John Edwards Admits To Affair
August 9, 2008 by Michelle Smith
Filed under Relationships
Friday, 08/08/08, John Edwards admitted to what many had suspected for a long time – he cheated on his wife, Elizabeth. He previously denied stories about the affair, using what he considered a loop hole – the stories printed where filled with errors. This enabled him to feel justified in denying the story. Whatever. He lied. He cheated. His marriage may have faltered, but still it survives.
He claims to have admitted the affair to his wife some time ago. Elizabeth Edwards gave a statement to the Associated Press, wherein she briefly describes that recovering from the affair has been “a long and painful process.” She wants privacy while her family heals. I respect her need for privacy, her attempt to protect her family and her marriage.
I’m not going to judge his wife. I have a lot of respect for her and I can’t imagine how painful it must be to deal with a betrayal of this magnitude in such a public way. I don’t have the same respect for John Edwards. Cheating sucks and lying in the face of proof (witnesses to meetings with his former mistress Rielle Hunter ) is incredibly arrogant and completely ruins his credibility. He admits to making a mistake, says that basically the attention he was getting made him feel invulnerable to rules the rest of us are bound to, but his previous denials and the manner in which he presented them, calling the stories about his affair “tabloid trash,” lead me to believe he’s more defensive than actually sorry.
In addition, it is my opinion that he had no business continuing in the 2008 presidential race as a possible vice presidential candidate. His poor choices could have cost the Democrats the race.
Sounds like he and Bill Clinton would make a good pair. Oh wait, no, Clinton lied under oath which is WAY worse!
That is bad, but I keep thinking about his wife and how she’s dying from her breast cancer. It just sucks.
Yep, infidelity sucks!
how can any politician or any public figure think that they can have an affair and think they can keep it hidden? amazing…and sad. here’s hoping that obama and mccain are two choices that have been and will be able to keep it in their pants…
Apparently, McCain had more than one affair when he was married to his first wife. I suppose the difference here is that he is not lying about it.
oh geez.
Sounds like he and John McCain make a good pair – Thifty Mommy – oh, wait, I guess you only care if it’s the other party’s candidate that’s a philandering pig who leaves his permanently crippled wife after cheating on her many times and then marries the trophy bride one month later. . .
This whole story sickens me to the core. Is marriage not sacred anymore? I admit, John had me snowed during the presidential race. Silly me. I liked him, I liked his morals and what he stood for. Family, or so he told us. Now, his face makes my stomach turn and I wonder who can REALLY be trusted???
The whole BS about being “above the law” with all of the attention makes him sound even more stupid. DUH! Wouldn’t you think hmmm… with all of this attention, I might not actually get away with this? Idiot. And now the story that he recently met with her at a hotel… he wants us all to believe he was trying to get her to hush. YEAH RIGHT. Your credibility is shot dude. I don’t want to hear another word from you!
He is a pig but above all he’s a liar, I don’t find much forgiveness in lying and especially in his/Elizabeth’s circumstances. UGH!
I ache for Elizabeth to be dragged through this publicly. What a horrible follow up to breast cancer treatment. She’s obviously chosen to remain married to John, I hope that she can find happiness and peace in this choice and that the media gives her space.
Jane
I think every cheater – regardless of who they are – will at least attempt to lie about it. It’s one of those things you just have to try and lie your way out of.
The Only reason McCain isn’t lying now is because his cheating on his disabled wife was eon’s ago and he’s married to the flip he cheated with.
I honestly don’t think you could find one single man who would not cheat if placed in the right position and circumstances and I don’t think you’ll find one man who wouldn’t try to lie his way out of it.
Same with a large number of women – when they’re not getting what they need at home, they will look elsewhere – and to me, even flirting can be considered cheating when it’s comes from the heart and invites another person into a place that should be reserved for the one you love.
Just my 2 cents.
I agree, every cheater will lie to cover it up. It still sickens me. The part that disheartens me even more in this case is that he didn’t lie just to save his marriage but he lied to the entire American public because he wanted to become President. He wanted to lead us. You, me, your family, my family, our neighbors…
Yes, President’s have lied and President’s have cheated but I don’t accept that it’s okay because “it’s been done before”. And yep, women do it too and I feel the same contempt for them.
Tracee: Does EVERYTHING have to be about political party with you? This has NOTHING to do with that. We’ve already had this discussion at your blog. Cheating is disgusting, no matter who it is. It is a bigger issue though when it is the leader of our country and he lies under oath. Military people would go to the brig for that.
McCain couldn’t lie to cover it up because divorce papers are matters of pubic record. Also, your Ex-wife, the mother of your children, is really hard to hide.
He didn’t tell the truth out of any moral direction or integrity. He had no opportunity to lie. Though, I’m sure he lied about it plenty when he was cheating on his wife – until he left her.
And this is who you propose to be the leader of this Country. It’s Hypocritical to excuse McCain for this behavior and rant about Bill Clinton 10 years after the fact (when P.S. he’s not running for office.)
You simply can’t dismiss the huge fact that the leader of our country lied under oath WHILE he was president.
Dismissing it? Clinton was impeached. It’s a shameful historical fact. Historical.
John McCain is running for President TODAY and I want him held to the SAME moral standard that caused such an outcry when Bill Clinton fooled around.
Impeached? He got a slap on the wrist. If my husband had done the same thing while he was working for the government, he would have served time in a federal prison.
As I said, it seems very hypocritical that you’re this upset over Bill Clinton and you’re going to vote for John McCain as if it’s no big deal. He doesn’t even get a slap on the wrist – he gets your vote. I just don’t understand the logic.
I agree it IS a big deal.
John McCain cheated on his wife and he admits it. He says that it’s his great moral failure.
I do believe that while you’re leading the country, you’re held to a higher moral standard. If Clinton had cheated on his wife 20 years ago or even now, that would be one thing. But he didn’t. He cheated while in office. And not only did he cheat, but he lied under oath, provided misleading information, obstructed justice, tried to cover up his actions, made sexual advances at other women, and tried to conceal evidence. This doesn’t even include the other things that the Clintons have been accused of.