In a stunning conclusion to one of the more bizarre stories to come out of the political world in the past few years, Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina came clean about his five-day hiatus: he was having an affair with a woman in Argentina.

The story began last Thursday, the last time Sanford was seen by any of his staffers, associates, or even his family.  Press inquiries into the governor's business revealed that no one from Sanford's inner-circle really seemed to be sure where he was.  His wife, Jenny Sanford, told reporters that her husband had planned on "writing something," and had left home in order to be away from his children.  His absence included Father's Day on Sunday.

As press attention grew, so did pressure on the governor's office to produce an explanation as to his whereabouts.  Joel Sawyer, Sanford's communication's director, exlpained that the governor had taken a few days following the end of the legislative session in Columbia to clear his head, hiking on the Appalaichian Trail.

But when the governor returned on Tuesday evening, it quickly became clear that neither of the previous explanations fit.  Sanford's real whereabouts, he said, had been Argentina, where he'd been driving along the coast to spend time alone and think.

But on Wednesday, Sanford's story changed one last time.  Sanford admitted that he'd carrying on an affair with a "dear, dear friend" in Argentina.  He apologized to his family and supporters, and spoke briefly of the "long road" ahead.

Sanford had been considered by many to be a top contender for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.  He's the second high-profile Republican to admit to an extamarital affair in the last week, with Nevada Senator John Ensign also recently went public with news of an affair of his own.

Sanford is term limited in 2012.