I'm going to be blunt. I think anyone who says, "it was just sex" is an IDIOT.

[LibraLiz1973]

THIS AFFAIR SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT JOHN'S CHARACTER.
He had an affair. Is that in and of itself anyones business? NO!
But here is where it gets dicey.
He paid that (unqualified) woman to make videos for him- thereby
bringing her into the campaign & making our HARD EARNED DONATIONS pay for his sleaze.
He chose to run, knowing that this was a skeleton in his closet.
He ran on a family platform. When you went to Johnedwards.com
the FIRST thing you saw was a photo of him WITH HIS FAMILY.
He put Elizabeth, Cate, Emma Claire & Jack on the front lines
and presented himself as a "moral" family man.


Seeing him on Nightline last night made me SICK.
The double talk he did around that photo of the baby was insanity.
It was embarrassing. I'm sad that I believed in & supported him.
While he was in the race, I was sending him money, THAT I DID NOT HAVE,
because I believed in him. What a waste! He never had a chance.
And not just because of his poll numbers. Because IF he had somehow managed
to become the nominee, this shit would have exploded in a horrifying fashion.

There have been stories for the last few years about politicians that do not like John.
Specifically, John Kerry. I thought JK was maybe a bit embarrassed that his Presidential hopes
did not pan out & that he was projecting that on Edwards. Seems likely now that Kerry
saw something that supporters of Edwards (me) never did.

The thing in all of this that turns my stomach the most (aside from
the fact that had he been the nominee this would have DESTROYED this election cycle)
is that he has said he doesn't agree with gay marriage because of his FAITH.
SON OF A BITCH.
HIS faith wont let human beings in love get married. But his "faith" didn't stop
him from cheating on his TERMINALLY ILL WIFE. It did not stop him from
putting our party in jeopardy. If that isn't hypocritical bullshit I don't know what is.

I'm sick to death of these hypocrites who say their faith
keeps them from supporting gay marriage. Their faith doesn't keep them from cheating, drugs,
war mongering & murder. But gay marriage is a BIG NO NO.

[Redstone]

1. Hoo, boy. I wasn't aware of all that background stuff.

Your wrath seems well-justified in light of all that you included in your post.

Redstone

[rucognizant]

183. This article adds another dimension to the story.

It doesn't excuse it, doesn't make it any better.....but, sounds like she fed his egotism BIG TIME! Like Sheherazade who told a new story every night to stave off her beheading by the Persian Kingshe weaved a spell of past lives and portents for greatness...............and REALLY SNOCKERED HIM! SInce the celestial neptune is playing misty illusional havoc with a good many people in this time frame.he FELL in to a fantasy! Anne Bolyn was also thin faced and not attractive!

http://www.newsweek.com/id/151783
I would soon learn that there was no such thing as small talk with Rielle Hunter. She told me that she'd felt a connection to me when we'd first met, that she could tell I was a very old soul. This meant a lot to Rielle. Her speech was peppered with New Age jargon—human beings were dragged down by "blockages" to their actual potential; history was the story of souls entering and escaping our field of consciousness. A seminal book for her had been Eckhart Tolle's "The Power of Now." Her purpose on this Earth, she said, was to help raise awareness about all this, to help the unenlightened become better reflections of their true, repressed selves.

Her latest project was John Edwards. Edwards, she said, was an old soul who had barely tapped into any of his potential. The real John Edwards, she believed, was a brilliant, generous, giving man who was driven by competing impulses—to feed his ego and serve the world. If he could only tap into his heart more, and use his head less, he had the power to be a "transformational leader" on par with Gandhi and Martin Luther King. "He has the power to change the world," she said.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/151783

[bjobotts]

237. Distracting from the greatest issues of our existence.Keep babbling about it

It's exactly where the corporate MSM wants you to remain focused.

[Crunchy Frog]

283. Between their egos and their penises, men have no free will at all.

They probably shouldn't even be allowed in politics.

[MetaTrope]

257. Hi, this is the News Media and the GOP

Thank you for dancing to our tune again. Pull our finger, and we'll return Joe Lieberman for your vice presidential nomination.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

2. Be careful

I assume, from your post, that you've never made a mistake. Congratulations.

But, if you ever do, I hope those around you will treat you with compassion and understanding, two traits sorely missing in your words.

[LibraLiz1973]

3. Anytime my mistakes rise to the level of something that could destory my party

you feel free to have at me.

[1620rock]

7. He's not the first Democrat who has played us for fools.

[LibraLiz1973]

11. It is true.

This does not, however, make me lose faith in my party.
Just in Edwards.

[boilerbabe]

123. It's too bad, he seemed like he had the "right stuff", too

until I find out that he is against same-sex marriage. I had no idea that he was so "hide-bound". What a revelation! The affair is nothing against this when I thought he was open minded and for the "regular Joe" so to speak.

Next thing you know, he might go against Roe-VS-Wade, like a lot of other people seem to do in order to pander to the right wing people. Pisses me off quite a bit, though it seems these days, it's hard to get the right agenda across.

[tomp]

238. wow, i remember when i had faith in the democratic party...

...it was around 1963.

[ChazII]

93. I thought that

only the Rethugs played their party for fools.:sarcasm:

I am bitter over this situation for being one of the fooled. Always question those in authority is now my new motto -- especially when they are in my party. :(

[1Hippiechick]

122. "Always question those in authority is now my new motto" - good for you! Our 60s mantra! n/t

[ChazII]

145. Thanks but

I am afraid of that tombstone. I doubt I will question, at least openly, here at DU, leaders of our party.

[AllHereTruth]

247. Being one of the fooled...

I gave money to John Edwards. I will never regret that.

The message he delivered. The ideals he held. The truth he spoke. John Edwards did not fool me. He did not fool you. He fooled his family, Not the American public.

He fucked around on his wife. She seems to have forgiven him. They have moved on. It is none of our business.

[question everything]

255. I, too, gave to Edwards, during both campaigns

and I regret it. Especially if some of it was used to purchase a $3 million house for the mistress and for the supposedly father of the child.

It is our business because he could have been our nominee, and with these revelations he would have jeopardized not only the campaign to capture the White House, but also Congress with a large margin.

He should have first come out with the affair, and then declared his candidacy and it would have been up to us to decide whether that issue was really a private matter. But to hide it and to run shows a poor judgment.

Look at McCain, that so many here bring up as a "counter" - don't know why. His cheating happened many years ago, he wrote about it in his book, perhaps the timeline was shaky but his supporters are, or should have been, aware of this.

[inna]

260. it's a tough call for me...

Edwards is the only politician i've ever donated money to, and in retrospect.....

i honestly cannot tell if i regret doing that at this point.


on one hand, i don't regret supporting his message/ideas, but on the other hand, it frightens me to even think what would be happening right now if he somehow (miraculously) won the nomination.

it's hard to characterize his action as anything less than reckless and potentially hugely harmful to the party.

[AllHereTruth]

267. Personal actions

His actions were personally reckless. Yes.

But his message for America was True. Honest. and Genuine.

[seabeyond]

10. you go girl. amazing how people want to project this mans HUGE mistake on all of us. repugs

do the same. whenever it is a repug that has fucked up i hear, we are all sinners. (well, some bigger than others, i beg your pardon). yet when it is a dem, the person is evil.

seems like all those defending the man wants us to own our own potential of doing the same as edwards.

[CoffeeCat]

34. LibraLiz...

I completely agree with you.

To dishonor your wife and put your family in such turmoil--was beyond the pale.

Edwards has very small children. When you are unfaithful in a marriage, you disrupt
the entire family. Edwards hurt his wife deeply I'm sure, and of course that affected
the children.

I find Edward's behavior totally repulsive.

What if he would have been our nominee? We would have been in dire straights and left
with a National Enquirer nominee.

It's the epitome of narcissism.

...and it's not just the sex. It's the lies. It's what he put in jeopardy. We're
at odds with Fascist neocons who are destroying our country. John Edwards didn't think
that maybe saving our country was more important than getting his rocks off?

[digidigido]

242. The danger in finger pointing is that there are 3 pointing back at you

I think the phrase I'm looking for is "judge ye not lest ye be judged" or something like it.
The lack of humility here is awesome. He ran for President, he believed his own press
clippings. Guess what, he is human, he is fallible. He was a saint in comparison to the
beloved J.F.K. I don't really care who a politician sleeps with, anymore then I care who an
actor sleeps with. People have private lives, and they have their work. The more people grow
up and respect the concept of privacy and private lives, the better the world will be. Fixating on
who this guy slept with is a complete waste of time. What is interesting is while this is
sapping everyones energy and attention, the Susskind stuff has left the pages. We have a
President that is probably guilty of murder and a Vice President who is almost certainly guilty.
And like the dodo's we are, we're worried about an affair. Focus on what's important, JUSTICE
and IMPEACHMENT.

[CoffeeCat]

244. I can focus on both...

The Susskind situation, the war, the neocons, the murder, our democracy
being ripped to shreds...I have the ability to understand and give attention
to all of those things.

I have an opinion about Edwards. Where in the hell does it say that someone having
an opinion on one topic nullifies every other important issue?

This is related. The stakes are so high right now. Edwards knows this. And it's
not about the sex. It's about the position he put himself in that could have blown
it for the Democrats.

I don't care if his issue was cheating the stock market, murdering someone or boinking
a documentary reporter. Our nation in terrible peril. The only thing standing
in the way of the neocons rounding up all of us, torturing us and detaining us indefinitely,
is a Democratic President.

You think it's ok for one man to lie, cheat and boink--and jeopardize all of that? If you
can't muster "making a judgment about that" because of some sanctimonious platitude--then our nation
really is fucked.

[Mimosa]

280. I agree: it's not like Edwards is 25 years old

If Edwards is supposedly so 'dedicated' to the 'good' then why is he so damned SHALLOW?

He really is about the hair, when it comes right down to it, LOL!

[boilerbabe]

119. I am not going to give you any s#$%. You are right on! N/T

[lumberjack_jeff]

152. He isn't destroying our party, we are.

The self-righteous hand wringing is harming us. We all need to grow up.

[LibraLiz1973]

162. I could not disagree more. The "it's just sex", whats the BFD response

harms us because it makes us look as if we all lack morals.

[lumberjack_jeff]

256. What we lack is perspective.

We get the vapors every time someone acts naughty. It isn't obvious that we see any meaningful difference between an affair and an illegal war. Between a blowjob and murder.

Bad guys... good guys. I've chosen sides. The good guys get a pass until they become worse than the alternative. They have significant latitude before they get to that point.

I care about this issue only to the extent that I care that the hyperventilators are hurting the party.

[Diane R]

6. You're wrong. A mistake is when you do something on the spur of the moment. This was years.

Everything described in the original post was well planned and took time to execute. It does show a pattern of character. A mistake is when someone does something without thinking clearly, with bad information, or without the time to think things through. Big difference.

Also....and I know this won't go over well....Elizabeth was complicent in this, too. She signed off on the presidential run, knowing he had secrets that would hand the presidency to the Republicans. I think Elizabeth put her own ambition ahead of the voter's welfare, too.

[LibraLiz1973]

14. I know... and I have a real problem with that.

I adore Elizabeth & am just flabbergasted that she signed off on this.
She's a very bright woman... she had to know this had a better than good
chance of being brought to light. I LITERALLY shudder to think what could have
happened had he become the nominee.

I don't think she put her ambitions ahead of our welfare. I think she put JOHN'S ahead.
Her belief in him blinded her to the true ramifications.

[LibDemAlways]

128. I know what he and she have both said, but I simply don't

believe that the affair was over in 2006 and that he told Elizabeth then. There is a video of the mistress from Jan of 2007 in which she happily smiles at the camera as she's discussing John's willingness to "try new things." (Wink Wink). No way does she resemble a woman who's already been dumped.

I think Edwards is trying to fudge the timeline to his advantage. Elizabeth is a very intelligent woman. I can't imagine her being willing to go ahead with the campaign knowing how explosive revelations of a recent affair would be. I suspect she wasn't told until the campaign was well under way and the allegations started surfacing. His abrupt and unexplained exit from the race in January probably coincided with her finding out.

Edwards was in the woman's hotel room in the middle of the night just three weeks ago - a fact he did not share with his wife until he was caught.

There is a lot here that simply doesn't pass the smell test. As a former Edwards supporter and contributor, I'm pissed - that he betrayed his family, that he lied to his supporters, and that he still, apparently, doesn't have the integrity to tell the truth.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

24. "... spur of the moment"?

Your definition is wrong. I have no idea why you think time has something to do with mistake.

He's human. He erred. Big deal. It's nobody's business but his and his wife's. That's what I think.

[polpilot]

97. He's not very bright. Period. Never was. Sorry I voted for the Iraq. War. Sorry.

The ONLY 'flaw' I've ever seen is his dim bulb. A simple case of hard working 'common folk' going to law school, working to pull himself to $25 mil home status, & having his character exposed. He's human (oops, war vote was a mistake, oops, shouldn't be grinding this blond, oops, shouldn't be visiting this Bev Hills hotel @ 2 ayem, oops, look @ this baby, Who's yo Daddy? And Elizabeth? She's trying to be a good mother, dying, trying to leave her children with good memories of her love for her children and this idiot shows up with this kind of shit. She didn't have a solution for 'hair boy' but should have ended the race at that point. She was not given any good choices at that point.

[Skittles]

251. LOL......polpilot.....stop it, you're killing me

:rofl:

[Colobo]

101. Mmm... he put his party in risk and used donations to give the lady a job...

It's everyone's business.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

He hired her as a filmmaker

And she delivered a product. That's as legitimate as can be.

If you think he put his "party in risk" because of a private action, then you will be seeking gods in a godless world. This preoccupation with the personal lives of public figures is fatally American and, in my estimation, a very good way to waste valuable resources.

[jlacivita]

191. Sure, we shouldn't be so concerned with his private life, but in general americans are...

Just because you think americans shouldn't be occupied with public figures private lives (and I agree with you to a degree) doesn't change the fact that americans DO get preoccupied with this stuff, and Edwards is smart enough to know that it would have ruined our chances if he was the nominee.

[crispini]

194. $100,000 for four You Tube videos?

The videographer I know would charge about $500 for the same thing.

He totally put the party at risk. Were he the nominee right now, we would be totally screwn.

[earthlover]

248. It is ALSO human to love one's wife and to act accordingly!

It could be said that it is human to commit mass murder. After all, we are the only species that does this. But there is more to humanity than what the weak culls of our species demonstrate. Yes, everyone makes a mistake. But to somehow rationalize that this makes the mistake somehow justifiable is arrogant foolishness.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

288. No, killer whales do it, too.

You're confusing love and sex. Comfort and lust. Desire and familiarity.

I don't know what your post meant, though. I suspect you were calling me a name, but your prose is so dense and meaningless, it's hard to interpret.

Read up on killer whales. It'll make you feel better about any kind of species, it will make you a better informed individual, so you won't continue to spout erroneous nonsense, and it might even give you some relief from that pounding that seems to be taking place inside your head.

[earthlover]

293. You are being abusive and extremely unfriendly.

If you don't know what I was saying, you could be more civil. I know the difference between love and sex. I know it must make you feel good to imply i don't. Why, I have no clue!

I do find it sad that there is this built-in rationalization for cheating on one's wife that it is "being human". That is such a cop out!!!! It is also "being human" to love one's mate. And, unless someone goes into a relationship based on the "open marriage" idea, and it is painfully obvious that this is NOT the case with John Edwards, what you have basically is someone who was not acting consistentg with one's committments to another human being who has feeings that are pretty much ignored. Yes, selfishness and arrogance are being human. But love, humbleness, and putting the other's needs on an equal plane are also being human. Just calling it being human does not make an affair any less self-centered, arrogant, destructive to one's marriage or dishonest. Do I have to spell it out for you?

No I was not calling you a name. When you called my prose dense and meaningless, I shrug this off as coming from someone who would rather try to insult someone than to engage in constructive conversation.

I don't have any pounding in my head. I am very lucky to have fallen in love recently. I can't even imagine cheating. When you have such a beautiful feeling such as I am experiencing, it is hard to picture someone even wanting to have an affair. How could you do something that would, if found out, would hurt whom you love? How could you live a lie to prevent it from being found out? Edwards says it was not love with thing fling....well...duh....what an unoriginal thought! Does that make it ok to just think with your dick, be arrogant, be selfish, ignore the feelings of your spouse, be a typical arrogant male who subjugates women to sex objects and is afraid to commit?

I'm sorry, but I could forgive Edwards for making a mistake if he is indeed sorry. But to just pass it off as "being human" is to negate the entire idea of it being a mistake in the first place! Just a typical male self centered rationalization for thinking with one's dick instead of loving with one's heart.

Sad to say, but is it any wonder the Republicans keep winning elections when some of us excuse thinking with one's dick?

I can't wait for you do put words in my mouth and insult me further. Go for it!~

[CTyankee]

160. I made one of the worst mistakes of my life when I lied during a time of panic.

It was my excuse and then I felt I had to continue the lie (it wasn't about marital infidelity, however). When I came very close to having the lie exposed it was the kick in the pants that I needed to face the issue and make it right, which is what I did. The only person hurt, though, was me as it didn't affect anyone but me. However, I could have ruined a lot that I held dear in my life, including my livlihood, so it was definitely a horrible risk. In the end, everything came out all right, better actually for my having gone through it. I realized then that the virtual kick in the pants is the ONLY thing that gets people to change their behavior...

[Deja Q]

215. More like 'sperm at the moment'

I shouldn't joke; your response hits the nail on the head perfectly.

[woo me with science]

13. Your deep compassion is noted.

Is it always this ludicrously misdirected?

:rofl:

[seabeyond]

18. who are you suppose to have compassion for? i dont get that.

he made a choice and got caught. pay the piper. but compassion? what. he fucks up and then everyone is suppose to feel sorry for him

weird

[roguevalley]

36. If we have to forgive this man for his actions, I must ask if you have

forgiven Newt Gingrich for his actions. Seems the same idea to me.

[Truth4Justice]

45. We have to know since Clinton that scandals only work one way with the MSM. Simple enough for me.

[roguevalley]

142. that proves the MSM are hypocrites. does that include us too?

[Tangerine LaBamba]

95. Gingrich's actions never mattered to me

Neither do those of Edwards. There was nothing to forgive. My remarks were directed to those people who are taking things personally when, in fact, there is no personal connection.

[Colobo]

106. Had he won the nomination, we would be screwed. Many people were fooled

by John Edwards... they have a legitimate right to be angry.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

111. But he didn't win

So? He didn't win. All this faux outrage is nothing but blather. That's my opinion, anyway.

[lumberjack_jeff]

153. a) we don't need to forgive. It's not our business.

b) McCain and Gingrich bailed on their ailing spouses. What's more honorable?

I didn't need to know this shit. I place the blame fully on the media.

[boilerbabe]

118. I don't understand why

you are telling liberaliz to be careful. She's not running for president. She did put forth a reasonable missive as to why we might not want to support John Edwards. She never said she didn't make a mistake, and of course, we would all love to support Mr. Edwards, as he has demonstrated some very good ethics on other issues. But let's just face it: he would have totally bombed the Democratic Party's chance of attaining supremacy in the Executive office, having those burdens, OK? Like then, we would be stuck with a continuance of the Republican agenda---get it?

XXXOOO

[CTyankee]

161. You are right. But I also feel personally betrayed since I was a loud defender of JE on this board.

I wasn't obnoxious about it, still I do feel foolish and stupid for believing him. But your reasoning is far less about "just me" and more about the greater good for the country.

[DailyGrind51]

193. A "mistake" is something you make with YOUR money, not other people's!

[Tangerine LaBamba]

292. Oh, really?

That's about as idiotic a definition as could be. Good luck in your career as an etymologist.

[Mutley]

252. Wow, I didn't know LibraLiz had run for president.

Try to exercise a little bit of intellectual honesty. If any Republican did this we'd be all over it. Why is it okay for John Edwards? Because he's a Democrat?

[flvegan]

4. I'm going to be blunt. If "he doesn't agree with gay marriage because of his FAITH"

Then well, he's an idiot. AND, he can fuck off.

I'm sick of hypocrites who say ANYthing that keeps them from supporting gay marriage.

[LibraLiz1973]

8. I'm totally with you

It was the one major issue in my support of him.


This is just ANOTHER example of ANOTHER person
who had political power & ran around espousing
faith & morality for not taking care of certain
key issues (abortion, gay marriage, the Iraq war), but
did not walk the walk in real life.

[Adsos Letter]

49. yeah...simple, run-of-the-mill hypocricy...

not to get all Biblical, but: "placing heavy burdens on others shoulders and not lifting a finger to help them"

That is sort of what I read when someone...anyone...cites biblical rationalizations against one "sin" while committing their own in secret.

simple, run-of-the-mill hypocrisy.

[springhill]

154. Does Obama support gay marriage?

I was under the impression that he does not.

[springhill]

157. I found this on the subject..............

Never mind.

[springhill]

158. Barack Obama and Gay Marriage

http://lesbianlife.about.com/od/lesbianactivism/p/BarackObama.htm

Barack Obama and Gay Marriage/ Civil Unions:
Although Barack Obama has said that he supports civil unions, he is against gay marriage. In an interview with the Chicago Daily Tribune, Obama said, "I'm a Christian. And so, although I try not to have my religious beliefs dominate or determine my political views on this issue, I do believe that tradition, and my religious beliefs say that marriage is something sanctified between a man and a woman."
Barack Obama did vote against a Federal Marriage Amendment and opposed the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996.

He said he would support civil unions between gay and lesbian couples, as well as letting individual states determine if marriage between gay and lesbian couples should be legalized.

"Giving them a set of basic rights would allow them to experience their relationship and live their lives in a way that doesn't cause discrimination," Obama said. "I think it is the right balance to strike in this society."
Sources: Chicago Daily Tribune, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

[johnaries]

275. He supported Civil Unions and the repeal of DOMA, as well as

anti-discrimination laws for gender identity.

In case you haven't figured it out yet, "I support Civil Unions but not Gay Marriage" is code for "I really do support Gay Marriage but it will never pass because of the Fundie Fruitcakes. But Civil Unions we can pass."

[springhill]

285. Edwards also supports civil unions

http://www.johnedwards.com/issues/lgbt/

"LGBT Americans are entitled to equal respect and dignity under our laws. Discrimination is morally wrong. All Americans should have the same freedoms and the same responsibilities." -- John Edwards


Equal Rights for Same-Sex Couples
Edwards believes that all couples in committed, long-term relationships should have the same rights, benefits, and responsibilities, whether they are straight couples or same-sex couples. He supports civil unions to guarantee gay and lesbian couples the same rights as straight couples, including inheritance rights, hospital visitation rights, equal pension and health care benefits, and all of the 1,100 other legal protections government affords married couples. Edwards supports the full repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act. He also believes same-sex families should be treated in the same manner as other families by our immigration laws. Edwards believes the right president could lead the country toward consensus around equal rights and benefits for all couples in committed, long-term relationships and he opposes divisive Constitutional amendments to ban same-sex marriages.

[varkam]

5. To err is human. eom

[WheelWalker]

58. That's bull pucky...

Being human is not an excuse - it's a responsibility.

[varkam]

61. I think that you're missing the gist of that saying.

The point is not that being human absolves us of responsibility for our actions.

[WheelWalker]

66. You have told me what it doesn't mean. What does it mean?

Does it mean that we may be excused because we are "merely" human, and not god? I think that is the origin, do you not agree? I say, bull pucky. Thou art God. Never thirst.

[varkam]

70. The sentiment that I was trying to impart...

is that we have all made mistakes. I'm sure that even yourself, in your moments of weakness and fallibility, have made mistakes. That is not to say that we are not to have consequences for those mistakes, but only that we make them. For instance, I would say that a decision to get behind the wheel of a car whilst under the influence is a mistake, and a potentially tragic one at that. That is not to say that an individual who does such a thing should not suffer the consequences for his or her actions - but only that people do these sorts of things all of the time. They do not make such people monsters or demons, devils or animals, but rather, human.

[NNN0LHI]

9. Why isn't the media asking McCain about his extramarital affairs?

Doesn't that piss you off that he has gotten and continues to receive a free ride on the same crap?

It does me.

Don

[seabeyond]

12. does me too. and bush two. and bush one. n/t

[LibraLiz1973]

16. TOTALLY pisses me off. The media is ridiculous.

Particularly since he left the woman who waited for him.
I think it is yet another example of how McCain has (is a) bad character.

[Mimosa]

42. Like him or not, McCain isn't as big a hypocrite as Edwards.

McCain isn't as big a hypocrite as Edwards. He may be a jerk, but he's not SMARMY! LOL

And maybe because he doesn't use campaign $$$ to pay off his tramps???

[NNN0LHI]

48. McCain had the wealthy daddy of his multi-millionaire mistress buy him spot in the Congress

You think McCain isn't as big a hypocrite as Edwards?

Your trying to be sarcastic ain't you?

Don

[tavalon]

85. His tramp had more money than he did

She bought him, not the other way around.

[eridani]

89. Now it's his fault that his extracurricular pal wasn't a billionaire?

:sarcasm: Well, anyways--he should have expected to get caught and to have some kind of a plan. He didn't.

[lumberjack_jeff]

155. You have the wrong number.

Why is a "sanctity of marriage" serial philanderer who abandoned his ailing wife for the heiress less hypocritical?

The Republican party needs more sanctimonious moralizers, we don't.

[Edith Ann]

246. Really,

How do you know? Remember the lobbist that disappeared early in John McCain's campaign. Has she ever showed up anywhere?

[orleans]

81. seems to me that a lot of people on du have forgiven john mccain

for his infidelity. or they never cared about it to begin with. it's just not an issue.

[NanceGreggs]

15. Well, as long as we're all free to be BLUNT here ...

... if you thought you were supporting a candidate who was divine rather than human, whose posting of a photo of his family on his website was to be taken as a solemn declaration that he'd never had an affair, whose indiscretion is equivalent to "drugs, war-mongering and murder", you might want to rethink the "IDIOT" label and who should rightfully wear it.

Wow! Your candidate-of-choice turned out to be human, with faults and flaws and the whole damned package that makes ALL of us human.

He really should have specifically WARNED you that he wasn't perfect. He's got some fuckin' nerve!

[LibraLiz1973]

20. As usual, Nance mis-reading & jumping off in to a rant.

shocker.

[NanceGreggs]

21. Care to get specific?

Or would you just rather stick with the all-inclusive "anyone who disagrees with me obviously doesn't understand my point" defense?

Your call.

[LibraLiz1973]

25. I think you purposely misunderstood my post so that you could have one of your rants.

Specifically the part about the family photo & it's meaning.

I know you like to rant, and from time to time I even enjoy them.
But I think you spend a lot of time going in to threads and using
different fonts to be argumentative. It's time consuming and, I would think, exhausting.

You disagree with my OP and I can respect that.
Go ahead and voice that. That's what DU is all about.
But don't be purposely obtuse.

[NanceGreggs]

33. When I've got a yen to rant ...

... about this topic or any other, I post my own thread and do so. I have no need to search out someone else's OP in order to express my opinion.

So you supported Edwards on the basis of who you thought he was, or what you felt he represented, and now you're disappointed. I can respect that.

But to insinuate that he held himself out as the person YOU envisioned him to be is naive at best.

I am extremely loathe to even discuss the matter, because there are certain things that should remain private between husband and wife, and that should NEVER become the topic of public discourse - no less 24/7 coverage by a lazy media that, had it any sense of decency and priority, would be focused on more important fare.

If you are personally insulted that a politician you supported, campaigned for, even admired, proved to be human and prone to all of the frailties that ALL human beings are prone to, you just might consider that the flaw lies in your unrealistic expectations rather than his behavior.

But please don't be discouraged. I am sure the PERFECT candidate - one who has never made a mistake, misjudged the impact of his own actions, or disappointed a single person in his entire lifetime - is out there somewhere, ready to meet your every criteria.

[woo me with science]

62. Oh, please.

Nobody is asking Edwards to be perfect. However, it was NOT too much to ask that he not be a lying assclown just waiting to sacrifice the Presidency in 2008.

:rofl:

[LibraLiz1973]

98. I don't think it is unrealistic to expect someone to be honorable

I will never apologize for being disappointed in John's actions.

I think it is shallow of YOU to tell everyone that is upset about this that they are naive.

This is not JUST a marital issue. If it were, I would be disappointed BUT SILENT.

No one is looking for the "perfect" candidate. Everyone on earth has a skeleton in their closet somewhere.
Perhaps it was when they stole a pair of earrings for their girlfriend, when they had a one night stand,
when they lied about something, when they cheated.

This is about being disappointed in a man who used CAMPAIGN MONEY (which came from donors like myself)
to pay a woman to do a (piss poor) job that she was IN NO WAY QUALIFIED FOR. It's about the fact that AFTER
he had this affair, he chose to continue to run. It's about the fact that when a supermarket tabloid caught him,
he continued to lie... and to run. It is criminally stupid of him to have done so. Getting the republicans
out of office is more important now than it ever has been. He could have single handedly given them this election
with his stupid choices. YOU BET I AM ANGRY ABOUT THAT. I am shocked at how many people are willing to
give him a pass on that one issue. I get that you are all fine with him cheating on his wife. But
almost destroying an election? That IS my business and I DO have an opinion.

I wont be apologizing for the anger I have with him. This has nothing to do with the media. I think that
their coverage has been over the top. But I am not a member of the media. I am a member of DU. And as such,
I have the right to come here and discuss my thoughts on what this former candidate has done.

No matter how many ways you try to be snarky to me about it, no matter how many times you misunderstand what I wrote,
no matter how many times you say I am naive, I still have the right to my opinion.

Perhaps your view of what decent character is has become jaded. Maybe you have such low expectations
that this seems like nothing to you. I am sad for people like yourself who say "this is no big deal".
Have you such little faith in humanity that you are no longer able to expect better?
That is what is wrong with this country. There is ALWAYS an excuse. Nothing is really
off limits anymore. No matter what you do, people will give you a pass. It's a sad day
when you are told that belief in someones values and character makes you naive.
No longer are you allowed to expect the best.

I'd rather be called naive than be so indifferent that things like this didn't bother me at all.

[Bluenorthwest]

125. John said, while having an affair,

that he can not support equality for my family because of his Christian values. No one made him say that. He used his family and the entire GLBT world as cover for his own actions.
He did not have to spout off about being a Southern Baptist and therefore seeing marraige as a sacrament and all of that. He did that on his own. That is hypocrisy being used to cover a lie.
No one thought he was perfect, and you know that. Bluster away. He said his great respect for family and church meant he could not 'cross that bridge' to support equality while he was paying his mistress with campaign funds.
Elizabeth and the kids were just props for his skit about being ethical, gays a distraction from his own issues with morality and feidelity and honesty. Not a good man.
If he issues a statement about his Southern Baptist values being a load of horse puckey and saying he's sorry for his posturing against a civil rights movement for the sake of his image, we can talk. In the meantime, the media sucks even more than Edwards. But Edwards still told lies in his own favor that brought harm to others, many others outside of his family. And he did so of his own free will, for his own advancment.

What do you say about his statments that he can not support gay marriage because of beign a Southern Baptist? Bad mouthing others while being in breach of his own 'faith'? Is that the sort of dicourse you support? Really? Religious posturing and judgment of others as a distraction from one's own actions?
Edwards said what he said about marriage and GLBT people and when he said it he was cheating on his sick wife. I can not rationalize that. He needs to rectify that situation if he expects any quarter at all.

[LibraLiz1973]

163. I agree Blue.

[Joe Fields]

37. Wow! You've gone from wearing blinders to donning your cynic's hat.

What part of the OP didn't you comprehend? Are you trying to tell us that you wouldn't feel the least little bit betrayed by what we now know, had you been an Edwards supporter?

I am not a supporter of John Edwards, but if I had been, and had believed in him enough to donate money to his campaign, I would not only feel betrayed, because I know that this would have come out at the most inopportune of times, had he been lucky enough to be the nominee. I will state right now, that, if he had become the nominee, and this information became public, YOU would have prepared a patented Nance Greggs flowery screed on how devastating this is for the party, and, I may add, justifiably so. But for Edwards to take average citizens' hard earned donations and throw hundreds of thousands of dollars at his "party girl," to make a film makes suckers of all who donated to his campaign. They feel bamboozled, and damned sure have a right to feel that way.

I am pissed, but not all that surprised that you feel the way that you do, though, considering the fact that you have been more than willing to overlook the many glaring flaws of the current candidate for our party.

My advice? Get rid of the blinders and the hat. They cloud your judgement.

[NanceGreggs]

40. What part of the OP did I not comprehend?

Well, for starters, I don't comprehend the part about how throwing the baby out with the bathwater makes any sense, and is no less justified.

Oooooh, he had an affair!!! That must mean everything he ever said about the injustice of the Two Americas and the plight of those living in poverty was just "talk". He had a photo of his family on his website - that was meant to mean he was an infallible icon of virtue! He held himself out as being the perfect human being, and I have a right to be obsessed with the fact that he's NOT!!!

Oh.My.God. He "threw hard-earned donation dollars at his party girl" - let's all get our knickers in a twist over that, because we all KNOW exactly where every penny collected by each of the candidates was spent, any why.

Please don't deign to opine on what I would or wouldn't "screed" about in any given situation, because you obviously have NO idea about what I find offensive and worth commenting on, and what I find too trivial to be worthy of attention.

As for the comment that you are "not all that surprised that you feel the way that you do, though, considering the fact that you have been more than willing to overlook the many glaring flaws of the current candidate for our party", I can only say that I am not all that surprised that YOU have never passed up an opportunity to express your dissatisfaction with our nominee - and there are a multitude of websites where that opinion is more than welcome.

But you already KNOW that, don't you?

[Joe Fields]

46. I will deign, because I've seen you in action for too long.

And please don't insult our intelligence by ignoring the fact that, if he had been the nominee, this would torpedo his chance at the White House, and possibly damage the Democratic party for years to come. It would be hard for us to recover, and in the meantime, this country would continue to be dismantled by the republicans.

You may choose to look at this as a personal matter, but it is shortsighted to do so.

As for anything you may have to say about Obama, or my criticisms of Obama, I will say that, although everyone on this site can plainly see that you have a great writing talent, it is apparent that you have lost all objectivity, and have turned into nothing more than an unabashed cheerleader for a man who has proven by his actions to be nothing more than another corporate shill candidate for a political party that I care very much about. We will never solve the ills of this country, as long as we keep putting candidates up for the highest office in the land, and raising them to godlike status, when their actions don't match their lofty rhetoric.

Anytime you wish to debate me on the merits of said argument let me know. I deal in reality.

[NanceGreggs]

65. "If" he had been the nominee ...

... and "if" this news had erupted, and "if" he hadn't been hit by a Mac truck on the way to a speaking engagement - the world of "ifs" is a vast one indeed. But the fact is that the "ifs" never happened - and we can speculate on the ramifications of "IF" possibilities until those proverbial cows come home.

RE: "(You) have turned into nothing more than an unabashed cheerleader for a man who has proven by his actions to be nothing more than another corporate shill candidate for a political party that I care very much about. We will never solve the ills of this country, as long as we keep putting candidates up for the highest office in the land, and raising them to godlike status, when their actions don't match their lofty rhetoric," I can only say that I AM an unabashed, unrepentant, unapologetic supporter of the Democratic nominee for the presidency.

If you believe there is a better candidate currently in the running, there are - as I've pointed out - a myriad of websites where your assessment of our candidate as another corporate shill would be more than welcome as a point of discussion.

[Joe Fields]

92. The false argument syndrome, again...

The "unabashed cheerleaders" on this site just love to point us critical thinkers to the door. They just love telling us that, hey, if you don't like "OUR" candidate, then there is always that "other" site, which is where we "belong."

And once again, I will point out that "we" are not McCain lovers. We are not freepers. In fact, many of us, (definitely I) loathe anything that smacks of uncritical adulation. I might remind you that it is that kind of support that has led us where we are today. You might want to remember that, Nance.

[eridani]

90. Will Pitt has a couple of excellent screeds on this subject

Paraphrasing--if you know his or her name in the first place, s/he has done everything neccessary to cozy up to the PTB. That's been a given for a long time, but it nonetheless still make a difference who holds public offices. The reason that Obama was my final stop on the endorsement train was that he had the sense to use his big wad of corporate cash for party organizing and building local groups in every state. If we can't use that to get more young progressive people into the pipeline, than it's our fault.

[girl gone mad]

64. What's your point, exactly?

That we should tolerate reckless and feckless behavior from our candidates?

Talk about obtuse.

[NanceGreggs]

74. My point is simple enough ...

... if you support a candidate on the basis of their being divine, you are bound to be disappointed when you find out they're human.

And guess what? They're ALL human - and if they weren't, they wouldn't be fit to hold office in the first place.

Should you be expected to tolerate reckless and feckless behavior from our candidates? Why not? Are we not all reckless and feckless voters - YOU, of course, being the notable exception?

[LibraLiz1973]

99. At what point in my OP, or any of my responses, did I say I supported him

on the basis of him being divine?

Your argument is shallow and pedantic. You know darn well you are stretching here.
Stop misreading things and twisting them the way you want so that you can harangue
all those that disagree with you.

[Baby Snooks]

184. Jimmy Carter...

Jimmy Carter was probably the only president we have had in this country who didn't claim to be the perfect human being and admitted, in a sneaky way, to occasionally being tempted by a little lust in the heart, although I suspect the lust is a little lower, but I doubt he ever gave in to it. And if he had, he probably would have admitted having done so and left it at that. And if the tabloids had pursued it, he would have ignored it. Having already admitted it.

The reality is that while John Edwards is not really a hypocrite per se when compared to the moralistic meanderings of John McCain he is nonetheless a hypocrite when talks about his faith and his family.

It's not that John Edwards lied as men always do when caught but that he has continued to lie as Bill Clinton did and eventually the truth behind the continued lie will come out.

What I really don't like is the double standard. It's okay for Bill Clinton but not for John Edwards?

[question everything]

259. We knew about Bill Clinton's "bimbo eruption"

when we elected him. And when he had the Monica affair he was already on his second term.

Again, the point here is not the actual affair, but how the politician deals with it which shows judgment.

Gary Hart was an idiot who challenged the media to catch him and it did.

Had Edwards come clean before declaring his candidacy, we may still have supported him - those of us who did. We could have correctly then determined that it was between him and his family. But to hide it, to bluntly lie when the NE "exposed" him last fall, this is a question of character and of judgment that come into play.

Same with NY former governor Spitzer. The man is an arrogant bastard who relished going after big fish, not giving them a chance for plea, or for making a deal. Yet he broke the law by paying for sex and transferring a call woman across state lines.

[Whisp]

71. John's three strikes are up:

1. iraq war co-sponsorship - oops, error in judgement, so sorry. but I'm cute so I'll be forgiven easier than most.
2. lieing and cheating to and on his wife and to all his supporters - oops, error in judgement, so sorry. what was I thinking.
3. marriage is between a man and a woman (or 2 or 3 women) but gays shouldn't be allowed that sanctity cuz the bible tells me so.

as one running for public office, John's little mishaps and frail humanity are not as personal as yours and mine.
He put himself up for dissection throwin ghis hat in the ring, but like he said, he was just juiced up on his own self and thought he was infallible. bad material for a husband and for a leader.

[NanceGreggs]

76. My mistake.

I thought this was about politics - didn't realize it was about baseball, three strikes you're out kind of thing.

So John threw his hat in the ring - I must have missed the part where he stated that by doing so, he was declaring himself immune to human fallibility.

I promise to pay more attention next time. I just KNOW the perfect man or woman, completely blameless in every regard, is going to be running for office any day now ...

:eyes:

[Whisp]

77. erm... okay....

I hear pickle juice is great for hangovers.

[NanceGreggs]

78. And I hear that a pickle up your ass ...

... is likely to make you squeal, but doesn't necessarily make what you're squealing about coherent or worth listening to.

[Whisp]

79. Nance's ornery, pissy cat is on her keyboard!

:rofl:

[NanceGreggs]

82. If that's all ya got ...

... it's time to say buh-bye :hi:

[Inspired]

228. Would it be stating the obvious to say that you have been right on this?

Because you have been.

[REP]

84. Thanks for explaining

I've enjoyed so many of your other posts, I wondered why these made no sense. Thanks for the explanation. Why you'd do such a thing, though, but hey - no judgements.

[Whisp]

137. so tell me again what is so incoherent about this:

1. Edwards had the bad judgement to think the Iraq war was a good thing (for whom?)
2. Edwards had the bad judgement, as a candidate for presidency, to be unfaithful to his wife
3. Edwards sneers at gay marriage thinking it will somehow take away from his precious and sacrosanct man and woman one

4. some people think he's maybe a little bit less dishonest than he pretended to be.

now that you've had your pickle juice after last night, maybe you can explain what you didn't understand.

[iconicgnom]

50. This issue isn't that he should have specifically WARNED us that he wasn't perfect.

The issue in the OP is that he did this, he had this affair, broke his marriage vows, he then consistently lied about it, while at the SAME TIME "he has said he doesn't agree with gay marriage because of his FAITH. SON OF A BITCH."

Note that it is Edwards who cited religious belief as reason for infringing on the rights of two adults to state (federal) recognition of their marriage. It is Edwards who introduces this element to the discussion. My own personal faith isn't the same kind as Edwards'. It doesn't abridge the rights of others in that way, so it doesn't diminish the personhood of others in that way. Although I don't live up to my faith "perfectly", it isn't that kind of thing, I'm still willing to be called on it. I read the OP as CALLING on Edwards' "faith", as it impacts this issue in particular, finding a dissonance, finding it wanting.

By the way, I've rec'd a few of your journal articles in the short time I've been here, because I thought they were right, so don't think that I'm disrespectful of your view. I just think, in this case, you might be missing the point.

[WheelWalker]

54. Is that you in your avatar?

[NanceGreggs]

68. No, that's Molly Ivins in my avatar.

I, contrary to Molly, am dark-haired, dark-skinned - and nowhere near as talented a writer.

[Joe Fields]

114. I enjoyed reading Molly Ivin's column for roughly 30 years.

Why did I enjoy reading her? Because she called them like she saw them, and it didn't matter if they were republican or dem. Seems you haven't learned much from her.

[indepat]

174. While we were blessed with only one Molly, there is only one NanceGreggs and both are inimitable imv

:D

[girl gone mad]

60. I'm usually one of your biggest fans..

but I think you might need an edit this time.

[cayuga]

94. You nailed it as usual.

To be aware that we (ourselves and other humans) are capable of ANYTHING given the right circumstances, is a disconcerting and often painful revelation.

And it is a revelation that comes from many sources. Some have not experienced it yet, but they will if they live long enough and deep enough.

Divinity is a device devised to disquise humanity.

[Duppers]

159. want to know what the LOON he fell for is really like?

That skanky-haired blonde is truly NUTS!

Proof? Please read this:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/151783



I voted for Edwards & sent him money.
I do not judge him for the affair, but for the POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES of that affair.
He's not your average Joe wanting some 'strange.'
How dare him risk OUR future !!

[MissDeeds]

196. Oh please

This is pathetic on so many levels.

[tomp]

239. what a shallow rejoinder. nt

[Zuiderelle]

290. You've got it wrong, he's got some NERVE to be a lying hypocrite and object to civil equality.

That's HUMAN is it? My GOD am I sick of people who excuse bigotry for being human. John Edwards is a BIGOT. There, I said it. And you are an apologist for someone who doesn't BELIEVE in civil equality for everyone.

[Lost-in-FL]

17. I think those who make a big deal now of something that happened in 2006...

are bigger idiots. It happened!! Get over it!!

[emilyg]

22. Well then

we need to extend the same courtesy to Repugs?

[Lost-in-FL]

35. I still don't give a shit what happened in 2006...

I am more concerned with Obama getting elected in 2008.

[Noisy Democrat]

234. How about the high likelihood that Edwards has been lying

and covering up and carrying on this affair right up until he got caught 3 weeks ago, and that he lied through a good part of the Nightline interview? That disturbs me. It definitely speaks to his character. I think people have a natural reaction of disgust at this level of betrayal of the public's trust, and it's natural that they want to express it.

[ChiciB1]

23. I Agree... GET OVER IT!!

The sky didn't fall and I think the sun & moon will rise again. I hold no grudges and still feel as I posted earlier, on a bad day John & Elizabeth Edwards care more about this country than all of those in THIS ADMINISTRATION care on a GOOD DAY!

Now I think I need to go wash my dirty laundry. I think we all have some but at least mine won't be hung out for the world to see!

[Truth4Justice]

43. Get over what? Someone near Edwards knew about this but stayed silent. We know the MSM hates us.

[Whisp]

72. yes, the MSM hates us - we are all minorities and women and have to work twice as hard

for less pay to try to fight even.
so John's crap is not something that helps that struggle a lot.

[unapatriciated]

126. Let me second that...GET OVER IT!!!!

We can spend our time dissecting what he could of should of done.
Posting endless threads how he disappointed us and should be flogged, drawn and quartered.
None of this will change what happened and we are wasting valuable time.
Time we should be spending getting our nominee elected.

Time that should be used to fight ending up with another four years of Republican Non-leadership.
Where we see a lot more guys like this one.
http://perspectives.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=145868&forum_id=4

Save your outrage for these guys.
http://perspectives.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=145868&forum_id=4

[Tangerine LaBamba]

29. Especially when

it's none of their business.

I'm always amazed at the bluenoses who can't get over the notion that some people do things differently than they might do them. Then they rant and rave about what "might" have happened.

As I posted earlier, it's a good thing none of these righteous people ever made a mistake. I'm quite impressed.

[cherokeeprogressive]

80. I'm sure you'll say the same thing to people who wonder why McCain isn't held to the same standard?

[Lost-in-FL]

113. MCSame is running for office today, Edwards isn't...

And it was in 2006! GET OVER IT YOU TOO!

[Mutley]

276. Cop-out.

[gateley]

19. ANY action that could potentially cause devastating results, isn't "just" anything. nt

[WheelWalker]

51. First of all, do no harm. n/t

[Mimosa]

53. Bears Repeating: "ANY action that could potentially cause devastating results, isn't "just" anything

WHAT IF Edwards had been the nominee?

He's a hypocrite and a liar. And there's no reason to believe he 'cares' more than anybody else. Ambition and compassion aren't the same.

Plus the Edwards, in a time when many are having a hard time holding on to their homes, built the most godawful garish McMansion in South Carolina. They live large while claiming superiority of compaassion. Words are cheap, lies are expensive!

[WheelWalker]

57. Agreed. To carry one step further,

any action has action potential. There is nothing one might do, or even intend, that does not carry with it a consequence.

[Kermitt Gribble]

103. I suppose

you feel Al Gore is a hypocrite as well for living in a large home? Surely, someone who lives in such a "godawful garish McMansion" could never genuinely pledge to help those who are struggling? Surely, someone who lives in such a "godawful garish McMansion" could never genuinely be a champion of environmental responsibility?

Way to push the right wing attack. I'm surprised you didn't take a jab at haircuts as well.

[rucognizant]

198. Ever been through the Roosevelt homes?

The one here on Campobello is large.....but simple, modest, and tasteful in it's furnishings.......I haven't been throught the Hyde Park Home but I am sure it is similar.

[Mimosa]

284. The Edwards talk big but have done very little

Talk is cheap, really helping people is harder. There are people who are rich who use some of their own money to help others. Al Gore and John Edwards are not among them. Does anybody remember when Al Gore ran for president ad released his tax returns? He didn't even contribute 5% to charities.

As a person displaced by Katrina, I saw how edwards attempted to USE Katrina but he himself did NOTHING, contributed NADA to help NOLA people. neither did Al Gore. I don't need them but plenty of people did need help.

Brad Pitt and Harry Connick Jr. have done more to help NOLA people than John Edwards or Al Gore. When Al Gore was Veep he did NOTHING to help stop the erosion of Louisiana wetlands. Senator Mary Landrieu could have used help and Al Gore's attention on the issue. Al Gore and john Edwards are talkers not do-ers.

Don't pull the reactionary crap on me and say what about 'Republican so and so. I don't expect anything from them and they don't deliver. LOL

[dysfunctional press]

26. to be fair...elizabeth was in remission at the time.

nt

[LibraLiz1973]

27. IF the affair only went on in 2006, you are correct.

But seeing as how John's word isn't what it once was, I think the jury is out on whether it continued after that.

[cherokeeprogressive]

83. She didn't have a fucking COLD, she has CANCER. Remission is a word I wish people would forget.

I've had friends and family who were "in remission" after a few months treatment. I don't however, have friends and family who've survived "remission".

So, you're feeling better for a few months? I think I'll go fuck around on you. Cancer numbers good this month? Let me call my skanky lover and let her know we're good for a little while longer. Doctor says we're out of the woods for a while? HEY LISA DRUCK, WANNA FUCK? What do you think they TALKED about after doing the nasty and were laying in bed having a cig? I'll call you next month if Liz's numbers are good? Or how about this: I can only continue to meet you secretly to fuck until MY LOVING WIFE'S cancer comes back?

To be FAIR, I'm thinking that Elizabeth Edwards isn't happy about checking out of this world with this on her back.

Fighting cancer is as much a matter of mind as it a matter of getting the proper treatment. Think she's happy about the possibility of going into the afterlife (if there IS one) with the stigma of having kept her lying adulterous husband's secret?

Think SHE'S happy? What do you think would be HER opinion of what's FAIR?

[Number23]

88. If I could rec a post, yours would be it

To be FAIR, I'm thinking that Elizabeth Edwards isn't happy about checking out of this world with this on her back.

I can't help but think that's probably a very true (and miserably sad as hell) statement.

[dysfunctional press]

104. everyone dies.

but at the time of the affair, she wasn't considered to be "TERMINALLY ILL" as the op had stated.

as it turns out, she is.

and to be fair, as a married person with a serious illness that isn't terminal in itself, but will most likely considerably shorten my life- one of my main concerns about dying is that i wouldn't want my wife to have to be alone. i would hope that she's able to find someone to be with and give her comfort.

btw- i'm not trying to justify edward's behaviour- i'm just trying to give some more perspective to the possible state of mind of a spouse that will be leaving another behind and alone.

[renie408]

172. Do you want her to find somebody RIGHT NOW? While you are still around?

Without telling you about it? Would you want her to hire the new guy to, say, do your yard even though he really isn't a landscaper and then pay him a shitload of money? Would you want that relationship to last a year without your knowing about it?

I am guessing not.

[renie408]

121. What they said. n/t

[GoddessOfGuinness]

245. I think her opinion is that she'd like everybody to just shut up about it

and that's why I'll say no more on the subject.

[mudesi]

28. It was just sex

Sorry, but that's the truth.

He did what millions of other men and women do every day on this planet. He had an affair.

[LibraLiz1973]

30. I disagree

Yes, the physical act was JUST sex.
But the part where he paid her to do a job
she was in no way qualified for takes it a step farther.
Deciding to run, knowing he had this skeleton in his closet took it another step further.
Actually running & continuing to do so even while the press was asking questions took this to an 11.

[Ikonoklast]

39. Millions of men and women that didn't run for the highest political office

Of the land, and becoming the de-facto head of the party, all the while saying one thing for the masses, and in private doing another.

BIG difference.

[WheelWalker]

52. Animals have "just" sex. Humans have relationships. n/t

[ravencalling]

120. I totally agree

And I have also seen apologists stating that because he is a man he couldn't help himself. E-gads, if that is the case, then why isn't every man out there having "just sex" with his mother, sister, daughter???????????????????????

People that have THAT view need to stay clear from me and my family, as well as my animals. Thank you!

[eridani]

91. 99.9% of whom are not public figures

Our privacy in this information rich world is guaranteed by the basic fact that hardly anyone else gives a flying fuck what we do, in or out of bed. The Linux communal programmers have a saying "Given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow." The world could care less what I do, but millions of eyeballs are on Prince Charles, Bill Clinton, Paris Hilton, John Edwards, etc. All of them tend to forget that little fact.

[JVS]

116. What about the $114,000

[renie408]

124. That is the most FUCKING ignorant comment I keep reading on this place.

No, idget, it is not 'just sex'. My husband and I had 'just sex' last night. It's 'just sex' when you don't have any emotional or legal commitments outside of the person you are having sex with. It's 'just sex' when your entire life will not be thrown into chaos if people find out about it. It's 'just sex' when it doesn't effect THOUSANDS of people outside of the two doing it and it doesn't potentially impact a Presidential race. This was not JUST SEX. This was an act displaying a phenomenal lack of judgment, it was a betrayal and it has ramifications that 'just sex' doesn't.




(Honey, if you are reading this....it wasn't 'just sex'; it was mind altering, fabulous sex....)

[krabigirl]

210. get over yourself, seriously,

[renie408]

232. What are you? Twelve?

I would like to add that there is a box underneath the Subject line. That's where you flesh out your ideas to present the group with a clear idea of your thoughts...Oh, wait. I think I see what the problem is....

[krabigirl]

209. Yep, and in many other countries, it would not ruin his political career. Try France for example.

[Milo_Bloom]

31. The people who want to make excuses for him, will just keep doing so.

Claiming it was a "mistake"

Like his vote for the Iraq war... like his vote for the bankrupcy bill... like his for China trade... like his vote to limit liability to nuclear plants... like his working for a hedge fund neck deep in predatory lending.

He has talked out of both sides of his mouth his entire life.

WHy is anyone surprised he did so in his personal life too?

[progdonkey]

32. exactly, this isn't about his failure to be "perfect"...

I didn't care (and still don't) that Clinton, for instance, was getting a hummer while building the largest budget surplus in US history. The sex aspect of it is a complete family matter as far as I'm concerned.

BUT it isn't as far as the media or many independent voters are concerned, so it's a huge political liability. If Edwards had been the Party's candidate, McCain would right now have an easy ride to the White House. Imagine if Obama and Hillary were JUST NOW starting their vicious primary fight! How much of a mess would the convention be?

So, you're completely right that this says a lot about his character--not because he was cheating on his wife, but that he was hiding anything that he knew would completely sink his chances if he were the candidate, yet continued on with the primaries. He was arguably risking future and welfare of the entire country for his own ego.

I guess the silver lining in all this, though, is that we get to see just how much the media just NEEDS to protect McCain, so there's the opening for the Dems to not only bring up McCain's cheating (and subsequent divorce) on his own invalid wife with his current wife (so not only is the candidate an adulterer, but his First Lady-to-be was his much younger mistress... now that's setting a good example), but also to point out the complete lack of any mention of McCain's arguably much worse infidelities.

[Whisp]

73. bill's extended little hummer of a lie cost the taxpayers more money than the 911 investigation.

definitely not only a family matter either.

[eridani]

96. Because of what Rethugs think is actually important n/t

[deaniac21]

38. How do you send money that you don't have? Isn't that impossible?

[SammyWinstonJack]

102. .

:evilgrin: It's all just feigned outrage. And quite frankly, getting really tiresome and completely boring. :boring:

[LibraLiz1973]

105. You don't pay a bill.

Thats how.

[renie408]

129. There are these little plastic cards. We here on earth call them 'credit cards'...n/t

[Mimosa]

41. 10!!! to LibraLiz1973: it's not sex, it's mendacity!

LibraLiz, I've always disliked something about John Edwards and figured he was a hypocrite loong ago. It's hard to like people who flaunt their wealth, live large, then embark on a 'Poverty Tour.' *puke* And the Edwards built the biggest, most ghastly house in South Carolina. Edwards is a phony in the same way Al Gore is with his giant energy wasting houses private jets, limos, and pioneer company to sell 'carbon credits.'

Sure, the kid is Edwards'. Really, no guy goes to meet with a broad and her baby at a hotel in the middle of the night for no real reason. They had to discuss strategy and how much she'd be paid off and it couldn't be done on the phone! There's nothing much 'to' Edwards. he's a typical super-rich ambulance chaser and his life was all about his and Elizabeth's ambition, not about the people of S.C. or the U.S.A. Better we learn it sooner than later, sayeth this major Obama supporter.

[Kermitt Gribble]

110. Shame I didn't see this post before I responded to the other.

So, not only are you a John Edwards hater, you're also an Al Gore hater? If it wasn't for Al Gore efforts over the past 30 years, global warming and environmental awareness would never even be discussed. Do you get your opinions from Limbaugh or Hannity?

BTW, the Edwards' home is in NC, where he was also a Senator.

[Mimosa]

282. Who's the ugly guy in your avatar?

I've been around long enough not to be fooled and manipulated by the words of politicians. I'm no hater and btw, Al Gore , seller of environment 'indulgences', isn't my saviour.

I don't like rich hypocrites masquerading as populists. Some of us see through them. Oh, yeah, I meant N.C.. That's where my mother lived and died. Hardly anybody there liked Edwards. I think the men on some boards are going to stand up for their lowdown little sneaking lying Edwards. LOL

[Kermitt Gribble]

289. I guess

you must lsiten to all the poor populists, since they're allowed to have such a loud voice. If you haven't noticed, in our country of corruption, it is only the rich who have any voice at all -we should be glad that at least a few of them speak about what is right.

By your posts in this thread, it seems to me your sole purpose here is to stir up shit.

Up thread, you bash Edwards and Gore. Down thread you stand up for McCain over John Edwards - pretty obvious what side of the isle you're from.

[Mimosa]

291. I'm so glad for the IGNORE feature

Toonces, you're an embarrassment to cats who drive cars! I suggest you read all my posts before attempting to smear me with the snarky 'side of the aisle' comment.

I've been registered on DU for a long while. I lived in NOLA for a long time until forced by Katrina circumstances to live in ATL.

Yeah, I think I understand what Gore and Edwards are all about.That's why I support barack obama. he's no phony. He's a real caring human being who will help Americans and he doesn't talk out both sides of his mouth. He's never been about making himself super-rich.

[upi402]

44. I agree OP, Kucinich was the only one.

Plus!
Dennis hasn't been married long enough to bone too many 43 year old hotties.

yay for love!!!

[JI7]

67. isn't Kucnich on his 3rd marriage ?

[upi402]

69. love is grand

aint it?

who knows, maybe he's a foot tappin' restroomer too??

[WheelWalker]

47. I agree. It's only a "mistake" because he was busted. Being human

is not an excuse, it's a responsibility.

[emilyg]

55. "Being humn is not an excuse, it's a responsibility>"

With your permission I'm going to steal that.

[seabeyond]

56. it is. i am too. lol. unless the poster opposes, lol. n/t

[WheelWalker]

59. To recognize one's humanity is to accept the obligation

to first of all, do no harm.

[slipslidingaway]

63. Never trusted Edwards and I agree that this is not just about sex

[Quantess]

75. This is how people really are.

Oh come on, don't deny it. People sometimes get tempted to be horny.
This is how people really are, and don't try to say that polticians are somehow exempt.

I know a lot of notable exceptions, in my own personal life.

[Richard Steele]

86. NewsFlash: human beings like to fuck each other. You should get out more often, Cotton Mather. nm

[Number23]

87. Pleased, no... HAPPY to rec

I think anyone who says, "it was just sex" is an IDIOT.

Wholeheartedly agree. When I was a kid, my grandfather used to say to us all "there ain't nothing worse than a thief." His reasoning is that a person who will knowingly go into your home/purse/car etc. and take something that they KNOW does not belong to them is capable of doing anything.

The exact same thing can be said for a man who not only cheats on his wife, but cheats on his terminally ill wife with whom he has already suffered much, including the loss of a child. Now, there are people on DU who have burned about 1000 calories since yesterday typing non-stop posts about how this is none of our business and has no bearing whatsoever on the type of man John Edwards is. But those people seem to have some misguided sense of what is and is not acceptable behavior for not only a seemingly mature and married man, but for someone who wants to hold the position of President of our country.

This entire scenario says more about John Edwards than any prepared speech, witty and clever campaign slogan or well-crafted policy ever has or will. And as the saying goes, "when somebody shows you who they really are... believe 'em."

[Vinnie From Indy]

100. That's nothing!

I sat with a gay couple yesterday and they were about as rabid, delusional Republicans as I have ever met. After listening to them spew the same idiotic BS that one would here from Limbaugh about a host of issues, they discussed their support for gay marriage and other issues related to being gay in America. The conversation went over a cliff when I pointed out both of them were acting like spoiled children because, in essence, they were offering that everyone else can fuck off and fend for themselves in this world EXCEPT for them. It was only their needs that needed to be met and the rest of the GOP's agenda of screwing the populace was okey dokey. Then I reminded them that a huge chunk of their bretheren "conservatives" would eagerly and happily string them up to be burned at the stake. Neeldess to say, I became persona non grata at their table in the bar.

[JVS]

107. Since he knew that he hadn't a snowball's chance in hell of winning a General Election with that...

scandal in the closet, he really had no business running in the primaries.

[LibraLiz1973]

109. EXACTLY.

[Colobo]

108. Great post, and I agree 100%. Let's actually see if the baby is his...

[ginnyinWI]

130. does it really matter, though?

Baby or no baby, the deed was done, the lies were told.

[Kermitt Gribble]

112. I'm going to be blunt.

There are too many people on this board who get caught up in the MSM hype. It's no wonder sex "scandals" are covered non-stop for weeks on end. The MSM's fault? Maybe, but equal blame lies with that portion of the imbecilic US-American public who thrive off of these kinds of stories.

[Lost-in-FL]

115. "imbecilic"

That word can sum it all up. :thumbsup:

This is why we lived through 7 years of GWB.

[boilerbabe]

117. I agree with you completely

I had no idea that John Edwards was against gay marriage. I have never been married, but don't see any reason why anyone that wants to get married should be denied that right. I did not realize that he was so 'faith based' at all.

As far as him having an affair, well, that is not a good thing by any means. Why do people get married and make it meaningless? Waste of time, I say. The worst thing would be the fact that if he became the nominee for the Democractic party, this would make him very vulnerable and pretty much unelectable for many of our people. So that would throw the election into the Republican hands, which means continuation of the very wrong policies of the current administration.

My verdict is the same as yours. And I hope that you did not donate a lot of money that might have been siphoned off to shut up the gal involved. I am not against people doing whatever they do, but they really should not attempt to run for president if they have inherent skeletons in their closet.

I especially despise the fact that he disdains same-sex marriage. Never knew he was of that frame of mind, so thanks for informing me. Having a religion is OK, but I am really tired of people trying to pander to the faithful in order to attain office. It just reeks of suckness to me, and is not sincere. I am all for the separation of State and Religion. They each have their place, but it ain't in the same building as far as I can see! I am especially tired of hypocritical people that espouse faith or use it as an excuse to get away with shit. Oh, if I go to confession, I can turn around and pull some more heinous acts? Right.

XXXOOO

[ginnyinWI]

127. the worst thing is the hypocrisy

Once someone is found to be a phoney and a liar, it calls into question everything they have said about anything up until that time. Like, does Edwards really have faith, or is it just a pose? Is he really for or against gay marriage? Does he really love his family or is that just a political ploy too? We really can't rely on anything he says for quite some time, until his actions show the truth of his words and he can regain some credibility.

This is why it matters to the rest of us, and why it would matter a great deal if he were in public office now, especially as our nominee. We'd be in chaos right now--and that he would try to run with a skeleton like this in his closet shows he's more about his own ambition than the health of the party or even the nation. We'd be looking forward to some kind of open convention and someone else would probably have been able to jump in and get the nomination away from him--and the Democratic brand would be tarnished. Public figures have to be judged by a higher standard than ordinary people because they carry a higher degree of responsibility.

[LeFleur1]

131. Huh

All these years I thought Democrats tried to be honest, non hypocrites. I thought a person should be able to trust the word of candidates for office. We get what we demand. Those who call Edwards 'only human' mean what exactly? That it's okay to screw like a rabbit with whoever is available? It's okay to lie and cheat on your spouse? I'm sick to death of the 'mistake' excuse. He didn't make a mistake. He made a choice to cheat on his family, then to lie about it. His judgement stinks.

Those who excuse him say, "everyone is human". It sounds as if no one could be expected to tell the truth, to be faithful, to at least try to walk the walk rather than just talk the talk...because, after all, they are human, not divine.

I'm just as disgusted with people who excuse this behavior as I am with the man who talked about his wonderful family, talked about how he made a decision to betray, then called it a 'mistake', said, numerous times, that he loved his wife for thirty years, (but not enough not to dip his stick in the first convenient fake blonde who came at him), he said that his children were oh so precious to him that he made a decision to go out and shame them.

I always thought he was a fake. He supported policies in government that were agreeable, but...
Who is to say he wasn't just cheating us all? He DID cheat on those closest to him and called it a 'mistake'. Past behavior is a good forecaster of future behavior.
I don't think this 'mistake' was one bit human. His actions were animalistic, not human.

[renie408]

132. I agree totally. We HAVE an average person running the country right now.

I thought we wanted an EXTRAORDINARY person to be President. Apolgists on either side are annoying as hell.

[heliarc]

278. And apparently...

Elizabeth made a choice to stay with him and work it out. They are both human. Give them some room... sure, fault his choice... fault hers too, but quit the moralizing. Jeez. The US public is at fault too for demanding our politicians be Christian and Married. It's no wonder that every once and a while someone's going to fool us because s/he wants a place in politics.

[LibraLiz1973]

167. It's the pandering about religion that fires me up

And when he was on Nightline one of the things he said was "My god forgives me".

Umm. HOW THE FUCK DO YOU KNOW THAT? Did you get a note? A call? An email?
Maybe god didn't forgive you and thats why the Enquirer has been going through your trash.
I HATE, and I do mean HATE, people who do terrible shit & then blow it off by saying
god forgives them.

Ugh.

[Turn CO Blue]

133. More self-righteous santimony in a vanity post. How typical

of DU these days. What a judgmental pile of crap.

[dkf]

134. The poster sent money they couldn't afford because they believed in him.

It was wasted money. I think people who sacrificed are entitled to outrage.

[Whisp]

141. if I had donated to Edwards and now find out he

may have passed my money onto his lover to buy a fancy new pair of panties or something, that would rile me some.

[dkf]

144. Well I guess that would be donors to his PAC then.

I wonder how those donors feel about the payoff to his ex-lover and ex-lover's lover.

I don't understand how feeling sorry for this woman would justify using PAC money for her living expenses. Does he really have discretion to make that call? And I know it wasn't Edwards, it was some other guy who authorized it.

[renie408]

135. Ok, let's review what 'judgmental' means...

Cause your post was a judgmental pile of crap in itself.

I really need a smiley which goes something like "eye-row-knee"....

[Turn CO Blue]

164. Okay - new phrase then - Puritan Ethic.

I'm sick of the Puritan Ethic all over DU. Talk about a bunch of Pharisees and Sadducees.

And it's still a steaming pile of crap.

JFK was a cheater, most of the founders were cheaters, most of our Presidents have been cheaters, entire cultures are based on discreet cheating (Portugal, Spain, France, Latin America) -- and I guarantee that the OP has cheated or else has been cheated on - and is therefore projecting her own situation in a petulant, public way.

[LibraLiz1973]

168. I guarantee that you have been cheated on but didn't leave

so you feel as though you have to defend your decision by condoning adultery.


How do YOU like being painted with a broad brush?
YOU are the one projecting in a petulant way.

[Turn CO Blue]

170. And I guarantee that you are a grudge-holder

who never offers forgiveness in ANY type of relationship, and cannot EVER therefore, be forgiven, on earth or in heaven. And...welcome to ignore.

[renie408]

171. I have never been cheated on and Edwards' behavior pisses me off.

I thought the OP was saying that it ISN'T just about the sex. There are ramifications that extend beyond simple sex and that Edwards' should have considered those things. What is puritanical about that? When our founding fathers were doing their thing, oddly enough, the country had a little more of a 'look the other way' attitude about sex. As for Kennedy, I think we were well on our way to our current puritan ways in the early '60's, but you had an entirely different information and media situation. There might be rumors, but nothing was going to get shoved into Joe Public's face.

Things are significantly different now. Right or wrong, an adulterous relationship like the one Edwards indulged in is a death knell for a politician. And here's the thing...If I know that, then EDWARDS knows that. And he ran with this thing in his very recent past anyway. He made denials, he continued to take money, blah blah blah. I thought that was the point of most of the negative comments I have read.

BTW...I wouldn't blow off the lying to the spouse, either. I don't think it is sanctimonious to expect people to adhere to their vows. If they get seriously attracted to someone else, they should talk to their spouse about it BEFORE they act on it. Get out of the relationship, agree with the spouse to open the relationship or don't fuck the odd stranger. Any of those are honorable options. Fucking the odd stranger and then lying about it isn't.

[Adsos Letter]

173. "Talk about a bunch of Pharisees and Sadducees."

I think it is the Pharisaical part that is most offensive...claiming his faith precluded him from supporting gay marriage, at the same time he was carrying on an adulterous affair.

That seems like the commonly understood definition of a Pharisee...

[Dukkha]

136. To claim it was just a "mistake" is utter bullshit stupidity

It's the same as a serial killer trying to use the insanity cop out. Infidelity is not an "accident" it is a well though out planned act of betrayal. The fact that cheaters go though such lengths to conceal it is proof they know what they are doing is wrong. They are never sorry for the act, only that they got caught and would continue the charade if they were able to. It's not like you even have to do anything, just simply NOT cheat on your SO and break your sacred vows. Anyone who breaks a vow of marriage cannot be trusted to uphold an oath of office.

To say it was just an accident and they're only human makes you dumber than dirt.

[ProSense]

138. Well, there is

this and this.

Edwards displayed bad judgment. Add his actions after he decided to run and he deserves to be condemned for being extremely arrogant.

[arthritisR_US]

139. I totally agree and lets not forget his words after the Lewinski affair ....

“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.”

What a fucking hypocrite!

[woo me with science]

146. He also accepted a Father of the Year award in 1997,

while the mistress was pregnant and Elizabeth was dealing with cancer.

It astounds me, the number of morons here who continue to defend him. This fucking hypocrite appears to have transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars of campaign funds to his mistress. And, yeah, that includes twenty-dollar donations from people who couldn't pay their gas bills, but who believed in what he had to say.

But because he's a Democrat, we're not supposed to care. :puke:

[arthritisR_US]

233. I think you meant 2007 when he got the award but I get your point and

couldn't agree with you more.

[Taverner]

140. Even though I've been carrying Johns water this whole time - one note for the other side

I don't have the time to look it up, but look up Kerry's reaction to the story of his son's death, the second time he tells him "I never told anyone this before"

On Edit:

Oh shit, just found it:

Shrum recounts: "Edwards had told Kerry he was going to share a story with him that he'd never told anyone else that after his son Wade had been killed, he climbed onto the slab at the funeral home, laid there and hugged his body, and promised that he'd do all he could to make life better for people, to live up to Wade's ideals of service."

Rather than move Kerry, Shrum says Kerry "was stunned" by Edward's story.

Kerry then explained to Shrum that "Edwards had recounted the same exact story to him, almost in the exact same words, a year or two before and with the same preface, that he'd never shared the memory with anyone else."

"Kerry said he found it chilling," Shrum writes.

(snip)

http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2007/5/30/211235.shtml?s=al&promo_code=34C9-1

And yeah, its a Newsmax story. Take it with a grain of salt.

[WildEyedLiberal]

147. I was going to post that but I couldn't remember where it came from

I remember lots of Edwards supporters who were extremely pissed off when Kerry endorsed Obama, as if Kerry owed his endorsement to his former running mate. Anyone who has paid any attention at all to Kerry, or Edwards, for that matter, in the past four years knows there is not a lot of good blood between them. Edwards often made coy references to 2004 and how he would've done better had he been in charge of the campaign; and yet, when he had his chance to utterly decimate Cheney in the debates, he turned in a half hearted performance. He insisted on using his own "help is on the way" slogan in his stump speeches rather than the Kerry campaign's "hope is on the way." Etc. Point being, I think there's a good reason Kerry doesn't get along well with Edwards, and I think the anecdote you posted is more than likely true given what we now know about Edwards' integrity.

[Taverner]

150. It's a mixed bag

On one hand, this public skewering for his infidelity is not our business. It's really not relevant to his performance as a President. It does indicate that he can lie to the cameras, but shit, that's politics. Show me a politician who doesn't lie and I'll show you one who's out of a job.

OTOH, this anecdote to me is much more telling than him cheating. This shows that he is willing to capitalize on his sons death for political gain. To me that's cold - different than lying to reporters. The fact that Kerry, who is one of the more honest politicians (and honesty is part of what killed him in 2004) said this makes me believe its true.

Its part of why I never bought his "Born Again Liberal" act when running. He was the most liberal of the three on paper, but in 04 he ran as a Conservative Democrat. Quite a big jump for two years. I think he just saw it as a marketable step.

I think a lot of the anger here is a result of folks who believed in men. They supported the man, not the message - and when the man failed them, part of them died.

I became cynical about politics early on - being an intern will do that to you. I worked for a perfectly fine, Centrist Democrat. He was a good guy. He was a stressed guy. He ended up "turning himself in" for drinking and driving and now does patent law. I don't think he wanted to continue his job.

But during campaigns, there was the 'man behind the man', a mini-Rove if you will. He was a shrewd, amoral, soulless individual. If a bus crash killed 10 people in his district, he would make sure there was a photo op of the congressman running in the paper.

This has been going on for years, and not just in America. Watch the HBO series Rome and you'll get an idea how long this stuff has been going on.

Dylan said it best when he sang "Don't follow leaders - watch your parking meters." Basically, don't hero worship - in the end they just want your money, time and freedom.

[ProSense]

190. What we have here are

two people who have used every incident for political gain. During the primary, they made some dubious claims about the Kerrys to try to make themselves look good (shopping at Target, wanting to challenge the elections results). Why even go there? Kerry wasn't an opponent, and he is running for reelection. Why push the RW elitist meme?

This is why, with all the holes in their story, I don't trust them.

They deserve to be criticized.

[elana i am]

143. i or more specifically my family donated money to him in 2004 so he

could be in a position to be a narcissistic lying cheating asshat in 2006. we donated more money to him in 2008 so he could continue being a lying cheating asshat.

those who donated to him and worked for him and believed in him are entitled to feel betrayed even though he didn't get elected. i didn't do as much for edwards as lots of other people did and i still feel betrayed and angry.

being told you should get over it and it doesn't matter because he didn't get elected is rude and dismissive. that he didn't get elected is besides the point. i talked him up to other people. he played me. he played us all. i was not a good judge of edwards character, and now i feel foolish.

i don't like cheaters having been abused that way before and i don't like knowing now that we could have set ourselves up for failure if we had elected him our dem candidate.

[rucky]

148. Plus, have you seen her?

It couldn't possibly have been just about sex.

[earth mom]

149. What is is that you don't understand about the word "personal". As in NONE of your bizness.

:eyes:

[lumberjack_jeff]

151. Just to be clear, I think anyone who doesn't understand the bigger picture is an idiot.

We are willingly carrying water for the bad guys.

This website is intended to promote the political interests of the good guys. Get on the damn bus.

[earth mom]

166. Yeah and Obama is a good guy? The guy who throws everyone under the bus? Puh-leeze.

:eyes:

Sorry, to break it to ya, but politicians "play politics" which means that most of them LIE.

At the very least Edwards is admitting to his lies, which is a helluva lot better the rest of them EVER do including Obama.

[lumberjack_jeff]

254. I got to Obama through Kucinich, Edwards, and Clinton.

Nevertheless, I'm on the bus. I am with the program. Bashing Edwards harms our cause.

[cabbage08]

156. K&R

[nadinbrzezinski]

165. Keep falling for the media narrative on sex bad, especially if you are dem

tell me, where is Mr. Vitter's career?

Need I remind you that soliciting sex from a prostitute is a crime?

So who is the next knight in shining armor that we will destroy because the media tells us that he lied, cheated et al?

How long until you folks wake up? You've been played ONCE AGAIN for fools

[jzodda]

169. I agree with EVERYTHING you said

I supported JE. I gave money to his campaign. I defended him on this board.

I was misguided in my support for this guy. I feel duped and betrayed. Some people don't care about it, but many of them never supported him in the first place. For many of us who did this comes as a slap in the face. Everything has to be taken in context and that means every affair is not the same. Bill Clinton admitted to one in 1992 and moved on. This one, with no admission, with a baby involved, and a sick wife is somewhat more sordid. Then you have money changing hands, including campaign money which adds insult to injury. Then you have the fact that this would have destroyed our chances in November if he had become the nominee. Can you imagine?

People in NC were telling me he was not what he appeared to be but I would not listen. Now I am sorry for that.

[MellowDem]

175. 100% agree

Thank you for your voice of sanity. We have a couple apologists on this board who would have us behave like Republicans, calling out the other party when one of theirs makes a mistake, but excusing our own.

What really makes me sad is how some people try to excuse the behavior of Edwards by saying everyone does it, or that we shouldn't care because politicians are all lying assholes anyways. That attitude is why 40% of the electorate will not show up to vote. That is why we MUST hold our politicians to higher standards when it comes to dishonesty and hypocrisy, in no matter what form it shows itself. The "I don't give a shit as long as they're a party loyalist" view is why the Republicans now have Bush and Cheney in office fucking over our Constitution.

You have to be a real simpleton to think it's "all about the sex". It's not about sex at all, it's about the dishonesty and hypocrisy.

[Whisp]

176. it is not okay to cheat and lie. it's really that simple.

no matter if it's a presidential candidate or a 6th grader cheating on a test.

it's just not okay.

we are in dire need of Atticus Finches in these times - people are willing to settle for so little.

I'm glad Obama has a chance to start leading like a leader should. I see a bit of Atticus in him

[renie408]

177. Puritan. Gullible sucker for the media. Fundie. Un-Liberal. What else...?

I just thought I would try to beat everybody else to it. Didn't you know that believing that people are supposed to be honest and uphold their vows is a REPUBLICAN value, not a Democratic one? Or maybe it's not a Progressive thing? Or does it just mean that you aren't a liberal?

I can't remember, but it's some combination of those things.

[LibraLiz1973]

180. Puritan is my favorite.

Shall we get shirts?

[renie408]

205. YES!! We can wear HAIR shirts as penance for committing the liberal sin of not condoning adultery!

[LibraLiz1973]

207. LoL!!!

[Whisp]

189. i was also called out because I said I wouldn't cheat on my spouse.

while some who confessed that they did (no big deal in those cases to me, why the hell would i care?) tried to make me feel like I was the one in the wrong.


at one time it was assumed people were honest

now it assumed you are dishonest

at least at one time that is how I viewed things, maybe I am the one that changed.

[renie408]

203. You damned fundie!! BEGONE!! BEGONE from the DU!! This place is only for people

who condone adultery!!

Actually, I think people are confusing 'forgiving' with 'pretending'. If you forgive someone for something, you acknowledge that they have done something wrong. You don't have to LIKE what they did, you don't have to ACCEPT what they did. It means that you allow for them to be human. Pretending that they didn't do anything wrong...that's not forgiving. If you say that they didn't do anything wrong, you are saying there is nothing to forgive. I also think you can say, "Jesus H. Christ, that was a butt stupid thing to do and I cannot BELIEVE he would do it. It really pisses me off. But I am going to try to understand and forgive him." I don't think that you have to ignore the fault or pretend it away first.

[Whisp]

206. good post. lots in there. nt

[LibraLiz1973]

178. You hit the nail on the head: "people are willing to settle for so little".

It is a sad, sad world when infidelity & lying is considered no big deal.

Just another example of the dumbing down of our society.
We have such lowered expectations that cheating, lying & almost destroying a political parties
chances at the White House seems like a non event.

I'm not even angry at the people who are saying "It's just sex" or "Get over it"
or "Sorry the man wasn't perfect like you are". I feel SORRY for them, truth be told.
They like to play at being thoughtful and smart, but in reality they are nothing
but sheep. Totally beaten down by life & unable to see that being hopeful
and expecting the best doesn't make you weak.

[Divernan]

227. Seems to me the people defending Edwards are the ones taking it personally.

Think of all the groups of people who are personally threatened by criticism of his behavior in this long running affair.

1. All the people who cheated on their partner and got by with it, i.e., weren't caught.

2. All the people who are currently cheating on their partner and getting by with it.

3. All the people who reasonably suspected their partner was cheating on them, but didn't have the inner stength and self respect to confront said partner.

4. All the people who know a friend (business associate, drinking buddy, neighbor, etc.) is cheating on their partner and enables the adultery by their silence.

5. All the partners who found out about the cheating and stayed in the relationship based on the "Oh, baby, I'm so sorry and it's over and I'll never see her/him again", only to find out that the cheating continues. They're basically angry at themselves. You know, fool me once, shame on you - fool me twice, shame on me.

Of course, not everyone in those groups is defending Edwards. But some of the people in those groups are the ones who respond with over-the-top rants, and who repeat themselves endlessly and with a lot of anger, rather than simply stating their opinion. They interpret all criticism of Edwards' behavior as the same as a personal attack on themselves.

They are SO extreme that they cannot acknowledge the significance of his using his campaign to arrange access to this totally untrained, inexperienced, unqualified "videographer" for a 6 month bootie call, or the hypocricy of his blocking gay marriage because of the sanctity of the ONE man, ONE woman nature of marriage; or of his risk-taking re the outcome of this election had he been the nominee for either president or vice-president. And by the way, there are very strict laws about how campaign cash can be spent, and those funds are carefully monitored - despite NR's charge that it didn't matter because we individual posters cannot document how every penny was spent. Actually, with all the public records, we CAN see how every penny was spent - albeit with a delay for the campaigns to file their reports.

From the various articles now coming out in the more MSM, with quotes of the girlfriend, her friends, and the wife of the campaign staffer who is falling on his sword for Edwards by saying HE's the father, Edwards is most likely the father of the child, and can't admit to this because he promised his wife he broke off the relationship when he hadn't. It seems this very flaky lady expects to end up with Edwards and he's trying to convince her to keep her quiet until he's free, i.e, his wife dies. Two a.m. meeting a deux in a posh hotel? Monthly payoff from his campaign finance director? Gimme a break!

[npincus]

179. If he has a decent bone in his body, he will fess up and

spare his terminally ill wife the drip, drip, drip of ugly facts that the media will sniff out until they are satisfied they've solved the paternity riddle. With the publication of The Photo in the National Enquirer, Edwards was forced to admit to "something', but let's face it: he told as little of the truth as he thought he could get away with. Why was he in the hotel room w/Hunter and an infant in the middle of the night if the affair has ended 2 years prior?

If he's decent at all he will spare his family the endless media feeding frenzy.

[LibraLiz1973]

182. BUT NO!

He cant confirm or deny if that is him in the photo.
He doesn't recall it being taken.
He doesn't know when it was taken.
He doesn't know if that is Rielle's child.
At least thats the double-speak he used in the Nightline interview.
He completely covered the plausible deniability factor that night.


That Nightline interview took away any lingering admiration I had for him.

[question everything]

262. I caught it, too

He tried to say that there are many photos of him holding babies. OK, I accept it. But he could not decide whether it was even him or not.

[Sonicmedusa]

271. He also did not want to answer exactly when the affair ended.

I found that curious, too. But he knows from his "timing" that the child is not his.

[Faygo Kid]

181. It was just sex.

OK, now I have made it official. I am now certified (many here at DU will vouch for that).

Actually, your points are well taken. I am not quite so personally angry as you are. But the fact he ran at all knowing he had this in his background is disturbing, and your point on gay marriage is especially well taken.

We all fall short, ultimately. But his defense hasn't been helpful. His public career is finished.

[Whisp]

187. for John it probably was just sex.

Riell was just something to masturbate in for him. he said publicly that he was not in love with her

for John it probably was just sex,

but not for Elizabeth, who loves him
and not for Riell who also said she was in love with him.

the 'it was just sex' line is the narrative mostly coming from the male point of view in this, I think

[butterfly77]

185. I am going to be blunt also..

I never liked Edwards when he ran the first time I sensed something phony about him, then Kerry chose him as vice president and I was very unhappy about that but, I voted for the ticket. Now, concerning this controversy now, I don't care who has sex with whom necessarily but,he knew that he was going to run for president again and didn't seem to give a damn.

I also believe he used campaign money to pay off this woman and he is continuing to lie now and we will be hearing a lot more in the coming weeks. I think that he won't admit it all at once to protect Elizabeth and the children but this letting it all out in dribs and drabs is just making it worse.

[Bobbie Jo]

188. Agreed....Please note:

VP choices matter.

applies here too.....

[frog92969]

186. Some of us...

assumed all along that he was a lying, greedy bastard.
So to us this really is not a ground shattering revelation.

[philly_bob]

192. First Spitzer, now Edwards. DU moral police are being manipulated.

I don't care about the details of any public figure's sex life (as long as it's consenting adults and they're not hypocritical about it).

Was John Edwards in the dump-Spitzer lynch mob? I doubt it.

Does he love his wife? I believe he does.

Give it a rest, folks. And luv to Elizabeth.

[AllentownJake]

216. Spitzer prosecuted people for prostitution

and took away their property and freedom.

He than engaged in that behavior. It has been alleged but not confirmed Sptizer used campaign money for prostitutes. No defense for Spitzer.

Edwards took money from a PAC and paid a woman he was sleeping with. The money wasn't donated for his mistress it was meant for getting his message out. She provided a service but I find it very hard to believe that her qualifications as a web video producer is what got her that gig.

I could give a shit less who your sleeping with as long as they are a consenting adult just don't do it on the dime of other people and don't lock up people for doing something you are participating in.

[philly_bob]

286. I guess I would another caveat, then: the lovers pay their own bills

The full rule: I don't want to hear about public figures' sex lives if:

1. They're all consenting adults

2. They're not hypocritical, e.g. anti-gay crusaders having gay affairs

3. The public is not paying for the roses and white wine (or salary).

[Bobbie Jo]

195. Here's the bottom line for me.....

...and the real question:

Is the larger problem that he had an affair? OR that he got caught?


All I want to know is where he stands here. The rest explains itself....I mean, would you buy it anyway? To me, motive/behavior are things we had better know before we reward any of them with more authority.

[Luftmensch067]

217. I haven't posted anything about this here yet

And I don't know that what I'm about to write is of any use, but something in your comment sparked this thought:

I don't think it's about the affair. I don't presume to judge anyone else's marriage (this is how I felt about the Clintons during the impeachment idiocy, too.) I have my OPINION, which is that it was a totally lousy thing for Edwards to do to his wife and family, especially when he knew what a vulnerable state they were in (ill wife, remission or not, young, vulnerable children who had already been subjected to the strain of one national campaign.) Who knows what really happened, why he made his choices, why he went with his weaknesses. None of us can know, none of us can judge a MARRIAGE.

So it's not about the affair. And it's not about somehow, through bad luck or a malignant media, "getting caught," like it was some accident of fate.

It's that he let it get to the point where he could be "caught." If he had either come clean about the affair publicly before choosing to run again OR had chosen not to run again, that would show respect for voters and supporters. But he lied. And he didn't just lie once out of panic, he lied over a period of many months, while many were pinning their hopes for the future of our country on him and while insisting that his marriage and family were the most important things in his life and always had been. He didn't have to run for president -- he could have made a difference in thousands of ways (I hope he and Elizabeth will still choose to do this) either in or out of elected office. He had a strong and respected voice and millions were hungry for his vision of the fight against poverty and inequality.

But he lied and lied and I believe he is still lying, having watched that Nightline interview.

As a Kerry supporter, I have been very angry at both him and Elizabeth for repeatedly talking down John and Teresa Heinz Kerry as "elitist" or "weak" even though, as far as I can see, both Kerrys were nothing but supportive of both of them, especially during Elizabeth's illness and its recurrence. It's an indication, to me, that both Edwards are hypocritical and ambitious people, though I do believe that they believe in their own political ideals and the struggle for justice.

Even so, I actually feel sorry for him as a human being -- he is clearly a confused and unhappy man and I feel great pity for his children.

Long comment, but the gist is -- it's not about the affair, it's not about getting caught, it's about lying until it was inevitable that he had to be caught. And risking the hopes of millions in the process.

[CatWoman]

197. this horse ain't dead YET??

[WorseBeforeBetter]

263. The vultures are still feasting.

[helderheid]

199. You describe how I feel. Goddamnit.

[bowens43]

200. I am going to be blunt. I think anyone who thinks it's any of thier business is an IDIOT.

[ProSense]

201. Well,

Edwards said it was everyone's business.

IMO, his lying, deciding to run, and continuing the affair after he began campaigning makes him an arrogant idiot.

[renie408]

204. Save your breath...n/t

[krabigirl]

thank you. I can't believe the insanity around here.

[renie408]

223. Me either. Somehow, I don't think we're talking about the same thing, though. n/t

[EV_Ares]

222. I agree and so what is the point of this fucking thread. I am just glad the other progressive and

liberal blogs are being a little more mature than this instead of making a thread with a bunch of posts you could read over at Free Republic because there is not much difference. Hell, everyone is disappointed so what do we do continue beating up a guy that has worked for the people over most of his career. I like what The Nation said, what is the difference between John Edwards now and his beliefs and policies of before. Only here at DU.

[LostinVA]

202. Great rant -- I'm very glad you included the gay marriage thing

[LibraLiz1973]

213. That, for me, is the thing that sticks in my craw the most.

The audacity to say that your faith keeps you from letting one group of people
have the RIGHT to marriage because it would take away from the sanctity of marriage...
and to then make a mockery of that very institution is beyond the pale.
I am generally loathe to even listen to people who wont champion the rights of gays to marry.
I (wrongly) figured that he would come around.

The sanctity of marriage is on the brink of extinction... and it ain't because of the gays.
It's because of people that don't mean the vows they took & people who say dumb shit like
"it was just sex".

Certainly, cheating is not a crime. But is it REALLY something you want to say is no big deal?

I am shocked by how many here are so eager to say it is basically a-ok. Trying to say that it does
not reflect on his character, nor does it mean anything about his ability to govern.
REALLY?

I am going to go out on a limb and say that lying to your spouse of almost 30 years (at that time)
after having been through the death of a child and a serious medical condition reflects directly
on your character AND your decision making process. If he would lie to someone that has faithfully stood by him
for 3 decades (not to mention the damage he did to his children), what makes anyone think he
was going to hold up the oath he would have taken were he sworn in?
If he was that cavalier with his wife & children, you have to ask yourself if you could trust
him to have our countries best interest at heart.


They say it was a private family matter. But the truth is, that ceased to be so when he
chose to bed a woman who was being paid with our campaign contributions and then chose
to run & put our party in jeapordy.

[LostinVA]

226. Wonderful post -- you should make it an OP in GLBT

[krabigirl]

208. I guess I'm an idiot, then. I didn't vote for him for his personal life, but for his ideas.

I honestly could give a rat's ass about his affairs. But this is America, where everyone is perfect, God Bless us! PUKE!!!

[Deja Q]

212. Is it not true that if one's actions don't reflect their beliefs, they end up hypocritical?

Nobody's perfect; but there is a context for any incident that defies what one says. And peoples' capability TO change in the first place.

Edwards did speak against Clinton in 1999 for his affairs.

Edwards' own have been brought to light.

What's the context that justifies his cheating, especially regarding his faith? Assuming any attempt to justify can be believed?

[BeatleBoot]

211. I would still vote for him if he was the Democratic candidate

Because I can't stand Republicans more than I can't stand infidelity.

[Deja Q]

214. Forgive me, but what's the relevance to 'gay marriage' in all this?

Edwards caught in cheating on his wife.

Edwards made a nasty comment against Bill Clinton in 1999.

Unless either of them is gay, I don't see the relevance of the loosely-tangential-at-best issue.

Your real topic is about tying one's words to one's actions, which is where Edwards fucked up (no pun intended) and is why we should be grateful he didn't get the nomination.

Repub or Dem or anything else, people are sick and tired of liars running for office. That's all I can conjecture from the observations over the last few months.

[dsc]

218. He said, that for religious reasons, we were unfit to marry

after he had an affair and put the woman he had the affair with on his payroll. I admit to not being an expert on all things southern baptist but I feel pretty safe in saying that having affairs isn't something southern baptists find OK.

[LibraLiz1973]

220. Exactly dsc.

He is now hoist by his own petard.

[LibraLiz1973]

219. My reference to gay marriage

is about the fact that he allowed himself to pick & choose
which parts of his religion he felt like following.
He claimed that his faith would not allow him to support gay marriage.
This same faith did not stop him from having an affair.
That & his references to Clinton are just 2 of the reasons I think he is an enormous hypocrite.

[Homer12]

221. I agree, I think liberals and democrats should have learned from..

..Bill Clintons lies and womenizing.

It does not matter what your poltical label is, if you lie and cheat, you are a hypocrite.

Conservatives and Rigthwingers defend Bush at every mistake.

Personally,I am disapointed and sad, I have lost much respect in Edwards.

[EV_Ares]

224. The idiot is you, hell you could make this post over at Free Republic, no

difference. Thank god, other liberal blogs such as KOS, The Nation are a little more mature and reasonable about this.

Go ahead and make your day. Your post does not do the Dems, liberals or anyone any good except the freepers.

Maybe you are having some satisfaction in all this.

[KoKo]

225. "Sex, Lies and VideoTapes" ...what more does one need to know?

Edwards is part of this "new system" of "fake family values." His wife is an enabler...and it's all set up conveniently before the Dem Convention.

"Two Party System?" You gotta be smokin' it!

[MichiganVote]

229. John Edwards is a bad man, he acted badly, very badly.

If expecting honesty and integrity from John Edwards is equal to demanding perfection, then there is no point in holding any elections for any democracy anywhere in the world. There is no such thing as perfection. It is a want but not a true value. There are values such as commitment, loyalty, honesty and the ability to deny oneself for the benefit of others. That IS what a politician's life is supposed to be about.

For this man to have broken his vows to his terminally ill wife, to have denied his children the benefit of a sterling reputation to hand down to them and to have even come close to risking this election is bad, very bad.

If will be up to his wife and family to rediscover and enjoy his redeeming qualities. The public has no requirement to forgive him for his "mistake" or "error in judgment".

Both he and others who continue to support the idea of a political career for him will have to be satisfied with that. John Edwards self anatomy of his motives leave me feeling dry and numb. The "egotistical" and "narcissistic" feelings that he described are the very behaviors that we object to so strongly in this very administration.

And I find that deplorable.

[MichiganVote]

230. dupe

[FraDon]

231. "Ma Ma, Where's my Pa? Gone to the White House, ha ha ha!"

Here's how it went down for Grover Cleveland, in the 1884 Presidential campaign:

• It was in the July 21st edition that the Buffalo Evening Telegraph dropped a bombshell into the presidential campaign of 1884. Under the banner of "A Terrible Tale," the Telegraph announced to the world "The Pitiful Story of Maria Halpin and Governor Cleveland's Son." The story was that Democratic candidate Grover Cleveland, a bachelor, had had an affair resulting in the birth of a son.
• Cleveland's primary supporters and campaign staff asked if it was true, and he said that it was indeed so. When asked how to handle it in the campaign, he said, "Tell the truth." The relationship was admitted but downplayed. After all, they said, Benjamin Franklin and Alexander Hamilton were capable but wayward men as well.
• The actual story was ... http://www.orange.k12.oh.us/teachers/ohs/TJordan/pages/gclevelandscandal.html

This still evolving Edwards 'incident' could have gone so badly, for so many.

[vssmith]

235. I like what Paul Newman said about monogamy,

"Why go out for hamburger when you have steak at home"

[Divernan]

272. Edwards' choice of bootie was more like roadkill than hamburger

[mistertrickster]

236. Agreed. And you know what else? Why was he in a hotel room at 2:45 am with the woman if

the affair was over?

Just passing the time?

He still hasn't explained that.

[book_worm]

240. Edwards denial doesn't make sense. Why was he seeing this woman in CA as recently as two weeks ago?

and photographed holding the baby. This still doesn't pass the smell test.

[disndat]

241. Hey, folks

Elizabeth Edwards has totally forgiven him.

[Bobbie Jo]

243. Exactly...and she's the one who has to live with him and his character.

her choice.

[jonestonesusa]

258. Or at least she says in public that she's forgiven him.

And it could be true.

[mckara]

249. Edwards is Such a Bourgeois!

Notions of protestant, middle-class morality prevent many people from becoming humanitarians.

It's sad, very sad!

[liberal N proud]

250. How about this: It is none of our fucking business

[mcctatas]

253. If we put one tenth of this energy into dissecting the republican

candidate, we would really be getting somewhere. Nothing to see here folks, move along....

[McCamy Taylor]

261. It's just sex. And anyone who says it is anything more has their priorities messed.

[Catherine Vincent]

264. I'm just now reading this.

Righteous rant. :thumbsup:

[HughMoran]

265. Your summary reminded me too much of the Republican hypocrites

Edwards stepped in it BIG TIME - it's a real shame, but his career is now officially over. :(

[heliarc]

268. Gingrich's career wasn't over when he demanded a divorce from

his terminally ill wife was it? Went on to be speaker of the house?

[HughMoran]

270. lol - ok, so hypocrisy 101 has no bearing on a politicians standing?

Gingrich was no holy roller - Edwards took a stand on Gay marriage based on religious purity - that's unforgivable hypocrisy.

It's over.

[heliarc]

274. Newt was on the side of any number of hypocritical

religious missions... prayer in schools, banning abortion... you name it. He may not have been a holy roller, but hypocrisy was certainly a trait.

[HughMoran]

277. ...and Gingrich eventually went down too

...but this thread isn't about him is it?

Please don't try to justify what Edwards has done - it's a catastrophe for him and his career. Perhaps if he hadn't played the Christian card against the gays or if Elizabeth wasn't such a sympathetic figure. He has hurt someone that I care about (Elizabeth) and he's been a hypocrite (gay marriage stand). It's just not something that I can callously write off.

[heliarc]

281. If everyone here wants to be so moralistic about this...

How about we chastise Elizabeth too for choosing to stay with him back in 2006 when she found out about it. Isn't she just as guilty of getting a bunch of us on their bandwagon for the presidency too... when she knew the marriage wasn't all it was cracked up to be. If the party was what was so important to her wouldn't she be required to let the world know too?

They are both guilty of propping up their marriage... isn't that what the US requires of its leaders? That they be Married and Christian? Maybe they were doing it for our sake?

I don't know, and I'm not trying to justify what Edwards did... I was a Clinton supporter till before Super Tuesday (wow is that marriage a sham :sarcasm:), and an Obama Supporter Super Tuesday on, but I respect what Edwards was trying to achieve, and don't know anything about his marriage with Elizabeth... their understandings, or pacts... I have no idea what went on from 2006 through the campaign. For all I know they were separated but still appearing as a couple...

Bill Clinton did the same thing to Hillary Clinton and continued to be heralded... And somehow people forgave him his trespasses. Overwhelming numbers of Democrats said "It is a private matter," "JFK was worse" and on and on...

I tend to be in the camp that says this is a private matter. My guess is that he lost his mind for a little while. He thought he was invincible. He lost touch with reality, and thought he was above the world. I am glad he has been humbled by it, but I'm not about to moralize or judge the nature of the relationships he chooses for himself. That seems to me to be way outside of my realm of knowledge or expertise. I haven't a clue what he and his wife agree to share by way of a life together. I merely hope that they are honest with each other and find the strength to be honest with us again.

That may seem to be unduly forgiving, but he is a soldier on our side. I want to win for a change, and we need as many fighters on our side as we can get. Somehow his marital infidelities don't sully any of the fight he's brought to worker's issues, Union rights, not for me anyway. He inspired a lot of people around the country, and I don't think his choice of who to sleep with, or how he and Elizabeth choose to deal with that outside the public eye affects that one bit. They could be going to sex clubs together or separately for all I care. I'd prefer they be honest with each other, but they both chose to stay together. That should count for something.

[heliarc]

266. Blaming the "family platform" on J.Edwards alone is ridiculous.

Elizabeth Edwards has acknowledged that she has known about the affair since 2006... Though I'm not so sure I mean to absolve John by this admission, it must have been her CHOICE to stay with him, for better or for worse. We don't know anything about their relationship. Doubtless it caused her and the family hardship, but she CHOSE to stay with him perhaps because the marriage was over long before and they were married but separated. My guess is that the relationship was important to causes that she shared with John Edwards. Causes that she believed in deeply too.

Certainly, he cheated us, and convinced us of his family platform, but that is the only way for a candidate to be in this country. Married and faithful. If you have any interest in changing society (or keeping it the same in the case of all the right wingers out there) you have to be married and you have to be Christian. That seems to be the overwhelmingly sad truth about this stupid political arena we have, and the Husbands and wives in Politics in the states have beaten that dead horse to death over and over again. A single candidate doesn't fly... a candidate in an open marriage doesn't either, so we get the lie we demand from them.

Do you expect for a second that John Edwards could have gotten to the level he did in the candidacy, if his platform included gay marriage as a primary goal??? Would he really have been a viable candidate?

I'm a little more trusting in the strategic (aka hypocritical) mechanations of our candidates. I believe wholeheartedly that, as representatives of the people's will they are forced to walk the very razor edge between what they believe and what their constituency believes. I don't doubt for a second that these candidates don't weigh every word they say and every position they take, and I bet their wives do too.

I too feel that marriage is a right that should be bestowed on all US citizens: Gay or straight, but when I hear democrats in West Virginia or Arkansas, who just aren't ready for that, than I get worried that we won't win the next presidential election. I'm glad we have people like John Edwards who have the wherewithal to walk that razor's edge and tell them what they need to hear so we can lose a battle and win the war, and my hope is that he doesn't lose himself in the process.

And with this in mind, I lament that John Edwards was stupid enough to think that this wouldn't be public someday, the same way that Clinton's affair damaged his presidency, it will damage his credibility, he may have lost himself a lot with this one, but that doesn't mean we need him to fall on his sword.

For us to analyze his relationship with Elizabeth and use that against him is pure and utter speculation. How can we know what they have agreed to or how they choose to support one another. I certainly don't know the whole story, and I'm not looking to know. Everyone's compact with the person they choose to live with forever is different, and may outwardly express more "faith" than is inwardly expected of either partner... so quit the moralizing on your standards. Elizabeth Edwards asked for privacy as they deal with "private" matters... quit making it harder for her to deal with the problem.

[King Coal]

269. Men do that.

[DallasNE]

273. I'm With You

Just wait, John Edwards has still not come clean on the extent of this relationship. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3753646&mesg_id=3764120

For some reason nobody is going after the "other woman" in this case. Outwardly, it looks like she has been blackmailing the crap out of Edwards. Some Democrat she has turned out to be too.

[nvme]

279. I do not condone his behavior

All too many of get hooked on the character flaws. I do not need to be faithful to my b/f to be a bartender. Does a doctor become a bad doctor because he gives into his penis? America is too fixated on this bullshit. John Edwards is not a god; he is a man. You vote for people, for human beings. Politicians are not the ones we should look toward morals. You want morals then live by a moral code. As far as family values look toward your own family. Do not expect the government to teach them. And the positions on gay marriage have nothing to do with his sleeping with another woman. Any politician running for the highest office would sign their own political death warrant if the embraced gay marriage all out. have not taken note of the political shift in the country to more conservative tone. I do not think that you are that oblivious. Presidential candidate has to appeal to a broad swath of american voters not just one isolated group.

[alarimer]

287. I agree. None of these lying assholes that run for President will get my money.

They might not even get my vote. It's quite possible I have had enough of politics and voting.