Gov. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.), appearing now on WVOC-AM radio, said moments ago that the latest call for his resignation is "unfortunate" and "a bit premature."

This morning, South Carolina House Speaker Bobby Harrell, a Republican, said Sanford should step down because it "has become clear is that Governor Sanford's issues will continue to dominate our state as long as he remains in office." The State newspaper has his full statement:

"Whether he should be re-moved from office is a question that will need to be answered from the State Ethics Commission investigation, but our state's future is too important to have the Governor's issues overshadow everything we do for the next fifteen months. For the good of our state, Governor Sanford should step aside."

Sanford told the radio station that he won't read anything into Harrell's motives, but did agree with him to an extent -- that the state ethics process should "work its way through."

"I had a real moral failure. We've talked about. South Carolina has talked on and on about it, and then some more," he said. The question going forward is, he said, what is the best solution for making government work again. "I can't apologize more than I have" for his admitted affair, he said, but in office he has a "compellingly strong record in watching out for the taxpayer."