It is wrong. He used campaign funds to hire a woman with whom he likely already having an affair who was not especially qualified to perform the services she was hired for. Then he gave her hush money, funneled through others, to shut her up, and risked an aide's family and career to put the child in someone else's hands, harming not only the aide but also the child in question.

And once you make a big show of going on a major newsmagazine and talking about it, you put yourself up to criticism. As he is no longer running for elected office, he could have put out a simple statement confirming the affair, saying that his family knew about it, and denying paternity. This is especially true because he probably lied about some of the circumstances, and in my view, probably about the paternity of the child.

Once he decided to continue his narcissism by using his misdeeds to further promote himself, he put him and (selfishly) his family up for judgment and criticism.

THANK YOU!!!

I get why the Eliot Spitzer thing was a big deal - he broke the law. Which is especially hypocritical because of his past as a prosecutor.

But Edwards, much the same as David Paterson or Bill Clinton (before they prosecuted him obviously, I'm just talking about the sex part), did not break the law by having an affair. It was between two consenting adults and while it's a shithead thing to do it's NOT ILLEGAL!

Frankly, I don't think it's any of our business what happens in a politician's pants. When the Spitzer thing happened I found this great comment on the NY Times website:

"If say my wife and kid got run by a car .. and I rushed them to hospital.. I’m looking for the best doctor to ensure that my wife and kid get the best medical care possible. Once I find the best doctor .. I do not ask him for his credit history, whether he is gay or straight or whether he has had an extra marital affair. I only look for competence. Similarly I expect only competence from my janitor, my garbage collection person, the baggage handler at the airport, the grocery clerk. When all of us as people do not look for morality but competence in all our transactions with other people .. why do we looks for morality just in the Governor .. who is a provide of another service for all of us."

It's time to move on.

Elizabeth didn't consent.

I was feeling the same way until I read this.

I agree with you. The society we live in frames it in a more unfortunate light than it is, but they were both consenting adults, she did more for him than just sex, and he is being an adult about it. I'm sorry for his family, but his cheating is no worse than any other infidelity, every time it happens it's just as horrible and just as much none of our business.

Thank You!

I call it a private matter A) because it is and it won't affect me any in knowing what a sleeze ball John Edwards is and B) because I'm fucking tired of hearing about it. Unless he molested a child, I don't fucking care.

And why exactly can't I talk about it again?

I don't even remember if I commented about it or not. Now I have to carefully scrutinize my memories over the past few days since the announcement happened, because if I said it, obviously I'm dumb ("losing brain cells") or childish ("put on your big-girl pants").

Name-calling isn't helpful either.