(CNN) - Days after Mark Sanford wrote a newspaper op-ed publicly apologizing for his extramarital affair, the South Carolina governor told reporters Tuesday it's time to move on.
"I made a mistake in life. I've apologized for my mistake," Sanford told reporters at a stop in Greer, South Carolina. "I've said all I am going to say on that one. I am moving forward. I think the people of South Carolina are ready to do the same."
But Sanford, who spent last week away from the governor's office on a private vacation with his wife, did not answer repeated questions about why he was no longer wearing his wedding ring.
"Keep going, anything else," Sanford said motioning for the next question.
Pressed if he thinks his admission to a year-long affair with an Argentine woman will continue to be a distraction, the governor said the people of South Carolina are ready to get past the issue.
"Life and the choices that we make begin each day anew," he told a reporter. "So it's as much a distraction as you want to make it. I am going to move on with my life. The question is will you?
Asked how the scandal has affected his potential 2012 presidential ambitions, Sanford put up his hands and smiled.
From CNN Politics
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This guy is an embarrassment to all Americans and should resign.
NO, THEY CAN'T GET PASS THE ISSUE UNTIL THE GOVERDOPE STEPS DOWN. Is he a moron? This man shouldn't be anybody's governor. He is the last person who should talk about moving on after he ran down to Argentina to have his affair on the government's dime. Move on from what–his nonchalant attitude about leaving his post for an affair?
South Carolina will be the laughing stock of the country if they keep this guy on the payroll, it’s shameful.
How does Mr. Sanford know what the people of SC are thinking?
The typical majority churchgoers, the typical holier-than-thou, the typical self-righteous, and the typical self proclaimed God believers always say things according to their own perspective or own interpretation using God as the authority. It is very, very typical, isn't it?
Well, I have to admit that this is a very smart technique that Mr. Sanction is using to get the issue slips from the public.
No wedding ring?
Maybe Mrs. Sanford threw it out the window.
But he was adament about Clinton being impeached for lying, but's it's ok if he stays? I guess if your a republikklan you can get away with murder...dick cheyney sure did.
This man is ethically reprehensible and morally bankrupt.
We'll move on when you're fired from your job for walking out the door on it. That's as plain and simple as it gets, Gov Sanford. Or don't you fully understand just what it is that you did?
Mark, enough already. Govern the state.
Yes, just like the GOP has moved on from Clinton.
Laughable.
this guy is a loser...............why is he even afforded space in this forum?? might as well have a story on Michelle Oboz......no wait, bad example
I have a crisp 100 dollar bill that says within two years, Sanford will be openly dating the Argentinian woman, if not already married to her.
Typical C Street fascist.
Like the way you moved on Sanford when Bill Clinton was caught cheating? Oh wait, you didn't. No, you tried to get him impeached.
You disgust me, hypocrite.
He's right. Maybe you should have taken his advice CNN and not even reported he said it.
Hypocrite. I normally could care less what he does in his private life, but when they run on moral values and use them as one of their talking points and then do not follow, they are hypocrites and believe they are above everyone else and they can do whatever they want. But, more than that, taking trips to Argentina to meet his mistress on South Carolina taxpayers that is unforgiveable.
Can we please move on........... so many other important stories to cover, CNN!
Jeeze, what a disguting person, this is the same person that was loud and clear to impeach Bill Clinton because of a BJ but will not step down when he messed around for a year
I guess Republicans have a different God than Democrats and he's more forgiving!!!
The media does not know Sanford as well as they should – in all the years I have followed him, I have yet to see him wear his wedding ring. Maybe that's what went wrong in the past. But having a ring means nothing – this woman from Argentina knew for 7 years he was married, did it stop her?
Governor Sanford, the people will be ready to move on only if you can prove that no state or federal money was used to pay for your trysts in Argentina. Also, that you did not violate any national security regulations with your foray into frivolity. Just don't say the people of SC are ready to move on, when you mean "I am ready to move on".
Amazing, this clown just blowing it off. No ring on now either. Isn't he a great testimony to the party of moral values.
I think he should resign, he has disgraced america with his dirty little secret.
Funny that this same man was so adamant about Clinton resigning over the Monica Lewenski debacle...yet he was having an affair with this woman for over a year... but don't worry he apologized to god and everyone so it's ok...
The wedding ring apparently meant nothing to him anyway, so who cares. Removal by his wife of her rings would be more significant. It could mean she's finally decided to be done with him. We could all hope.
Hmmm...did Sanford extend the same courtesy he speaks to President Clinton? Not even close.
C STREET Nazi cult members = "Do as I say, not as I do" Republicans.
And the hypocrisy sadly continues...
"Pressed if he thinks his admission to a year-long affair with an Argentine woman will continue to be a distraction,"
So now it's not just the GOPers, but the media who has no understanding of what constitutes irony? "Journalists" seeking to perseverate the entire "controversy" by asking him if he thinks it will continue to be a distraction? Ummmm, yeah, it'll be a distraction as long as you media bottom-feeders keep front-paging every single little morbidly fascinating tidbit out of it to sell your advertising space. Am I the only one who sees the irony here?
"... the governor said the people of South Carolina are ready to get past the issue."
Unless a crime has been committed, the people of South Carolina don't have any choice given that there's no easy way to get rid of this guy, and he doesn't seem to think he really did anything wrong.