Pawlenty stopped short of calling Gov. Sanford’s absence-without-leave a “dereliction of duty” — words he was ready to apply to himself were he to refuse a state Supreme Court order to sign an election certificate in Minnesota’s U.S. Senate contest. Pawlenty isn’t prepared to stand by former Sen. Norm Coleman to that degree.

Here’s Pawlenty speaking to reporters earlier in the weekend, before a speech at the Arkansas Republican Party’s annual Governor’s Dinner — a keynoting gig that was Gov. Sanford’s last year.

Pawlenty mentions former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (a likely repeat GOP presidential contender in 2012) was out of town for some video work; presumably that’s Huckabee’s weekend Fox News show, on which he hosted country music’s Gatlin Brothers.

After the speech, Pawlenty seemed to sympathize with at least the concept of taking some personal time, if not for the purpose Sanford put his to. “Regardless of whether you’re a governor or anyone else, having a little clear-your-head time is probably a good thing,” Pawlenty told the AP. “But you always have to make sure you stay in touch in case there’s a problem. You have to communicate.” Before his Argentina expedition, Sanford was considered alongside Pawlenty and Huckabee a 2012 presidential hopeful.

The AP ranked Pawlenty as one of the more hard-to-track governors because he doesn’t disclose his whereabouts or planned activities.