South Carolina enters the Twilight Zone

I've just now caught up on the Mark Sanford mystery, and the articles I've read suggest that no one really knows exactly where he is. While the South Carolina governor's office is saying they've been in contact with him, it's a bit difficult to ignore that Sanford himself hasn't made a verifiable statement to the press--or anyone else, for that matter--in nearly a week.

It's also strange that Jenny Sanford said her husband was "writing something and wanted to get away from the kids" on Father's Day weekend...but the current line is that he's hiking. I know writers who work best in nature, but what dad wants to "get away from the kids" on Father's Day weekend?

It would be easy to laugh at this situation, to say that Sanford's gone off somewhere to lick his wounds after losing the stimulus battle. But something is seriously off here--things aren't adding up. And Mark Sanford is still a husband and a father. For the sake of his family, I sincerely hope he's alright. It's important that his political opponents afford him the respect he deserves as a person...difficult though it may be. At the same time, South Carolina deserves to know who's in charge. If people know where Mark Sanford is, they have an obligation to speak up.

Let's see where this goes...it's sure to be interesting.