Update: John Edwards Confesses to Affair but Denies Paternity

[Mr. Morden]

Apparently the birth certificate for this baby lists no father:

http://www.newsobserver.com/front/story/1160737.html

[HardRCafé]

1. National Enquirer
2. Drudge Report
3. Larry King Live
4. FOXNews.com

What next?

Disney?

5. The News & Observer
Facing questions, Edwards evades reporters
http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/story/1160048.html

[NOVA Green]

Don't care, Edwards is out of the political scene.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Probably not at the national level representing NC. In terms of cabinet positions, at this point his chance of becoming AG is now toast....

[Politico]

Why is the National Enquirer running this story, and who exactly does this story benefit? Was Edwards actually being seriously considered as Obama's running mate, so somebody else who wants the job as VP decided to get somebody they know at the National Enquirer to run a hit job with the thought being this would prevent Edwards from being considered as VP or Attorney General in an Obama Administration?

Or maybe it's just the Clintons using their connections at the National Enquirer to get back at Edwards for helping to derail the "inevitable" nomination of Hillary Clinton by finishing ahead of her in Iowa, and then endorsing Obama shortly before the final primaries/caucuses?

Either way, I say the story is trash. If somebody as attractive as Edwards wanted a mistress then surely he could do a lot better than her. And there is no way he would have risked his entire campaign last year over a woman like that.

MAYBE...just MAYBE...Edwards is going to use this to get back into the spotlight. If he came out forceful enough with a teary-eyed conference with his cancer-surviving wife by his side, giving the whole spiel about "how dare they tell these slanderous lies about me to settle old political scores and sell tabloid trash," he just might be able to get a favorable bounce in the eye of the public. I don't see it happening, but who knows...

[Mr. Morden]

Why is the National Enquirer running this story, and who exactly does this story benefit? Was Edwards actually being seriously considered as Obama's running mate, so somebody else who wants the job as VP decided to get somebody they know at the National Enquirer to run a hit job with the thought being this would prevent Edwards from being considered as VP or Attorney General in an Obama Administration?

As pointed out earlier in the thread, the Enquirer was covering this story late last year, when Edwards was still in the race.  Their recent story on the hotel visit is just a follow up to the stories they'd already run.

[Sam Spade]

http://www.nationalenquirer.com/exclusive_john_edwards_love_child_photos/celebrity/65258

[Brittain33]

http://www.nationalenquirer.com/exclusive_john_edwards_love_child_photos/celebrity/65258

Ok... assuming one is 100% certain this story is true and the National Enquirer is trafficking in real news... do you really believe this photo and spread enhances the case and makes the NE look good?

[Sam Spade]

http://www.nationalenquirer.com/exclusive_john_edwards_love_child_photos/celebrity/65258

Ok... assuming one is 100% certain this story is true and the National Enquirer is trafficking in real news... do you really believe this photo and spread enhances the case and makes the NE look good?

Of course not.  It sells papers.  I don't think this person is a good double for Edwards anyways.

[King]

That photo looks like John Edwards if he got run over by a truck tire and instead of getting plastic surgery decided to try and grow a beard (unsuccessfully).

[??????????]

This story has been followed outside of the Enquirer and is based in some fact.

[Mr. Morden]

Some of the DNC convention organizers are now saying that Edwards is jeopardizing his chances of a nice primetime speaking slot at the convention by not rebutting these charges:

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/46637.html

[Conan]

This story has been followed outside of the Enquirer and is based in some fact.

After a while, I believed the story was true until the Enquirer released a supposed photo of him and "his baby."  Now I don't think it's credible.

[MarkWarner08]

Edwards admits cheating on dying wife
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5441195&page=1

The National Enquirer was right....

[Sarnstrom]

Edwards Admits Sexual Affair; Lied as Presidential Candidate
In ABC News Interview, Edwards Says He Cheated, but Did Not Father Child
By RHONDA SCHWARTZ and BRIAN ROSS
August 8, 2008  

John Edwards repeatedly lied during his Presidential campaign about an extramarital affair with a novice filmmaker, the former Senator admitted to ABC News today.

In an interview for broadcast tonight on Nightline, Edwards told ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff he did have an affair with 44-year old Rielle Hunter, but said that he did not love her.

Edwards also denied he was the father of Hunter's baby girl, Frances Quinn, although the one-time Democratic Presidential candidate said he has not taken a paternity test.

Edwards said he knew he was not the father based on timing of the baby's birth on February 27, 2008. He said his affair ended too soon for him to have been the father.

A former campaign aide, Andrew Young, has said he was the father of the child.

[Sarnstrom]

MSNBC is covering the story now.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

I would have rather seen him admit he was gay.........that's a fugly woman

[Flying Dog]

I would have rather seen him admit he was gay.........that's a fugly woman

Me too, he could have done better.

[Boris]

hah, what a complete fake

[Beet]

hah, what a complete fake

The nuts over at DailyKos were all over him.

[Wiz in Wis]

Sweet Jesus, what a douchebag... I mean, who cheats on their wife... Especially when they are striken with cancer...


OR A DISABILITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Torie]

Edwards admits to the affair to Judy [Bob] Woodruff on Nightline to be broadcast tonight, and that he visited Hunter in Beverly Hills, but claims that  the affair is long over and that he is not the father of the child because they stopped having sex more than 9 months prior to the birth, or something. So why then did Edwards visit Hunter in Beverly Hills?  Are they now just very good Platonic friends?  Or is Edwards still lying? What do you think?

[Mr. Morden]

Edwards admits to affair to Judy Woodruff on Nightline to be broadcast tonight....

I think you mean Bob Woodruff.

[Torie]

Edwards admits to affair to Judy Woodruff on Nightline to be broadcast tonight....

I think you mean Bob Woodruff.

Thanks. Wasn't Judy Woodruff connected with Nightline at some point?  I am just so confused!

[Mr. Morden]

Edwards admits to affair to Judy Woodruff on Nightline to be broadcast tonight....

I think you mean Bob Woodruff.

Thanks. Wasn't Judy Woodruff connected with Nightline at some point?  I am just so confused!

Was she?  She was at CNN working on Inside Politics for a long time, and now she's at PBS.  I don't remember her ever being with ABC.

[Mr. Morden]

I would have rather seen him admit he was gay.........that's a fugly woman

Elizabeth Edwards:



Rielle Hunter:



Hunter is a step up from Elizabeth Edwards, no?  (Yes, the more recent pictures of Hunter are much worse, but that was during / after she was pregnant.)