John Edwards in exile:
He said, "I did a horrendous thing, but I don’t know why I’m getting such an unforgiving treatment when you think of what other people have done.'"
Objective standards are hard to apply when differentiating between charming rogues and unforgivable cads, but fathering a child while cheating on one's widely-beloved dying wife probably tips the scales.
" . . . fathering a child while cheating on one's widely-beloved dying wife probably tips the scales."
Oh, I dunno, Edward. I'm thinking that the politician AND his "widely-beloved wife" brazenly lying to the American public about what he did - denying his own daughter (grabbing for power in his case - and money/sympathy in hers) - is more of the issue in a lot of folks' books.
They were quite a pair. And for a time, team Edwards had a huge cheering section in the Greensboro blogosphere. You-all wanted to jump and down on the Lincoln mattress.
And then there's the little thing about North Carolina's "most accessible Senator ever" being a total failure as a representative for anyone who did not serve his own interests.
In short, it wasn't just one horrendous thing. And some of us still live with the end result of this man's hubris.
I hope a Federal jury throws the book at this loser. But then again, we are talking about Greensboro.
Posted by: Dr. Mary Johnson | Apr 12, 2012 at 12:21 PM
"...but fathering a child while cheating on one's widely-beloved dying wife probably tips the scales."
Lying about it repeatedly didn't help much either.
I wonder if Johnny Reid Edwards - the boy from Robbins, NC who was the first person in his family to attend college and then law school - was any different from John Edwards - the UNC Law School grad turned Raleigh trial lawyer, turned opportunistic politician, turned failed candidate for President/Vice-President, turned cheater/love-child maker/liar/(incarcerated felon?)? I used to laugh whenever he'd go out on the campaign trail and talk about coming from "humble roots." That may have been the case, but he lost all sense of humility (and decency) a long time ago.
Posted by: prell | Apr 12, 2012 at 01:25 PM
Having backpedaled in front of Edwards a few times today, I can tell you his trademark shit-eating grin is gone.
Posted by: Lenslinger | Apr 12, 2012 at 02:11 PM
I really hope they're not still using the Lincoln mattress.
Posted by: Patrick | Apr 12, 2012 at 02:35 PM
Nothing more entertaining than watching Liberals eat thier own........
Posted by: sittinginthemiddle | Apr 12, 2012 at 03:33 PM
"I really hope they're not still using the Lincoln mattress."
Especially given all the sex that Mr. Clinton didn't have on it.
Those "other people". What are ya gonna do?
Posted by: Dr. Mary Johnson | Apr 12, 2012 at 03:47 PM
"...but I don’t know why I’m getting such an unforgiving treatment when you think of what other people have done."
That statement is way too funny, and speaks volumes about Edwards. It's something he probably should have used in the 2004 VP debate when Cheney exposed him as the insecure and insincere little lightweight he is.
He should request that his survivors use that whine as his epitaph.
Posted by: bubba | Apr 12, 2012 at 04:29 PM
"Nothing more entertaining than watching Liberals eat thier own"
does everything have to revolve around political ideology? i mean, shit, what would you say about a prominent conservative if he were to do the same thing? right on!?
the world doesn't stop if you put the party line down.
Posted by: Sean | Apr 12, 2012 at 04:36 PM
My thought, Sean, was damn right we'll eat our own when they behave like Edwards did. I can't say it's not entertaining, but it's also ethical. I can live with that.
Posted by: Andrew Brod | Apr 12, 2012 at 05:20 PM
"does everything have to revolve around political ideology? i mean, shit, what would you say about a prominent conservative if he were to do the same thing? right on!?
the world doesn't stop if you put the party line down."
Its the entertainment value, or did you not get past reading comprehension in school?
Posted by: sittinginthemiddle | Apr 13, 2012 at 08:54 AM
anonymous douchebag: my response was to put you in a similar position and ask you if you'd do the same, because i'm interested. i completely understand the premise that you eat popcorn and drink brews at the drop of of a hat if anything "bad" happens on the left. what i did in my response was called "furthering the conversation."
Posted by: Sean | Apr 13, 2012 at 09:50 AM
"...or did you not get past reading comprehension in school?"
From the person who can't spell "their" or "it's".
Posted by: Thomas | Apr 13, 2012 at 11:02 AM
"Do you feel 'pretty' now? Well do you, punk?"
(x ref campaign-era youtube hit of Edwards combing his hair and primping for 2.5 minutes to the tune of "I feel pretty" sung by Angela Lansbury.) A classic.
Posted by: Ginia Zenke | Apr 14, 2012 at 12:26 AM
"I'm just so easily lead when my little head does the thinking." -John Hiatt
Posted by: Billy Jones | Apr 14, 2012 at 08:45 AM