Edwards Returns to the Spotlight

[Hope And Change]

John Edwards returns to public stage in Indiana

Associated Press

8:00 AM CST, November 11, 2008

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards is returning to the public stage for a speech at Indiana University, three months after he acknowledged an affair with a woman hired to produce videos of him in 2006.

Edwards is scheduled to speak Tuesday night at the IU Auditorium about last week's election results. The school said the public lecture will include a question-and-answer session.

The former North Carolina senator and 2004 Democratic vice presidential nominee has largely stayed in exile since admitting in August that he had an affair two years ago. He canceled a series of events before the election, saying he didn't want to be a distraction to Barack Obama's campaign.

Edwards' wife, Elizabeth, has held several events in the past two months advocating for health care reform.

She said last month that her health is "no worse" than 18 months ago, when she and her husband announced in March 2007 that her cancer had returned in an incurable form. She was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, but declared cancer-free after treatment.


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-in-edwards-affair,0,1554550.story

[wyldwolf]

1. it seems longer ago than just three months

[Renew Deal]

4. And yet not long enough.

:mad:

[ecstatic]

8. LOL! nt

[SlowDownFast]

86. .

[Avalux]

2. Bah. I don't care what Edwards does at this point.

I am not judging him for the affair; but I do seriously question his decision to run for president with that under the surface. If he had been the nominee, Dems would have been screwed and lost the election.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

3. Yeah the fact that Edwards' campaign was ineffective was the biggest bullet we dodged this year.

[karynnj]

6. I so agree

the real damage would not be because he had an affair - McCain did too -with his current wife. It was because Edwards, more than most candidates asked us to trust him based on the words he spoke - even when his actions did not match. His message was great - and to some here, he touched them as no one else did. He also, more than most, ran on the view of his attractive family and his very intelligent appealing wife. This included a picture of himself as devoted.

Shattering that picture and that trust - weakened the trust on his values on the issues. This talk may be designed to strengthen his credibility on issues I doubt that he will run for public office in the near future, but it will be good if he could put his talents behind programs that do things he spoke of. This would be the best way to rehabilitate his image. Any voice on our side - and he is - is good.

[paparush]

105. Hard to be effective when your message is completely ignored by the media.

The strong Populist message rubbed too many execs the wrong way.

[Radical Activist]

116. Yeah, just like the liberal media bias was against Sarah Palin.

Sorry but it sounds just as much like a bullshit lame cop-out when Edwards supporters say it as when Palin supporters say it.

[paparush]

120. These figures don't appear to be a bullshit lame cop-out

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/1/5/12286/27650/142/431084

[Radical Activist]

123. Still looks like bullshit

First of all, compared to Kucinch, Richardson and all the other second or third tier candidates, Edwards got tons of media coverage. He got enough to be known and get his message out.
Second, Edwards didn't need media coverage to make his name known. He was the Vice Presidential nominee. People knew who he was, heard his message and still didn't support him.

This kind of making excuses for the fact that Edwards didn't catch on with a majority of primary voters is pathetic denial. Edwards had plenty of advantages at the start. Far more than Obama. Edwards had higher name recognition and a national fundraising network from his last run that Obama didn't have. Why can't more Edwards supporters just admit that there are good reasons he didn't catch on with a majority of primary voters instead looking for external forces to blame. Its bad enough when Kucinich supporters constantly do that but at least their claims of media blackout are believable. Being the third most covered candidate is NOT a blackout. Give me a break!

And there are reasons that Edwards got less coverage (NOT a blackout) like the fact that he couldn't get higher in the polls or raise more money despite the fact that this was his second run and he was the VP nominee last time. That suggests some weaknesses in Edwards as a candidate that can't be blamed on the media.

Edwards got less media coverage after Iowa because what he really needed was a win. He needed to do better than his second place finish in 2004 and he failed at that. The post you link is meaningless excuses.

[Radical Activist]

124. And the really insulting bullshit about that post

is that it lies about Obama by claiming Edwards was the ONLY candidate talking about corporate power. Obama was too from the start. He was talking about breaking up the media conglomerates from the start, even more than Edwards. I'm not forgetting the Edwards campaign's misleading smears to paint Obama as a conservative and pretend Edwards was the only real liberal. It was dishonest and it hurt Obama for months after Edwards dropped out. Obama was talking about the concentration of corporate power when Edwards was still a leader of the DLC in the Senate. There are damn good reasons people didn't support that two faced slick talker and thank god he didn't get the nomination.

[elshiva]

125. Yes, that would have been a disaster.

However, it seems like folks are tougher on Dem pols than Repukes nowadays in regards to affairs. No one can forget Clenis. It's all Clenis' fault. :sarcasm:

[abumbyanyothername]

10. Edwards may have been a key element in the outcome

Did Edwards take more Iowa caucusers from Clinton than Obama? Would the shift have been enough to affect the result of the early contest?

[Drunken Irishman]

28. I believe exit polls suggested he hurt Obama more than Clinton.

[karynnj]

33. In the polls, where the second choice was asked - more went to Obama

So, had he not been there Obama would have done better. What's not known is whether the media would have treated it as a two way race than or elevated one of the next tier.

[Liberal_in_LA]

15. agreed.

[greguganus]

5. Who cares what edwards thinks about the election?

Only reason to tune in would be to watch him dodge any questions about his affair and run out the back door. He needs to stay out of the spotlight for Elizabeth's sake.

[rvablue]

7. I agree. I think his narcissism is on par with Palin.

He put our entire chances of getting to the White House in peril.

It's not just that he had an affair. He endangered the future of our party and the country by having this affair and lying about it.

He needs to slink away and let any spotlight that is going to shine, shine on his awesome wife.

[1Hippiechick]

37. Now THAT's the ticket - Edwards/Palin....Maverick Party

[OwnedByFerrets]

9. To hear some of the comments around here....

you would think that NO ONE has ever fucked up before. This is a personal issue that I'm sure has been worked out with Elizabeth. Was it despicable? Yes. Is it unforgivable? Not even. BUT, if you have never fucked up in your life, feel free to throw stones.

[grantcart]

38. I have fucked up before but I never thought of running for President in the middle of the fuck up

It has nothing to do with the affair.


It has to do with the fact that he was willing to take the party and the country down with him.


Obama falters, Edwards becomes the anti Clinton choice, Edwards wins the nomination, affair disclosed.


McCain/Palin elected, McCain has stroke and Palin is sworn in as President.

[Forkboy]

51. I liked Edwards, but your second line sums it up.

It was arrogance on a supremely high level, and it was dangerous and self-centered to a degree that goes beyond the actual affair itself, which in other contexts would be his and Elizabeth's business.

[progressivebydesign]

62. fathering a child with another woman while your wife is battling cancer...

KNOWING that, unlike an average person, your wife and children would be dragged into the media over it.. AND the fact that hundreds of thousands of people spent their last dime trying to get you elected, I'd say that goes beyond "fucking up" He's not a 19 year old.. he's a grown man with a wife and children. He's not powerless to stop it.

[PresidentObama]

71. You aren't smart. Wheres the proof that, that child is his? There is none n/t

[Yukari Yakumo]

88. Yet, he won't take the test that would prove it wasn't his.

If the kid isn't his, they why stonewall on taking the test? That action speaks volumes.

[bethling]

96. Didn't he offer?

Actually, I thought he volunteered to take one, but she didn't to do it? Or at least that's how it was originally reported. www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/08/09/ST2008080901306.html

[LisaL]

100. He says the child isn't his.

Do you believe him?
Is he being 99 % honest there? LOL.

[cali]

11. JE's monumental hubris almost guarantees that he'll attempt

to make his way back into the limelight. To me, his dumb affair is hardly the most unattractive thing about the poseur. I have long disliked him and thought he was the ultimate phony- and man, did I take alot of shit here for that.

Mr. Hedge Fund won't find it easy to secure himself a place in the public sphere now. What a shame.

[Crunchy Frog]

109. Ditto on that.

[Fleshdancer]

12. Edwards is getting hit harder than Lieberman is in this party

I was probably one of the harshest critics of Edwards when the news broke, but the truth is he did come clean to his wife before the press found out and they managed to work through it somehow. At the end of the day, it's a personal matter.

It doesn't seem right to give Lieberman one free pass after another while shoving Edwards to the sidelines. In the world of politics, Lieberman's betrayal was far more damaging to the party. Just my 2 cents.

[Orsino]

19. He never came clean with us, I fear.

All that campaign money funneled to his lover ought to be accounted for, and put in context by Edwards himself, as part of a full confession. I dug the dude, and supported him before he dropped out of the race, but his vital message has been nerfed by his careless behavior.

[karynnj]

34. We don't know how clean he came

The photos of Hunter at the New Orleans opening of the campaign - seated next to Edwards make me skeptical of the story. I would imagine that BEFORE he told EE, he would have cut all ties personally and professionally to Hunter and told EE ha had done that.

Leiberman is essentially dead in the party - he will likely never be a spokesperson for anything. His Senate seat is his and on most issues he is with us. That seat is why he is still there. Edwards likely could have faded away even had there been no affair - unless Obama wanted him in his administration - and we will never know that - it doesn't matter that the media and DU did. Edwards has no platform and needs to get one if he is to remain more than EE's husband.

[Freddie Stubbs]

74. But we are assuming that he came

I'm sorry, but I could not resist such a perfect set-up.

[benny05]

45. Agree

And Edwards came through for Obama when he needed it.

[high density]

69. It stopped being a personal matter when Edwards ran for President with that hanging over him

I already knew he was a pompous ass before the affair came out because his campaign for VP in 2004 showcased that. Now he's an attention whore that needs to just go away. I don't think Lieberman's betrayal damaged anything but his own image. Edwards had the potential to throw the party into total chaos had he been selected as our nominee with that secret he had.

[Lance_Boyle]

119. Lieberman can sometimes be useful. Edwards? not so much.

Nevermind the fact that Lieberman wins elections. Edwards will never be seated as a Senator from NC again. The one time was a fluke.

Goodhair Johnny can go fuck himself, or whoever his "media consultant" happens to be at this time.

[FrenchieCat]

13. Thank God he wasn't our nominee! His Hedge Fund involvement

would have savaged us, once the economy would have fallen.

Dodged a bullet, I'd say.

[rucky]

14. And again, I ask...

What exactly does he do for a living?

[BootinUp]

16. that was funny, lol. nt

[EconomicLiberal]

17. Go the hell away Edwards.

You put your dick in front of your country and your party. Imagine if we nominated you?

[benny05]

47. Yeah, castrate the SOB

Use a branding iron to put a scarlet A in his forehead and burn him at the stake.

Amazing how your vitriol is worse than Rush Lumbaugh's or Sean Hannity's.

[Epiales]

18. So he'd like to rehabilitate his image

and I'm sure he realizes that he won't be welcomed back with opened arms.

But assuming he continues to champion issues of the poor, and his notoriety advances the issues, it can be win/win.

His personal failings don't change the fact that the issues he'll highlight aren't being championed by anyone else.

He could easily just stay out of sight and lead a very comfortable life -- the people who he will choose to speak for don't have this luxury.

[cali]

20. I don't give a shit about his personal failings

it's the sleazy hedge fund crap and that I believe he doesn't really champion the causes he says he does. All politicians are opportunistic. I think Edwards is one of those who's nothing but opportunistic.

He had 6 years in the Senate to lead on the issue of poverty. He didn't. In fact, he voted for things like bankruptcy laws that would make life harder for people.

[Epiales]

29. Point taken.

I must admit I had trouble swallowing his presidential run make-over, and am more than a little skeptical of his current motivations, but hope that their can be a silver lining to his self-aggrandizement.

[amborin]

90. ditto

[DavidDvorkin]

21. Go away, John.

I say that as a former strong supporter.

[benny05]

48. What harm is he doing to you and the Dem party now?

He stayed out of the way. Let him speak his piece.

[akbacchus_BC]

93. Exactly and I agree with you. When Dems mess up in the US, it

is a big deal but when the rethugs mess up, the unfortunate thing is that the Dems don't run with it. The media covers it for a while and then it fizzes. I liked Edwards but knowing how US politics go, if he were the nominee, the rethugs would have crucified him and we would have another 4 years of Bush policies.

[benny05]

99. Agreed that it could have been disasterous

But his agenda was so right on.

I wish the concern trolls would go over to Freeperville.

Meantime, most of the participants at Think Progress held different opinions from this group of Neo-puritans on this thread:

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/11/11/edwards-speaks/

[Hepburn]

22. The ONLY reason that I am NOT telling him at this time to EASD...

...is that I need to know how Elizabeth feels.

I will support her...he can go to hell.

JMHO

[Kalyke]

23. Oh joy.

:sarcasm:

Never did like that man and his actions more than confirmed my suspicions.

[wowimthere]

24. I was always an Obama supporter and I always thought that Edwards was a flawed candidate but

that being said I think candidates have a personal life and he should not be judged based on what he does in private. Bad judgment? Sure. That doesn't mean he can't serve his country. I think he did this country a disservice when he voted to send men and women to war knowing that it would only serve his political aspirations. He never deserved a free pass for sending honorable yet unsuspecting men and women to their deaths.

[XemaSab]

122. A politician can either run on deeds, character, or both

He was lacking in deeds, so he ran on character... :eyes:

[codjh9]

25. I'm glad Elizabeth's health is no worse!

[goclark]

27. love you Elizabeth

Elizabeth once posted at DU.

If she still does I hope she realizes how much she is loved and adored by all of us.

Wonderful family and what a blessing to know that she is feeling a lot better.

What a champion she is!

:hug:

[AspenRose]

114. Co-sign

We love you Elizabeth! :hug:

[JohnnyRingo]

26. I can forgive him if Elizabeth can

In fact, I can probably forgive him even before Elizabeth does, because I believe he loves our country, and shares a common vision for the working class. I think that's separate from his personal weaknesses.

That said, I sure am glad he didn't earn the nomination.

[PresidentObama]

30. Good, John Edwards is still a valuable voice for the Democratic Party n/t

[greguganus]

43. A valuable voice? For whom? The poor? Unwed mothers? I'm in NC and he never did anything for us

when he was in the Senate. He used us to run for president. He spent more time in Iowa then he did here in North Carolina.
The newspapers say he has been hiding out in a beach house on Figure 8 Island. I wish he would stay there.

[countingbluecars]

31. We forgave Bill Clinton. n/t

[PresidentObama]

32. Most of those attacking Edwards were the ones who attacked him before all this.

Good men make bad mistakes.

Edwards is human.

[karynnj]

35. That's not true - some of the strongest comments are from people who had believed in him

[PresidentObama]

49. Not really n/t

[symbolman]

36. Fuuny isn't it? Some of the same folks trashing Edwards

were all For Bill Clinton campaigning for Obama..

Looks like the same deal to me.

[1Hippiechick]

39. Yeah, and we saw what a great job Bill did campaigning - couldn't bring himself to even utter

Obama's name, hardly.

[symbolman]

41. Yeah, Bill was about as petty as I've ever seen him be..

This election shook a lot of faith in folks, I believe that Clinton had some reaction to heart surgery, he seems like a different guy..

Maybe HE could get Palin in a "compromising" situation and bring her Down, then Hillary could take the Office after Obama's done his deeds :)

[BeyondGeography]

40. Too bad about Edwards; woulda made a strong AG

But now he's done.

[karynnj]

55. I never understood that thought - now if you said it of Eliot Spitrzer

who is also done, it would make sense. Edwards was never a prosecutor, never ran something like a DA's office, never headed a single investigation in the Senate, never worte a single piece of anti-corruption legislation. It's all based on the Joe Trippi 2008 rhetoric - complaining about lobbyists and corporations.

[BeyondGeography]

58. As an advocate on behalf of labor and as a leverage point against health insurance co's

Edwards could have been very strong. I don't care one whoop that he hasn't been a prosecutor; he has passion for the issues and knows his way around the justice system. But we're free to disagree.

[karynnj]

79. Neither of those issues are primarily functions of the Justice Department

His passion for issues is not used there.

[BeyondGeography]

80. If you want to keep getting rolled by corporations they aren't

[Bryan]

42. I don't think Edwards is irredeemable

But his political career essentially amounts to winning one election a decade ago and bootstrapping it to national prominence on the strength of his good looks and oratory skill. If he's as serious about populist issues as he would have us believe, some dues-paying would be nice. Hell, now that NC is trending blue, maybe he should consider trying to knock off Richard Burr and then staying in the seat for a while.

[Jennicut]

44. He can go crawl back into the hole he came out of.

I never liked him much to begin with so....

[Epiales]

46. Is he doing this for 35K!?!?!!!

If true, I take back all of the goodwill I wished towards him. What a tool.

via wonkette:

http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=64406&comview=1

[PresidentObama]

50. This isn't anything new. Politicans charging for speeches.

Are we this desperate to attack him?

Seriously.

[benny05]

52. Worse than Rush and Shannity

And they voted for Obama, wouldn't judge Edwards like that.

[cali]

57. Look, Some of us never bought Edwards as a champion of the poor and disenfranchised

We heard his rhetoric this year and matched it up with his record in the Senate and his life before that of NOT showing interest in these issues. And no, I certainly do NOT consider his having been a skilled trial lawyer as evidence of his dedication to those less fortunate.

Some of us thought his hedge funds dealing, his obscene monster house, and his record completely negated his rhetoric. And his affair and lies and willingness to screw the dem party just confirmed what we knew about him.

[PresidentObama]

63. His affair does confirm something about him--he's human.

We all know you're an obsessive Edwards basher.

What's new?

[cali]

66. That he was willing to run for the presidency while fucking around

shows he didn't give a shit about anyone or anything but his own overweening ego and the itch between his legs.

I know that you're an obsessive and blind defender of JE. Sorry, that you can't face the truth about him.

It's fairly pathetic.

[PresidentObama]

70. You're the only pathetic one here. Who cares if he had an affair?

I sure as hell don't.

He's human. This is just fuel for your disgusting, vile attacks on him.

You've been attacking him for as long as I've supported him.

[MadBadger]

77. Your political skills are worth shit. You may not care about an affair, but the electorate does

[ieoeja]

81. Clinton - 1992

[MadBadger]

92. Any of those on a wife who has cancer and possibly a child involved?

[ieoeja]

113. Sure. Gingrich cheated on his first wife while she had cancer. n/t

[ieoeja]

83. Newt Gingrich - 1980

[ieoeja]

84. Newt Gingrich - 2000

[ieoeja]

85. Giuliani - 1997

[cali]

89. yeah, I really think he's a piece of shit phony, and I got a lot of shit

for saying it- in a much more diplomatic way- during the JE-is-our-progressive-savior phase of the primary.

He's contemptible. And he was way before he fucked what's her name.

You want to slobber all over Mr. Hedge Fund, feel free.

[akbacchus_BC]

94. Please calm down. You very well know that if JE had won the

nomination and then the affair came out, make a wild guess who would be President Elect right now. And before we know it, Palin would be your President. Most DUers are only being practical. For crying out loud, President Clinton was impeached for the same thing! The fundy base is alive and well!

[Epiales]

64. Desperate to attack?

Initially I credited him with trying to mend some fences. I'm fully aware that being compensated for public speaking engagements is completely legitimate. This speech is a bit different -- he's returning to the public eye as very much damaged goods. Doing so pro bono, or at least for the minimum necessary to cover his travel and expenses would have been in much better taste. This just looks tacky in my opinion.

[gauguin57]

53. Elizabeth has been appearing SANS wedding ring recently.

That must be a sad, sad, big ole household they're co-inhabiting for the sake of their kids.

[karynnj]

56. That was debunked by a series of photos that showed

times as far back as 2004 when she appeared with no ring. It seems that her hands were swollen. Her comments in People were devastating, but she spoke of staying with him and working to insure that the only parent her little ones may have at some point is seen by them for the good things he wanted to do - not this affair. That sounded like someone who seriously considered leaving and for the good of the kids rejected it.

[benny05]

78. and your point is?

Have you frickin' forgotten the woman is undergoing chemotherapy, and one of the MOST common side effects is swelling?

Also, she didn't always wear her ring even in the primaries of 2004 and 2007-8.

Pitiful to jump to conclusions about what Elizabeth thinks or does with her jewelry. You are worse than the MSM.

I remind everyone here what Elizabeth said at the Daily Kos:

Our family has been through a lot. Some caused by nature, some caused by human weakness, and some – most recently – caused by the desire for sensationalism and profit without any regard for the human consequences. None of these has been easy. But we have stood with one another through them all. Although John believes he should stand alone and take the consequences of his action now, when the door closes behind him, he has his family waiting for him.


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. This was our private matter, and I frankly wanted it to be private because as painful as it was I did not want to have to play it out on a public stage as well. Because of a recent string of hurtful and absurd lies in a tabloid publication, because of a picture falsely suggesting that John was spending time with a child it wrongly alleged he had fathered outside our marriage, our private matter could no longer be wholly private.

The pain of the long journey since 2006 was about to be renewed.

John has spoken in a long on-camera interview I hope you watch. Admitting one’s mistakes is a hard thing for anyone to do, and I am proud of the courage John showed by his honesty in the face of shame. The toll on our family of news helicopters over our house and reporters in our driveway is yet unknown. But now the truth is out, and the repair work that began in 2006 will continue. I ask that the public, who expressed concern about the harm John’s conduct has done to us, think also about the real harm that the present voyeurism does and give me and my family the privacy we need at this time.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/8/193337/7354

[akbacchus_BC]

95. Gosh, pick something else to quibble over. Most cancer patients

gain weight, hence the ring not able to fit. Is this a reason to speculate that Elizabeth is estranged from JE? They are still a loving family but out of the limelight. Am glad John is back.

[Chiyo-chichi]

54. Nevertheless... I will be there.

[Cleita]

59. Good, I'm glad he has decided to return to public life.

He still has a lot to contribute. Remember Ted Kennedy was caught in a scandal too in Chappaquidick that detoured his career. But for all the good he has done since then in public life, things might have been very different today without his influence and dedication, if he had remained a private citizen.

[PresidentObama]

72. You're correct. Ted Kennedy and Bill Clinton both made tragic mistakes.

They're humans.

[progressivebydesign]

60. Who? n/t

[onehandle]

61. Fuel for the Edwards haters from the primary.

They just can't let it go.

DU = Free Republic. Often.

A reminder that Edwards was DU's #1 choice even just after he dropped out.

[progressivebydesign]

65. I was an Edwards supporter both times.. my first choice. But.. he's a sleazeball. n/t

[PresidentObama]

68. I supported him, and nope--you're wrong. Nice pathetic attack though.

[sniffa]

73. You're quite unhinged in this thread

It's great to watch. :thumbsup:

[PresidentObama]

67. Absolutely. The same people are attacking him that did back then n/t

[grace0418]

76. I was never an Edwards hater. In fact, I was down to choosing between Obama and

Edwards (never supported Hillary although I would've voted for her). Now, though, I am so grateful we dodged that bullet. I'm sorry but what kind of DUMBASS sacrifices his marriage to a well-loved (and incurably ill) women *AND* risks his political career at a time when he must know he will be under incredible scrutiny as a Democratic candidate for President? I know things happen and people are human, but considering the context, that is an asshat move of epic proportions. I personally don't care what two consenting adults do in private, and for all I know he and Elizabeth have some sort of understanding between them. However if you are going to run for President, it's just plain poor judgment to think someone's not going to dig up that kind of information on you and use it to bring you down. To me it says that he places his own hormonal, impulsive needs over the good of his family and his country. I wasn't an Edwards hater before and I'm not now, but I think he needs to rethink his career.

[Jersey Devil]

102. Baloney! He was my first choice - Now I think he's a scumbag

It's not just that he couldn't keep his dick in his pants. It's that he did it while running for President, jeopardizing the hopes of millions to improve our lot. Imagine if he'd been nominated and that crap came out in the campaign? It was reckless, selfish and stupid.

And I haven't even gotten to the part about how personally despicable it was for him to do this with his wife Elizabeth suffering from cancer.

[WinkyDink]

75. IU isn't quite "the spotlight".

[Chiyo-chichi]

115. It's no Lehigh, but...

"John Edwards Returns to the Spotlight" is a subject line written by the original poster and it's perfectly accurate one. By "returns to the spotlight," the OP doesn't mean that Edwards is returning to Indiana University. He's never been to Indiana University before, thus he cannot "return."

But then, you know full well that the OP meant that Edwards was returning to the "national spotlight." His speech to 3,000 people was covered by the New York Times, CNN, and just about every newspaper in the country.

If your intent is to point out that Bloomington, Indiana is not one of the nation's largest media markets... we're all quite well aware of that.

[Unsane]

82. So is the love child his?

[benny05]

87. Who cares?

Pick up a National Enquirer if you want to find out.

[LisaL]

101. NE has photos of the kid.

[PresidentObama]

103. Is National Enquirer still saying Obama's an Iranian plant? Yeah, they're credible.

:sarcasm:

[amborin]

91. he should do everyone a favor and disappear from public view permanently

[benny05]

97. Just like Teddy Kennedy did?

Hogwash. :silly:

[PresidentObama]

104. You forgot Bill Clinton. Oh, and JFK n/t

[Blarch]

98. Fuck him.

Imagine he got the nomination ...then his scandal broke. Hello President McCain/Palin.

He can risk his marriage if he wants, but he can't gamble with our nation and still be respected by me.

[PresidentObama]

106. Posting a picture of Edwards doing his hair? Karl, is that you? n/t

[benny05]

107. Not only Karl

But Faux News, where this was created in the first place in 2004. JRE should have complained about an invasion of privacy. Notice JRE was the first to say NO to Faux News for debates.

[RandomThoughts]

108. Everyone has flaws.

And media can make these flaws be the only thing people see about a person. Reverend Wright was judged based on 30 seconds of a decades long ministry. Edwards had a haircut define him.

As long as people buy into this image creation outside of perspective, we will never be a democracy or free. Why do I say this? Because major magazine and news outlets can threaten to destroy (by using people knee jerk reflex to judge) any politician or person that speaks out.

If you allow a gossip magazine tell you who someone is, then you give them all your power to think and choose your own future.

That being said, he did make a mistake, but everyone makes mistakes, and when I think of Edwards I do not think of those things, I think of his years trying to fight for the little guy.

[V4Edwards]

110. A theory

First, I wish I could change my username - but I am not allowed to. But that does not mean that I don't wish all of the Edwards' well, because I do. And I also want to see him out there fighting for the littlest guy in whatever way he can. I am now a fervent supporter of our great President-elect Obama. But before you judge John Edwards - please consider this.

He lost his first born son who died at the age of 16. He and Elizabeth stayed together after this traumatic loss. I believe that statistics show that the vast majority of marriages end when a child dies. John and Elizabeth persevered.

Why did he have the affair? Had he been having other affairs? Maybe - but who knows for sure? He was coping with his wife's cancer diagnosis.

Just a theory - but perhaps being with another woman helped him forget the pain of losing his son - helped him deal with Elizabeth's cancer. All of the evidence points to him being very loving of Elizabeth through most of their marriage except for this now very public affair. But still - every time he looked at Elizabeth - he had to think of his son, Wade. I think this affair had more complicated reasons than people might think. But anyway, as I said, it's just a theory.

[cali]

121. that just sounds like excuse making. So what if it made HIM feel better

And it wasn't the affair, it was the lying about it, the having it while in the spotlight and running for prez, and having it with a terminally ill wife- not to mention all the cant he spewed about how sacred marriage is.

[cali]

118. you mean like his years in the Senate?

What I resent most about JE is that he's used the "little guy" and actually done very little for him/her.

[Medusa]

111. Someone needs to tell him his public career is over

cheating on a dying wife? Done. Toast. Crispy Critter.

[davidpdx]

112. Edwards was my second pick behind Obama and I admire him

and his wife. At the same time, he needs to pretty much retire from politics and understand Obama can't appoint him to a position in the government. We've worked too hard to get where we are, to finally throwout the Republicans from office, to screw things up. Part of the reason the Republicans have been so badly squashed is the amount of scandles in their party. We can't make the same mistake.

[AtomicKitten]

117. My heart still goes out for Elizabeth.

:cry: