My Take On The John Edwards Scandal

OK, after having a day to think about the Edwards Scandal I need to vent. I supported John Edwards in 2004.I also supported him and Hillary and Obama in 2008. Hillary was my first choice and Obama and Edwards sort of being a tie. I was sad to hear him drop out yet again but felt he would serve well in Obama's administration.

I am very disappointed in him and it will take lots of time to forgive him(if I even can). What would have happened if John became the nominee and this came out? What was he thinking? Why would he run for President with this in his closet? Why would his wife who knew about this affair allow him to run? I do hold some blame on Elizabeth as well as John. She was the one who said in 2004 that she was going to keep her eye on him and keep him honest. So, for her to know about this and allow him to run and risk this puts her in a bad light to in my opinion.

So, on top of all that for Edwards to offer to step up and support Obama for President is also unforgivable. He knew about this and dragged Obama down by supporting the man and Elizabeth allowed him to do this as well.I also believe Edwards has hurt the Democrats in a very bad way this election year.

If he is allowed to speak or even show up at the Convention that will be it for me. My anger towards Howard Dean and the mishandling of this primary season and then allowing Edwards to attend and speak will do it for me.

I think everyone should be disgusted at this man for and his wife for what he did. To cheat on your terminally ill wife, lie about it, run for office, then support a party and candidate and then get caught is unforgivable.

Papa, you were right.

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I am sure there are already a few campaign smear videos using Edwards endorsement in the can ready to air. McCain will use this against Obama and we will have John Edwards to thank for it.

As of now, Edwards I hear is still scheduled to speak at the convention. Lets hope Howard Dean comes to his senses. Does Edwards think he is going to get support and cheers? Seriously, I am so pissed at the Democrats lately. They refuse to impeach Bush, their mishandling of the primaries, a few dozen other things really has me on edge. They need to cut Edwards loose now. If they do not I am done with this party. I have given a lot to the DNC over the years and this past May gave more than I ever have. I don't care at this point who he picks, Obama just needs to pick a VP NOW so this Edwards scandal will go away!

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Thanks romantico- couldn't have said it better myself!

McCain should just be quiet and let it play out how it will. He opens his mouth, and his own marriage problems will come up again,

don't forget mark dann, the democratic ohio attorney general who had to resign because he was cheating on his with a girl who worked in his office. before resigning over his own sex scandal, he had to fire two aides who were under investigation for drugging and sexually assaulting another co-worker at an apartment they shared with the ag.

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As of now, Edwards I hear is still scheduled to speak at the convention.

Obama announced today that NEITHER of the Edwardses will be speaking at the Convention.

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“If I’m not mistaken I think that … the Edwards family indicated that they probably wouldn’t be attending the convention,” Obama told reporters.
Obama says John Edwards won’t be at Democratic convention

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Updated On: 8/9/08 at 05:03 PM

I think Janet will be better too, but I do not judge John Edwards for his mistakes. He obviously made some errors of judgement (by running for President), but I still can't pass intense judgement or dislike him for what he did. I have no right.

The only difference I see between him and some recent Republican scandals is the hypocrisy of Republican leaders to preach until their face is blue about one thing and then turn around and do it in a bathroom stall. I could be very wrong, but I don't believe Edwards was standing on his soap box (or in the Senate during his term) preaching about the sanctity of marriage and how adulterers should have their hands cut off.

Updated On: 8/9/08 at 05:30 PM

If Edwards was smart, he would have retired after 2006 when the affair occurred. Keep a low profile. He could easily retire. TO stay in the public eye is bad enough but to run for President is political suicide considering what he did. I am surprised this story did not break while he was running. Would have been a much bigger story. I thought the campaign mangers investigate you to see if there is any dirt. Its a precaution they do in a attempt to find something before the press does. Maybe John Edwards felt this was done in 2004 so there was no reason to do it again in 2008.

For him to think this would never surface is beyond asinine.Still, you know there are a handful or so of politicians who have done the exact same thing Edwards and Spitzer have done who have never been caught.

If Edwards just lived a quiet private life and stayed out of politics and not endorsed anyone this story would have probably never surfaced.I wonder if the girl leaked it. Can't imagine why. She will forever be labeled a home wrecker. A woman who came between a man and his terminally ill wife.Still, on top of the money you know Edwards MUST be paying her, the press will pay her top dollar for an interview and a tell all book.

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The bottom line on this situation is, it's not of our business...period...end of discussion. It's a private matter between him and his wife and his family. It's very easy to cast stones and say......well, my friend, who has a friend, who's knows the dry cleaner of the sister who knows him........etc.... Hear say means nothing. He confessed to his family 2 years ago.

We don't know what has happened or what will happen. It's a private matter. He's entitled to a private life, just like I have and you have.

No, Clinton should not have resigned. Again, it's none of our business. Who cares what he does in private? The entire world was laughing at us during MONICA GATE. It was so stupid. But, the best was when Larry Flynt offered $1 million, I think it was, to find out if the men who were going after Clinton, had an affair/mistress. And, 2 men did - Newt G and another guy...don't remember. Total hypocrites.

These men are human beings. They are allowed to make mistakes and have flaws/faults - just like the rest of us.

If people were perfect......sure. Absolutely. But, that's not the case. They are human beings, just like the rest of us.

I agree with your post, romantico, especially this part:

What would have happened if John became the nominee and this came out? What was he thinking? Why would he run for President with this in his closet?

As distasteful as I find the infidelity itself, this is the most reprehensible part of his actions. It's incredibly irresponsible and detrimental to the party (and the country as a whole, really) for him to run for president with this in his closet, especially having publicly denied it all. It's beyond selfish and not at all in the best interests of the country.

Maybe it's not our business on principle, but it becomes our business when they lie to the American public about it -- and that goes for any political scandal. It might be a societal issue that we care about things like infidelity, but that's just the political climate right now. I can't believe Edwards would risk running in such a critical election year with so much baggage, and, yes, that fact makes me angry.

Updated On: 8/9/08 at 09:01 PM

Granted this is a bit of schilling, but a friend of mine from college just wrote a book called "The Scandal Plan" (his name is Bill Folman). The book is about a candidate for the presidency whose campaign invents an affair in his past in order to make him more human. It's a pretty good read, humorous and entertaining, though given the current events, a bit eerily prescient.

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Oh Puh-Lease! Not buying it! The media lives for stories like this. Oh and Drudge? The same Matt Drudge who said Al Gore was buying and operating a Mom and Pop Diner in Tennessee shortly after the 2000 selection? I can give you a list of stories Matty Boy has been wrong about. He's been wrong more times than the Enquirer has.

The National Enquirer FINALLY got a story right.So that cover story a few weeks ago with Bush back to drinking or how Laura is divorcing George should be looked at again. I am disgusted with Edwards but if you critics of his are going to believe the negative stories about Democrats and overlook the negative stories on Republicans, your not going to be taken seriously here or anywhere. The real hypocrisy will come Monday when Rush Limbaugh will talk about the National Enquirer as the Gospel and how it is SO reliable yet trashed it when the same paper got Rush's Drug bust right.You idiots who will trash a publication when a story is reported that you don't like but when the same publication reports a story that you do agree with its a different story.

Typical double standards. Spare us the liberal/mainstream media myth. Every politician is fair game. Only news I don't rely on is Fox, because its not a news network its an entertainment channel like E or VH-1

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Updated On: 8/9/08 at 11:25 PM