Fmr. Sen. John Edwards admits to having affair in 2006

[Tenigma]

Fmr. Sen. John Edwards admits to having affair in 2006 (http://www.abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5441195&page=1)

Yes, he admitted it. But he denies the baby is his (yeah, right). I feel very sorry for his wife, who was battling cancer while this was happening.

That said, let me quote what Ezra Klein said in his blog (http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/ezraklein_archive?month=08&year=2008&base_name=edwards):

Insofar as there's anything political to be said, it's worth remembering how uncertain predictions about fallible human beings are. One of the prime arguments for Edwards in the primaries was that he was the safe bet. As opposed to the polarizing woman and the inexperienced African-American with the Islamic name, Edwards was a white, male, southern populist who with an extremely likable wife, a bevy of adorable kids, and the experience of a national campaign under his belt. Yet it turns out he was the riskiest candidate of the three.

and...

No one forces you to devote your life to national advocacy of important issues. But if you decide to do follow that path, with all the plaudits and moments of roaring applause it entails, you have to make certain sacrifices, and shoulder certain realities. Among them is that if you falter, you can harm all that you're advocating and deny help to all whom you claim to represent. I don't know if it's true that Edwards' affair started and ended in 2006, but if so, that's actually the most morally unforgivable of possible timelines. If Edwards had won in Iowa and captured the nomination, this could easily have lost him the election, and thus destroyed the country's chance at health reform, withdrawing from Iraq, and so forth.

If I were working in his campaign I'd be pretty pissed about now.

Word is that his wife has been invited to speak at the DNC but he has not. There's talk that he might not even attend, so as not to be a distraction.

[scaeagles]

I believe there were some who mocked me in another thread for even bringing the story up because of the ties to the National Enquirer. Hmph!

I am justified!

[Snowflake]

Word is that his wife has been invited to speak at the DNC but he has not. There's talk that he might not even attend, so as not to be a distraction.

And Bill and Hillary C, won't be?

[BDBopper]

Wow. How sad. As if the Edwards family needed any more drama. My prayers go out to them.

[Gemini Cricket]

Why can't politicians keep their d!cks in their pants? Is it some prerequisite to eventually cheat on your wife in order to get elected?

[innerSpaceman]

No, it means that poliicians are humans, with human dicks, like every other dick-obsessed human.

[3894]

I believe there were some who mocked me in another thread for even bringing the story up because of the ties to the National Enquirer. Hmph!

I am justified!

I have worked as a journalist and lemme tell ya, The National Enquirer ferrets out a whole lot and breaks many stories. They have a lot of money to spend and their people are fearless (also shameless).

[alphabassettgrrl]

I think a lot of the bad behavior comes from a feeling of invincability. "I can do anything". Not to mention as a politico of any importance, he has money, access, and power. Power is attractive, and women could pursue him in hopes of a future payback in the form of jobs or influence or whatever. Monica was just trying to get a promotion, I think, and Bill was in a good position to give her a lot. If he were so inclined.

[Alex]

The part I don't understand, and it may just be that I am not sufficiently dick-driven, is the hubris of having an affair when you're in the process of starting a push to be president (and have not to recently come off the push to be vice president).

When masturbation is available I just can't see any piece of ass being so overwhelmingly alluring as to muddy the cost-benefit risk assessment.

[Gemini Cricket]

When masturbation is available I just can't see any piece of ass being so overwhelmingly alluring as to muddy the cost-benefit risk assessment.
The most unsexy quote about sex ever.
:D

Oh, and I agree.

[Alex]

Also, I do admire the timing of the admission.

It's a Friday.
The Olympics start today.
Georgia invades Russia, or vice versa.
It's in August when reporters go on vacation anyway.

Of course, he should have waited until 7:30 for the NBC coverage to begin, but nobody's perfect.

[Motorboat Cruiser]

I believe there were some who mocked me in another thread for even bringing the story up because of the ties to the National Enquirer. Hmph!

I am justified!

When the National Enquirer broke the story that Bush was boozing it up in the White House, did you consider them to be bastions of journalistic integrity then?

A broken clock is right twice a day.

Regardless, it is interesting that he will be called every name in the book for this indiscretion, and he probably should. But, let's not forget that what McCain did really wasn't any different and yet he is polling just behind Obama.

[Kevy Baby]

When masturbation is available I just can't see any piece of ass being so overwhelmingly alluring as to muddy the cost-benefit risk assessment.My first thought was, "Wow. Alex must be really good at self-gratification."

[innerSpaceman]

He's an ass. But I can't imagine what it would be like to have people throwing themselves at me, and whether I could resist even under the circusmstances of great risk.

[Motorboat Cruiser]

I have worked as a journalist and lemme tell ya, The National Enquirer ferrets out a whole lot and breaks many stories. They have a lot of money to spend and their people are fearless (also shameless).

Interestingly enough, another person has come out and claimed that they are actually the father of the child. If that is true, then the Enquirer was certainly shameless to print pictures of Edwards holding a baby and stating that it was his. They may have gotten the story right, as far as the affair goes, but they failed miserably to be accurate with their depiction of the photos.

Or, maybe the other guy is lying. I suspect we will know soon enough as this story will likely be getting some major coverage for quite a while.

[Alex]

Edwards has agreed to a paternity test, though maybe it has already been agreed that Reille won't.

The guy who has claimed to be the father was an Edwards staffer. So, if true, that would suggest that he was sharing his women with his homies.

It all does raise the question, if he isn't the father, of why he would visit in the middle of the night at a hotel the woman he has publicly said was not a "personal relation" and a child he'd emphatically said was not his. All while in the middle of trying to broker a power deal for himself with Obama.

If not the father that would appear to probably even more stupid than the original affair.

[Tenigma]

I have worked as a journalist and lemme tell ya, The National Enquirer ferrets out a whole lot and breaks many stories. They have a lot of money to spend and their people are fearless (also shameless).

Back when I was in journalism school, we were told that if we wanted to get the highest salaries, we should go work for the National Enquirer. We used to joke about how the salary was so high because that's how they'd have to bribe journalists to write for them. I think it's the price for selling your soul.

I realize it probably isn't as sleazy now (when you have people like Perez Hilton) but back in my day their stuff was really salacious and no journalist in their right mind would stoop to work there. We figured once we sold our soul, we'd have to kiss our careers good-bye.

[scaeagles]

I don't beleive a word Edwards says. Even though he may not be the father, I've always disliked him, and dislike him even more now.

I agree on McCain, MBC. Only difference is the length of time ago it was. Though I don't know if he had an affair or just divorced his wife. Either is lame and despicable. (not that I am saying divorce in and of itself is despicable, but his reasons were)

[scaeagles]

When the National Enquirer broke the story that Bush was boozing it up in the White House, did you consider them to be bastions of journalistic integrity then?.

No, but when the Weekly World News had pictures of Rush Limbaugh meeting with aliens, they had me.

[Morrigoon]

No, it means that poliicians are humans, with human dicks, like every other dick-obsessed human.
Are you suggesting that all men suck and are prone to cheat?

[Alex]

McCain's affair was the reason he divorced his wife (not because she found out but because he decided he wanted to marry Cindy).

[scaeagles]

Ah. Putz.

But, I suppose we could all just say these are personal matters and it should only be between them and their families.

Nah, can't do that. They're all putzes.

[alphabassettgrrl]

Are you suggesting that all men suck and are prone to cheat?

Maybe not all. Most, though. It seems tempting.

A lot of women also cheat.

So I guess what I'm saying is that a lot of people suck and cheat.

[Alex]

I actually don't much care about the affairs themselves. Like I've said, it is more that the circumstances of them call into question their current decision making priorities.

McCain's affair happened while he was a private citizen (and not long after spending five years in a prisoner of war camp). Not good, but I completely don't care (and his ex-wife is actually somewhat supportive of him and they remain on good terms). If he is now, while running for president cheating on Cindy McCain then I'll care in that way.

John Edwards private citizen, I don't give a damn who he's doing. John Edwards presidential aspirant I do care to the degree that it shows such poor judgment in relation to the goal sought.

[Tenigma]

I agree on McCain, MBC. Only difference is the length of time ago it was. Though I don't know if he had an affair or just divorced his wife. Either is lame and despicable. (not that I am saying divorce in and of itself is despicable, but his reasons were)Keep in mind this is what I read from his ex-wife's Wikipedia page. Basically, the ex was very loyal to him during his captivity, but she had a life-threatening car accident that left the former swimsuit model no longer physically attractive (according to the entry, she'd gained weight). McCain finally came home but instead of having a young, swimsuit model of a wife, he had an older dumpy woman for a wife... so he proceeded to have numerous affairs.

They stayed married throughout it all, but then when McCain started dating Cindy (read: young, pretty, blond, and independently wealthy), he pressured his first wife into a divorce, which she reluctantly agreed to.

[Morrigoon]

Also, I do admire the timing of the admission.

It's a Friday.
The Olympics start today.
Georgia invades Russia, or vice versa.
It's in August when reporters go on vacation anyway.

Of course, he should have waited until 7:30 for the NBC coverage to begin, but nobody's perfect.

Then again... it's only "news" for the short period of time between the announcement and the start of the Olympics. If he'd waited till after 7:30, it would have been tomorrow's "new" news. So maybe it wasn't such a bad idea. Gets reported today when people don't care, and is shortly trumped by discussion of how good/bad/amazing/ridiculous the opening ceremonies were. In other words, by coming before the ceremonies, the ceremonies render it old news very quickly.

[Tenigma]

McCain's affair happened while he was a private citizen (and not long after spending five years in a prisoner of war camp). Not good, but I completely don't care (and his ex-wife is actually somewhat supportive of him and they remain on good terms). If he is now, while running for president cheating on Cindy McCain then I'll care in that way.
I don't know how you define "not long after"--McCain had started having affairs not long after his return, but if I recall correctly there were about 15-20 years between the time he returned home, and the time he started having his affair with the current Mrs.

I don't really care, either, that it was an adulterous relationship.

I think what eats my craw though, is Mrs. McCain's stubborn refusal to discuss financial matters. The two of them file their taxes independently but I highly doubt they don't co-mingle their home finances in some way. That they refuse to file jointly, that they won't release their tax records, I don't like that. Cindy McCain says she is a private citizen who shouldn't have to release her tax records, but if she's going on the campaign trail with him and stumping for him, then I say it should be an open book.

That tells me something about John McCain as a person. If he can't get his home financial situation straightened out I hardly doubt he could handle the country's. He needs to have people whisper into his ear, as it is. The man is 72, for god sakes. He probably forgets his glasses are on top of his head.

[Tenigma]

Then again... it's only "news" for the short period of time between the announcement and the start of the Olympics.

Yeah it's pretty dead news-wise this week if it's not related to the Games.

One reason why Obama decided to take his vacation now.

...although my friends in Hawaii tell me it's just a complete madhouse there. Even on "vacation" he's still scheduling public events. People just absolutely adore him there, since he's their hometown son.

[Alex]

Yes, I had misremembered the timeline on when he started dating Cindy. Regardless it was still while he held no position of public trust or confidence (other than being a military officer) and he wasn't seeking one. So I don't care.

I also don't care about the tax releases because I don't think JOHN McCain should have to release them (or be pressured into it by the press). I don't see how not releasing those records is any indication that he doesn't have his home financial situation straightened out.

[SzczerbiakManiac]

Are you suggesting that all men suckOnly about 10% of us do. :evil:

[3894]

no journalist in their right mind would stoop to work there. We figured once we sold our soul, we'd have to kiss our careers good-bye.

That still pretty much holds, right?

A personal wealth manager and a loan-until-payday clerk are both in the banking business but at different ends of the spectrum. Same deal with a journalist at The Washington Post and one at The National Enquirer.

[Scrooge McSam]

I believe there were some who mocked me in another thread for even bringing the story up because of the ties to the National Enquirer. Hmph!

Present!

I have worked as a journalist and lemme tell ya, The National Enquirer ferrets out a whole lot and breaks many stories. They have a lot of money to spend and their people are fearless (also shameless).

I am NOT buying the National Enquirer. How are you supposed to separate the wheat from the chaff with them?

When masturbation is available I just can't see any piece of ass being so overwhelmingly alluring as to muddy the cost-benefit risk assessment.

Indeed

This "I had the affair but I'm not the father" schtick better not turn into another "I did not have sex with that woman, Ms. Lewinski".

I'm so tired of being lied to.

[Kevy Baby]

Are you suggesting that all men suck and are prone to cheat?No, many of us lick

[Alex]

Edwards has agreed to a paternity test, though maybe it has already been agreed that Reille won't.

Hey, I are smrt!

Of course there is no way to know that it was pre-arranged. And it can be viewed as her wanting to keep alive the possibility that Edwards is the father.

But I'm going to call this one a hit and open a palm-reading storefront. Sylvia Browne earns millions from less.