his staff about this trip? Of course he could have. He should have, even. A governor cannot just disappear. He has a state to, you know, govern. Not a smart decision from Sanford. I suggest he offers a better explanation when he’s back – if he’ll come back, that is.
The above is especially important if Sanford is serious about having presidential ambitions. A president cannot just leave suddenly, to go on a hiking trip. Can you imagine the ads his opponents will run? Images of people in a panic, “where is Sanford??” followed by a shot of Humpty Dumpty Sanford taking a hike, with a silly grin on his face.
Lastly, it’s good to see a consensus in the blogosphere. One would expect liberal bloggers to write about this matter and condemn Sanford for disappearing without informing anybody, but, rather surprisingly, conservatives wholeheartedly agree.
I’m one of the few conservatives who disagrees. Why, exactly, does a governor whose state is enduring no crisis at all, have to be in contact 24/7. Are there not professionals running the emergency response departments who would act regardless of the governor’s status? Is there some vital piece of legislation he might have to swoop in and sign in the middle of a Sunday afternoon? Some pothole he might fill with his mighty Governor Shovel?
So the governor went out of pocket for a few days. Big deal. I notice that the state continued to operate normally, as if he were sitting behind his desk just waiting for the next…umm…important thing to happen.
I think more of our governors should take some unscheduled vacations. It would be very good for us to get used to the fact that we don’t need most of our elected officials hovering over us in a state of ever-watchfulness every minute of the day.
As I wrote elsewhere, our elected officials are not as important as they want us to believe they are. I’m glad Mark Sanford proved that
Apparently Governor Sanford is hiking the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachian_Trail
Even if that is true, Jimmie, it pretty much kills any idea of a presidential run. The “3am phone call” attack line is too easily teed up against him now. And in politics, if you are explaining, you’re losing.
I agree that a governor should be able to take time off but I’d expect him to put the Lt. Governor in charge if he’s going to be completely unavailable in case of emergency. Had he just done that I don’t think this would have been controversial at all, and it’s rather baffling that he didn’t.
@Jimmie
Jimmie –
As a citizen of SC, your comment that Mark Sanford can disappear because “his state is enduring no crisis at all” lacks an understanding of the abysmal condition of South Carolina. With unemployment 2nd highest in the nation and with some counties having unemployment over 20%, this is no time for him to skip town, not tell his wife, abandon his 4 sons on Father’s Day and leave the state in a constitutional lurch. All because he wants to hike.
Here’s some advice to Mark: TAKE A HIKE. A VERY LONG ONE…because your 2012 chances just flew out the window. Your opponents, including a majority of your own party in the state legislature, can’t wait for you to hike out of town for good.
Totally irresponsible. Can’t wait for his “explanation.” In that family, Jennie Sanford is the one with the brains – not the Governor.
James, what do you suggest the Governor do, each and every day, to address what you consider a crisis? I suggest there is nothing he is able to do all by himself. Perhaps it’s worth asking why you are so dependent on an elected official for your prosperity?
Jason, hey, if the “3 A.M. phone call” doesn’t make a difference to the President we have, why should it matter to a future one?
This looks like yet another mountain being made of a molehill. No harm was done, except perhaps to his political career, yet the blogosphere is abuzz with this latest ‘controversy’ of the day. He apparently told his staff that he would be hiking the Appalachian trail for a few days and they new he would be difficult to contact. This should be a 0 outrage event. If he was a good candidate before he should still be. If this incident is enough to derail his presidential aspirations that seems to be more an indictment of the system than of Sanford.