John Edwards Finally Admits to the Affair

thank god this is finally confirmed. my peace of mind is restored.

What an asshole

My memory is fuzzy, but if Elizabeth knoew about the affair since 2006, they she knew while was "standing by her man" on the campaign trail. And she didn't demand that the other woman be fired from the staff? curious. Maybe Mr and Mrs Edwards have an arrangement.

scum bag - another dickhead who gives good men a bad name - I love that a campaign aide named Andrew Young has taken credit for the love child. Jesus I can never vote for anyone again - unless they are a eunuch or a cloistered nun.

http://www.alternet.org/election08/94550/how_is_john_mccain%27s_affair_different_from_john_edwards%27/

Whatchuwant wrote: I don't see his career ending as a result of this- so long as he doesn't make a big deal out of it. I hate when those who shouldn't be judging, judge pols in shit that we ALL know they do. I can't for the life of me understand why people think pols are saints! They're power hungry egoists.

Maybe they expect them to be saints. I'm not sure 'power hungry egoists' is accurate for all politicians. Besides, there's nothing wrong with having power per se.

I don't see how the romantic life of politicians matters, aside from the nasty puritanical hangover that afflicts many americans. I'm more disturbed by the smug self-righteousness of those who are wagging their fingers. But then the ethical track record of the most vocal moralizers usually isn't very good.

Some 'private' behaviors matter (for example, alcoholism, drug abuse, sexual abuse, criminality, etc.) for governance. But this is not the case with Edwards. Let's imagine that Thomas Jefferson had lived in an age of cable news and blogs. His relationship with Sally Hemings would have been discussed and dissected 24/7, and the paternity of her children would have become the subject of speculation by the brightest pundits. A variety of moralitarians would have declared Jefferson unqualified for higher office and his behavior would be viewed as evidence of a decline of family values. His fall from prominence as an author of the constitution would have been swift and one of the 'founders' would today be remembered only as a philanderer.

we'll see what happens in the end, but i'd say this one matters in terms of edwards's career not because of the infidelity, but because so much of his professional image is about being a squeaky clean golden boy.

i think people had doubts about the image, but not in the way that people KNEW that bill c. was a ladykiller of epic proportions. the lewinsky thing was a stupid mess, but i don't think it was truly surprising to anyone who'd been alive during the '96 campaign, which is, imho, why it didn't destroy bill c. (though it did waste an enormous amount of time and money -- maybe the presidency should come with a chastity belt.)

Amazing (video)^^^. A whole administration lies about WMD's, runs two incompetent wars and aren't even censured much less impeached. A dude running for president, or who ran for president or who was president gets some on the side and is deemed incapable of running a country and vilified. What's even worse, Hannity excusing McCain's infidelity because he did time in a the Hanoi Hilton. Absolutely retarded. Dangerous pricks.