SEN. JOHN EDWARDS CAUGHT WITH MISTRESS AND LOVE CHILD!

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How's it going to play out? It seems to me that this is going to be a tsunami-sized scandal for the Democratic Party and right now the coming typhoon of press coverage is close to breaking. We're at the point of calm before the big waves hit but there are signs of the impending deluge. Jay Leno is making jokes about it. Perez Hilton is on the story. The mainstream media is fairly quiet but the most ominous silence right now is from the progressive blogosphere.

The progressive blogosphere is ignoring this story at its own peril because it's going to be big. At this moment, there's a weird state of denial about the entire thing. As of 4pm Saturday, nothing at all on TalkingPointMemo.com. DailyKos did a dismissive post making fun of the Enquirer. FireDogLake? Nothing. Americablog? Nada. These are some of my favorite blogs, by the way.

The Huffington Post has at least hovered about the edges of the story as it's been unfolding. There have been a couple of half-hearted, nothing-to-see-here blogs but also news reports on the latest events. A blog by John McQuaid said that there's no "physical evidence a la Bill Clinton." Well, there's a baby. Not a stained dress left to hang in the closest for a few months but a real cooing, smiling little baby who I assume looks adorable on camera and probably has nice hair. That lil' tyke is stuffed full of DNA, too. Cute little DNA.

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In a way, I can see where he's coming from. If progressives SHOULD "get out in front" on this story, it should be to discuss WHY it's more newsworthy when Republican politicians get caught in affairs than when Democrats do. The reason being that the Democrats don't generally run campaigns explicitly calling for family values to be made law.

Now, we can argue that people like John Edwards, who has spoken out against gay marriage, and has used his wife and family as campaign props, could fit "hypocrisy outing" criteria. But I don't think he makes "family values" and interfering in people's sex lives and women's bodies a central part of his platform, the way Republicans always do.

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Originally posted by aka Mycroft:
it's the National Enquirer.

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quote:

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The Beverly Hilton Hotel guard said he encountered a shaken and ashen-faced Edwards — whom he did not immediately recognize — in a hotel men's room early Tuesday morning in a literal tug-of-war with reporters on the other side of the door.

"What are they saying about me?" the guard said Edwards asked.

"His face just went totally white," the guard said, when Edwards was told the reporters were shouting out questions about Edwards and Rielle Hunter, a woman the National Enquirer says is the mother of his child.

The guard said he escorted Edwards, who was not a registered guest at the hotel, out of the building after 2 a.m. Edwards did not say anything while he was escorted out, said the guard, adding that at times the reporters on the scene were "rough on him," sticking a camera in his face and shouting questions.

The guard did not recognize Edwards at the time of the incident, but said he concluded it was the 2008 presidential hopeful after hearing reports about the incident and finding an Enquirer reporter's notebook at the scene.

The guard said during the chase the reporters had dropped the notebook, which he picked up. "This book has everything in it on him," he said, referring to Edwards. The guard later confirmed Edwards' identity after being shown a photograph.

A former campaign staffer, speaking on condition of anonymity, told FOXNews.com he wishes he were "more surprised" to hear reports Edwards was visiting Hunter. "I'm definitely upset by it. I wish I was more surprised, though."

Edwards this week has repeatedly refused to comment on the Enquirer report.

Edwards spokesmen did not respond to repeated calls by FOXNews.com to respond to this story.

Beverly Hills Police Sgt. Michael Publicker, meanwhile, confirmed Friday that an incident report was filed with the department by two of the tabloid's reporters.

Enquirer Editor-in-Chief David Perel told FOXNews.com his reporters caught Edwards visiting Hunter and her baby at the hotel earlier Monday evening.

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http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article440 6814.ece

In fairness the Times does reference the Enquirer's report but indicates that it's well source.

Rightly or wrongly it looks like Edwards chances of getting the nod for VP, or anything else for that matter, are gone.

[ 27 July 2008: Message edited by: abnormal ]

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Originally posted by George Victor:
In fact Newt visited her in hospital to say he was leaving.

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quote:

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Originally posted by George Victor:
In fact Newt visited her in hospital to say he was leaving.

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Originally posted by robbie_dee:
CNN: John Edwards admits to affair, denies fathering woman's child

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I really don't care if he had an affair. He didn't lie under oath (like Clinton). He didn't do anything illegal (ala Spitzer).

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I for one am not surprised. I have always considered Edwards to be a completely shallow and phony person, utterly lacking in principles.

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And by the way, everyone on the left gleefully dumped all over Newt Gingrich for being unfaithful to his cancer-stricken wife (why, there are examples in this very thread!) - so why should Edwards get a pass? Just because we like his politics better?

[ 08 August 2008: Message edited by: ghoris ]

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This circus needs a new act.
I'm so tired of the USA. I swear, I'd leave but then there'd only be six people and a dog with any brains living down here.

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[ 08 August 2008: Message edited by: martin dufresne ]

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Originally posted by ghoris:
Boy, I bet there are a lot of red faces among the Daily Kos / "grassroots" crowd who were such big supporters of his. Of course, not as many as there would have been if he had won the nomination.

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Originally posted by martin dufresne:
We don't like people who call prostituted women "hookers" for rhetorical effect, Robes.
Can we see a picture of the dog, as an alternative?

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quote:

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Originally posted by martin dufresne:
We don't like people who call prostituted women "hookers" for rhetorical effect, Robes.

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We don't like people who...XXX?

or

We don't like it when people do...XXX?

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Or maybe they won't give a damn about his private sexual life. I sure don't. What does it have to do with anything? He had an affair a couple of years ago, told his wife about it at the time, and they've been working it out. Happens in lots of marriages, for lots of reasons. So what? Interesting to gossip about, but what does it have to do with his job?

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Personally, I don't care at all about Edwards having an affair at all. But i will say this. I actually supported Edwards in the primaries and thought he was the best candidate. The fact is that if he had clinched the Democratic nomination instead of Obama and this news came out - he would be dead as a door nail as a presidential candidate.

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Originally posted by martin dufresne:
Not you, obviously.

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Okay, that answers who "we" is not (at least in part), but not who "we" is.

Whose voice are you speaking on behalf of?

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babble is NOT intended as a place where the basic and essential values of human rights, feminism, anti-racism, and labour rights are to be debated or refought. Members that join babble who indicate intentions to challenge these rights and principles may be seen as disruptive to the nature of the forum. (...) You agree, through your use of this service, that you will not use this discussion board to post any material that is knowingly false and/or defamatory. You agree to avoid personal insults, attacks and mischievous antagonism (otherwise known as "trolling"). You will not post material that is inaccurate, abusive, hateful, harassing, obscene, threatening, invasive of a person's privacy or otherwise violative of any law. You understand that racist, sexist, homophobic, classist (e.g. poor-bashing) and other excluding language is not appropriate on babble.

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Originally posted by Robespierre:
Martin, you really need is a hooker and a shower.

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Not appropriate.

And yeah, let's not use demeaning terminology to refer to sex trade workers. I mean, in an ideal world we'd use "sex trade workers" all the time, but I realize that's probably not going to happen at this point. But let's keep off of terms like "hookers" and "whores" and such.

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Originally posted by oldgoat:
Michelle, aren't you still supposed to be on vacation?

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"Inappropriate" Michelle?

How about this little exchange, keeping in mind that there are real people dealing with real situations out there"

unionist
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 11323
posted 27 July 2008 01:28 PM
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quote:
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Originally posted by George Victor:
In fact Newt visited her in hospital to say he was leaving.
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He wanted to make sure he left first.

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From: Montréal | Registered: Dec 2005 | IP: Logged

George Victor
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 14683
posted 27 July 2008 03:25 PM
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If you ever (God forbid) come to have a spouse with a terminal condition lying in bed in some institution, you'll perhaps be prompted to recall that act of old Newt's, and to speculate on the twisted nature of the personality capable of doing it, up front and personal. Hope that clarifies my intent.
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From: Cambridge, ON | Registered: Oct 2007 | IP: Logged

Robespierre
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 15340
posted 27 July 2008 04:26 PM
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This circus needs a new act.
I'm so tired of the USA. I swear, I'd leave but then there'd only be six people and a dog with any brains living down here.

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What is one to make of a mind that creates gibberish while continuing to defile?

This here's the Self-Righteous Super Windbag Fan. This badboy can really blow stuff out of proportion, and is simple to operate, Even folks who haven't raised children or been sexually molested in childhood can throw the switch and blow, blow, blow, like no other product on the market. Makes you an expert windblower in minutes.

On sale at Wal Mart, of course.

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From: F.U.T.K. | Registered: Jul 2008 | IP: Logged

Michelle
Moderator
Babbler # 560
posted 09 August 2008 07:24 AM
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That's cute, but kind of off-topic, don't you think? And probably not really helping an already somewhat tense discussion (although I understand the desire for some comic relief to cut the tension

This sort of odium-generating drool is not comedy after the first couple of weeks. I can now understand why Wilf flew off the handle.

quote:

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How Is John McCain's Affair Different from John Edwards'?
By Cenk Uygur, Huffington Post
Posted on August 11, 2008

We have this weird notion in America now that if a politician is caught in an affair that his career is done. We seem to be saying that what he did in his private life effects his policies or how he governs. But we all know that isn't true. We know that because almost all of our great presidents, and great leaders throughout history, have had numerous affairs. Obviously it didn't hurt how they governed at all. (...)

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[ 11 August 2008: Message edited by: martin dufresne ]

Bottom line: I think the American public are way less interested in this stuff than the media and politicians assume they are. As long as they're not brazenly hypocritical, US politicians who cheat on spouses can get elected.

I think the Edwards "scandal" wouldn't hurt the Democrats much if Obama chose him as his running mate. I doubt Obama will test the theory though.

And I think there's little interest in McCain's possible affair because the public is sending journalists a signal that they're tired of this stuff. Maybe I'm wrong. What's concerning about McCain is the close ties to lobbyists - not whether he's had sex with one in particular.

[ 11 August 2008: Message edited by: Mercy ]

quote:

So I’m nervous. The history of the pursuit of universal health care in America is one of missed chances, of political opportunities frittered away. Let’s hope that this time is different.

If you are asked about something that is personal and you don't want discuss it, you say something like, "I'm not even going to comment about something like that."

John Edwards' family values

[ 12 August 2008: Message edited by: Joel_Goldenberg ]