Posted on Wed, Jun. 24, 2009
Exclusive: E-mails between Sanford, woman
Woman in affair declines interview
By JOHN O’CONNOR

(The State is a South Carolina newspaper)

-- Read the full e-mail exchange in Thursday's edition of The State.

Below are excerpts of e-mails, obtained by The State newspaper in
December, between Gov. Mark Sanford's personal e-mail account and Maria,
a woman in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The State has removed the woman's full name and other personal details,
including her address, e-mail address and children's names.

Sanford's office Wednesday did not dispute the authenticity of the emails.

McClatchy special correspondent Angeles Mase visited the 14-story
apartment building in Buenos Aires Wednesday where the woman lives,
according to the emails, which included her address. The woman at the
address answered to the name in the emails and, at first, agreed to
speak to a visitor, but she declined after the visitor identified
herself as a reporter.

The doorman at the building, shown a photograph of Sanford, said he did
not recognize him. According to the doorman, the woman has two sons, one
a teenager of driving age and the other younger. The emails refer to the
woman's two sons.

---------------------------

From Gov. Sanford,
Date: Thursday, July 10, 2008, 12:24 a.m.

“One, tomorrow leave at 5 a.m. for New York and meetings. Will think
about you on its streets and wish I was going to be there later in the
month when you are there. Tomorrow night back to Philadelphia for the
start of the National Governor's Conference through the weekend. Back to
Columbia for Tuesday and then on Wednesday, as I think I had told you,
taking the family to China, Tibet, Nepal, India, Thailand and then back
through Hong Kong on world wind tour. Few days home then to Bahamas for
5 days on a friend’s boat for the last break of the summer. The
following weekend have been asked to spend it out in Aspen, Colorado
with McCain - which has kicked up the whole VP talk all over again in
the press back home ...

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

Three and finally, while all the things above are all too true - at the
same time we are in a hopelessly - or as you put it impossible - or how
about combine and simply say hopelessly impossible situation of love.
How in the world this lightening strike snuck up on us I am still not
quite sure. As I have said to you before I certainly had a special
feeling about you from the first time we met, but these feelings were
contained and I genuinely enjoyed our special friendship and the
comparing of all too many personal notes ...

Lastly I also suspect I feel a little vulnerable because this is ground
I have never certainly never covered before - so if you have pearls of
wisdom on how we figure all this out please let me know... In the
meantime please sleep soundly knowing that despite the best efforts of
my head my heart cries out for you, your voice, your body, the touch of
your lips, the touch of your finger tips and an even deeper connection
to your soul.”

--------------------

From Maria,
Wednesday, July 9, 2008 8:14 p.m.

“As I told you I shouldn't have done this trip but I would have felt
worst if I wouldn't have come because it was too over the date, he is a
very nice guy, great heart ... but unfortunately I am not in love with
him ... You are my love ... something hard to believe even for myself as
it's also a kind of impossible love, not only because of distance but
situation. Sometimes you don't choose things, they just happen... I
can't redirect my feelings and I am very happy with mine towards you.”

--------------------

From Gov. Sanford,
Tuesday, July 8, 1:42 a.m.

“Got back an hour ago to civilization and am now in Columbia after what
was for me a glorious break from reality down at the farm. No phones
ringing and tangible evidence of a day's labors. Though I have started
every day by 6 this morning woke at 4:30, I guess since my body knew it
was the last day, and I went out and ran the excavator with lights until
the sun came up. To me, and I suspect no one else on earth, there is
something wonderful about listening to country music playing in the cab,
air conditioner running, the hum of a huge diesel engine in the back
ground, the tranquillity that comes with being in a virtual wilderness
of trees and marsh, the day breaking and vibrant pink coming alive in
the morning clouds - and getting to build something with each scoop of
dirt.”