Sanford: Not An Affair, A "Love Story"

(AP Photo/Mary Ann Chastain)

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford has been unusually candid about his affair with a 41-year-old former reporter in Argentina.

In stark contrast to the taciturn Eliot Spitzer – who made no mention at all of his escapades as "Client 9" except opening his resignation speech with a reference to his "private failings" – Sanford held forth at length with reporters last week, describing how the affair came about and at one point prefacing an answer with, "To give you way more detail than you'll ever want…"

Then there were the e-mails. Perhaps Sanford shouldn't be judged on those, given that they were private communications. Serious questions remain about how South Carolina's State newspaper came to posses and publish them.

But never fear. The (new) Love Gov was back at it today, telling an Associated Press reporter that "This was a whole lot more than a simple affair. That it's a love story – a forbidden one, a tragic one, but a love story at the end of the day."

Sanford seemed more focused on defending the affair than apologizing for it.

"It was wonderful," he said. "Something that I've never been able to put my hands on was there. I remember there was an older couple sitting to our right, and I remember them watching us, in the way that we interacted. They could see a spark, or, I don't know what you'd call it, but there was something there."

Sanford also admitted that he had flirtations - including dancing and physical contact - with a number of other women in Argentina. But, he said, except with the woman identified last week as Maria Belen Chapur, the relationships did not become sexual:

Again, I didn't cross the sex line. I went past the line – but this makes it sound like there are hundreds of people, or something. … I'm quite certain that there were a handful of instances wherein I crossed lines I shouldn't have crossed as a married man but never crossed the ultimate line.

Sanford referred several times to death and the notion of God's final judgment on his life.

"Every one of us is going to be at that death bed one day and we're going to look back over the whole of our lives and we're going to ask, you know, 'Was or I wasn't willing to risk certain things that may be viewed as stupid trade-offs by the rest of the world?" he said. "But that's for each person to determine on their own."

"Did I want to pay the price? Did I want the consequences? No. But – I said this to her down there – I said, 'I am fully aware of the price. I'm fully aware of the costs. And I'm, I'm, I'm willing to do that.'"

[womanonthego]

Please don't down all Christians. A real Christian has a compassionate heart the recognize we all sin and fall short of the mark. The real problem is that Sanford is a hypocrite. When Bill Clinton had his fall from grace he didn't reach out to him and offer prayer. He criticized him for political gain, and now he admits he's the same kind of dog that Clinton was. So now he's trying to make himself look better by saying Maria is no Monica she's my soul mate. God help us all.

[bpai99]

While he's down right now, Sanford may be able to make a political comeback for the simple reason that all elected officials are lying hypocrites who abuse their public trust while in office, so what's the big deal about him being one of them, also?

No one in America who wins an election deserves to, because anyone who sincerely believes in moral values would not do what is necessary to get elected. The process ensures we only wind up with scoundrels in office.

[owlwomanxxxx]

he should go to his love and shut up

[South-of-Heaven]

With a Wife like that id leave her for a Spicy latina myself...

[formrusmcsgt]

Ensign, Edwards and this fool will all be remembered as idiots who thought a slice of tang was worth their carreers.

[gravyboat4000]

Everytime he talks of getting back with his wife, it sounds so forced. As if, he's being told by the GOP to do,"the right thing", according to the platform, you know,"family values".

How twisted would that be?

Gov., if you love Maria sooooo much, step down, and go to her.

After all the nonsense that's come out of your mouth this week, I don't think your wife's gonna ever take you back anyway.

[meinohio2]

Jenny: please divorce him. I know it is not good for the kids - devasting.

But he is all wrapped up in The Greatest Love That Never Was!! Soulmate crap, ego crap, "lost in love" crap. His heart will never be with you. He may beg to stay married - but only to preserve his job, and for his kids. None of it will be for you Jenny.

Move on with your life. Let him go "be" with The GReatest Love That Never Was, (it will be over within a year or two, most affair "loves" are -- it is the secrecy, the "first love" stuff that keeps an affair going - over time, he will dump her or she will dump him because it is no longer "magical")

He is just going to keep making more and more stupid comments. You deserve more than that, much more.

Divorce him !!!!

[kmf52]

It needs to be added that this man could very well be bipolar and if so is in crisis and shouldn't be in control of a state government. Steps should be taken to remove him from office.

[cattlekate1]

And this joker supported the Federal Marriage Amendment, trying to use the Constitution to limit civil rights instead of expanding them, stating allowing gays to marry would hurt "the sanctity of marriage." And this creep supported S.C.'s Defense of Marriage Act, saying allowing gays to marry would damage the "sacred institution of marriage." And this cheater, along with Sen Ensign (R-NV), is a member of The Family, a fundie Christian group obsessed with inserting their brand of religion, including anti-gay views, into US laws.

[mahdeealoo]

There's no way to soften what he did to his wife. A cheating, philandering, loser. Period. Love Story my eye.