Edwards admits to affair he denied as candidate

Saturday 09th August, 06:45 AM JST

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Latest 15 of 117 Total Comments Show All

Nessie at 01:20 AM JST - 14th August

Acknowledging a sex scandal he had dismissed as “tabloid trash” only last month,

It's still tabloid trash. It just happens to be TRUE tabloid trash.
Nessie at 01:28 AM JST - 14th August

The ethical problem is not screwing around. (Or not JUST screwing around.) The ethical problem is running for the highest office while holding the ticking bomb of an infidelity scandal. He betrayed his party and all of his political supporters.

If he wants to screw around and he has an understanding with his wife (which apparently he didn't), that's fine. But don't drag everyone else down with your behavior. He's a scumbag.
seansezso at 11:44 AM JST - 14th August

If he wants to screw around and he has an understanding with his wife (which apparently he didn't)

You have no reason to assume that either way, mate.

The ethical problem is running for the highest office while holding the ticking bomb of an infidelity scandal. He betrayed his party and all of his political supporters.

Just because people have a weakness and inability to stay out of other's personal lives does not mean we should pander to that weakness. Far smarter to have a good president with a messy personal life than an idiot lying president whose personal life is (apparently) squeaky clean. Which does America have right now? Which was Thomas Jefferson? I rest my case.
WilliB at 12:37 PM JST - 14th August

A lying democrat party apparachik, and mainstream press covering up until it is safe. What is new? Nothing to see here, lets move on.
seimei at 03:36 PM JST - 14th August

What is this obsession with affairs?

The only ones we hear about are those in high places that get caught. Hang out in the lobby of any fancy hotel and see the REALLY dodgy things that go on there.
Sarge at 03:47 PM JST - 14th August

"It just happens to be TRUE tabloid trash."

A real rarity, eh, Nessie?
sailwind at 10:02 PM JST - 14th August

Hang out in the lobby of any fancy hotel and see the REALLY dodgy things that go on there.

Agreed....Though the pick up line Bush lied about Iraq isn't the line I would use to get some action meself.
undecidedbout08 at 01:06 AM JST - 15th August

What else is the liberal media hiding from America???????????
Nessie at 01:47 AM JST - 15th August

You have no reason to assume that [he did or did not have an understanding with his wife], mate.

I'm not assuming it. I'm going by what he said: He had a tearful confession to his wife. If they had had an understanding, then there would have been no need for a confession, tearful or otherwise. Mate.

Just because people have a weakness and inability to stay out of other's personal lives does not mean we should pander to that weakness. Far smarter to have a good president with a messy personal life than an idiot lying president whose personal life is (apparently) squeaky clean.

The bottom line is that he was a walking wounded candidate who kept his hat in the ring despite knowing that his infidelities could blow up in his face any minute and sink his party's chances. He was selfish with respect to his wife and his party.

Whether or not the public's prejudices are rational, the prejudices are well know to all, and the consequences of his messy personal life were obvious. I would rather have a competant philanderer than an inept non-philanderer, but here in the real world, if you're a politician who screws around on your cancer-ridden wife then you're endangering your job prospects and betraying your party and supporters.
helloklitty at 07:10 AM JST - 15th August

If I had cancer and couldn't perform or wasn't in the mood, I wonder how outraged I'd be if my spouse went out and satisfied a human need.

The fact that Edwards's wife had cancer makes him less of a villain, not more - in my book at least.
Himajin at 09:23 AM JST - 15th August

Shouldn't the time your spouse is potentially dying be the one time you SHOULDN'T cheat!? How important can that piece of tail be?
seansezso at 12:17 PM JST - 15th August

If they had had an understanding, then there would have been no need for a confession, tearful or otherwise. Mate.

If the understanding is in written form, printed and signed in triplicate, and notarized, probably not. But most understandings are not so clear. And usually, the spouse does not want to know the details. Wives are usually still sensitive to this sort of thing, even if they have given tacit approval. And even more than that, is performance to the political circus. You think the statement "My wife totally approves of my swinging ways!" is remotely acceptable for a politician to say?

The bottom line is that he was a walking wounded candidate who kept his hat in the ring despite knowing that his infidelities could blow up in his face any minute and sink his party's chances. He was selfish with respect to his wife and his party.

So you are saying that Thomas Jefferson never should have even entered the race for presidency, given his scandals. Utter tripe!
seansezso at 12:23 PM JST - 15th August

Shouldn't the time your spouse is potentially dying be the one time you SHOULDN'T cheat!?

I do think you understand the situation. Mrs. Edwards was not on her deathbed. This was two years ago. She has been suffering for years.

How important can that piece of tail be?

Well, by this statement we can assume that you find little value in sex and romance and how it affects emotional stability. I used to be stoic myself.
Nessie at 01:26 AM JST - 16th August

So you are saying that Thomas Jefferson never should have even entered the race for presidency, given his scandals. Utter tripe!

It depends on whether it would have affected Jefforson's election chances. I don't know enough about the mores of the day to say either way.

If, given the press of that time and the mores of the day, it was likely to have come out and to have jeopardized his election chances, then yes, Jefferson never should have enetered the race for presidency. Otherwise, he should have entered the race.

Moderator: No more on Jefferson please.
helloklitty at 03:08 AM JST - 16th August

Compared to Edwards, former NY governor Spitzer now appears to be a genius. Or a more economical skirt chaser. His woman only cost $5,000 (plus his job of course). Edwards paid his whore well over a million dollars and she's over 40.