Dude, everyone knows, so what.

Look at the bright side...Obama's whole vacation will be covered by JE sex scandal, Olympics and the fabulous Hillary taking McCain to the Mattresses.

We are blessed.

This is you response to a traumatic family event?  Seriously?  

At the very least, blaming Elizabeth for anything is beyond the pale.  I find no fault in her deciding to forgive her husband or in their joint decision to continue working for the issues they care about.  I suspect that after her cancer came back in '07, this mistake somehow seemed less important.  Maybe that was politically stupid, but on a human level I think it's quite understandable.

It's worth remembering that at the end of the day politicians are just normal, deeply flawed human beings.  

Then the same should be said about the Clintons.

She married a politician -- she accepted the risk.  Russia just invaded Georgia.  Why are you obsessing over who John Edwards is screwing?

Wow, I call this righteous indignation.  

It's like people are look for something to get upset about and to rant about when it really was none of our business.  And he did not win the primary.  

this diary isn't about feeling bad for Elizabeth. No doubt she deserves our prayers for several reasons. She's an incredible American.  

it is about how if he was the nominee right now, we progressives would all go down with his ship and be stuck with McCain. That they both in full knowledge took this risk on behalf of all of us is the issue. I don't know how mad to be, i am not ready to go all the way of the diarist, but I do think it is disappointing.

and the comparisons to the Clintons is off mark. Bill didn't get caught having an affair two years before running in 92 with Hillary having full knowledge. And last I checked, Hillary didn't have an affair in 2006 either. Quit reaching for the Clintons to explain away people's faults.

Life is complex, the Edwards are great progressives, but I don't like the fact that they gambled with all of our futures.

The affair in an of itself does not bother me so much as the devastation it might have done to our chances at winning had he been nominated. Imagine this admission so close to a convention speech. THe strogest reactions seem to be coming from the people who thought Edwards could do no wrong and flamed anyone who said otherwise.

Just like with Bill Clinton in the 1990s what happens between a married couple during the course of their union is no one's damned business.  No one has the right to judge the Edwardses.

hubris?   sounds like one diarist is a bit big on him/herself thinking an apology for a 'personal!' affair is owed.    sorry. this kind of moralistic policing is well so.... the OTHER party.

I agree with the diarist that these things SHOULD be private. Of course, this begs the issue that Edwards didn't actually end the affair in 2006, but was still horsing around with this woman as recently as three weeks ago. If Mrs.Edwards knew that the affair was still going on--and was willing to look the other way--I would find it pathetic, but would still have to say, "it's their business, not mine".

But the reality is that once this behavior becomes public, people who support such a politician are embarrassed, and disillusioned. And when Edwards was actually questioned by people in the media, he would squint, put on that expression of someone caught in a lie, and deny it....just flat out lied. At that point, his credibility--and political career--were shot. People--especially the idealistic ones who had faith in Edwards--have been disappointed by politicians too many times.

nothing like a sex scandal to illuminate that some progressives can be just as moralistically backwards as the wingers. I thought 'we' were in the business of electing competent candidates, not puritan litmus-tested candidates.  another very disappointing day to see comrades hurl such piety.

No poor Elizabeth, she's known since before he started his campaign and she's dissed the other candidates, knowing that her own husband had a 'secret' that would deliver the presidency to the pugs when it came out. were he our candidate. They are both guilty of deceiving his supporters.  He's rich enough, he should refund the money, he ran under false pretenses.

And yet all he had to do was admit it, see if he still had supporters, and not deceived anyone. It's not just the coverup, it's also misleading your supporters, who assume you'll vet yourself, and not throw a wrench into the Democratic Party.

On this one, Elizabeth is as guilty as John, who cares about infidelity, it's about deceiving supporters regarding electability.  

I have no hard feeling towards the Edwards.  They wanted to take a shot at the moon and who could blame them?  Not me.  The affair was over.  

This is fucking Hubris

Miss Buffalo Chip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phjDm05E9 Qw

This story has really got me worked up--
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/09 /john-edwards-false-assert_n_117925.html

I dont care about Edwards affairs; I could not care less about it. I can even tolerate the ``we are a perfect family'' charade. But using money allegedly collected for poverty eradication towards your mistress is just plain sleazy, corrupt and harmful to the very important issue of poverty eradication. I just cannot forgive that one.