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Edwards admits to affair
After months of rumors, former Democratic presidential candidate and senator from North Carolina John Edwards has admitted to ABC News that he did have an extra-marital affair with filmmaker/campaign staffer Rielle Hunter, but he denies being the father of Hunter’s child.
I’ve never been much of a fan of Edwards, but this news saddens me. Despite my differences with him politically, I had admired how dedicated he was to his wife, Elizabeth. He and his family need our prayers.
Topic: Newsworthy, WorldMagBlog
Keywords: Frances Quinn, john-edwards
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back to top98 Comments to “Edwards admits to affair”
What a scuzzball. With morals like that maybe he could run as McCain’s VP?
There.
Now I’ll join Mickey in prayer.
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Remember when his wife was diagnosed with cancer?
Everyone thought he would quit the presidental campaign but of course he didn’t.
I always figured he cheated on his wife. He was a smooth talker, with the blow dried hair, his millions of dollars and his wife was kind of frumpy.
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And everyone thought the Enquirer with all the pictures was just plain wrong.
This story isn’t finished but Edwards sure is.
And we should trust this bunch? What’s next on this party which will become front page news?
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I don’t beleive him as to the fatherhood issue. One of his staffers “admitted” to fathering the child and this married guy had her move in with him and his wife/family prior to the birth of her child. In what universe does that happen?
I knew the Enquirer story had to be true (because the Enquirer is enough of a business to know better than to splash the front page with a libelous – per se libelous even – story defaming a multimillionaire trial lawyer).
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I agree with Godlumps’ first sentence, I’m not going to waste my time praying for Edwards or his family. Years of fervent prayers that accomplished nothing helped me finally understand that prayer might make the person praying feel better, but it otherwise accomplishes nothing else.
Like Nick Peters, I’ve believed JE was cheating since the rumor first surfaced last year. I was surprised to find out that he’s cheating with a plain looking woman who’s in her mid 40s who’s not even remotely “hot”; that’s usually not the kind of mistress that makes a man risk his entire political future. Apparently JE likes ‘em “kind of frumpy.”
And he’s still lying. He’s the father of this child and he knows it.
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I agree with Mickey; this story makes me feel sad.
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It would have been interesting to see what would have happened if Edwards had been the Democratic nominee.
If he resigned just two or three weeks before the convention who would have been his replacement?
I highly doubt either Ms. Clinton or Obama would have deferred to the other.
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Michelle, I couldn’t agree with you more. Edwards wife has gone through so much illness and now this.
Even though this is sad, it could very well have come to pass that Obama would have chosen Edwards, and that would have been a huge mess.
Sin causes much pain, that is if people see these things as sin.
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KRM
YOU WRITE:.. “One of his staffers “admitted” to fathering the child and this married guy had her move in with him and his wife/family prior to the birth of her child. In what universe does that happen?”
I don’t believe that he is the father of the child. I’m sure there were some very INTERESTING reasons WHY the woman moved in with his family, several come to mind.
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This sucks. Regretfully, I’ve been on both sides. It really sucks.
I never liked Edwards, even though I agreed with some of his policies. He always had that smarmy element to him, the same smarmy-ness that Romney has. Hard to define, but he’s never been a regular guys guy.
I always liked his wife and found her to be smart, strong and quite radiant (not frumpy). The accidental death of her first son, breast cancer, and now a very public affair. Who’s tougher than Elizabeth? I’d certainly take a punch for her.
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Ok. I’ll bite. What would induce a married man’s wife allow a woman her husband cheated on her with and fathered a baby by, move in with them?
I can’t think of any reasons. My wife would not have allowed it, much less stayed married to me.
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Because the guy isn’t the father? SO it wouldn’t be to hard to let the expectant mother move in for a few months.
I wonder who devised this plan? Let’s see now…..
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I’ve reconsidered. Edwards would be perfect for McCain’s Abstinence only adviser. Nothing else in his campaign makes sense. Why should that appointment
Gingrich and Edwards in 2008?
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Now that he has confessed, we all need to refrain from the insults and name calling, and call upon God for mercy for him. (Of course, it is the trolls doing the name calling. Thank you to the rest for keeping your comments civil.)
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M I M – I think Victoria was pointing out the just remotely rational (but better than the alternatives) explanation that the married staffer wasn’t the father but was covering for his boss by “admitting” paternity, and the wife went along with it (i.e. let the boss’ pregnant paramour move in rather than her husband’s pregnant paramour).
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For the most part, we don’t really “know” people we encounter through the media. However, Edward’s wife made a positive impression on my wife and myself.
I agree with #10: I always liked his wife and found her to be smart, strong and quite radiant (not frumpy). The accidental death of her first son, breast cancer, and now a very public affair. Who’s tougher than Elizabeth? I’d certainly take a punch for her
OK, I’m not volunteering to take a punch.
I’m on board with #14, also, though only in an agnostic sort of way.
Wishing and washing my way out.
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as for the frumpiness; it was caused by the husband’s bad behavior, not the other way around
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Edwards’ political future has been “finished” for a long time, which, combined with Mrs. Edwards’ cancer, is the reason why mainstream organizations didn’t report the affair until Edwards himself confessed.
Worldmagblog has been very admirable in resisting up until now, but I guess the need to comment upon the fall of a competitor in the politics of poverty and compassion overwhelemed the blog’s good sense.
Apart from the condemnation by the keepers of chastity, which will be drowned out by mercifully by the olympics, Edwards faces the enduring vengeance of all of his campaign aides who expended their credibility in persuading reporters not to cover the story last March and consequently damaged their own careers as spokespeople and press handlers.
If I were the Herbert von Karajan of moral outrage, I’d be in a frenzy to obtain a tutti fortissimo. Pay no attention to Peter L.! The future of marriage may depend on this election . . . and McCain’s former senior aides still might go on the record about Vicki Iseman.
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Did anyone else think Edwards said too much in his statement that was released this afternoon? What ever happened to “I was wrong. I lied. I’m sorry. Now I’m going to spend my time working on my family life.” He was 99% truthful? ? Sure!
Just once I would like to see ANY politician be real and ask for forgiveness for what they have done. It is so much easier to forgive them that way. What really ticks me off is that this is making more news than the Russian invasion of Georgia. What a message we are sending about what Americans find important.
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One more thing: Does anyone else find it interesting that Edwards “comes clean” while Obama is on vacation and on the day of the start of the Olympics?
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Scroop makes a good point.
John McCain married a beauty queen early in life, then headed to Viet Nam. When he got out of the Hanoi Hilton, and came back home, he discovered his wife was no longer beautiful. She’d had a disfiguring car wreck that left her with a limp, and robbed her of her good looks. McCain stayed with her for a little while, for appearance’s sake, but began fooling around on her almost as soon as he got to America. It wasn’t long before he divorced her and took up with one of his girlfriends, the rich and (back then anyway) beautiful Cindy, who’s about 20 years younger than his first wife.
Yet John McCain is still welcome in politics, while Edwards is probably finished.
Another funny thing – I never hear defenders of “traditional marriage” denouncing McCain’s despicable behavior.
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NT: We’ve denounced many, many things about McCain, including his stands on issues ranging from “global warming” to immigration to education. You apparently just weren’t listening.
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20-attention starved man, has frumpy wife
21-righteousness is not found in groups
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NT: We’ve denounced many, many things about McCain, including his stands on issues ranging from “global warming” to immigration to education. You apparently just weren’t listening.
That’s neither here nor there. I HAVE been listening, and I don’t hear people like James Dobson and Maggie Gallagher or Peter Leavitt or Joel Mark or yourself, who claim that gay marriage is an assault on traditional marriage, denounce McCain for his own assault on traditional marriage.
I never claimed that the Christians on WoW have never expressed any disagreements with him.
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Most of us do not know the story of his first marriage. I’m basing my support of John McCain on the fact he is the lesser of two evils. You have peaked my curiosity to know the other side of the story, but I will try to smother it.
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NT
None of us know the whole story on McCain and Cindy. For all we know he has apologized to his first wife, and is very sorry. Don’t forget, McCains first wife is on friendly terms with him. She appears to have no bitterness at all.
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This thread’s Christian all-stars:
Nick Peters can tell who plays around by the look of their haircut and the frumpiness of their wives.
KRM knows the child’s true paternity without need for a paternity test.
DEB knows what Edwards should or shouldn’t have said in his public admission.
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Night Train: Henry Hyde, Newt Gingrich and John McCain had affairs. The GMCs on this site don’t care — they are Republicans.
Affairs are bad only when Democrats have them.
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Victoria, too, of course, who supposes that McCain fixed things up with his first wife and made everything OK.
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I will say the same thing I say when any politician gets catch doing something legal but immoral. It should be up to the people who voted him in to decided if he is finished.
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Moth, if McCain has apologized to his first wife, that is between them – and if he has asked forgiveness from GOD thats between he and GOD. This happened a long time ago everyone has been aware of it for years and years, long before he was a candidate for President.
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If Henry or Newt or John were currently involved in extramarital affairs, evangelicals would denounce them. The fact is, there’s not. Get over it.
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I believe Jesus said,”Let he who is without sin cast the first stone” and Glen Fry who said, “Give ‘em dirty laundry.”
It’s all a sad commentary on human frailty.
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Outkast,
Let’s face it, the whole deal is sour grapes because Edwards had to tell the truth about something that happened only a short time ago.
The DEM’S can’t stand it.
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I give up, SteveG. What is a GMC?
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Being in the military alone puts strains on relationships. I suspect that being a POW for so many years changed McCain, that he didn’t return home the same, and his wife may have changed, too. That’s a lot to deal with. They may simply no longer have loved each other after all that time apart.
Victoria asks: “In what universe does that happen?”
I’ll state up front that I agree with you, but stranger things have happened. We had a murderer in NJ who hired some guys to shoot his wife dead and “attack” him at a highway rest stop. He invited the murderers to live in the same house with him and his children after they’d killed the mother. People are cold.
What troubles me the most is that the affair was in 2006, but Edwards was caught in a hotel with this woman in 2008. He didn’t learn any lessons. Elizabeth Edwards didn’t know about the recent meeting at the hotel. Finding that out had to hurt. She didn’t deserve that.
I had expected the double standard coming out of the liberal/leftists’ mouths. They have never hesitated to attack the bad Repubs who do this, but now their backs are up and they want to deflect this away from one of their own. He’s yours, guys. Own him.
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VICTORIA #26 For all we know he has apologized to his first wife, and is very sorry.
VICTORIA #31 if McCain has apologized to his first wife, that is between them
For all we know, Victoria is very sorry she put her foot in her mouth, but if she has, it’s between her and her foot.
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Even CNN said Edwards gave TMI — too much information.
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SteveG, Scoop, get off your high horse. When a Republican messes up your side shouts it from the house tops and dances in the street.
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Night Train: GMCs are the Good Moral Christians who are eager to denounce sin and evil … when it’s to their political advantage to do so.
We see a lot of them here.
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NJLAWYER: . . . now their backs are up and they want to deflect this away from one of their own. He’s yours, guys. Own him.
DAILYKOS: [sample comments]
[expletive deleted] John Edwards. I have zero respect for his self-serving [expletive deleted]
His hubris makes my blood boil.
I’m not going to listen to anyone who says “oh, this is just between him and Elizabeth”
Self-serving egomaniac with a distinct lack of moral fiber.
He’s not getting any more invitations to my Christmas parties, that’s for sure.
You’re an [expletive deleted], John Edwards.
If she forgives you, as millions have done for their straying spouses, then count yourself lucky. But I don’t forgive you. And I suspect many of your long-time supporters will not either. How can we? Your betrayal of us and the Democratic Party was not a private matter.
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I was referring to the commenters here. You have deflected this off to McCain.
No Christian here has posted with glee the way the liberal/leftist have when a Republican falters. We’ve seen a lot of that here.
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Scroop Moth – You misunderstand my earlier comments.
I said I don’t believe him about not being the father. I don’t believe him about anything he says.
I haven’t seen any paternity test results, but I am fairly sure that a hot shot trial lawyer and prominent Democrat would not have had the least bit of trouble releasing the paternity test results if they would prove his non-paternity, do you? The almost uniformly Democratic press would have rushed forward with a “leaked” paternity test result long ago if it would have been advantageous to Edwards.
I based my educated guess on the same sort of considerations I based my belief that the Enquirere had nailed him about the affair. There good common sense and a bit of life experience told me that a tabloid with significant assets and revenues would not commit a per se libel against a multimillionaire trial lawyer by printing what they did without solid back up – can you imagine what a jury would do if it were false, what with poor Mrs. Edwards’ condition and all (and I do feel great sympathy for her, she does seem like a nice lady, going through terrible times, despite her poor choice of a husband).
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KBELLS
Edwards is a slain goat, and his blood is upon the altar of family values.
Democrats have two things to be thrilled about: Edwards is not our nominee, and McCain is still the Republican nominee — and another goat.
There are many things about Edwards’ behavior to condemn, mainly his political malpractice, but not the sex, for which I’ve never condemned anybody.
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Edwards campaigned as a wonderful family man, standing by his sick wife. People feel fooled by him and are angered by it. With Bill Clinton, no one was surprised.
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KRM – 43
You made the points in your last paragraph. When I printed the site for the Enquirer, story pictures, etc., there were a lot of angry folk on this board, but I believed they had the proof, the stakes were too high if they were wrong.
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Outkast #32: If Henry or Newt or John were currently involved in extramarital affairs, evangelicals would denounce them. The fact is, there’s not. Get over it.
So if the affair is in the past, it no longer matters? So I can expect to never hear conservatives cite Bill Clinton’s adultery again?
Right. I’ll just be holding my breath.
You don’t even try to be credible anymore, do you?
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KRM –
You’re likely to find out if your guess is right. Edwards made a huge, detailed statement, replete with timelines and assertions about what he did and did not do, and an offer to submit to a paternity test. His account will be fodder for investigation, and right wing organizations may go after it.
I hope they do burn Edwards on the stake of his disclosures, not because I care about his adultery, but because of the implication this may have for Obama and McCain. Each of these candidates is now more likely to be asked if they have committed adultery. I’m hoping they are asked, because I’m a bit of a gambler and I bet McCain has more to lose in that department. Again, not that I care about adultery. That doesn’t matter to me. But your vote does, and adultery may persuade you to not vote.
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McCain was not in politics when he had his affairs. Clinton not only in office, but actually in the office.
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If it’s in the past and they’ve sought genuine forgiveness (repentance), SteveG, that means it’s in the past. Why are the libs on this site so thin-skinned?
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Kbells – 49
“Clinton not only in office, but actually in the office.”
Right you are, and the ‘OVAL OFFICE’ -
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I saw this awhile back, when it was only the tabloid reporting it. After Fox confirmed it, by way of hotel security, I posted a link to the Fox story. NJL was skeptical of the source, and who could blame her. They’re not exactly known for accuracy. The Fox story added more weight to it. Most posters agreed with her, and didn’t comment much. Even World waited until now to post about it. They did not rush out and jump all over it, as the liberals here do at even the mention of it from a Repub. Do I need remind you of the allegations of McCain and the lobbyist? But this, you guys want to whitewash, and pretend it’s no big deal, or deflect attention to McCain. Well, as NJL said, “own it”.
And the unbiased media refused to touch this until he fessed up. The NYT went front page with the McCain stuff, which amounted to nothing. This, even with eyewitness accounts and photos being mentioned, they ignored it as long as they could. And that’s as it should be. I don’t think they should just run with any old allegation of marital infidelity. Although when the photos came out, it’s pretty much time to report it. But why can’t Repubs, like McCain, get the same treatment? That would be unbiased. But that’s not how it goes.
And the worst part is his wife. It takes a special kind of dirtbag to do this to her, given her circumstances. That’s all I’m gonna say about him.
And Scroppy,
Those comments you posted? Those were the people who were stupid enough to give him money for his campaigns. I’d be ticked too.
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Again, not that I care about adultery. That doesn’t matter to me.
I don’t know if you’re married or not, but if you are (or if you ever get married), I feel sorry for your spouse.
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I’m saddened, simply because Edwards was my favorite Dem and his voice will be weakened. And I have considerable respect for his courageous wife.
And I admit to schadenfreude when this type of thing happens to R’s, especially those who ride the highest moral horses.
But I don’t think that any of this is really the public’s business, unless the politicians actions in some egregious way contradict their public stances. Especially the wide ones… (sorry couldn’t resist).
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It is sad.
“For we all stumble in many ways” — James 3:2.
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I feel sorry for the man and his wife. TK says it well in #33: it’s a sad commentary on human frailty.
In terms of political fall out, this is one of those crazy situations where both right and left accuse each other of hypocrisy. The right says, “when a Republican has a sex scandal, you liberals hammer him — how come you’re not hammering your own guy the same way?” The left says, “when a Republican has a sex scandal, you conservatives talk about repentance and forgiveness — how come you’re not extending Edwards the same grace?”
If we’re going to say that the private sexual lives of candidates is indicative of their character and is therefore a valid consideration for public office, that standard needs to be applied evenly.
A couple members of the Christian Right here have made this distinction: if politicians show “genuine repentance,” the Right forgives and forgets; if they do not, the Right is free to continue bringing it up as a character issue. But I suspect this is nothing but code for “if he’s a Republican, we forgive and forget.” I suspect that Outkast, Victoria, et al believe that only someone who agrees with them about abortion can offer “genuine repentance,” anyone who disagrees with them on it cannot truly repent because they clearly don’t believe the truth of the Bible, and their heart is not right with God, etc. McCain, Vitter, Craig, Gingrich — forgiven, no longer an issue. Clinton, Edwards — still an issue.
So “repentance” is not a fair standard because it’s loaded, and it’s also very easy to feign.
For me, hypocrisy is the worst crime. I mean hypocrisy very narrowly — not just “acting virtuous while cheating on your wife,” but “pontificating about and legislating against sexual immorality while practicing exactly the thing you condemn.” So Newt Gingrich and Mark Foley are the worst of the worst in my book, men I am convinced have zero integrity. Gingrich was publicly crucifying Clinton for his affair while having one of his own, and Foley was on some kind of committee against child sexual abuse.
Vitter and Craig are a very distant second, because one can be ideologically committed to “the sanctity of marriage” and still be a slave to one’s sex drive. But if Craig was particularly active in anti-gay legislation, then he gets a bump up to the former category.
Similarly, I tend to judge McCain’s affair harshly for more than just the affair itself. His complete betrayal of a faithful, sick wife for a younger and richer woman indicates an appalling shallowness and lack of character.
I guess in all this too-long post I’m saying that sexual infidelity is a very common failing. It is always regrettable, but I tend to judge the character issues that the infidelity uncovers more important than the infidelity itself.
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See, this I respect a lot. Does this meet your criteria for genuine repentance?
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JJF, He might have confessed to his family, but then he lied to the public. While running for the Presidency he was vain enough to think he could keep this secret. I can accept that God and his family have forgiven him. He could have been totally honest with them. He wasn’t with the same Americans he asked to trust him to lead the country.
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Acadia writes: “And I admit to schadenfreude when this type of thing happens to R’s, especially those who ride the highest moral horses.”
I heard/saw a quote of Edwards on Bill Clinton back in the day, and he was very hard on Clinton. I don’t know how you can know what’s right in 1998 or so and forget in 2006 and now he has all the psychological excuses down pat.
The “unbiased media” as Real AJ calls them, knew about this last year! And now ABC News is claiming that they broke the story. The MSM is as astounding as are some posters here. Edwards was asked a long time ago about this, he lied, they knew he lied and well, what shall I call it, a left-wing conspiracy ensued.
Let’s give credit where credit is due: to the National Enquirer for reporting the news when Edwards was caught at the hotel — again — recently. It’s interesting to learn that this guy hasn’t learned a blessed thing, it seems his “repentance” didn’t last, he’s still narcissistic and full of himself, if, of course, you “tend to judge the character issues that the infidelity uncovers more important than the infidelity itself.”
The only reason this came out now is because of the National Enquirer story.
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I feel for the child. If Edwards is the father (it would appear that that’s at least likely, esp considering his visit), he’s now on record as denying his own child.
It just compounds the wickedness.
Forgiveness should be freely given, but repentance should be thorough, as well.
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Bottom line is that the Christianists are rejoicing in their hearts at the turn of events. While some of them will mouth the right words, we all know that they are secretly, self-righteously happy that a man they despised has been taken down.
Face it – we all celebrate a little bit when our opponent gets taken down. The Christianists are no different than the rest of us.
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REE: I don’t know if you’re married or not, but if you are (or if you ever get married), I feel sorry for your spouse.
You can feel sorry for whomever you wish, I made my peace with marriage without turning it into a voting issue.
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Anlir: “While some of them will mouth the right words,…”
Condemned if we do, condemned if we don’t. When the next scandal erupts with the Republicans, we’ll see how well you behave.
Edwards is NOT an opponent.
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I also note that our leftist/liberal friends are evading the larger issue of their media remaining silent for so long.
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Anlir, I for one am not rejoicing. I hate to see any family struggling with this issue, but my heart goes out to Mrs. Edwards in a special way due to her illness. There are some who call themselves Christian who may secretly rejoice. There are many other Christians who regret the hurt this family has suffered and are praying for them. I do not like the press statement Edwards made. I do not like the timing (Obama vacation/Olympics)but I do not despise the man and I would love to hear that his family makes it through this and comes out stronger than ever.
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Anlir, I am not rejoicing over it, either. Of course, I don’t call myself a Christianist, either. What is the definition of one? Are they people who you can read the hearts and mines of? Can we all know their secret thoughts or is this a special power of yours?
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Either Edwards is the father of this baby or his girlfriend is one major league ho. It’s bad enough to date a married man, but to get pregnant by another man shortly after he breaks off with you would mean this Rielle Hunter must have some sort of unbelievably low sexual standards, similar to those that prevail in the inner city.
Frankly, I think Edwards is lying. She may get around, but I don’t think she gets around quite that much. I think Edwards is the baby’s father.
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I myself was unfaithful to my first wife back in the late-90s, and apologized to her immediately and was eventually restored to fellowship in our local church.
Yet, when I first admitted this failure on this very blog, the anti-Christians immediately began referring to me as an “adulturer” whenever I posted. I think this says a LOT about the anti-Christians on this blog.
Through the power of Jesus Christ, Christians are able to genuinely be forgiven through genuine repentance. The fact that John Edwards continues to lie about his sin (and evade questions about the child that likely is his) speaks tons about his character.
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BTW, since my unfaithfulness to my wife I have continuously admitted that I am unworthy of certain church and political offices.
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Night Train — what?
I’m not going to defend Ms. Hunter, if Edwards is not the father, you know of only two men she’s been with and that doesn’t make her a “major ho.”
My major concern is NOT with what Edwards and Hunter did, but with the fact that the news media knew and said nothing when they have had no trouble breaking these stories on those they don’t support. And no, I don’t really think the MSM was thinking of Elizabeth Edwards either.
Elizabeth Edwards is a remarkable woman. She knows her fate, and despite something that must have crushed her spirit, she managed to get out there and live her life with dignity. I never would have suspected this happened to her. She’s given her children, who will have to deal with her loss, quite an example of courage under tremendous fire.
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Scroop – John Kerry promised to release his complete military records. I am still waiting for that (he did allow a hand-picked freindly MSM source with not military knowledge/expertese to see parts of it, but not the general release he promised).
I would expect the same of Edwards.
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JJF at #56: A couple members of the Christian Right here have made this distinction: if politicians show “genuine repentance,” the Right forgives and forgets; if they do not, the Right is free to continue bringing it up as a character issue. But I suspect this is nothing but code for “if he’s a Republican, we forgive and forget.” I suspect that Outkast, Victoria, et al believe that only someone who agrees with them about abortion can offer “genuine repentance,” anyone who disagrees with them on it cannot truly repent because they clearly don’t believe the truth of the Bible, and their heart is not right with God, etc. McCain, Vitter, Craig, Gingrich — forgiven, no longer an issue. Clinton, Edwards — still an issue.
I don’t just suspect this, I know it. No matter how repentant, sorry and contrite a Democrat is, it will never be enough to make his affair something that is “in the past” and no longer relevant.
Thus, the Outkasts of the world get to pretend Republican infidelity is forgiveable, Democratic isn’t, and they actually believe they are being Christlike in this double standard.
KRM: John Kerry released his full record after the election. I’ve posted a link to an article about it several times. The right keeps insisting he didn’t, but it is lie. And I don’t think you get a waiver of the command against bearing false witness when the person in question is a Democrat.
Once more, here is the link.
I will wait to see if you have the integrity to acknowledge it. I will not hold my breath.
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SteveG – The link appears to support me.
He released records to his handpicked friendly (non-military expert) paper and not anyone who could read between the lines and suss through the obfuscations and cover up. The records were not released geberally, or to anyone who would apply any critical review of them (and expose the crap in them).
The article says the records were complete (but the Kerry supporter at the Globe who saw them wouldn’t have any way to know that – or know what to look for as missing).
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No KRM, it doesn’t support you. He signed the SF-180 –the exact document everyone was whining that he wouldn’t sign–which authorizes the Navy to provide the records.
Now it turns out that really you wouldn’t be satisfied unless he sent them to you personally?
What do you want from him? I think what you want is believe the Swift Boat lies, so anything Kerry says or releases will never be enough.
Good look justifying that, if indeed your belief in final judgment is right.
P.S. What evidence do you have that the Globe reporter is a Kerry supporter? another lie. Or at best, arrogant pre-judgment with no basis.
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SteveG/JJF: I have close friends who disagree with me on the subject of abortion. For you to suggest that anyone who sees that issue different than I is a lost soul shows that you have no clue as to the real issues in this debate.
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Outkast: The real issue in this debate is your naked hypocrisy when you insist that John McCain’s adultery is “in the past” and therefore shouldn’t be an issue now, but Bill Clinton’s affair 10 years ago is somehow “different” and still fair game for trotting out whenever it’s politically useful to do so.
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Steveg,
McCains situation is in the past, it has been for years. McCains ex-wife thinks very highly of him, they don’t have bitterness between them.
Bill Clinton did his ‘DEEDS’ right in the Oval Office, that’s the difference Steveg. Clinton has a string of women who have gone public with his need to be a ’stud’-
McCain and Cindy were married in 1980. John McCain was elected and became a Senator in 1987. Most everyone knew the story, it’s not news.
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Edwards ex-mistress rules out paternity test
Aug 9, 6:58 PM (ET)
WASHINGTON (AP) – The ex-mistress of former presidential candidate John Edwards says she will not participate in DNA testing to establish the paternity of her daughter.
Rielle Hunter’s lawyer, Robert Gordon, says his client is a private individual who wishes to maintain the privacy of herself and her daughter.
Here’s another difference, Victoria. John McCain divorced the woman he cheated on and married a much younger woman.
Bill Clinton worked out his problems with his wife and stayed married.
Which of the the two demonstrates better family values?
The real difference, the only one that really matters to you, Outkast and others, is that Clinton and Edwards are Democrats.
If you insist that’s not true, name me one Democrat who has committed adultery and then repented and made amends in a way that you agree is sufficient.
Betcha can’t.
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Hillary wouldn’t have divorced Bill -
Who would even consider a woman divoreced from an ex-President who was impreached, as a candidate for the President of U.S.
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Yup. You can’t.
Thanks for confirming it.
The Clintons reconciled and stayed together, but it’s really cynical politics. John Kerry released all of his records, but (per KRM) he really didn’t.
You people have zero credibility. You have all kinds of excuses for the sins of Republicans, but Democrats can never, no matter what they do, satisfy your impossible double standards.
And you claim to be morally superior … that’s the funniest part of all.
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No Kerry didn’t – get over it Steveg – Kerry isn’t going to be President of anything except his own pride.
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What does his not being president have to do with anything? That’s beside the point.
Rightists whined that he wouldn’t sign the SF-180 form authorizing release of his records. He signed it, although he waited until after the election to do it.
When it turned out that the full release contained exactly nothing to support the lies of the Swift Boat Veterans, the rightists couldn’t muster the integrity to admit they were wrong. Instead, they chose to compound the lies by continuing to claim Kerry hadn’t released the records.
The GMCs are quite happy to perpetuate the lie, because it serves your political agenda.
This is a fact. Get over it, Victoria.
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On an other post and thread, Olasky championed the idea that adultery is a good indication of administrative malpractice. His evidence was less than credible and partisan, however, only those who feel personal sexual behavior between consenting adults is important feel this is a relevant news story. In reality what Gingrich, Edwards, etc did was an error and disloyal to their spouse however it was personal and private and should’ve been left that way — in the same way FDR and JFK were left alone. Foley in a position of authority over pages who may have been under the legal age should be judged more harshly especially sine the presence of pages was due to his office. As for Craig, he made for good fodder on late night TV.
In the end there is no real justification for the voyeuristic interest in politician’s sex lives. After all, you don’t inquire into the status of your surgeon’s marriage prior to the operation.
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A surgeon makes very different kinds of judgments than legislators do. Drawing a comparison about the moral behavior of politicians and surgeons doesn’t hold up, to my thinking.
Legislators are entrusted with our security (which can be compromised by someone blackmailable), our money, even our freedom. We want morally upstanding people making the rules because someone who will betray a spouse is *more likely* to betray citizens.
They are more vulnerable to pressure politics, as well, if they have damaging secrets to protect.
Voters weigh these concerns along with stated positions. If I can choose between 2 candidates with similar positions, I’ll choose the one who appears to be faithful.
If my choice is between 2 candidates with very different positions, and the one who “lines up” with my views has some immoral behavior in his past, I’m stil going to have a hard time voting for the man with the good morals/bad positions.
Ideally, we’d have a choice who would be morally excellent *and* conservative positions.
It’s not a perfect world.
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Face it – we all celebrate a little bit when our opponent gets taken down. The Christianists are no different than the rest of us.
******Ah, so here’s the crux of the matter. Anlir feels this way about his “opponents” so he can’t imagine that anyone else would feel differently. That is so sad.
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See, this I respect a lot. Does this meet your criteria for genuine repentance?
*****I figure that repentance means: 1) fully accepting blame, 2) fully accepting responsibility, 3) fully accepting consequences (and there should be some), and 4) a serious commitment never to commit the same sin again. (This requires time to rebuild trust.)
Edwards has done #1. Since I think the baby is likely his, he has not done #2. He *may* do #3 if he graciously accepts not being at the Democratic primary, and accepts that for the next few years he really has no right to expect anything from voters. He also *may* do #4, but that simply requires TIME. You cannot rebuild lost trust just with an apology. You have to show the fruits of a changed life.
So, no, Edwards is not at the stage where I can “let it all go” yet. I might be able to do so in the future, but that will depend on him.
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Well, since I posted the above, I’ve stumbled on more information about “Rielle Hunter”. She used to be called Lisa Druck, and one of the bestselling novelists of the 1980s, Jay McInerney, based a novel on her. It was called Story of My Life, and the lead character is a major league ho named Alison Poole. McInerney has said in interviews that the character is based on his former girlfriend Lisa Druck, who now goes by the name of Rielle Hunter:
http://snipurl.com/3e8sj
http://snipurl.com/3e8sv
Can I call ‘em or what?
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Besides…never mind that, NJL. Rielle Hunter says that Andrew Young, a married man, is the father of her child. If she is to be believed, that means she’s had back to back affairs with two married men.
In what kind of universe does that not qualify a woman as a major league ho?
Oh yeah, remind me again how much you believe in the sanctity of marriage.
What a laugh.
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Momof5
If we were to look at the actual candidates and based on their personal moral history, Obama appears to have the edge. As someone who betrayed his spouse, McCain according to your reasoning is more likely to betray citizens. If you still choose to vote for McCain, the moral uproar is merely a hypocritical enjoyment of your opponent’s misery.
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NJL,
I no longer go to church, so I have a hard time keeping up with all the changes in Christian morality. Not long ago, most Christians would have considered any woman who had had an affair with just one married man to be a major league ho. Now you assure me that having back to back affairs with TWO married men in no way implies that Rielle Hunter is a major ho.
You’ve got me wondering, NJL. I understand that Christianity is always watering itself down so as to not seem “judgmental”, etc. So, nowadays, how many married men would RH, or any woman, have to bed down before she’d be considered a major league ho in the eyes of Christians? 7? 9? 16? 43?
Oh, wait. I forgot. Reille Hunter is a “hero” in the eyes of Christians because she didn’t get an abortion.
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# 90 HRW,
When faced with a choice between immoral positions and past immoral behavior, how can you say choosing the candidate with the immoral positions isn’t hypocritical, but choosing the one with past immoral behavior is?
Ultimately, Obama’s leadership will be toward what I consider immoral policies (abortion being on that list).
McCain’s shameful treatment of his wife 20 yrs ago is one of the reasons I voted for Huckabee in the primary. But weighing it all out, McCain will lead somewhat closer (couldn’t say close) to my positions on lots of moral issues. I don’t think his behavior back then makes him vulnerable to blackmail, either. It’s not a secret, so the potential threat over him because of that is absent.
I would hope that in the 20 yrs since, he’s grown in character. He seems to have been fairly stable in his personal life for the last 2 decades. That counts for something. I believe that he is less risky than Obama, so I believe voting for him is the right thing to do.
I know we disagree, but I truly don’t think I’m a hypocrite.
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SteveG – As always the devil is in the details:
Kerry released records only to the Boston Globe and LA Times (2 papers that he could trust to aid in his cover up) – and the public still hasn’t had access to them,
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/005/724pabsc.asp
DURING THE MOST RECENT PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN, various antagonists repeatedly urged John Kerry to sign a Standard Form 180; by signing Form 180, Kerry would have released the entirety of his military records for public consumption. The senator stubbornly refused these pleas. (Actually he “stubbornly refused” in a uniquely Kerry-esque manner. While he kept promising to sign the form and get the information out there, he never quite managed to do so.)
During Kerry’s appearance on Meet the Press almost four months ago, Tim Russert once again broached the issue of Kerry signing a Form 180. As he did during the campaign, Kerry promised to sign the form and then spent the ensuing 100+ days taking no action on that front.
But last week finally brought deliverance for those anxious to exhume the carcass of Kerry’s political career. According to the Boston Globe and the Los Angeles Times, Kerry signed a Form 180 and his precious military records were issued to them and them alone. Since the released records revealed no new information (other than the fact that Kerry had been something of a dullard during his time at Yale), one would have thought the issue would be closed. In actuality, the interesting dimensions of the story were just beginning to reveal themselves.
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#93
Night Train, you are correct. I should not have used the vulgarities that quoted me using. And I should not have been allowed to get away with using them. You may ban me from World on the Web.
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On the other hand, NT, I didn’t see your comment about Kennedy, or the threat to ban you.
I don’t personally know Ted Kennedy, so I am a little reluctant to comment on him in detail. But my strong impression is that whatever you said about him is probably correct. I am glad he was never nominated for President, much less elected.
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KRM: The whole premise of your argument is the assumption that there is a cover-up. And your evidence that there is a cover up is that there’s no evidence of the accusations against him — which you are no doubt certain must be true despite the lack of evidence — ergo, proof of the cover-up.
There’s nothing Kerry could do that would convince you otherwise. If he released his records directly to you and they confirmed his version of events, you’d just insist he must have a friend in the Navy records department who removed the damning records before sending them to you.
But in reality, Kerry did sign the SF-180, the records were were released, and they proved Kerry to be telling the truth.
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RANDOM NAME and NIGHT TRAIN: Please note our comment policy, which states, “Failure of WOW to delete or edit any material does not mean that we are accepting the content of any posting; our staff is small.” The comments in question have now been deleted and this serves as a warning to you both to not post vulgar comments again.
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I didn’t post any vulgar comments. I merely pointed out that RN had done so.
There’s a big difference.
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