Is this some sort of holiday? Nobody was there. No secretary, no Donna, and no J.L. Everybody was gone. Not even a message. Donna is incognito!

Is she out hiking the Appalachian trail?

Norman ,

FYI. Donna is out of town right now, i'm sure her secretary or paralegal was working today, they probably where just out for a moment like at lunch or something, people don't stay in their offices 24/7.

Lunch at 10:30?

Unlike SC's Sanford, most governors easy to find
AP

By RUSS BYNUM, Associated Press Writer Russ Bynum, Associated Press Writer – Sat Jun 27, 1:26 pm ET

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Texas Gov. Rick Perry was raising money at campaign headquarters when an Associated Press reporter called his press staff to ask what he was doing. An hour later, he walked into AP's statehouse bureau to show he was alive and well and not, say, in South America for a romantic rendezvous.

Most of the nation's governors were willing — even eager — to prove they were on the job after revelations that South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford ditched his security detail and disappeared for a secret weeklong tryst with a mistress in Argentina.

The day after Sanford admitted his indiscretion at a tearful, rambling press conference, The Associated Press called governors' offices nationwide to ask: What's the boss doing right now?

Gov. Mike Beebe of Arkansas was at the dentist. Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley was fishing with his 10-year-old son. Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle was flying back from a Washington speaking engagement, while Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was visiting U.S. troops in eastern Europe.

Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman was in his office, but a few minutes after a reporter called he, too, showed up at the AP's Capitol bureau — a state trooper, the lieutenant governor and his chief of staff in tow — to jokingly show he could be accounted for.

The AP had problems finding Georgia's Sonny Perdue, who is serving his final term. His spokesman, Bert Brantley, said Perdue had worked at his Capitol office earlier, but he wasn't sure where the governor was precisely when the AP called. When pressed, Brantley said he would not call the governor just to answer a press inquiry into his whereabouts.

"Even when he's on a personal day or family time, he still keeps his Blackberry on him," Brantley said. "There's not a time when he's not reachable."

Sanford's vanishing act had his fellow governors scratching their heads, if not cracking wise. Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer began a news conference Wednesday by joking he was late because he'd been in Venezuela.

"What was he thinking?" said Schweitzer, a Democrat. "Didn't he think anyone would be watching?"

Impromptu checks by the AP showed most gubernatorial staffs keep close tabs on their bosses.

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist's love life hasn't been an obstacle to keeping in touch. Erin Isaac, Crist's communications director, said: "I talked to the governor 100 times while he was on his honeymoon." Crist just got married in December.

Generally, state officials and staffers should be able to locate a governor on a moment's notice, and the public has a right to know too, said Gene Policinski, executive director of the First Amendment Center, a free speech education organization in Nashville, Tenn., that is part of the Freedom Forum.

Besides giving speeches, signing bills and attending ribbon-cuttings, governors must take charge in natural disasters. They command their states' National Guards. And their personal time can become the public's business, particularly when they betray people's trust, Policinski said.

"As, unfortunately, recent scandals seem to indicate, there is legitimate public interest in knowing where a governor is and what they're doing," Policinski said.

When AP asked where governors were, the most common answer was in the office. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal was reviewing bills on the last day of the legislative session. Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry was interviewing a candidate for a judicial appointment.

Even when governors were traveling, staffers had little trouble saying exactly where they were. In Alabama, Gov. Bob Riley's communications director, Jeff Emerson, knew Riley was landing in Seattle after an economic development trip overseas.

Palin's spokeswoman, Sharon Leighow, said the Alaska governor was visiting National Guard troops from her state abroad, but wouldn't immediately disclose where. She called back 30 minutes later, after getting the Defense Department's OK, to say Palin was in Kosovo. Palin told the world where she was that same day in a Twitter update.

As Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty left a Republican fundraiser, he said he always tries to at least let his staff know what he's doing.

"Regardless of whether you're a governor or anyone else, having a little clear-your-head time is probably a good thing," Pawlenty said. "But you always have to make sure you stay in touch in case there's a problem. You have to communicate."

While finding governors through their press offices is easy, tracking them down using schedules available to the general public can be trickier. Most release calendars of public events and news conferences, but some keep closed-door meetings and private functions under wraps even if they're official state business.

Pawlenty's staffers rejected a written request for access to his appointment calendar. On days when he doesn't have news conferences or speeches, his daily events schedule often reads "No Public Events." The fundraiser he attended wasn't on it.

Many states cited security reasons for refusing to release schedules, while others said they're not considered public records.

Most states were also tight-lipped about security, saying revealing details would put chief executives at risk, and arrangements varied widely in states willing to talk about them. In Virginia, State Police guard Gov. Tim Kaine around the clock, anywhere he goes, without exception. North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven, by contrast, normally drives his own car and state law doesn't require him to have a security detail.

Sanford managed to slip overseas undetected because he dismissed his security detail before driving himself to the airport.

Reggie Lloyd, chief of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, told reporters his agency had no legal authority to refuse Sanford.

"As an adult male, he's free to come and go as he pleases, and so we just honestly quit looking for him," Lloyd said.

There was little need to ask Sanford's office where he was after he returned Wednesday. His every move has been monitored and broadcast far beyond the borders of South Carolina.

On Friday, Sanford met with his agency chiefs to apologize for his baffling absence, then move on with any state business he may have neglected while he was AWOL in Argentina.

Where's your governor? A state-by-state glance
By The Associated Press – 6 hours ago

After Gov. Mark Sanford disappeared on a seven-day trip to see a woman in Argentina with whom he was having an affair, Associated Press reporters in 40 states contacted their governors' offices to ask: What's the governor doing right now? The AP also asked for a copy of each governor's complete schedule for the day, not just public events.

Here's a glance at each state's response:

___

ALABAMA: Gov. Bob Riley's spokesman said he was landing in Seattle after an overseas economic development trip. He also released the governor's Friday schedule, mostly blocked out so he could rest from the trip.

ALASKA: Gov. Sarah Palin was in Kosovo visiting U.S. troops. Her spokeswoman released the location only after consulting the Department of Defense. Palin's office requires an open records request to release her calendar.

ARIZONA: Gov. Jan Brewer was at her office in the state Capitol. Her office would not release her full schedule.

ARKANSAS: Gov. Mike Beebe was at the dentist. His office denied a request for the governor's calendar, saying it's considered a "working paper" exempt from open records laws.

CALIFORNIA: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was in his office meeting with lawmakers over the state budget plan. His office released a list of Schwarzenegger's scheduled meetings, but without the names of people he was seeing.

CONNECTICUT: Gov. M. Jodi Rell was in her Capitol office, watching a Senate budget debate on TV. Her schedule was released, with no private appointments listed.

COLORADO: Gov. Bill Ritter was in the Capitol for a press conference on his plans to cut the state budget. His office released a redacted version of his calendar.

DELAWARE: Gov. Jack Markell was in his Dover office. His office rejected a written request for his official calendar, saying it wasn't subject to open records laws.

FLORIDA: Gov. Charlie Crist was leaving a bill-signing ceremony in Oldsmar, Fla. His office released a line-by-line schedule for his day in the Tampa Bay area.

GEORGIA: Gov. Sonny Perdue had been in his office earlier, but spokesman Bert Brantley was unsure where he was when an AP reporter called. Brantley declined to call the governor to find out. Perdue's office later released his calendar.

ILLINOIS: Gov. Pat Quinn was working in his office. His calendar was requested Thursday, and the governor's office said Friday it would not have a response in time for AP's deadline.

INDIANA: Gov. Mitch Daniels was returning from an event in southern Indiana. His office declined to release his detailed calendar, citing privacy and security concerns.

IOWA: Gov. Chet Culver was meeting with staff at his campaign office before taking the afternoon off to spend time with his children.

KANSAS: Gov. Mark Parkinson was working in his office. His staff would not release his full schedule.

LOUISIANA: Gov. Bobby Jindal was reviewing bills in his office on the last day of the legislative session. His office said the governor's calendar is not subject to open records laws.

MAINE: Gov. John Baldacci was leaving the governor's mansion on his way to a county club driving range. His office released his calendar through Sunday.

MARYLAND: Gov. Martin O'Malley was taking a day off at Cranberry Lake in New York state fishing with his 10-year-old son. His office released his calendar.

MASSACHUSETTS: Gov. Deval Patrick was in his office preparing for a news conference. His office would not release his calendar.

MICHIGAN: Gov. Jennifer Granholm was on her way to a news conference in Birmingham. Her office would not release her calendar, citing security and privacy issues.

MISSOURI: Gov. Jay Nixon was en route from the governor's mansion to his office. His office released his full schedule.

MONTANA: Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer was at the governor's residence. His office released his daily calendar.

NEBRASKA: Gov. Dave Heineman marched into an AP reporter's Capitol office a few minutes after a reporter called to ask for his whereabouts. His office did not release his calendar.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: Gov. John Lynch was walking into his office. His press secretary did not release his calendar, saying the staffer who kept it had left.

NEW JERSEY: Gov. Jon S. Corzine was in the statehouse monitoring legislative budget hearings. His office would not release his calendar.

NEW MEXICO: New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson was in his office. His staff would not release his calendar.

NEW YORK: Gov. David Paterson was at the Capitol in Albany. His office would not release his calendar, saying AP would have to file an open records request.

NORTH CAROLINA: Gov. Beverly Perdue was in meetings at her Capitol office. Her calendar was released without redactions.

NORTH DAKOTA: Gov. John Hoeven was in southeastern North Dakota talking to workers at a manufacturing plant slated to shut down this fall. His office released his calendar without redactions.

OKLAHOMA: Gov. Brad Henry was interviewing a candidate for a judicial appointment. His office released his daily calendar.

OHIO: Gov. Ted Strickland was holding budget meetings in his office. His staff released his full schedule.

OREGON: Gov. Ted Kulongoski was in his office. His staff released his electronic calendar.

PENNSYLVANIA: Gov. Ed Rendell had just left his office after working on the state budget. His staff did not release his calendar.

RHODE ISLAND: Gov. Don Carcieri was in his office. His staff would not release his internal calendar.

SOUTH DAKOTA: Gov. Mike Rounds was in his office. His press secretary said the governor's calendar is not a public record.

TEXAS: Gov. Rick Perry was at his campaign headquarters, and he made a personal stop by the AP office an hour after a reporter called asking about him. Perry's office said it would release his calendar if a written request was filed.

UTAH: Gov. Jon Huntsman was on a plane to Washington. His staff has stopped sending out weekly calendar schedules since Huntsman was nominated as ambassador to China in May.

VIRGINIA: Gov. Tim Kaine was sitting in his office. His staff did not release his calendar, citing privacy and security concerns.

WEST VIRGINIA: Gov. Joe Manchin was at Charleston's Yeager Airport waiting to greet the first arriving flight of a new air service from Florida. His staff would not release his calendar, citing security concerns.

WISCONSIN: Gov. Jim Doyle was on a return flight from Washington, where he had given a speech. His staff normally releases his calendar a month or two after events have taken place. It did not immediately release his daily calendar.

WYOMING: Gov. Dave Freudenthal was flying back from an out-of-town meeting via a state plane. His office released his calendar.