John Edwards

I see now how he said she was in remission ....... apparently the affair was in 2006.

Here's what he said now:    "In the course of several campaigns," he said, "I started to believe that I was special and became increasingly egocentric and narcissistic. If you want to beat me up, feel free. You cannot beat me up more than I have already beaten up myself. I have been stripped bare."

And I think he is telling the truth!!!!!!!  Well about the narcissistic thinking anyway!

Why is this front page news?   The pot calling the kettle black, plain ole 2 faced hypocrisy, speaking out of both sides of his mouth ..

"

In 1999, when Edwards was a senator, he said of President Clinton and his affair with Monica Lewinsky:

"I think this president has shown a remarkable disrespect for his office, for the moral dimensions of leadership, for his friends, for his wife, for his precious daughter. It is breathtaking to me the level to which that disrespect has risen."

In 2006, Edwards' political action committee paid $100,000 in a four-month span to a newly formed firm run by Hunter, who directed the production of four Web videos showing Edwards in supposedly candid moments as well as in a public speech talking about morality.

The payments from Edwards' One America Committee to Midline Groove Productions LLC started on July 5, 2006, five days after Hunter incorporated the firm in Delaware.

Midline provided "Website/Internet services," according to reports that Edwards' PAC filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Midline's work product consists of four YouTube videos showing Edwards in informal settings as he prepares to make speeches in Storm Lake, Iowa, and Pittsburgh, as he prepares for an appearance on "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" and travels in Uganda in 2006.

Edwards' PAC followed the six-figure payment with two smaller payments totaling $14,461, the last on April 1, 2007. "

I would not make excuses for this wimp of a man (if you can even call him that) and yes this IS news because it goes to his character.  What kind of man professes to be a family man and a man of God and does this to his family, especially when his wife is facing breast cancer.  I don't care if he says she was in remission.  The affair supposedly happened in 2006 which would have been only approx a year after she completed treatment.  He claims he told her in 2006 which would have been right before she was diagnosed with mets.  How insensitive and cruel.  The guy is a PIG.  Sometimes I think Elizabeth Edwards cares as much about her husband's political as he does.  She should have given him the boot two years ago. 

Yeah, he's slick alright.

Now Hunt's family is urging him to get the paternity test.  I don't care one thing about the female (don't even want to call her a woman..she was star struck) he had the affair with.  It's a shame a baby has to be involved in this.

As far as the picture I wonder how they even got it.  He says that's not what he was wearing.  Was this a picture from another visit.  After all, the baby is 6 months old now.

One of the bloggers said that they wondered if SHE called the enquirer to let them know he was coming to the Hotel.  That could very well be.  He said he admitted going over there because "she was having trouble."  What trouble?  That she was unhappy that she wasn't with him?  She also makes me want to puke.  I've seen some video where she was talking about him and she made me want to puke.  She's no better than him.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Shirley

I guess I'm one of those immoral type people because I figure this is the Edwards' business and I don't really find it particularly interesting.  It is not beyond the pale - what are the stats?  About 50% for both men and women?  I do find it interesting that people get so exercised by it, and so astonished when it is uncovered.  Some of the best presidents the US has had have had a fling or two.  I don't think Democratic zippers are any looser or tighter than Republican ones.

I liked Edwards, but because I liked his approach to some of the problems that are facing the US, not because he was pretty or because he espoused "family values".  I think it is crummy to question the choices Elizabeth has made.  She is the one in the marriage.

Trudeau is remembered for, among other things, saying that government has no business in the bedrooms of the nation.  That's probably misquoted - but it's close.  Maybe the reverse is true, maybe the nation has no business in the bedrooms of those who govern.  I'm assuming consenting adults of course.

 Now being reported on breaking cable news: Hunter (the mother) is refusing any paternity test---She wants to keep the matter private---(there is no name of father on the birth certificate)

Here is an update from Hotair:

Update: No wonder he’s willing to take a paternity test. She isn’t:

    Rielle Hunter, the former presidential campaign aide who had an affair with John Edwards, said yesterday that she will not pursue DNA testing to establish the paternity of her 5-month-old daughter, despite the former senator’s offer to participate in such a test.

    In a statement provided to The Washington Post, Hunter said through her attorney that she would not take a genetic test “now or in the future.”

    The attorney, Robert Gordon, called Hunter a “private” person who is “not running for public office” and would not comment further on the media frenzy engulfing her.

    “She wishes to maintain her privacy and her daughter’s privacy,” he said in the statement. “Furthermore, Rielle will not participate in DNA testing or any other invasion of her or her daughter’s privacy now or in the future.”

How suspicious is this? Well, when Woodruff pressed him on the paternity test yesterday, Edwards said he’d be happy to take one — but then volunteered, strangely, “I’m only one side — I’m only one side of the test, but I’m happy to participate in one.” That actually piqued Woodruff’s curiosity enough to ask him whether Hunter said she doesn’t want to do a test (Edwards claimed he didn’t know). And now, a mere 24 hours later, as luck would have it she doesn’t want to do a test after all, leaving Silky blissfully off the hook. New exit question: How much did Hunter’s willing embrace of ignorance as to the paternity of her child cost Fred “The Best Friend Anyone’s Ever Had” Baron?

Thanks for the link Shirley. Again I say, WOW!!  This story just gets better and better!!  Of course Edwards is saying he'll be glad to take the paternity test.  He made damn sure that Rielle wouldn't!! No wonder he was so smug about it during the interview.  All I can say is he has totally blown my trust and I will NEVER EVER support him again. Still, I think his political career is over.  My son said it would be great if he did go to the Democratic Convention but..........in order to enter, he would have to go past a very large group of Hillary supporters on both sides of the aisle.  He he he ......I would gladly go and help "greet" him!!!

Any bets that the child is his and they (he & the mistress) have agreed to "disagree" in public about this paternity test?  She's being well paid and will continue to be for a very long time.  Perhaps the hotel meetings (yes plural, according to the Nat'l Enq) were arranged to discuss these arrangements before he went public with a half admission.  Just my thoughts.

This is my third post on this topic--I guess I am officially "obsessed!"  I DO think he and Rielle have agreed to "disagree" regarding the paternity test!!!  He really is slick.  When I was watching Nightline, I got totally sucked into his "poor me" stuff.  He is a consumate politician!!!  I feel so sorry for his wife--it must be tough being married to such a good-looking, smooth-talking man. It must take tremendous willpower to resist his charms, don't you think?  I agree Anne Shirley that some men are such jerks, but I too, am married to the most wonderful guy in the world and so I too, know there are some wonderful guys out there!

If this lady is seriously in love and wants to be married to him then I would bet she was the one that outed him.  What better way to get his wife to dump him.  I guess I just picked the wrong people to date, I never one had anyone offer me 15,000 per month to live on.  Must be nice to get money like that and not have to work for it. 

A literary character........Boy this stuff is now flying out of the woodwork............Too weird!            

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/08/edwards-mistres.html

I have been so saddened by all this.  Edwards was my pick from the git go, and I was so happy to see him hanging in there...I stumbled a bit with the $400 haircut issue--that, from someone trying to represent the working class???  Up until this affair issue, I'd hoped that he would be Obama's VP pick.

 I'm not sure I really give a hoot about his having an affair.   But, to deny/lie about it when the rumors first started flying...can't get beyond that.   Had he admitted to something when first asked, I would still have faith in him, but his initial blatant denial leaves a sour taste.  And why on earth would he presume that someone so much in the public eye could get away with it and no one would ever know???  Makes me shake my head...so sad...

 Read/TV? somewhere that he picked that particular night/time for his Nightline interview because he hoped that most of the world's focus would be tuned to the opening ceremony for the Olympics.    ????? who knows...

I think that I (and probably all of us) am most upset because of EE's bc fight.   Whether she posts or reads here doesn't matter--she is a sister and part of our community and, what hurts her hurts all of us...

  

"When I first saw the picture of Rielle, I felt an attraction."  ?

Amy, I don't understand what you meant by that statement.  Just curious.

Okay, since the "other" woman is refusing to take the paternity test I have no doubt in my mind that is why Edwards said he would take one.  He knew what she was going to say. 

 I also heard last night on Geraldo from his brother, Greg who was standing in front of the gated community where she and her supposed father of the child and his family lives, that she left the community when she found out that Edwards was having the interview with Nightline.  I think it's absolutely hysterical that this is the lousiest cover up ever!  The "other woman" is living with the father and his wife and children in the same mansion and both of them are recieving $15,000 a month that Edwards knows NOTHING about..oh, yes, he's heard about it from reporters.  I wonder what she got for leaving and for not allowing a paternity test.  The woman is nuts!  Fatal attraction?  She is obviously a very disturbed person. 

I don't understand the reporter from Newsweek.  It seems he would have dug deeper to find out if Edwards was really cheating on his wife after he witnessed what was going on.  And anyone with any brain could have put two and two together and come up with four = Edward's cheating.  If it had been a republican they'd been all over this story.  JMO!

I'm really being cynical now.  I'm sure I'll be raked over the coal.  However, I'm wondering just how much EE really knew before Edwards had that interview with ABC.  Edwards said that EE KNOWS that the baby isn't his.  Of course we know why he said that.  Because, according to him, EE believes he stopped seeing her and it couldn't be his child.  And, for that reason....GUESS WHAT!  Edwards has no claim on this child and cannot go to court and MAKE her have a DNA.  How convenient!

Okay, so he's going to be one those "dead beat dads" he's talked about.  I have to agree with Amy on this one.  The child has the right to know who her real father is.  We all know how too often this kind of thing can screw with children's minds.  And the "mother" is an idiot!  I think she'll take money over her child's welfare.  

Those nasty grocery store tabloids.  Let's blame it on them.

http://www.foxnews.com/video2/video08.html?maven_referralObject=3013267&maven_referralPlaylistId=&sRevUrl=http://www.foxnews.com/

LuAnn--

That makes some sense to me.  Greater wrath has none maybe?  On either side?  Pure speculation, but I would think EE probably detached from JE emotionally way back when she first found out about the affair, went on to "bigger fish to fry" fighting BC, and is now staying in the marriage for the benefit of her young children, and maybe for her own convenience at this point.  I do not judge that if that is her choice, and I must say that I can actually understand that.

None of knows what we would do in that situation until we walk in the same shoes.  Easy to say I would throw the bum out but when there are so many other things going on (her BC battle, very young children, etc.) who knows what I would do in that situation. 

Side Note:  My brother found out his wife was having an affair and refused to divorce and, stayed with her and told her he would make her suffer everyday for the rest of her life because of it.  Yup, that is just what he has done, (over 20 years) and they are in a strange S and M relationship that seems to work for both of them--he is enjoying punishing her, and she is enjoying being punished.  They are both getting something out of this or one or the other would leave.

Who knows what goes on in long term marriages but the partners themselves.

While I do not judge EE and only wish her and her children the best in getting through this, I do think JE is a POS.

And this krappe about him not being in love with the other woman makes him even more of a coward in my opinion. 

Just my $.02 worth.

I think she's hot shirley-- at least in the picture with her hair pulled back-- from an aesthetic, not personality perspective. She's cute as can be in that picture but that's where the attraction ends. Denying a paternity test and not naming a father is self serving and narcissistic and not in the best interest of her baby and that's as unattractive to me as anything.

I think EE has too much class to leak this dirt to the tabloids. She's a strong woman and doesn't need a media spectacle to leave her husband. there is nothing that leads me to believe she would do that to her children. She just doesn't seem to be passive aggressive to me.

Since there is a man claiming paternity, I'm not so cynical as to say the reason she won't do a test is to protect or not allow John off the hook. What a better way to screw with him if she is the woman scorned than to not allow him to prove his innocence.