Democrats Shrug Off Edwards' Affair, Paternity Questions
Sunday,
August 10, 2008
WASHINGTON — While many questions remain unanswered regarding John Edwards' affair with a woman he hired to produce videos of him, some Democrats are already writing off the impact of the news.
Edwards, who admitted on Friday that he had an affair with Reille Hunter after meeting her in a New York bar, insists he is not the father of Hunter's baby, Frances Quinn. A former Edwards staffer, Andrew Young, took responsibility for the child though no name for the father appears on the birth certificate.
The Edwards-Hunter affair was busted open by tabloid reports two weeks ago after Edwards was caught visiting Hunter and the baby at the Beverly hilton hotel.
A hotel security guard confirmed to FOXNews.com that he had helped Edwards leave the property after he barricaded himself in a bathroom to elude reporters who had been chasing him at 2:40 in the morning.
Edwards and his wife, Elizabeth, who still backed her husband's presidential bid after announcing in March 2007 that her breast cancer had returned, have canceled plans to attend the Democratic convention in Denver on Aug. 25-28.
But Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, a strong supporter of presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, said he didn't know whether Edwards' shot at getting a slot in an Obama administration has been dashed by the revelations.
"I have no idea. I've not spoken to him about that. As you're aware, I'm sure, Senator Edwards announced through one of his staffers he would not be attending the convention in Denver," Durbin said on "FOX News Sunday."
Durbin said this type of news is no longer difficult for Washington to swallow.
"Let's be very honest. There's weakness when it comes to both political parties. ... I feel very badly for John and Elizabeth, who are friends. I know them and I know their families. They're going through a very difficult time. I hope they can resolve this between them," Durbin said.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who also was a presidential candidate this year, said he was not going to "pile on" to Edwards.
"Obviously, he let a lot of people down. I feel for Elizabeth. But, you know, the public is forgiving. Obviously, this is something between himself and his family and voters. You know, I feel for that family. I still believe that John Edwards is committed to reducing poverty. I think his concern in the campaign was genuine," he told ABC's "This Week."
"This is a difficult period. You know, but I'm just not going to be one of those that pile on,' Richardson continued.
Edwards said he hired Hunter before ever having an affair with her, but doubt is being cast on that claim. According to Sunday's New York Post, Hunter was e-mailing pals in April 2006 about visiting her married boyfriend "down South." The Post also reports that sources say the two met t a bar in late 2005 or early 2006.
Hunter's company, Midline Groove Productions, was first paid to produce the videos for Edwards' One America Committee PAC in July 2006, months after she was e-mailing friends about him.
Edwards said he told his wife everything about the affair after it ended in 2006. He described her as "furious" but able to forgive him. Still, Hunter was photographed with Edwards on Dec. 29 2006. The final payment to Midline Groove was made on April 1, 2007.
National Review writer Byron York said the fallout from Edwards' affair may not hurt Obama, but it leaves Edwards' future in doubt.
"Barack Obama has such a squeaky-clean family image. But it's not over. I don't think anybody in political circles, including Democrats, believes ... Edwards' claim that he is not the father of this child," York told "FOX News Sunday".
"And then you — additionally, you have the money angle, which is Fred Baron, big trial lawyer, big supporter of John Edwards, paying millions of dollars to relocate Rielle Hunter and Andrew Young and his family, the man who has claimed paternity for the child, to California, supposedly just out of the goodness of his heart and without telling John Edwards," he said.
Washington Post reporter Ruth Marcus said the impact on Democrats overall has been limited by the decision by John and Elizabeth Edwards to stay out of Denver.
"It's not good to be talking — especially when we're going to see a certain former president speaking at the convention, to be reminding people of people's marital missteps. On the other hand ... sexual misconduct and adultery is something of a bipartisan failing in Washington and elsewhere. So I think it's not great for Democrats, but not terrible," she said.
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Do people make mistakes? Yes. Was it a mistake? Edwards says it was.
What does that say? Actions he took, planned, thought through, were not thought through? He planned to see the woman days and weeks in advance. In that time, he was unable to change his mind and realize he made a mistake? And how dare Edwards supporters criticize Bush on his unapologetic stand on Iraq. How dare you. Edwards could not admit to a mistake and stop or change his behavior and it impacted a dozen or so people. Imagine the catastrophe that could have befallen us had he won in 2004.
Interesting that while this issue is personal, it isn't personal. It is in that it goes to the heart of human behavior, need, want, and desire. Yet, when candidates for the highest offices in the world, show themselves weaker than the average man, and lie - then it is a public issue. And we know the common man, the average guy, is not afflicted to the same degree/ratio as politicians or every two people would be having affairs, or very nearly. And do not say they lie to save their marriage or family - that requires forethought, that these people seem to be missing. Had they any ability to make decisions, they would not have engaged in the activity, stopped the action, given the many hours and days between visits, or would have admitted they had fallen in love with the other person, and would leave public office in order to spend the rest of their life with that person.
Would you. But then, not doing so denies any emotion but for lust and or sex. It takes a rational human being and turns them into nothing more than an animal. That should bother people.
Setting aside the personal - it also shows a lapse in judgment, an intent, and a lack of moral turpitude. Had any of them simply said that they loved the other person, and would separate from their spouse and .... it would be easier and less problematic. Leaving someone is always difficult, but Edwards could have claimed he had fallen in love with Hunter ... could have.
He didn't. It was a mistake.
Republicans and Democrats seem equally afflicted with this, but that does not mean that Republicans let it pass, as the article suggests Democrats are doing. In each case where a Republican member of Congress buggered anyone, or had an affair - they resigned, or were shunned by the party until they quit, or did not stand for re-election the next time.
For the Democrats, the outcome is not as clear. For Democrats, the case of Edwards, should not be just another day at the office, or boys will be boys. It is not the norm or usual, common, typical. HE ran for President of the United States, and his wife has terminal cancer.
Does the fact his wife has cancer make this any different - slightly. It shows an absolute callusness toward a woman who he has said a hundred times, stood by him, and he was not doing the same thing. If Elizabeth Edwards did not have cancer, would it be different? Slightly. Edwards has also run on a platform of family - his family and his driving passion for all families, to help and raise up our families. Unless it happens to be his bastard child, in which case, he isn't interested in lifting her up, at least publicly.
Set the political office he sought aside, along with the fact his wife has been battling cancer. Instead, consider what Democrats must accept to ignore Edwards' actions: that his behavior is tolerable (women should just accept what men do), boys will be boys (women should just accept what men do), it is the norm (everyone should just accept what men do), and while we don't like it, we understand we are all weak (men will be men).
How very woman friendly. I understand why there is absolute silence from the femnazi groups. They are not interested in raising women up, they just want their candidate elected and do not care what it takes to get that accomplished, including supporting people who do not care about women, They are nothing more than prostitutes for Democratic candidates - just as long as the candidate cares about supporting women's organizations, and professes support for the cause of women's equality. Petty and pathetic. NOW shows itself for what it is. Then again, it showed itself for what it was when Monica appeared on the world stage. They were quiet as church mice then, and now, and when Chandra levy disappeared and Gary Condit fought it out to stay. In the end, it was the criminal issues that sent him out of Congress, and that no one could look at him without thinking about Chandra missing. They do not care about how women are treated, they care about winning elections and making money (prostitutes).
The evidence on Edwards, has been around for quite some time (many weeks before he pulled out of the primary for the nomination) and NO ONE PAID ANY ATTENTION. Shame.
The evidence is available to show he was having an affair BEFORE HIS WIFE'S cancer went into remission. Tacky and shameful.
It is quite possible the child is his.
It is also possible Hunter has been paid off.
Others have paid Hunter.
That would constitute a conspiracy, for those nut jobs out there worried about 9/11, and while it is a personal conspiracy, extrapolate a bit: Edwards had won the nomination and was elected President ... he has a problem, his mistress comes forward and ... he gets his friends to pay off the woman ... now it is less personal and becomes a crime and misdemeanor - impeachable.
In my recounting of Republican Presidents in the last 80+ years, NONE have had affairs while President.
We cannot say the same about the Democrats - Roosevelt, Kennedy, Johnson, Clinton. Every one of them but Carter, and he said he had lusted in his heart.
While it is true that Republicans and Democrats are equally afflicted with this weakness in Congress, they hold themselves to higher standards as President. The Democrats use the higher office as an indication that they have gotten away with their indiscretions and to go full throttle using the office and its perks as protection.
We, the People, Deserve Better.
Goodbye Edwards. Never come back. Stay home with your wife, and care for her as she dies.
Stupid fuck
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