Sanford, like a man in love, gushes about his 'soul mate,' confesses to other encounters

South Carolina's Gov. Mark Sanford is acting like a man smitten.

In three hours of emotional interviews over the last two days, the Republican governor told the Associated Press that his affair with Maria Belen Chapur -- a 43-year-old Argentina mother of two teenage sons -- was not a tawdry sexual encounter but a yearlong connection between two people deeply in love.

''This was a whole lot more than a simple affair, this was a love story,'' Sanford said. ''A forbidden one, a tragic one, but a love story at the end of the day.''

They met for romantic stays in Manhattan and in the Hamptons, paying cash so their whereabouts could not be traced. They met one more time in the city, a rendezvous meant as their last, sanctioned by his wife, Jenny, after she learned of their affair and chaperoned by a spiritual adviser who came to help them say goodbye.

But the governor could not stay away. Four months later, telling his staff he was going hiking on the Appalachian Trail over Father's Day, he got on a plane to Argentina, hungry for more time with Chapur, and discovered why he could not close the door. "I will be able to die knowing that I had met my soul mate," he said.

Crying at times and clearly wearing his emotions on his sleeve, the two-term governor also acknowledged that he had casual encounters with other women but insisted that he never crossed the line by having sex with them.

''If you're a married guy, at the end of the day, you shouldn't be dancing with somebody else," he said.  "There were a handful of instances wherein I crossed the lines I shouldn't have crossed as a married man but never crossed the ultimate line."

The revelations led to more political fallout for the politician once touted as a likely Republican presidential candidate in 2012. The state attorney general, also a Republican, is investigating whether any public funds were used in the trysts. Sanford himself delivered a personal check for nearly $3,000 to the state for a 2008 state-funded trip to Argentina during which he visited Chapur.

And Sanford, who called for President Clinton to resign for lying about his dalliance with White House intern Monica Lewinsky during a previous era, said he saw no reason to leave the governor's mansion now.

Despite his obvious emotional connection with Chapur, Sanford said he is trying to fall back in love with his wife, Jenny, his partner of 20 years and the mother of their four sons. "I owe it too much to my boys and to the last 20 years with Jenny to not try this larger walk of faith,'' he said.

So far, though many a state legislator is calling for Sanford to resign, the public in South Carolina seems to think the governor should be allowed to serve out the remaining 18 months of his term. In a poll conducted Monday night, nearly half of the state's residents think he should stay, as opposed to 41% who think he should step down and nearly 9% who aren't sure.

True, the poll suggested a party split -- Republicans lined up with their Republican governor, Democrats said he should go -- but the larger truth may be less political. I mean, we've all been in love, right?

-- Johanna Neuman

Photo: Sanford is solemn during a recent interview with the Associated Press. Credit: Mary Ann Chastain / Associated Press

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Comments

[Rob]

Only those who have been lucky enough to experience the magic of falling in love with a beautiful latin woman can truly understand this.

[MollyN]

Sanford is completely blind to his situation. This is because he is SELFISH, SELF-ABSORBED, ARROGANT, IMMATURE and smarmy, too. He is ripping his family to shreds while spilling his guts about his schoolboy crush on an Argentine skank. News flash, Governor: It's NOT ALL ABOUT YOU. You have a WIFE who supported your ambitions for over two decades and gave you four lovely SONS. How do you think they feel when you whine about hoping to "fall in love again" with your wife/ their mom (again, it's "all about you") AND you send emails to the mistress rhapsodizing about how you want to help HER son in his chosen career? MAN UP, YOU IDIOT. You made a commitment to YOUR family. Love is not just a feeling. Of course, if I were your wife or child, at this point I would be so throughly disgusted with you, you might never win me back. But you are a total amoral moron if you don't grovel, beg their forgiveness, shut your public mouth and act like a MAN. News flash #2, Governor: Despite your tears and flowery words, there is nothing romantic about your story. You are not a tragic hero, not a star-crossed lover, and not Romeo--You are a goat following a bunch of pheromones. Get over yourself. You cannot hope to build a life on the wreckage of your family.

[kris]

Okay he had an affair. What I don't understand is why he felt the need to publicly humilate his wife and the mother of his 4 children by calling the "other woman" his soul-mate?

Why diminish his wife so publicly in front of her children and the world? Could that not have remained a truth to be shared only with you God and maybe a spiritual advisor? Why tell the world that your wife of 20 years has never been the woman for you? What does that make your 4 children??

[Outraged]

Mr. Sanford is a very selfish, insensitive and heartless person. It is not for me to judge on his extramarital affair. That is something he needs to deal with God, his wife and his children. However, he should not publicly declare his love for his mistress by calling her soulmate, by naming their relationship a "love story". It is like poking the wound in Jenny's heart with a knife over and over again. She's been with him for 20+ years and gave him four children. He betrayed her trust and love. At least, he could have reserved a little respect and some basic courtesy by remaining silent. Both of them should remain silent and deal with the issues behind closed doors. Mrs. Sanford, why would you keep him when he has someone else as his soulmate, his love? Set him free and set yourself free. You can still be a good parent to your children and at the same time, keep your dignity and spare your children public humiliation.

[Frank Martinez]

Why should Sanford resign? Did JFK resign after his numerous affairs? Everyone except blind idiots knew he was cheating on his wife with Marylin Monroe. Did Clinton resign after the Lewinsky affair? Democrats are always asking for Reublicans to resign after any sacandal but they hold themselves to a different standard. Also, did Teddy "the swimmer" Kennedy resign after he killed MaryJo Kopechne? What a bunch of hyppocrites.