Absent SC Governor Mark Sanford Wanders Away from Reality and 2012 Presidential Bid

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS
by Rebecca Freitag

Not immune to strange behavior from their governor, South Carolina constituents have been hit by yet another blow. South Carolinians, it's 10 p.m., do you know where your governor is?

Tuesday, Gov. Mark Sanford (R-SC) caught wind from a smoke signal on his Appalachian Trail hike that the mainstream media sent out regarding his whereabouts. He contacted his office to speak with his chief of staff, and spokesman Joel Sawyer said:

"It would be fair to say the governor was somewhat taken aback by all of the interest this trip has gotten. Given the circumstances and the attention this has garnered, the governor communicated to us that he plans on returning to the office tomorrow.[Wednesday]"

Phew, potentially devastating situation diverted. Only temporarily, though. Who's running the state? Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer isn't. When a governor leaves for any period of time, he needs to be in contact with his office, and reachable, yet also have given the executive power to the Lt. Governor in case of an emergency. Although it is not in the state's constitution, the National Guard and the state's top law enforcement agencies are under his authority. If there was a national emergency, there would be no way for him to know in this situation. This Republican up-and-comer may be the newest member to the list of ousted governors.

Bauer and state Sen. Jake Knotts (R-Lexington), top Sanford rivals, took to the media for their observations.

Bauer called Sanford's office on Monday and asked to talk to him immediately. Sanford's chief of staff said he didn't know where the governor was, and they hadn't communicated since Thursday when he left. "I cannot take lightly that his staff has not had communication with him for more than four days, and that no one, including his own family, knows his whereabouts," said Bauer.

Knotts said that Sanford took a security vehicle to drive to his destination, but didn't bring any security with him, and this wasn't the first time. He said that a state needs to know where its governor is at all times with the way things are today.

"We need the governor to be fingertips away," Knotts said. "Who is at the helm? The way Iran is acting up, and what about weather catastrophes? Hopefully no decision has to be made."

His wife released a statement saying that he was gone for several days, she didn't know where or for how long, and she hadn't been in contact with him, but she wasn't concerned. He wanted to get away from the kids, she said, and do some writing and other projects this Father's Day weekend. His wife and four kids will have to wait to give him their gifts until he decides he wants to see them again. Does the GOP really want a presidential candidate who doesn't want to be with his kids on Father's Day?

"It's one thing for the boys to go off by themselves, but on Fathers Day to leave your family behind? That's erratic," said Senate Minority Leader John Land (D-Manning). Sanford's unannounced absence was a cause for concern because the National Guard and the state's top law enforcement agencies report to him, Land said. "And when those officials can't get in touch with the commander, it's really weird. That's not responsible," he said.

Sanford's notoriety is for opposing Obama's stimulus package, being the chairman of the Republican Governors Association, and considering a 2012 run for the White House. However, with such irresponsible behavior gaining negative publicity, this might be another Republican presidential nominee hopeful that has essentially given up his nomination before he even started.

His numerous publicity stunts may have finally come back to haunt him. Bringing pigs to a vote in the House to protest pork barrel projects, trying to veto an entire budget -- almost causing a shutdown of South Carolina government, trying to reject millions of dollars for a struggling state's economy and physically declining public school buildings, and frequent trips with no communication and no transfer of power -- these are all things Sanford has done that a president should never do, yet they're all things that Sanford has done, and will likely do again.

Sorry, Gov. Sanford. They don't allow farm animals inside the White House.

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS

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