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So what's the first thing you do when planning a vacation? If you answered, "tell the people at the office," you would be correct. If you answered, "PEACE OUT," you might just be South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford.
When South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford went missing over Father's Day weekend, it caused a tiny bit of commotion. That is, every newspaper in the confines of the Palmetto state and the Wall Street Journal collectively declared a "State of Chaos" and proceeded to scrutinize everything from his vacation time, driving habits and role as a family man.
According to Joel Sawyer, a spokesman for the governor, he is merely hiking on the Appalachian Trail, and would be back Wednesday.
While I'm glad Sanford was in no immediate danger, and I completely understand his need for a few days off, its hard not to take issue with the way he went about things.
Let's ignore the potential state chaos that would have ensued had he actually been missing, and just look at it like he were any other employee. Most workers that up and decide to take a few personal days without telling their employers is going to be fired - unless they are a CEO of a major corporation.
Well, Sanford may think he has all the powers, freedoms and benefits that a CEO does, but he doesn't. He is a public figure, and his absence on the job could have far greater implications that a mere pink slip. The executive officeholder of the state of South Carolina shouldn't be taking a weekend hike at a moment's notice without letting people know.
Now this isn't to say that he needs to call a press conference every time that he wants to leave the confines of his office, but he failed to even tell his wife or Lieutenant Governor Andrew Bauer where he was. Politically, he is the person who needs to know most. After all, if South Carolina went to hell in a hand basket with him trekking up the side of some mountain without cell phone reception, one would assume that Bauer would take the helm. If Sanford has the presidential aspirations that everyone assumes he does, he had better get used to keeping his second-in-command in the loop.
When it boils down to it, Sanford acted downright irresponsibly. Sure, elected officials take vacations, and it's usually not an issue, but that is because they tell the people that need to know where they are. I can completely understand where Sanford is coming from - he has been dealing with a pretty rabid and unsympathetic media. Anyone in his position would want an escape. But honestly, would reporters from The State be reporting on his every step up the mountain? Not even if they could afford the gas to get to the trails. Should Sanford get used to being in the public eye and staying the public eye, even when he is on vacation? Most definitely.
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