Admission Of Guilt
John Edwards admitted today to having an extramarital affair during his campaign with filmmaker Rielle Hunter. The former North Carolina senator said he is not, however, the father of Hunter's young daughter, citing the time of the affair and the child's birth. Edwards has not taken a paternity test, and a former campaign staffer claimed the child as his.
ABC News' Nightline will air a full interview this evening with the former presidential candidate, whose wife, Elizabeth, who is battling a recurrence of cancer. The couple went public last year with her diagnosis but said they were determined to continue his campaign.
Edwards is expected to tell ABC's Bob Woodruff that Elizabeth Edwards' cancer was in remission when he began the affair with Hunter.
The National Enquirer has doggedly filed several stories in recent weeks outlining a meeting between Edwards and Hunter in Beverly Hills. Recently, the tab ran a series of fuzzy pics of a man who resembles Edwards holding a baby in a hotel room.
Edwards' silence on the matter prompted questions -- first raised by the Charlotte Observer -- about his role in this month's Democratic convention in Denver. The timing of his admission coincides with Barack Obama's first day of vacation in Hawaii and the start of the Olympics.
Here is Edwards' full statement:
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
In 2006, I made a serious error in judgment and conducted myself in a way that was disloyal to my family and to my core beliefs. I recognized my mistake and I told my wife that I had a liaison with another woman, and I asked for her forgiveness. Although I was honest in every painful detail with my family, I did not tell the public. When a supermarket tabloid told a version of the story, I used the fact that the story contained many falsities to deny it. But being 99% honest is no longer enough.
I was and am ashamed of my conduct and choices, and I had hoped that it would never become public. With my family, I took responsibility for my actions in 2006 and today I take full responsibility publicly. But that misconduct took place for a short period in 2006. It ended then. I am and have been willing to take any test necessary to establish the fact that I am not the father of any baby, and I am truly hopeful that a test will be done so this fact can be definitively established. I only know that the apparent father has said publicly that he is the father of the baby. I also have not been engaged in any activity of any description that requested, agreed to or supported payments of any kind to the woman or to the apparent father of the baby.
It is inadequate to say to the people who believed in me that I am sorry, as it is inadequate to say to the people who love me that I am sorry. In the course of several campaigns, I started to believe that I was special and became increasingly egocentric and narcissistic. If you want to beat me up ¿ feel free. You cannot beat me up more than I have already beaten up myself. I have been stripped bare and will now work with everything I have to help my family and others who need my help.
I have given a complete interview on this matter and having done so, will have nothing more to say.
Why does no one say it? BOTH THE EDWARDS LIED TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC FOR TWO YEARS. They both need to get on their knees before the Lord and ask for forgiveness. All that mattered to them was political ambition. That's despicable.
Why judge John so much? When it comes down to it, you would be surprised how many have done something wrong (or maybe you wouldn't). I bet Obama has even been unfair. Clinton,,should have been impeached for purgery on the stand. But was he.. no.. The President of all should have paid. Everyone just let him go. So why is everyone being so judgemental to John. I would vote for him in a minute. He is a good man. Cast your own stones upon yourself!!!!!
if you say your a bird but you fall from trees when you jump from a limb then you are not what you say you are , if you clam to be a christian and you cheat on your spouse your not much of a christian. the issue is that the people in power in the gov't play that they are something that they are not. look at jessie jackson, he runs around playing the part of a moral straight arrow when in fact he is not. there can be no trust in him or his word , if edwards lies to his family and breaks agreements with thim what kind of chance do the rest of us have in beliving that what he says he will do will be done. none,
i know that in real life your family is (should be) the most important. if i know someone who is a liar and a cheat in my own life they tend to be less trusted. if someone steals from there mothers house and i find out about it do you think i would let them come over to my house to brouse???? hell no
trust of the people is what these people need to remember. if they cant be trustworthy in one area then well the doubt has been added to everything that he will do.
if you know he is a thief and you dont trust him with your money would you trust him with your kids or car?
he chose to stand up and play the part of the good guy ,,, and he chose to trip himself off of the pillar that he made for himself , i hope he makes the best of his fall to the earth.
The funny thing about this is John McCain did the same thing, he had an extramarital affair with Cindy McCain, he even left his wife and kids for Cindy before he was even divorced from his first wife, also Cindy is almost 18 years yonger than John McCain, young enough to be his daughter (I guess this is an example of those great Republican family values). Maybe it is a guy name "John" thing, both Edwards and McCain are hypocrites and shows these two are both very much alike.
Put things in perspective, and imagine this was your family….
No one like to see slips in personal judgment by politicians (or anyone) that many people admire and look up to....however, it is just that- a personal mistake.....This has nothing to do with the knowledge, talent, and potential John Edwards (and Elizabeth) have to make a positive impact on our country and the issues facing our country. I dare say that anyone is perfect in their personal lives. Everyone has slips...the important and telling action (and Extremely Rare in such situations)... is that Elizabeth Edwards is the person John Edwards went to regarding his actions and to ask for her forgiveness. He did not hide this from her until he was caught as many would do (which is usually the case)- She is the only person he is responsible to regarding his marriage. It is not the public's business nor does this change who he is regarding his public policy views (Or the state of or strength of the Edwards family, after they began to rebuild their marriage and family in 2006). And Maybe they decided it was better to let Elizabeth deal with this on her terms with her family and John, Rather than have her humiliated or pitied in the Public Eye.
Although, as a 29 year old who is still idealistic, and who is a bit disappointed a first- I remind everyone, that Edwards is the same person we saw throughout the '04 and '08 elections. (This happened when he was not running for office). If you liked his policies before, hopefully you will still be in the corner of the Edwards family. If you did not support Edwards in the past, you will probably continue not to. Either way, He is the same person and believes the same things. And their family strength is the same we all saw during the ‘08 election, as this happened before the decision to run in ‘08.
I know if this happened to my parents, who are also in their mid 50’s….I would hope they could resolve this problem without the public making constant judgments. I would also not discount everything my father had ever said or done, based on his one mistake (regardless of how large the mistake was). And I would not want anyone to find out about the situation for the sake of my mother. There are many things that married couples have to deal with throughout their lives, but it is up to them alone to make the decision of how to proceed.
Regarding Edwards political future- why would we limit the talents of a person or family, based on 1 interpersonal mistake. If this were the case we would have to discount John Kennedy, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Franklin Roosevelt, Bill Clinton, and less we forget John McCain, just to name a few. I dare say any of these figures owned up to their wives, and worked to move past their mistakes.
Cannot believe all the excuses people give this slimeball. He confessed only because he was found out. He has been denying this for a couple of years and as late as last week denied it again. It may be no different than what other people have done you say BUT it's still wrong. This is a choice people. You made a committment to your spouse when you were married. And all his blathering about eqo and all excuses are only so he can make it look better than it is and make him feel better. He is a pig.
Cannot believe all the excuses people give this slimeball. He confessed only because he was found out. He has been denying this for a couple of years and as late as last week denied it again. It may be no different than what other people have done you say BUT it's still wrong. This is a choice people. You made a committment to your spouse when you were married. And all his blathering about eqo and all excuses are only so he can make it look better than it is and make him feel better. He is a pig.
Cannot believe all the excuses people give this slimeball. He confessed only because he was found out. He has been denying this for a couple of years and as late as last week denied it again. It may be no different than what other people have done you say BUT it's still wrong. This is a choice people. You made a committment to your spouse when you were married. And all his blathering about eqo and all excuses are only so he can make it look better than it is and make him feel better. He is a pig.
John Edwards cannot say that he stopped having the affair, then why was he just caught last month in the Beverly Hills Hotel running and hiding from the press. His actions should hurt the Dems. Bill Clinton never paid the price for his affairs and playing*** around in the Whitehouse. I pray that McCain is our next President we need him.
Why does this surprise anyone. Do you really believe that any of the politicians running for president are telling us the truth about anything. The person who can make the majority of the people belive him and/or her gets the job. Not the most honest person, or the smartist person, or even the most experienced person. Just the one who can sway the most people to his and /or her side, does anyone get it yet. That politics it always has been, it always will be, wake up America.
I think ellen has some issues that she is no talking about. Why does she even care what goes on in the Edwards house. It is nobodies business but theirs. You ask me what I do privately I tell you mind your own business.