Sanford Changed Flight To Elude Reporters Upon Return

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It’s worth noting that Globetrotting guv Mark Sanford seems to have gone to some lengths to avoid reporters upon his return.

Sanford left for this trip from the Columbia, South Carolina, airport, it turns out. But he came back by flying into Atlanta. Why?

The State reports:

Sanford said he decided not to return via the Columbia airport to avoid the media. The State Media Company was the only media who greeted Sanford this morning.

Gina Smith, the State reporter on the story, just added a bit of detail in an interview on CNN, saying that Sanford had told her that when he talked to his chief of staff yesterday, he was told there was a lot of “media hype” around the story, and so he thought it would be easier to return through Atlanta.

Smith also said the paper was tipped to the governor’s revised plan, and that she staked out the gate in Atlanta.

It’s usually kind of a hassle — and not cheap — to change your return flight to a different airport. Sounds like Sanford really was hoping to keep his return hush hush.

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