Hiking the Appalachian Trail in the nude isn't exotic enough?

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford is telling a newspaper that he was in Argentina during his unexplained 5-day absence, not hiking along the Appalachian Trail as his office previously said.

The Republican told The State newspaper in South Carolina that he arrived at the Atlanta airport today.

Sanford says he decided at the last minute to go to the South American country. The governor says he had considered hiking on the Appalachian Trail but wanted to do something “exotic.”

Let's just hope, for the sake of saving what may remain of conservative Republican face, that it was a woman he was with and not a man. Still, even the Republicans in South Carolina may not get over it any time soon:

"Lies. Lies. Lies. That's all we get from his staff. That's all we get from his people. That's all we get from him," said state Sen. Jake Knotts, R-West Columbia. "Why all the big cover-up?"

Why indeed.