Gov. Mark Sanford arrived in the Hartsville-Jackson International Airport Wednesday morning, having wrapped up a seven-day visit to Buenos Aires, Argentina, he said. Sanford said he had not been hiking along the Appalachian Trail, as his staff said in a Tuesday statement to the media. Sanford’s whereabouts had been unknown since Thursday, and the mystery surrounding his absence fueled speculation about where he had been and who’s in charge in his absence. His emergence Wednesday ended the mystery. 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.  See article here.

This smells awfully fishy. 

First, the governor of a state takes off to a foreign country for a little R&R without telling his WIFE!  Or his leutenant governor! or his STAFF!!! Without SECURITY!! On FATHER’s DAY!!! 

Second, he just happened to have his PASSPORT with him when he changed his mind about hiking.

UPDATE: Gov. Sanford press conference. 

In a very emotional and unusually candid (for a politician) press conference, Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina admitted to being unfaithful to his wife. Sanford apologized to his wife and boys for letting them down.  He also apologized to his staff and the people of South Carolina.  Sanford choked up when apologizing to his friend Tom Davis.  The Southern Governor admitted that he developed a relationship with a woman in Argentina that he met eight years ago.  The relationship started casually through an exchange of emails.  A year ago it developed into something more than friends.  The relationship was discovered five months ago.  Sanford was not wearing his wedding ring.  He also said that he would be resigning as chairman of the GOP Governors’ Assoc.  A reporter asked if the Governor would resign and received no response. Sanford’s wife did not attend the press conference.