Why Is John Edward's Such Big News?

Americans love scandal and this is safe scandal for all. For the Repubs its more "proof" that Dems are amoral and for Dems it directs attention towards Obama's high morality.

Everyone wins, both parties and the media.

It is rather silly, but for some reason, Americans expect their politicians to be saints when everyone knows that they aren't. My mother used to say, "We put them in office and then tear them down." She knew what she was talking about.

thanks

Sex - it's easier to swallow than Russia.

(did I saw swallow - ha ha)

He's hot?

It makes no never mind to me what he does in his personal life as long as he does his job in the office. Some of the best political minds were and are unfathful. The good ones these days are few and far between though.

Covering this news wasn't a waste of time because it may have served a purpose- that of getting him to stop running for office at every opportunity.

Edwards is a lying hypocrite who was trying to sell us on this holier than thou image. Parading his cancer stricken wife in front us I guess, was supposed to make him immune. Ick.

No mention of John McCain's affair while he was married to wife #1, is there?

> A record of 1 victory and 3 defeats before the scandal ever hit the press wire.

Look at Nixon's history - many failures much perseverance

No mention of John McCain's affair while he was married to wife #1, is there?

NOPE NONE AT ALL so why don't you tell us about it .. do you know where McCain was during the marriage ... I think he was in North Viet Nam, but I am sure you know the particulars since you are inferring that it is a lack of integrity ... I don't know much ... so why not find out, write an article and tell us all about it ?

Not sure what the big deal with him is but I think people are really outraged with him due to his wife's illness. People feel for her and to find out that not only was she dealing with a life threatening illness she had to contend with a philandeering husband as well. If you ask me that's the big deal.

Also John McCain who would want him?

He's in the news because there is/WAS a very good possibility that he could have been chosen as a VP running mate.....or so the rumor mill is grinding out.

And because he goes WAY BEYOND A CAD WITH HIS AFFAIR---and that is shocking to even harden politicians and that was that; HIS WIFE was battling CANCER and could have died, while he was sacking this bimbo all the while on the campaign trail.....

Which brings up another question; why did so many keep this quiet...are they as guilty of something as he is as to condone this affair on the plane and not speak up?

I guess it's true what they say; "YOU ARE JUDGED, BY THE COMPANY YOU KEEP"

Edwards was no Playboy. If he were, than the media would be trotting out a long list of his previous lovers and mistresses. He's a married man of power who had just the one affair; as far as we know.

It's a big deal because Obama is on vacation, Olympic fever is low this year, Republicans love to point fingers at Democratic sex scandals and John McCain can't keep us riveted to our television sets all by his lonesome.

If Edwards had not been running, with the knowledge that he must have had that this thing will come out and discredit him and the Democrats, Hillary Clinton would likely have won the primary ... ever think of that?

To me it is quite simply no bodys buiness who sleeps with who. Good grief we have become a nation of idiots more concerned with someone sexual habits than getting the country run.
Kennedy wasn't faithful FBIs Hoover was gay, who cares !

Bruce I wished that was true. But I think Barack would have obtained the Democratic nomination regardless. Many powerful Dems turned their back on the Clinton's and endorsed him.

Terry no one will ever know, it is a moot point. As for John McCain's personal failings, why do we have to justify the despicable behavior of one sleaze with the behavior of another? I mean really, is this name all the sleazies in politics?

I guess for me it's the baby/wife with cancer angle. Edwards has surpassed the lowest, even for a trial attorney.

I think some thought he would emerge and try again. But not now...

Well as i stated we have playboys running for Presidents and no public servants like John Quincy Adams.

I agree Obama became the golden boy for the Dems. So He would have won anyway But as far as Edwards he isn't the first and he will not be the last to get caught in a sex scandle

So True Deloris.

"He's in the news because there is/WAS a very good possibility that he could have been chosen as a VP running mate.....or so the rumor mill is grinding out." (comment above)

Actually, there was effectively a zero chance that Edwards would be the running mate. His inability to garner anything more than passing support in the face of the Obama and Clinton powerhouses made him a non-entity. Which is why he dropped out of the nomination race so quickly. He would have brought nothing to the ticket (not even his home state). His political career was essentially over anyway, and this will seal the deal.

As for why he's getting attention, it's likely two-fold (and neither has anything to do with a possible VP spot). First, he was the VP candidate in 2004 and ran this year for President, so he's not an unknown by any stretch of the imagination. Add to that how much the country felt compassion for his wife's struggles with cancer and the earlier loss of his son and it's understandable that the revelation of him having an affair would be rather shocking. So there is interest purely because it seemed so unlikely. Apparently it wasn't as unlikely as it seemed.

Second, and probably more importantly, is that the MSM got scooped by the National Enquirer, which is kind of like Woodward and Bernstein getting beat to the Watergate story by some kid writing for his high school school newspaper. It was an ego basher. Here is the "grocery store rag" besting them on a legitimate story. And while NE kept pushing the rumor, the MSM hung back - the old ethical restriction of publishing before you have collaboration thing (something that rarely stops the NE) - and now they are second guessing themselves. Note the number of stories on Edwards' infidelity versus the number of stories about how the MSM covered Edwards' infidelity (or didn't cover it, depending on your attitude on the issue). They seem more interested in talking about their own coverage of the story than the story itself.

In reality, most people don't really care about John Edwards. A good number probably do care about Elizabeth Edwards.

By the way, the idea floated by Howard Wolfson that Hillary could have won Iowa is mostly just sour grapes second guessing and not particularly helpful. As someone mentioned, she could have won if Obama and Edwards had chosen not to run. Or she could have won if she had run a better campaign, starting with not running on "experience" in a "change" election. As a woman and a former first lady, she could easily have run on "change" by showing she could provide a different perspective that would help us move into the future. But she didn't.

The fact that Wolfson and Penn are out there now sowing the seeds of discontent shows just how poorly her campaign was managed. These two old school guys played themselves - and her - right out of the "inevitable" lead she had going into the primaries because they epitomized the "Washington politics" that the country wanted to get away from. It was known since the 2006 elections that the people would be voting for change, yet her campaign instead tried to sell itself as exactly opposite of that...at least until it was too late, and then the change in tack just looked desperate.

Unfortunately for Hillary, Wolfson and Penn and some of her supporters are actually hurting her chances of having an influential political career in the future. Which would be a shame, since both her (in the Senate) and Bill (in his speaking and humanitarian career) have done so much for the party and can continue to be incredibly influential in the future. But first they have to help get a Democrat elected to the White House in 2008. Otherwise, it's all for naught.

Oops! I fell asleep for about an hour!

I don't know!!!

It's not important. I think we'd all be more surprised to find a candidate who is actually faithful to his spouse.

I couldn't tell you.

Vivian
> To me it is quite simply no bodys buiness who sleeps with who.

Not sleeping with your wife, is not the same as screwing her.

The point is not that Edwards sleeps with someone else it is his
personal integrity as a human being. If they had some understanding
it might explain it. That is the way I can see your point having
weight. I think the issue is given what happened to Clinton how
would Edwards have made this "mistake"?

I am not one of them, but there are definitely lots of men, and even
lots of women who cheat. Is it something like being gay, meaning
that people cannot help what turns them on and there is just
a certain percentage of the populace that cannot be faithful?

Are these cheaters then randomly distributed between regular
people and bigtime rich, celebrities or politicians? Is it personality
or opportunity?

The story doesn't interest me in the least, I wish they would report something NEWSWORTHY!

I'm not surprised about what any politician does these days!

He has connections, if a young woman wants to further her career faster, that's it.

yes where are the moral leaders in America today like we had in the past ... like Thomas Jefferson who fathered children with his slaves. face it women, men are men and we are all subject to being carnally tempted. very few men actually try to hurt the women in their lives, maybe they just want to take the balls from the mantle and out for spin every once in a while just to see if they're still alive! ;-)

Kimber is right. This big deal is just to fill space and time. They don't want to report the important news. It is a distraction.

exactly...it's not a big deal....if he were the nominee, then maybe...but not now.

Cheri, I think the point is that this sleaze ball got as far as he did. It shows how some can be so easily duped by a pretty face and nice rhetoric.......Wait, why did Barack Obama just come to mind?

Mostly this was just another "Celebrity" scandal. My Senator of sorts, John McCain does not understand why it was such a big deal either. He thinks he is not a "celebrity." (I think that is stupidity, and I don't vote for stupid.)

So Karl, are you sitting out this election as well?

If he cared about this Country, he would be...:)

John Edwards is no longer important in politics. I wondered why this should be important to anybody.

::yawn:: Bored to death with coverage of anyone else's sex life. It's a shame issues are no longer the deciding factor for who should or should not be in office.

Elizabeth, John Edwards was important to the democrats up until about two weeks ago.

But you are correct, I am sure he is under the bus by now.

Well yes Sandre, I believe only the good liars should be elected to high office. I mean really, did Edwards think he could pay his mistress off forever?

I think its a big deal.. When you take vows to be married... this is as close as anyone can get to the other. A marriage is based on trust.. If you cant trust him to keep his penis in his pants and not cheat on a woman who loves him and is in ill help... Why, should a country trust him.... How many lies did tell his wife to get out to be with this woman? If he is capable of deceiving his wife, he is very much capiable of deceiving a country.... This goes for Chilly Billy Boy Clinton as well.

sorry, that was health not help.....

I should of reread my comments before posting.. to many mistakes... sorry all.

I agree Vickey what John Edwards did was wrong, but the media just keeps on about it. They are not taking his family in consideration. Beside he washed up anyway, so why is it a story.

I just wonder what type of behavior short of murder, would be egregious enough for those who don't think Edwards behavior isn't a big deal. Maybe if he was a republican? We can ask Larry Craig and Mark Foley, both disgraced by democrats for committing "sexual crimes"---hmmm.

Well here is an interesting connection. I just came from a thread discussing if America still has moral authority in the world. We do, and will continue as long as we weed out the creeps and scumbags like John Edwards.

Terry, it is big news and needed to be covered to keep Obama from picking him as a running mate. Checkmate.

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not sure

It is strange the focus the news has had on this. He is not running for anything. I don't think he was a serious VP contender...was he? Maybe that was it.

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