Not only is he asking for a second chance, but he’s invoking that God is a God of second chances and therefore you should be too:
I happen to think that Sanford would probably be a decent legislator. But the bond that he broke was the one of the most serious bonds we make, and it’s that of marriage. I’m not saying he doesn’t deserve a second chance – in fact he may be a better man now than he was before. But given the cynicism of so many these days I think it’s gonna be a hard road for him to hike. And invoking a ‘God of second chances’ might seem a little too manipulative for some.