John Edwards. You let me down, man. What were you THINKING?
I mean, come on. Let’s just say he’d won in the primaries. Let’s just imagine that he was campaigning right now against McCain. Edward’s admitted affair and alleged love-child would have been made public now. And he would have HANDED THE COUNTRY over to McCain. Just like that.
Me, I don’t care who sleeps with whom. Knock yourself out. Knock someone else up. Ain’t my business if you do. And it’s never been my style to make morality judgments, because in all honesty, I just don’t care. But dude, keep it in your pants! How difficult can that be, really?
Because even though I don’t care who he sleeps with, a whole hell of a lot of the country does. And he would have lost the election over it. Easy.
His wife’s illness is not at issue here, and again, not my business, but ew. Just ew.
Bonus gripe! Two for the price of one! The ABC headline is Democrats Move Quick to Lessen Damage of John Edwards Affair. Really, if your headline is already that long, it’s QUICKLY. Democrats move quickly.
Or not at all. Sheesh.
Thank goodness he’s not running! In this pious day and age, he surely would have handed the election to McCain. I’m not big on making morality judgments either, but public figures know they’re going to be under the keen eye of people like the Swiftboat cretins!
I have trouble understanding why people are shocked by things like this. Kelly’s right, though — there are lots and lots of ‘judgers’ out there, who seem to just be looking for things that they can use to condemn others. And no one is safe anymore. Maybe we were actually better off when the press hid the fact that FDR, Eisenhower, JFK all had something going on the side.
You said exactly what I’ve been thinking since I read the story. What is really sad is that he is a great speaker who talks about important issues and it will be years before anyone listens to what he has to say again. He’ll just be “John Edwards, the guy who talked about values and then cheated on his wife”. It sucks.
yeah why can’t they just keep it in their pants for freak’s sake. like you, i don’t care. but have they learned nothing?
All I could think was how sad-I was an Edwards supporter until he bowed out. His stance on poverty really won me over. He is just a human being, all said and done. The thought that the election would have been passed to McSame on a silver platter is chilling, to say the least.
On another note-totally LOVE the tattoo. Have wanted one for about 3 years but have been chicken about it/what sort of place(frankly kind of scary) to go to and not have a permanent botch job. If you have time, could you email me about it?
Thanks!
But the up side is that we get to see, once again, that Elizabeth Edwards is totally a class act.
I’m pretty sad, though.
I totally agree with you. I was in the Hillary camp. I always thought one of the best things about her was that the dirty laundry was all out there. I feel so bad for Elizabeth Edwards. She comes across as such a genuine person. It is too bad that the tabloids felt the need to publish this now. He’s not in office. He’s not running for office anymore. Why embarrass his family? Distraction, distraction, distraction.
I just wish the democrats would have learned their lessons with Clinton. Keep it in your pants, kids. Really? Is it that hard? (pardon the pun!)
My thoughts exactly. Why can’t these guys just stay zipped? I think he would have been a good VP or even future president but now all the good things he has to say and do are sidelined by this. I wish the general population weren’t so puritanical, but they are and politicians need to get that. (Though I do happen to think that cheating on a spouse, dying or not, is pretty sleazy, it doesn’t make or break a political leader for me). So frustrating.
EXACTLY- and why is every politicians FIRST instinct to LIE about it? too bad- i wanted him to be my president. sigh.
Like you, I don’t really care who they sleep with. It’s the whole “look at me I’m such a virtuous family guy” stance that bugs me.
But is my memory fuzzy, or didn’t the current Mrs. McCain act as the “other woman” during McCain’s first marriage?
I think I see the problem for the Democrats…we keep putting up attractive candidates. We need to follow the Republicans lead and find candidates with absolutely no physical appeal whatsoever. You know, guys who can’t get laid unless they are passing out diamonds and botox.
In my opinion, somebody who cheats and lies is a liar and a cheater. I don’t agree that it’s not a big deal if he “only” cheats on his wife — if he cheats on his wife, then he cheats at other things. If he lies to his wife, then he lies about other things. And if he has the incredibly poor judgement to do so when he has aspirations of higher office, then I’m glad he wasn’t on the international stage when the truth came out. To me it’s not “just” a moral issue, and I don’t think my objections to it make me “pious.” It’s IMPORTANT to keep your promises.
Were he single, I’d have no interest. None. Were he gay — and single — I’d have no interest. But cheating is cheating, and cheaters never win. (Ok, they do. But they shouldn’t!)
“Carlary” makes a good point. On “Wait Wait, Don’t Tell Me!” on NPR a couple months ago they were talking about a rumor that McCain was sleeping with this young gorgeous woman working on his campaign, and they were laughing that instead of denying it McCain was high-fiving his team going “YES! They think I’ve STILL GOT IT!”
This made me very sad, also. I wanted him to get the nomination, and was a huge supporter. Its not that I think less of his policies now, but he had to know that something like this would have cost him the election–it would have all been over, just like that.
I also think it’s an issue that if a man who wants to lead the most powerful country in the world let’s the little head control the big head he may not be a fit leader. Of course being promiscuous doesn’t mean you can’t make meaningful national (and international!) decisions, but if he wants to represent my thinking is he should sacrifice such momentary desires. I don’t think the dude should be getting drunk either. BUT I think Americans, especially democrats have a bigger question for John Edwards and it’s this: You got her pregnant?? WTF??? Has he learned nothing about STDs, especially HIV/AIDS? Do they think because they’re white and affluent they’re immune? No really, how is it that a leading democrat in the race for the presidency of the United States of America gets a middle aged woman (who should also know much better) pregnant? To me that is the moral issue at hand and more of a concern than the fact that he’s a liar who’s more concerned with momentary pleasure than the bigger picture of his candidacy.
I agree with you completely. btw, how is The Lace Reader?
As my late mother use to say. What happens between consenting adults is no concern of ours. Yet I am so disapointed.
What the hell was he thinking?
I know sex is such a draw to every human alive it is part of survival of the species. Yet there are things that we should not do.
Cheat on your spouse no matter how wonderful or awful they are is one of those things.
Thanks for expressing your feelings.
I agree. Don’t care so much about his personal stuff, but how can he be so stupid. Hearing how recent it was, 2006, was what surprised me. How could any politician not comprehend the consequences.
Stupid.
The sad thing to me, (since he is not the Democratic candidate, so I don’t think it will matter) is the injury of all this publicity on his wife. She has to endure the pity and scutiny and curiousity and judgement. I understand that marriages can survive infidelity, but what you can endure privately is very different than what you can endure publicly. Forgiving her husband, the promises they make, bestowing trust after betrayel, is personal. Having the whole world know is a completely separate trial.
I am just so mad about it. I believed he was a decent guy who loved his wife. ANd how totally stupid are theses guys? Do they think no one is ever going to find out? Seriously? Dr. Phil, ( Who I really am not fond of) says it perfectly when men say “It just happened”. He says “What, You’re jsut walking down the street and your pants fall off?” You make a decision to cheat, and I agree. A liar and a cheat is a liar and a cheat.
Hmm, I guess I am going against the large majority here. First of all, we don’t know what sort of arrangement any married (or unmarried, for that matter) couple may have in place. Nor do we know the circumstances surrounding this affair.
I agree that he shouldn’t have lied about it; in fact, he should have (imho) defused the situation before the primaries even began by bringing it up himself and then testing the waters to see if he was still electable.
And, as pundits far wittier than I have said, I’d rather have a president screwing another woman than screwing the entire country.
I am an Edwards supporter and voted for him in the (uncounted) Florida primary. It’s not my job to police his family or private life and I know (from personal experience) that moral, intelligent and honest people make bad decisions that come back and bite them in the ass. Lord knows, lying is bad and, in modern politics, a stupid thing to do, as the media (and attention-hungry jerks) are all too willing to “out” you, but COME ON, folks. It’s infidelity, not lying a country into a war, for goddess’ sake! It’s really none of our business.
You are so right, private is private; however, North Carolinians have long known that Edwards was basically a liar (he never did anything for us politically – hurt us, in fact, with his campaigns cuz he wouldn’t stay home and vote on anything) – which is what I think the media folks are all crowing about now – they are just tickled to have his lying ways exposed. Thank goodness he is not going to play a part in the DNC. NC folks are mainly thrilled – we couldn’t stand him.
I totally agree with every word you said. Sheesh.
I’m so with you on this. He was my guy on ’04 and in ’08. Last night my whole family shared our disappointment that now all the good work he has done will be tainted and possibly undone because of this. But I’m so happy that he’s not the nominee, that would have been much worse.
Sorry, am a Canadian and am out of the loop as far as your politics go.
What an asshole! His wife is mother to his kids and between cancer diagnoses has to deal with this shit?? Unimaginable pain for someone who is already counting her days.
Filthy Prick.
What I don’t get is why “everyone” views this as career-ending. Hello? McCain cheated on his first wife with his current wife. Probably lied about it at the time.
And got the Republican nomination anyway.
Campaign trips are probably something like rockstar road trips, complete with groupies.
No, they shouldn’t cheat. But what bothers me most is the double standard. McCain cheated. Most of the Republican candidates cheated, if I can remember that far back. Didn’t one of Guliani’s wives learn from an announcement in a press conference that he was divorcing her?
Politics seems to attract this kind of power-hungry man who cheats. It shouldn’t be that way, but it is. Why should this end Edwards’s career when it doesn’t seem to affect McCain’s or Guliani’s?