Among the questions that had been circulating for days were: Why didn't he tell other officials that he would be out of pocket? Why didn't he tell his family? Why did his top aides finally say he was hiking, only to be left with egg on their faces when he surfaced after a trip to Argentina?

Sanford unsuccessfully fought back tears as he explained to reporters that he wanted to "lay out that larger story. It's gonna hurt," he said. "Let the chips fall where they may."

After apologizing to everyone including his staff and the "moral people of the nation," Sanford said, "I've let down a lot of people. In every incident, I would ask for forgiveness."

The governor said the affair had started innocently but escalated and was now over. He said he had known the woman for about eight years, but their relationship turned into something more a year ago while he was on an economic-development trip to Argentina.

Sanford, 49 and the father of four boys, said his wife had known about the affair for the last five months. Jenny Sanford did not attend the news conference, and according to the Associated Press, had asked the governor to leave and stop speaking to her two weeks ago. The governor says he wants to reconcile, and his wife's statement released today said her husband has earned a chance to resurrect their marriage.