Regarding John Edwards: stop it. Just stop it.

[johnaries]

None of us were in his shoes. I think it's pretty obvious that he loved Elizabeth. And then he was told she would die of cancer. How many times did he imagine that she would die and he would be left alone, without her? I don't know. Do you? How many times did he want to have a vibrant life experience but couldn't because of Elizabeth's condition? I don't know. Do you?

Elizabeth would get worse, and then get better. How did this roller-coaster ride affect John? How many times did he have to resolve himself to life without her, and then receive hope that she might live a hopeful life with him? I don't know. Do you?

Yes, I feel betrayed because John knew that if this information came out it would destroy his political career and his effectiveness if he was elected.

I do not hold him accountable for hypocrisy as I do Republicans who scream and shout about the principles of "Family Values" as they ignore those same principles.

I don't know what was going on in John's personal life, but I do no that none of us can imagine what he was ging through.

I lost a mother, a step-mother, and then my father to cancer. I know a little about resolving yourself to the inevitable, then grasping at any little straw of hope. I can easily imagine that John would have turned to someone just as "escapism". But I don't know what was going through his mind. Neither do you.

I do know that he went through a great deal of both pain and hope.

Again, I do feel betrayed because he was MY candidate, and yet he ran with this secret that he knew could destroy his candidacy and/or his ability to fulfill his promises.

But as for judging him personally - I will defer to the wonderful, intelligent, strong woman that he is married to and that he wronged.

If Elizabeth forgives him, then I do also.

[daedalus_dude]

1. I don't care what he does in his private life. I'm just mad as hell he ran for president.

Knowing this would blow up in everyones face. I don't know him personally but from the outside this looks like someone who put his personal ambition above the well-being of the country.

[Ken Burch]

4. Well, he got knocked out early, and it ended up not mattering.

My own feeling was that the main effect of Edwards' staying in was to make it impossible for Kucinich to get any significant share of delegates. For that reason I wish he'd not run, but, in any case, Edwards did get out before any damage to the party was done so really, it's time to let it go.

The man is out of presidential politics for good now anyway.

[Happyhippychick]

53. But some of us donated our hard earned money to him in the early months so it did matter to us!

[Ken Burch]

82. And you were right to be angry at the time

I respect that. What I think the OP was saying here is that it's time NOW to let it go.

[debbierlus]

89. Definitely time to let it go - Edwards stood for some incredibly good things

Let's just try to continue to fight to end poverty and forgive him.

He made a big mistake. Haven't we all?

[Kalyke]

92. Except that he really didn't stand for those things.

He dropped his support of the poor and hungry the minute he lost the nomination the second time around.

I've always disliked the man and thought he was as phony as a three-dollar bill. He's a charlatan and I hope he stays well out of politics. What he did to his family is just the "icing on the cake" in terms of his honesty.

Good riddance.

[question everything]

60. Except that his name was floated as a V.P. nominee

or as the Attorney General. In hindsight none of this was probably seriously considered.

[glowing]

33. Under those circumstances, you would have never supported JFK or

even Clinton himself. I think its about time we stop putting these people on pedestals.. they are not Gods.. they are our workers. They are supposed to do what we want.. and had we gotten what he proposed during the campaign.. we'd have an FDR re-run.. not whatever Obama is doing.

[SammyWinstonJack]

48. +1

:thumbsup:

[blondeatlast]

67. Word, word, word. The RW looks for God in their leaders. I prefer to look for RESULTS. nt

[SemiCharmedQuark]

69. A politician has to be in touch with the public. JFK got away with it because affairs were

generally dismissed back then. Nobody talked about them. Same with FDR.

Edwards KNEW that this is not the case now, and he still selfishly put himself in the spotlight. He let himself be the headliner while Clinton and Obama fought for his endorsement.

[Ken Burch]

101. In case you've forgotten, we NOMINATED Clinton after Gennifer Flowers came forward

The party let it slide that Clinton was a playa. But Edwards didn't have the teflon that Clinton had.

[Butch350]

117. Sounds like you got pedestal reserved for your self.

[Ken Burch]

2. I suppose what we can now say is: the man is no longer a presidential candidate

and it doesn't seem likely that he'll stand for office again. This being the case, we should consider it a private matter and leave it at that.

Most likely the reason people couldn't let it go was the betrayal factor-if Edwards' candidacy had caught on and he'd been nominated, we'd all have been screwed and Sarah Palin would now be a feeble heartbeat away from the presidency. Fair enough. That would have sucked. But that didn't happen and now it's no longer our business.

Can we all agree to that?

[johnaries]

6. I agree.

[cornermouse]

20. No we cannot.

You are taking your own personal opinion, apparently based on a little bit of irritation due to Kucinich, and stating it as fact.

There would appear to be no DNA test at this time. I believe that if there was, whatsherface would have found a camera and put it out there for the world to see the minute she had it on paper. Up to this point, smear and innuendo appear to be the weapons of choice with residual fear that a democratic candidate other than Obama would have gotten into office. I don't believe McCain and Palin would have won no matter which democratic candidate they were running against but if they did it would be an indictment on the personal character of both republicans and democrats who would have had to have voted for him as well.

Now excuse me while I watch a real liberal (note I said liberal, not progressive) in action. Mr. Moyers is doing a rerun and is actually talking about political issues that matter... (something DU used to do but doesn't any more because they're too busy joining rightwing attempts to destroy other democratic candidates via purity tests) Perhaps we should impeach JFK and Roosevelt after death since they too failed the DU purity test?

[Ken Burch]

21. Chill. I was making a case for not hassling Edwards anymore.

Do you object to that?

I was just saying I could understand why people were pissed during the campaign. You would have to admit that, if Edwards had been nominated and this had then come out, that we'd have been doomed to a 20 point loss or worse. You know we couldn't have recovered from that during the campaign. This is what spurred the anger. We need to acknowledge that.

[cornermouse]

22. Shouldn't have ever hassled him in the first place over something like this.

And I don't agree that we would have lost no matter who ran against McCain (too old) and Palin (too strange).

Let me ask you something. How many D.C. politicians of both parties do you think have remained faithful to their marriage? 50%? Less than 50%? The "quest for moral purity" is a trap set by the republican party and unfortunately the democratic party fell for it.

While we're out there attacking the "morally impure" among us and getting rid of our own politicians while they keep theirs in office, issues (job loss, keeping a roof over their heads, having food in the refrigerator, war that is continued at the expense of our infrastructure) that concern real people/real voters are being ignored. And then there's the glaringly obvious fact that Obama has not dismantled Bush's illegal and highly objectionable policies but is in fact, escalating in Afghanistan. Given all the above, how long do you really think the democratic party will remain in power? The people wanted something different and instead they're getting more of the same. Given that how long do you think the democratic party will remain in power?

[Joe Chi Minh]

37. I believe it was very likely your voting machines that denied him the presidency. Just like

Kucinich isn't allowed within a country mile of it.

[karynnj]

64. Not at all likely

Edwards' strategy required not just a win in Iowa, but a compelling win in Iowa. Iowa is a caucus and there are no voting machines. Edwards spent considerably more time in Iowa than anyone else. He came in a weak second, practically tied with Clinton. He had little support in NH - nor did he have much support their in 2004. These, incidentally, are contests often determined by voters who have actually met the candidates face to face. The next contest was NV, which also was a caucus. Edwards got 4% of the delegates. The next contest was South Carolina, the only primary he won in 2004.

Edwards lost because not enough people supported him.

[cali]

59. it wasn't his screwing around that bothered me. It was his for shit Senate record

his shit gig with a scummy hedge fund while claiming to do it to learn about poverty, his making money off the backs of Katrina victims, his pious mouthing about energy and conservation while building a monster size house and clear cutting the land, his hypocritical attacks on Dean in 2003 and 2004 over healthcare reform and on and on.

he's an opportunistic fuckwad who only cares about himself.

[earth mom]

65. Edwards was rich before he got into politics. Not only that, but most politicians are rich

So why aren't you ripping ALL of them to shreds?

And why haven't you learned yet that most politicians play politics to benefit themselves while they screw the rest of us over?


FYI, Your drivel about Edwards is getting old, really old.

Wake up and smell the corruption in ALL of Washington DC.

[cali]

79. Neither of my Senators are rich, dear.

and your continued slavering devotion to Edwards is just pathetic, honey.

[Cha]

63. Why cornermouse..you're still BITTER since the primaries..

who would have guessed?! Hillary got over it..why can't you?

I love that Obama is our president!:patriot:

[Joe Chi Minh]

71. Whenever rich people's money has been threatened, it's guaranteed

Cali will suddenly surface and get in there swingin' for the little guys. Not.

I seem to remember John prompting some big insurance companies to show great philanthropic liberality - via orders of the courts.

[Ken Burch]

86. I was agreeing that Edwards shouldn't be hassled now.

Why are you still pissed that he was hassled then?

Does that still matter?

My point was "leave the guy alone". Why isn't that enough for you?

You are packing way the hell too much rage about this.

Edwards shouldn't be getting hassled now. But I think even you would have to agree that he should have dropped out when he started having the affair. Perhaps we could have got another progressive into the race then, maybe Feingold would have reconsidered.

[cornermouse]

110. And for the third time.

I don't agree that he should have dropped out.

Rage? Because I keep saying I don't agree with the attempt to push me into agreeing with your belief that he should have dropped out? :eyes: The frame does not fit. Stubborn might fit. Rage does not.

[Ken Burch]

111. Even though he was doomed to lose if he stayed in?

I'll agree that political figures' private lives generally shouldn't be used to measure whether those people should be elected or not. But reality is, for a long while to come, they will be. And there's a large difference between Edwards' situation and that of Bill Clinton:

Hillary wasn't fighting cancer when Bill did what he did.

[cornermouse]

112. Again.

Your personal belief exported to the entire voting public. I don't agree.

[Ken Burch]

113. Not my personal belief-the general political consensus of the time

n/t.

[cornermouse]

114. And of course the general consensus (compiled by whom?)

is never wrong...:eyes:

And the fact that you and a couple of others feel free to get online and tell someone who you've never met and know absolutely nothing about that they're full of rage or bitter?... You might want to think about it for a minute or two. ....I know you probably won't but you should.

[msongs]

3. republican adulterer = bad. democrat adulterer = "poor john". yeah right nt

[johnaries]

7. As I said in my OP, it's not the adultery - it's the hypocrisy. nt

[Bluenorthwest]

40. You are simply over looking their hypocrisy

John Edwards, with Elizabeth at his side, spoke against equal rights for all Americans on the basis of his 'traditional Southern Baptist upbringing'. He said that because his Daddy was a Deacon and all, his views of marriage as a Sacrament were 'simply a part of me'. He said 'one man and one woman' is how he views marriage. Because of his religion. He said all of this by choice, his own choice, while he was in fact having a relationship outside of his marriage. Giant hypocrisy.
He used questions about equal civil rights to offer up a smokescreen for his own behavior. He painted himself and his marriage as being a thing it was not, in order to say his marriage is God approved, while 'those people' are not allowed to have rights, because of God. And his Daddy, and his 'traditional Baptist views'.
He said these things more than once. He did not have to say them at all. Elizabeth stood there with full knowledge and allowed others to be slandered for the sake of their public image.
Neither one of them has bothered to apologize for this very horrible action against their neighbors and fellow Democrats. Those extremely rich people have yet to put some money on the line to balance the harm they did to others in order to serve themselves.
It is not the adultery, it is the hypocrisy, with Edwards and with the GOP. He said and did the same things they did. Only John slandered my family while I supported him. Then he turned out to be a facade of a man, a fake front. A liar and a hypocrite. Thus far, an unrepentant liar and hypocrite.
Sorry. But facts are facts.

[Neecy]

99. I feel the same way

If he didn't try to deny us legal benefits that any drunken 17 year olds in the country are entitled to I'd be willing to overlook this messy little saga.

But the whining about the Bible - using the EXACT SAME club the religious right has used for decades against us - with that pious smirk on his face while he was humping a tart outside of HIS marriage while he sought to deny OUR marriages just makes me savor his fall. Revel in it. Glory in it. I'd like to start an OP daily about his adulterous behavior, so against his Southern Baptist upbringing. And it still wouldn't pay his sorry ass back for reaching into the grab bag of religious bigotry and flinging it right in our goddamn faces.

[Chulanowa]

14. When's the last time Democrats tried to impeach an adulterer?

If you're going to base your political career off trying to throw a guy out of office for someone other than his wife giving him a blowjob, as many Republicans have, then you've really got to keep your own penis away from any stray orifices, don't you think?

[LeftyMom]

5. He was so worried about his wife that he sought comfort in another woman's vagina?

:rofl:

Let's not paint him as a victim of circumstance. He got a little on the side, tried to hide it, and then ran for president knowing full well that the press are a bunch of crotch sniffers and he'd almost certainly be found out.

He's a douchebag, and expecting us to pity him because the wife he cheated on has cancer is beyond the pale- it's really one more reason he should be absolutely ashamed of himself.

[havocmom]

84. +1

Yeppers. He was so distraught at the fact that his wife was mortal that he couldn't wait until she was dead, cold, buried before he was horn-doggin' around? And we should not be annoyed with him for that?

We should find out what OP is drinking and order some up.:rofl:

[Missy Vixen]

96. +10,000

Tell it like it is, LM.

I am so disgusted that not only would he cheat on Elizabeth Edwards, whom I very much admire, he fathered a child he isn't even man enough to admit is his.

DOUCHEBAG.

:eyes:

[Tangerine LaBamba]

8. He's a guy who cheated on his cancer-stricken wife,

and who behaved horribly.

That's all we know about him.

The rest - the candidacy, that was his professional life, and maybe he would have made a great President. We'll never know.

What we do know is that he is a man who cheated on his dying wife. I'm not sure that there is a more reprehensible thing that any married man can do.

So, what we do know of him personally is that he has the integrity and loyalty of a box of dead snakes.

Personally, he's a lost man, worthless, not trustworthy, disloyal, lying, self-indulgent, sneaky, and petty. He's a user, an exploiter of others for his own personal reasons.

That's all we know.

As for your forgiveness, I can't imagine that anything means less to John Edwards than that. I would ever daresay that all that matters to John Edwards is John Edwards...................

[debbierlus]

90. Judge not lest ye be judged would be a good thing to remember

....

[Tangerine LaBamba]

104. Since when is having an opinion

a matter of "judging"?

Judging him would mean that my opinion would have an effect on his life. It doesn't. I expressed an opinion.

People make this mistake quite often, but there is a vast difference between having an opinion and judging someone.

That's why judges are called "judges."

See?

[JerseygirlCT]

94. Yeah, I can't really get worked up

about the wonderful life experiences he had to give up because his wife had the unmitigated gall to be dying.

Only a true louse is thinking first of his "experiences" at that point.

There are no excuses for his behavior. None. He acted like a spoiled, selfish jerk. And hurt not only his wonderful wife, who stood by him in spite of his behavior, but also the woman he had his "experience" with and their child.

He's crud.

[Heidi]

9. Oh, I think many of us can imagine what he was doing through. My dad's got Stage IV liver cancer

and my mom's not boinkin' some young guy on the side as a substitute for the more "vibrant" life she had before my dad got sick.

You're right about one thing, though, I have no idea what was going through his mind. (I don't believe his mind was the organ he was thinkin' with, anyway, in making his decisions about his marriage and Ms. Hunter.) But I do know what's going through my mom's mind: ensuring she and my dad enjoy as much quality of life as possible in the time they have left together.

The good thing is, my parents aren't public figures so even if this situation arose in their marriage, they would have a reasonable expectation of privacy. John Edwards and his wife gave up that expectation for a life in the public eye. For Edwards' defenders to tell the rest of us to "stop it" is ridiculous.

[JeanGrey]

30. No shit. Same here with my husband. And when we were

young and first married he had an accident that put him down for the count for YEARS. YEARS. And I never looked at another man. I was 30 at the time. And I never would have.

[Mad_Dem_X]

72. +1

[BlooInBloo]

10. I don't cut Newt slack for it. I don't cut Mr. Appalacian Trails slack for it....

Why on earth would I cut Edwards slack for it?

He was my candidate at first, too.

[Raine]

11. aw poor John

:nopity: ... he's not the one whose dying, I'll save my sympathy for her.

My family also dealt with cancer it effected many loved ones but while my mother was dying from it my father was by her side not out screwing some other woman to escape.

[johnaries]

13. NO, he's not the one who is dying. Elizabeth is. She forgives him.

That is my point. None of us know what either of them are going through. I will side with her. If Elizabeth didn't forgive him, then neither would I. If she does, then I will accept that she knows more about the situation than I do and I will respect her decision.

Don't get me wrong, I still feel betrayed by John politically. But as was said earlier he is no longer a political character. It is now their personal life and none of us have the right to intrude.

It is between John and Elizabeth, now.

[cali]

18. how do you know that she forgave him?

you don't.

[aquart]

19. Yep.

[exboyfil]

25. It is not just between John and Elizabeth

There is still evidence that campaign funds were used to support the relationship (paying her in excess of market rate for work for the campaign) and the subsequent cover up (donors paying her to stay silent to preserve Edward's political viability for the Cabinet). I don't know if these items are true, but they are still worthy of investigation). For that reason it is still of public concern.

[jobycom]

12. Shwew. Glad that's settled. Can you get them to lay off Michael Jackson now? nt

[johnaries]

16. I wish I could! But people love their scandals.

I'm afraid that what a lot of people don't understand is that all this vitriol against John is probably now hurting Elizabeth now as much as it is hurting John. I wish people would just leave them alone to heal on their own.

[Selatius]

15. Adultery is still adultery. A Republican adulterer is both an adulterer and a hypocrite.

Adultery is something that can be forgiven, however.

[cali]

17. ugh. I find your post sickening. makes me want to post more about sleazy Mrt. Hedgefund

[malaise]

23. Everything you said is true except the forgiveness part

If she fails to acknowledge that innocent child, what exactly has she forgiven?

[Quantess]

24. I'm not impressed with his behavior, sorry.

He seems like such a jerk, lying to his wife, his mistress, and by dragging the married male friend into the fiasco by having him say he's the father of the baby. He embarrassed and humiliated his wife, and he strung along his girlfriend by making her think he was going to leave his wife and be with her.

And, I wanted Edwards to be President, too! He just wasn't behaving Presidentially, and it's good his relationship-trainwreck was exposed in time.

[Kahuna]

26. Hmmm..

:popcorn:

[the other one]

27. Democrats eat their own so repugs don't have to

Leave John edwards alone.

I agree with the op 100%

[VOX]

28. When John Edwards screwed his new-age mistress, he screwed ALL Democrats.

Two things: 1) He made a vow to Elizabeth, "in sickness and in health." He broke that vow, and that's not a trait I like in Democratic (or any) public servants. His vow was to be with Elizabeth, if that meant holding her hand every second of every day of her bout with cancer. Apparently, he lacked the character to hold that vow fast to his heart.

2) At a time when Democrats needed every bit of teamwork, strength, muscle and backbone to outshine and outflank the right-wing machine, John Edwards, to feed his own *personal* needs, conducted himself in a way that left the Democratic Party vulnerable to all kinds of damaging, diverting fodder on the 24/7 monkey-chatter that is cable news.

And the behavior he engaged in was one of the dumbest and most selfish acts I've ever witnessed. He has a wee-hours meet-up with his squeeze in ***Beverly Hills*** of all places, and he thinks he can dodge the paparazzi? Did he actually believe he was going to pull this off, and not take any rockets at all? What is the source of that kind of ignorance or hubris? The lapse in Edwards' judgement is staggering. And now the damned story is gaining legs once again, so his indulgence is still paying ugly dividends.

I was one of the most enthusiastic Edwards boosters on the planet -- my wife and I saw him speak twice in person and worked for his campaign, in addition to contributing well into the four-figure range (a lot for us). But when John Edwards screwed his new-age mistress, he screwed ALL Democrats.

[boobooday]

35. Well said. n/t

[marions ghost]

116. ditto

My disappointment in John Edwards is huge. He did betray all Democrats. And he was hypocritical in daring to define marriage.

What he did was a human failing that can be forgiven to an extent. But I want better people running the country. We shouldn't overlook such failings and pretend they don't matter.

As for following Elizabeth's lead, actually I DON'T think Elizabeth forgives him but figures he's been well enough punished. Complete political suicide is certainly enough penance. In the situation that she's in, she has to go with the positives and not tear him down further for her children's sake. Because of the children she's not in a good position to leave him, but I'm sure she's left him emotionally. You don't bounce back from that kind of betrayal.

We shouldn't forget John's spectacular rise and fall, as there are lessons to be learned. Another case of tragic hubris in a man who could have done much good.

[JeanGrey]

29. MY HUSBAND KNOWS. I've been stage four for three

years, and he has been steadfastly by my side and WILL BE until the end - and trust me, he won't be looking for "a vibrant life experience". Not until I am gone.

Please stop trying to make excuses for John Edwards. He is disgusting.

[TicketyBoo]

31. If you really want people to "just stop it…"

…then why bring it up? At all?

People aren't going to stop unless YOU let it die a natural death.

It doesn't matter what COULD have happened, politically; it didn't.

Old news. History. I DON'T CARE what he did, when he did it, or with whom he did it.

[WVRICK13]

32. John Edwards Proved

he is just a fucking asshole politician. To run for President at such a pivotal time, when you know you are dirty and can be blown out of the water, is totally irresponsible. He didn't respect his party anymore than he respects his sick wife. Oh poor fucking John, wife dying of cancer. Well he sure showed how much he cares about that didn't he? He should have been there for his wife not his mistress. He is a lying, cheating, egotistical piece of SHIT. I was an Edwards supporter so I am doubly pissed.

[Gin]

36. he paraded his family and portrayed himself as a family man...not

only is he guilty of adultery he is guilty of hypocrisy...good riddance

[JVS]

73. +1

[AllentownJake]

34. John Edwards political career is over

He's a non-entity. It's like talking about Sanford. He's done too.

Cheating on your cancer stricken wife or going to see your mistress on Father's day ends your political career.

I'm not big on the whole adultery thing ending political careers. Most of our founding father's and great Presidents fucked around but in 2009 cheating on your wife ends you. It is a political reality.

[alarimer]

38. Cheating on a wife who has cancer is the lowest of the low.

Cheating is scummy to begin with but John Edwards is just a giant asshole, no better than Newt Gingrich.

[KG]

39. he's a fraud.

that's been clear since he built a 30,000 sf house while posing a populist, environmental, everyman candidate.

he's brought public scorn and consigned himself to the dustbin of history all on his own.

[cali]

42. I remember when he was DU's darling and I wrote an OP about that

whoo boy did I get blasted. I always knew the little creep was phony.

[Kalyke]

97. I'm sure I wrote to support you then,too.

I agree completely.

[dsc]

41. He was every bit as hypocritical as the Republicans on this

He expressly stated that gay marriage was wrong because of his religion. A religion which bans adultery.

[spanone]

43. i only judge his stupidity.

[Time for change]

44. Well said

It's too easy to criticize people without putting oneself in their shoes.

[woo me with science]

45. My friend's husband craved many "vibrant life experiences," too.

She kicked his ass to the curb.

[Joe Chi Minh]

70. "Vibrant life experiences!" That's some way you have with words...

[woo me with science]

100. Just quoting the OP. nt

[Joe Chi Minh]

102. Oh. I didn't spot it. Actually, I was impressed by the OP, and felt rather

ashamed at having been so much more judgemental. Well, a lack of imagination on my part, as much as anything. I didn't want to think ill of him on any score - least of all stuff fabricated or dredged up by a hostile, hypocritical, right-wing MSM.

But of course, the natural thing to think, initially, is: "What a time to choose to two-time your wife? I'm glad the OP's words have given me an insight now into such a situation, and can empathise.

[Uben]

46. You play, you pay

Edwards doesn't get any byes in my book. He did what he did knowing the consequences up front. You can make up as many excuses as you want, but he did it, and now he has to own it. Thousands of people worked for his campaign, and his little escapade negated all their work. You can't undo that.
When my wife got cancer, the last thing in the world I thought about was another woman, or sex. I would have traded anything just to be able to have her not have cancer. When you love someone,really love someone, you do not do what he did...period. So, no excuse justifies his actions.

[Bluenorthwest]

47. John Edwards on his opposition to marriage equality

" I grew up in a small town in the rural south. I was raised in the Southern Baptist church and so I have a belief system that arises from that. It's part of who I am. I can't make it disappear. .."

[timo]

49. fuck him

fuck him, he is a douche bag, he sold out his wife in her time of need, thats whats wrong with this party today, they forgive waaaaayyyy to easy, we need a purge of all the hypocrisy and bullshit...

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

50. And you know Elizabeth forgives him, how? I saw the Oprah interview and she appeared

pretty wounded and raw. My Dad cheated on my Mom and she never got over it.

And besides from that Oprah interview, I have not seen them together in public since the news of John's affair.

[Sukie]

52. I just saw them on lelevison together.

Elizabeth recently opened her dream store, a furniture store called "Red Window". John was there with her in the interview, along with their younger daughter. It appears to me that they are attempting to work out their life together, regardless of everything that he did, and regardless of all our quarterback judgments, which btw, are based on our own experiences in life, and shouldn't really matter where they are concerned. It is their life together. If she doesn't want to throw away over 30 years of both good and bad memories for this, then it is her opinion alone that matters. There is no hypocrisy here. I never saw John or Elizabeth throw a judgment towards another about their personal life. No one can be sure how they will behave when in similar situations. And each persons situation is never going to be comparable to theirs, since everyone has very different personalities. I just wish them well in life and I send prayers for continued good health to Elizabeth.

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/5846145/

[JeanGrey]

106. You never do. I don't think Elizabeth ever will. She has that

haunted look that women get when they are betrayed. And this, my god.....I am dying from cancer and I cannot even imagine how much worse this would be on me without my husband. I couldn't even fathom it. I am pushing now for in patient hospice, I am getting so ill he won't be able to handle me for long and he is resisting with every bone in his body.......too bad John has no class.

[TexasObserver]

51. Stop it yourself!

You don't want to talk about it? USE HIDE THREAD.

[eilen]

54. Once a Cheater, always a Cheater

Sorry. No sympathy for him.

I still feel that if you are willing to bogart on the biggest vow of your life, what other vows and oaths are you willing to break? Honestly, once it is established one is a whore, all that is debatable is the price. No fucking integrity or loyalty.

I equally had no sympathy for President Clinton, although I did not believe he should have been impeached. I felt at the time he should have had the integrity to step down and Al Gore should have stepped up to be president.

As for Mrs. Edwards, she has cancer I give her a pass in the "forgiveness" dept. although she is really going to have to practice selective hearing and selective memory as John now has another child he has responsibility he must meet. Hillary, while I respect her intelligence and capability, should have dumped Bill long ago--I have less sympathy for her as she chose to remain with a man who has proved his character to her multiple times. If people want to run around whooping up a good old time with various partners, they should not be married when they do it.

I wonder sometimes today where people feel Hypocrisy is the worst act one can commit. There are worse things. Having no honor is one of them.

[Kalyke]

98. +10,000

:applause:

[JeanGrey]

107. +100000

[ellie]

55. He's a scumbag

[Forkboy]

56. The plus to all this is that the ones who were right about him get to stroke their egos...

...and remind everyone of how awesomely amazing they are. I've the two biggest Edwards bashers from the primaries already patting themselves on the back for the amazing insight that we poor, stupid DUers will never possess. :rofl:

[Faygo Kid]

57. I want my 50 bucks back.

I contributed to him, and his message of two Americas was right on.

But he was playing all of us, and he was a disaster as veep candidate in 2004, an absolute disaster.

Go away, John. And send me back my contribution.

[question everything]

58. At least, take with a grain of salt "leaks" by someone planning on selling a salacious

book and can use all the attention and innuendos that he can generate.

It was not a private matter last year; had he been the nominee, or even tapped for a V.P., it could have cost us the White House and Congress.

But this was last year, he is leaking his wounds, probably will be a long time before he is in the public eye - let's move one.

[WillowTree]

61. Oh boo-effin'-hoo

Now we're supposed to invent what his excuses might be for betraying his cancer stricken wife?

"Vibrant life experience".............I may puke.

[TwilightGardener]

62. People undergoing extreme emotional distress sometimes cope

or try to comfort or distract themselves in destructive ways. It's part of being human--bad events such as a loved one's illness don't ALWAYS bring out the best in us or transform us into heroes or even simply better people. Sometimes it turns us into complete schmucks, if only temporarily. I try not to judge too harshly. That said, the man obviously wasn't Presidential material if that was his personal reaction to a stressful event. He tossed his morals into the garbage and destroyed his family--how would he deal with national crises?

[earth mom]

66. Wife with terminal cancer, vice presidency stolen by * & Co, son dead at a young age-all devastating

No, I can't judge Edwards.

Mainly, I just feel really sorry for Elizabeth and their kids and sad that John threw so much away which I'm sure he regrets now.

[musette_sf]

68. promises of "rooftop wedding with DMB"

this is where i got over any sense of empathy for him.

blathering to your mistress about a fantasy wedding while your wife is fighting cancer is reprehensible.

and at least one of them has crappy taste in music. "hike up your skirt a little more, and show your world to me" :puke:

[S_E_Fudd]

74. Oh please!!!!

The guy is a lying scuzzball who put his personal ambition over the good of the party and country...

He deserves all the condemnation he has been getting and more!!!

If this were a Republican what would we be saying...?

[GreenStormCloud]

75. What about his baby by the mistress?

That child is a person, a tiny person whom he denied. Why? It appears he denied his own tiny infant for political convenience. Everything else is between adults and should remain their private affair. But the baby creates a responsibility that Edwards ran from.

[JeanGrey]

109. Because don't you get it? Men don't want NEW BABIES.

He only wanted a piece of tail. He didn't want a kid. But Rielle was smarter, wasn't she?

I wouldn't be at all surprised if Edwards dumped her. It's amazing how fast men run when mistresses start acting like wives.

[GreenStormCloud]

119. What you said is completely true.

But if a man does father a child, then he should take responsibility for it. Edwards tried to duck that responsibility.

[JeanGrey]

120. I just think his huge ego told him he could get by with it

and still have a political career. Not!

[zonkers]

76. J.E. is a piece of shit footnote to history. Next question.

[Blue_In_AK]

77. I agree with you.

He was my candidate, too, and I'm disappointed in some of the actions he has taken, but whatever is going on in his personal life at this point is irrelevant. He is not the president or even in politics anymore, so it's none of our business.

[aikoaiko]

78. How many times did he want to have a vibrant life experience but couldn't because of [her] condition

:shrug:

Post like yours make me detest Edwards' choice just a little bit more. I know your intentions are the opposite, but the best thing his current supporters can do is to stop trying to rehab his image.

[johnfunk]

80. Edwards? Disgraced. Rudy? Newt? Credible statesmen, political pundits, national security authorities

IOKIYAR

[JerseygirlCT]

95. Oh totally

that's ridiculous, too.

Rudy and Newt are also slime. I'm amazed at the amount of slack they're afforded.

Doesn't make what Edwards did any more palatable, however.

[Liberal_in_LA]

81. he behaved like an a**hole.

[Libertas1776]

83. Why is it alright

for straight people to flagrantly violate their marriage vows and get away with it?
Meanwhile there are thousands of gay couples out there who want nothing but to marry the man or woman they dearly love and spend the rest of their lives with, as well as be afforded the same rights and privileges that heterosexual couples are given. Whenever I hear about some celebs getting a divorce after a week of marriage or some politician cheating on his wife, I get so infuriated. Straight people are probably the greatest damn threat to the so called institution of marriage. If the fundies really wanted to protect the institution of marriage and stay the apparent 50 % divorce rate, they would let gay couples marry post haste, cause right now they're the ones who really understand the significance and magnitude of marriage that heterosexuals so easily take for granted.

[azmouse]

85. You're grasping at straws.

What his wife does about him is her business.
What I say about him is mine.... Edwards is a lying scumbag. I'm thankful he is not, and never will be, President.

[rvablue]

87. This missive is very, very sad. n/t

[butterfly77]

88. Yeah we know...

John just wanted some more :kick::rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Twist_U_Up]

91. yea but.......

does he believe that 3 strucural steel towers can fall at near free fall speed ?

[Blandocyte]

93. He's an ass. I won't defer to anyone to judge him

He's an adulterous ass. OK, Mr. Self Control, lead the country. Ass.

[Joe Fields]

103. John who?

[proteus_lives]

105. He's a piece of shit that cheated on his dying wife.

He deserves every kick to the nuts he gets.

[cynatnite]

108. I don't get why this is a still a story. His career is over and done....

Time to move on.

[LWolf]

115. If you wanted people to stop criticizing Edwards,

starting a thread about him wasn't exactly the way to go about it.

I have no patience with, sympathy for, or support for, cheaters.

That's just me.

[WI_DEM]

118. I think John Edwards has always been a phony.

[derby378]

121. I have a relative who dropped plans for separation when her husband got the news

They had been going through a bad patch, but then her husband was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She couldn't leave him in the state he would eventually be in, and they did do some healing and reconciliation while he went through chemo in an attempt to slow the tumors' growth.

I cannot say if she cheated on her husband before they learned of his condition. I'm not going to pry, obviously, but I hope she didn't. They were able to keep their marriage together until his death, and that's good enough for me.

My best wishes to John and Elizabeth as they face this battle together.

[Zoeisright]

122. I agree. And this obsession with him is stupid.

It's a non-issue, distracting us from important problems, like health care, unemployment, foreclosures, climate change - remember those, everyone?

[cali]

123. people discuss "non-issues" here day in and day out

do you attack every thread you consider to be a non-issue?

[Zoeisright]

125. Bye!

Oh, and on edit, LOL!

You think that reminding people of real issues is 'attacking'??

[cali]

126. bye, sweetie.

I'll miss your eloquence.

:rofl:

[master debater]

124. I was just thinking about this myself:

Many couples split after the death of a child. I remember when Eric Clapton had that horrific tragedy with his son falling out the window and ended up severing his relationship. Why? Sometimes one parent blames the other for what happened surrounding the tragedy and sometimes it is just the final blow to a faltering relationship. We really cannot judge that which we do not know...

[bobbolink]

127. Thank you for your humanity! We yell at RW for their judgmentalism, and don't see it in

ourselves.

Your words won't stop the silliness and hypocrisy here but maybe a few will take your good and true words to heart.

Thank you for trying. :hi: