Monday, Jun. 06, 2011

So, About That Appalachian Trail Thing ...

On June 24, 2009, after a nearly weeklong disappearance, South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford explained to reporters that he'd been in Argentina (and not, as his staff had said, hiking the Appalachian Trail), conducting an extramarital affair.

Rather than deliver a dry, prepared statement, Sanford rambled emotionally — on everything from said Appalachian Trail to a conversation he'd had with his father-in-law — for more than 10 minutes. Then he answered questions, prefacing one reply with "To give you way more detail than you'll ever want." His remarks, full of apologies and references to "God's laws," also included an announcement that he would resign as chairman of the Republican Governors Association.