The thing that bothers me most about this story is that Rush Limbaugh and Shan Hannity's talk radio shows reported this several weeks ago. Why are the network tv news so late reporting it? Would they have ever reported it if not for talk radio. I just do not trust the any tv news.

Yeah, that really saddened me too. I know it's hard to know what's going on with someone's family/life, but he really seemed like a good family man and after loosing his son and his wife having cancer, it's just all so disheartening to me. Are their any truly honest family men still out there? I'm beginning to wonder.

Nothing shocks me anymore!

I am also really disillusioned. I thought he and Elizabeth were the perfect couple. And she shouldn't have to deal with this while she is fighting cancer. What a jackass he turned out to be!

Linda...I am with you! I was so shocked and disheartened when I read this earlier today! Dean said that he had heard it this morning. AND while his wife had battling cancer!! I KNOW he is human, but I would just have never THOUGHT that he would do something like this.

I should be more like Glenda and not let anything shock me anymore! "/

Unfortunately doesn't surprise me at all.

I'm sorry, but it doesn't surprise me at all. I've always thought he was a smarmy guy who was only in it for himself. All that stuff they say about lawyers has some basis in fact, IMO. I think he did father that baby, too. I think he's still lying. If it was really untrue, he'd have been crying for a DNA test and protesting more. He's not doing that. His poor wife must be feeling really betrayed, but I'm sure he's spinning her a "poor, woe-is-me" tale. Ick.

"ick" is right, Flamey. Why is it that certain men just need to give into their desires without thinking about the consequences? Was it THAT good? For heavens' sake, has he no respect for his wife?

I'm very disappointed. I really liked him and thought he was dedicated to his wife. You just never know.

He certainly looks like the All American type, and seemed so concerned about his wife's battle with cancer. They're all plastic people it seems. He was being considered as a running mate for the Obama at one time, too.

I don't know anything about it...but I'm under the impression the affair was some time ago...

You know mistakes are made...His wife may have been told about it a long time ago...If so she must have forgiven him...

I don't wear their shoes...

I'm sorry he did it...Glad he owned up to it.

lol...here I am defending him...and to be honest...I can't even tell you who he is...other that someone in politics...
Don't even know what he looks like.

patti

I feel awful for his wife.
There was a guy in my town here, wife with terminal cancer...she was in the hospital and he was out messing around. She died. Two weeks later he and his GF were out in public playing kissy face. They waited about 6 months got engaged and now are married less than a year after his wifes death. The entire town thinks they are beyond ick! No respect is what it boils down to IMO.

What?? I am shocked. I've heard nothing about any of this. Is there a link to a story about this? Thanks.

Oh my! When I read the OP heading, I immediately said to myself, "Not MY John Edwards!". Althought I know it must be true, because he has admitted it, it just won't sink in. As politicians go, I had placed him on a plateau above the rest. Handsome and wholesome, I always said.

But, in defense of ALL politicians (and politics is not really my "thing"), we must remember that they are only as perfect as the rest of us. Everyone does wrong things. But I do believe that politicians and clergy should be held to a higher standard.

Sure, a speech writer may have written the following for him, but it still makes me feel better to know that he said it:

"It is inadequate to say to the people who believed in me that I am sorry, as it is inadequate to say to the people who love me that I am sorry. In the course of several campaigns, I started to believe that I was special and became increasingly egocentric and narcissistic. If you want to beat me up, feel free. You cannot beat me up more than I have already beaten up myself. I have been stripped bare and will now work with everything I have to help my family and others who need my help."

I guess besides what everybody else has said, I always wondering what they are thinking. An average Joe Blow may can get away with this but somebody that is such a high profile politician??? They think this will never come back to bite them?? It's like they think they are invincible.

Guess it takes the spotlight off Morgan Freeman for a quick minute.

As handsome and charming as John Edwards is, I would think his wife may be used to women being attracted to him, and using their guiles. I feel sorry for her.
He was an active participant in the betrayal. I really hope that child is not his. It would link his other children to that one.

Another celebrity screws around
Another politician screws around
Another rich guy screws around

Yawnnnnnn.....

Nothing surprises me anymore.

Donna, I believe his statement you quoted (which is not at all) as much as I do the following statements from the article I've linked:

"Since becoming pregnant, Hunter has lived under assumed names in a series of expensive homes in North Carolina and, more recently, in Santa Barbara, Calif.
"Edwards denied paying any money to Hunter to keep her from going public but said it was possible some of his friends or supporters may have made payments without telling him.
""I've never paid a dime of money to any of the people that are involved," Edwards said.
"He also added that he would ask questions about any possible arrangement.

"Late today, Edwards' former national finance chairman said he had provided assistance to Hunter and others without the knowledge of Edwards."

Here is a link that might be useful: ABC News - Brian Ross

This is just too sad.....why don't they adimit it rather than wait until it becomes public, as it always will. I just know my sister is going to say, "See? See?". Guess I just won't call her today!

Internet news readers and radio listeners have know about this for a long time as have the TV networds

Yeah, this is oooold news for the right wing, LOL! Bummer, no one likes to see this kind of thing happen.

Blessings,
Haley

I never liked the guy and surely never trusted him one bit. I was very disappointed to see him as a VP candidate 4 years ago, especially the way he backstabbed his running mate. Told me a lot about him. Frankly, I have a lot more to say but I suppose that would pretty much guarantee a friendly reminder...

It amazes me that high profile people think they can control everyone and especially with camera phones and the like they think they can say one thing here, another thing there and never get caught.

I think he should go onto Maury Povich's show.. will it be "You ARE" or "You ARE NOT" the father! Maybe then schedule an appearance on Divorce Court? Although of course she's not going to bother divorcing him. Why waste what she has left of life on that waste? Whether it's husband or wife cheating makes no difference to me. Irritating either way.

I wonder if it's something with the television airwaves??? Televangelists, politicians, TV stars, etc. Naw, just lack of morals and ethics. And it's always deny, deny, deny, OK yeah, I did it BUT... and so on. Makes it bad for the ones who are falsely accused. And there's quite a few IMO. But I must say, what troubles me more than these are the ones who rail against them for political gain. If I could plagarize The Shadow, Who knows what skeleton lurks in the closets of them? LOL

There are worse things in the world.
I think any man or woman in power has a lot of temptation and although in it is not keeping with my values, it is reality for many.
It saddens me.

We need to be careful in our use of words. He didn't make a mistake. A mistake is something like 2 plus 2 is 5. He BETRAYED his wife, apparently while she was fighting cancer and campaigning for him. What a prince!

No different from other men like him whose brains are located below the belt.

I pray for Elizabeth and his children- they're the ones who must bear the brunt of it all...and I don't give a care how HE feels.

Suzi

I'm sure the stress of learning about this plus all the publicity is really setting Elizabeth's cancer battle back. Stupid John Edwards!

The news report said that Mrs. Edwards has known about this affair since 2006. I'm just wondering why he was at a hotel recently with her??? He said he was talking to her to make sure everything didn't go public. I think I could have found a better place to talk than a hotel!

When the little head gets big, the big head stops working...

lots of men think below the belt, why is it such a shock?

They think they rule the world with that thing!!
I think he is a dirtbag for having an affair while
his wife is fighting for her life. He sickens me
now with that pretty boy face and pretty boy smile!! UGH!!

The more rich and powerful they are, the bigger their egoes. I'm sure none of these scum bags think they will ever be caught.

I would never vote for a man that cheated on his wife!
Plain and simple......if your wife can't trust you...
NOBODY CAN TRUST YOU!

I think any man or woman in power has a lot of temptation...

It's not just people in power. It's everyday people. Truck drivers, waitresses, white collar, blue collar. Young, middle-aged, old. Rich, poor.

The only thing worse than making a mistake is having people throw stones from their glass-encased pedestals.

It's none of my business who they sleep with. I don't think it's newsworthy to inform the public of who sleeps with whom. It's sad to me that the public pays no attention to real issues, but can't get enough of sex scandals. IMO, it's not a public issue, it's a private one. News folks and political commentators should find better issues to report and discuss. It's pathetic how much interest politicians have in the sex lives of their opponents. And pathetic how easy it is to distract the voters with juicy dirt.

I would never vote for a man that cheated on his wife!

I'll admit I'm a cynic, but this doesn't surprise me. It's very likely that many of our elected officials cheat on their spouses. They spend a lot of time away from home. The news media has changed. If Kennedy or Ford had cheated it probably wouldn't have been newsworthy.

Here's the statement from Mrs. Edwards:
John made a terrible mistake in 2006. The fact that it is a mistake that many others have made before him did not make it any easier for me to hear when he told me what he had done. But he did tell me. And we began a long and painful process in 2006, a process oddly made somewhat easier with my diagnosis in March of 2007.

Here is a link that might be useful: Full text of Elizabeth Edwards' statement

MaryAnn, I wonder the same thing.

Sheryl

>> If Kennedy or Ford had cheated it probably wouldn't have been newsworthy.

IF Kennedy had cheated? His philandering is well-known and oft mentioned. For example, one of his girlfriends was Marilyn Monroe.

Regarding whether it's our business or not, I do believe that it's not a bad thing for the public to know what kind of character and judgement a person in charge has. A talent for lying, cheating, and covering up isn't reassuring to me.

If a man will betray a woman whom he professes to love, what else is he capable of? And now, by "offering" to take the DNA test while she says "no test", that just insures that this will go on and on. If she is really being honest when she says that he is not the father, then she should have nothing to worry about, test-wise. And if he really, really wanted to take the test, I think he could persuade her. He doesn't want the test. It's so obvious, can he really think everyone is so stupid that they can't see through this?

Flamingo in AR, who wonders how much that cost him- getting her to say "no test".

My post was poorly written. Kennedy's extramarital sex is common knowledge these days, but I don't remember it being all over the news when he was in office. I was trying to say that we have all voted for philanderers and that a politician's sex life used to be private.

I don't much care what a politician does with consenting adults unless I'm married to him.

Well, I DO care what the "leaders" of our country are like morally and ethically. If they will cheat on their spouse, what else will they condone? He can make all the excuses he likes, plain and simple, he broke his vow he made before God and Elizabeth. He's no longer trustworthy....anything he says and does is suspicious. IMHO of course.

stephanie in ga-- well said! These issues are generally red herrings, in my opinion. It sickens me to see what "the news" has come to these days. Red herrings, to distract from much more important problems.

Marry - amen to what you said! I would never trust/respect anyone who cheated on his wife. I always thought Edwards looked a little "plastic"; now he just looks smarmy.

this has been whispered in polical arenas for more than a yr. it's exactly why he didn't persue any VP spot, he couldn't take the scruntiny. it's really only talked about because of the type of campaign he had, his target appeal was very "wholesome" and great family person. those types ALWAYS make me distrust them, they ALWAYS have something hiding under the surface. i do feel bad for his wife & kids thou, too bad he was so stupid and green in policics to think the public would not find out about this. better off he's out of the national pic now permanently ~ liz

I couldn't believe he was actually smiling the other night when he was interviewed about the affair...as though being cute about it lessened what he did. And I may be wrong, but I'd bet my money on him being the father of the child. I'll be shocked if it turns out he isn't. Just because he says the affair took place in 2006 doesn't mean it stopped after he told his wife; I have a feeling he kept right on playing around just as he had done before.
I never liked him. He seemed to think his looks made him a "Golden Boy" and "Special". It didn't help his wife that she looked much older than he did. Personally, I find him to be a smarmy sneak.

I realize that many feel that no woman has ever cheated on their husband, so I won't even address that. Lots of comments to be made on that but I'll refrain.

For the most part I think it's irrelevent to the big picture. I do however tend to agree with, I think it was Ross Perot who said he would never hire a divorced person for his management and higher job positions. Like he said, if you can't be trusted to keep your vows, how can you be trusted to perform a job with integrity? People can talk about morals and ethics but think nothing of breaking vows. Hmmm, so when you take an oath of alliegance, or swear to tell the truth, what does that do for the credibility of divorcees? But with 2/3rds of all marriages ending in divorce, nobody thinks a thing about a politician (or actor, or any other high profile person) who breaks vows. Interesting hypocracy.

It does happen, and yes male or female, has always happened, and always will happen. Is it newsworthy when it's involving high profile people? Sadly, yes. It's newsworthy. And it's typical for them to lie about it. The media knew well of Jack & Bobby's indiscretions but in that time they didn't have the foxy news style of sensational screaming reporting. They valued the office more than the person. Even in the days of Watergate it was rebellious reporters that broke the story while the bulk of the media stayed quiet. Now the pendulum has swung to the other way where it's major news if someone doesn't wash their hands after using the bathroom.

If I'm going to consider an affair or something for a person's reputation, I'm more inclined to consider the reaction when caught than the incident since the incident doesn't have much to do with anything or anybody else. I think they should just use the overused "irreconcilable differences" and be done with it.