Mark Sanford: Another Blow to Republicans? | 06/25/2009 10:00 am

Mark Sanford's Sensual E-mail Exchanges With Argentinean Mistress Maria Belen Shapur Made Public (Video)

Hours after the South Carolina Republican governor apologizes to his wife, Jenny, and four sons for affair, his lustful e-mails with mistress emerge on The State website

By The Staff at wowOwow.com

Gov. Mark Sanford's Confession Video via NBC News

Hours after sun-kissed Gov. Mark Sanford made a very public confession that he left the country for five days without telling a soul to be with his Argentinean mistress, the sensual e-mails the South Carolina Republican exchanged with his lover are brought to light. E-mails obtained by The State newspaper in December are between a woman named Maria in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and the governor — who once had his eye on a 2012 White House run. The series of e-mails date between July 4 - 10, 2008, and are posted online by The State newspaper. In an excerpt from one e-mail, the governor expresses deep chemistry.

From: Mark Sanford
To: Maria
Subject: RE:
Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:24:54 -0400
Sweetest,

You have a particular grace and calm that I adore. You have a level of sophistication that is so fitting with your beauty. I could digress and say that you have the ability to give magnificently gentle kisses, or that I love your tan lines or that I love the curves of your hips, the erotic beauty of you holding yourself (or two magnificent parts of yourself) in the faded glow of night’s light — but hey, that would be going into the sexual details …

When the e-mails were first obtained, Sanford’s spokespeople would not authenticate them. However, The State reports, the governor’s office Wednesday did not argue the authenticity.

Sanford and Jenny, his wife of 20 years, reportedly separated two weeks ago and she has known about Sanford’s extramarital interest since December. Jenny is a former Wall Street executive and has helped Sanford manage all his campaigns.

Politico reports that Sanford has taken at least three taxpayer-paid trips to Argentina — but it’s unclear whether he met with his lover during any of them. For this latest trip, Sanford told reporters that he used his own money to pay for his plane ticket.

Argentinean media reveal a bit more information about the alleged mistress. Her name is María Belén Shapur, age 43, and The State believes she has two children.

For 18 emotional minutes, the 49-year-old governor apologizes profusely to his wife and four sons, who had no clue where he was. Watch:

Humans are far from perfect, we know. But tell us: Why do people in power (and in the public eye) cheat … and think that they can get away with it?

233 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Reality is a powerful cure for hypocrisy and, even worse, self-righteousness. Human emotions are a powerful reality. I applaud him for his emotional honesty, in spite of his offenses. To anyone who has never walked in his shoes: you are simply in no position to judge (I have been there and it is AWFUL!). I repeat the words of a sage: to err is human; to forgive is divine. The highest order of divinity is to forgive yourself. We all have foibles and shortcomings. We do not all live in a glass house. Personally, I am really tired of all the commentary based on personal biases, morals or beliefs that smack of a sort of hypocrisy in themselves in that the commentators have either 1) never been honest about their own failures to live up to the standards they espouse and/or 2) have very little empathy or compassion for those whose mistakes are so easy to pillory, which they would want were it their situation, had they tripped on their own imperfection. This is particularly true when these would-be judges bear none of the consequences of these indiscretions or errors. Often, silence is not only golden, but the better part of wisdom.

By Garden Goddess on 06/28/2009 2:31 pm

e-mail alert

People cheat. People of all different value systems. People don’t change their values just because from time to time they don’t live up to them. I don’t like liars but sometimes I lie.

All families should be valued (gay, straight, mixed, whatever). I believe a person should be judged by the whole of what he or she does, not just a part.

To quote a band that I love called THE LOWEST OF THE LOW

"I’ve been told that there’s a sucker born every day. I wonder who. Yes, I wonder who. Maybe the one who doesn’t realize there’s a thousand shades of grey. I know that’s true. Yes I do. I know that’s true. How about you?"

By Kirsten Clarkson on 06/28/2009 6:08 pm

e-mail alert

Sanford is in full mid-life crisis. He is clearly unstable, and obviously unable to disclose his financies as he probably has much to hide. He can’t stop talking. He needs to have his pathetic image buttressed by disclosure of other affairs.

This kind of individual is totally unable to govern and he is in violation of many codes of S.Carolina laws as well as the duties and laws required by Governor.

He isn’t making it easier for his kids, wife, or the citizens of SC. GOP defense of his behavior is a moral sham of complete hypocricy and opportunism. He’s a gift that keeps giving to SC Democrats.

He should go away and get some therapy. Fast.

By mitzi morris on 07/01/2009 8:08 pm

e-mail alert

The man is like others in power, they do it because they can get away with it. Sure all of this hubbub right now, but in the end what is going to happen to him. Nothing. What his wife does, oh well. But the position he has will not be take away, he will not repay the taxpayer money used to go have a screw, and he will go again. Although I think he will find someone in the states or bring her here.

By T. BYNUM on 07/01/2009 9:27 pm

e-mail alert

I actually think it took Jenny Sanford all this time to get HER and their son’s financial life/lives in order! she was his campaign manager…who else would know so much of his financial dealings, and how to get at them b4 he screws her out of any $$ and runs off to his lover?

His lawyers would’nt help her. Good for her! my sympathy to Jenny and her sons.

*I personally, would wait until he was asleep, and make ever so tiny a cut, under his tally-whacker, just-so in the right place…and of course, after a wait, take him to the ER cause he’s bleeding…O’dear. (you did a partial Lorena Bobbett cut there)…it’ll never rise to the occassion again…..;o( shame on HIM! shame on the man stealing bytch!

By Debbie Learman on 07/01/2009 11:16 pm