The sad sick tale of John Edwards continues
Andrew Young, the once-loyal aide to John Edwards who preposterously claimed to have fathered the child of Edwards’ mistress, now admits that it wasn’t true, that he told the story at Edwards’ request.
Well, as that great American and Edwards’ fellow North Carolinian, Gomer Pyle, would say at such a moment:
“Surprise, surprise surprise.”
Because really? Who knew?
In a book proposal floated to St. Martin’s Press, Young claims Edwards promised to take care of him for life if he would take responsibility for fathering the child of Rielle Hunter. Young agreed, despite the fact that he had a wife and children of his own, which tells you something about his own moral compass and priorities.
The New York Times has acquired a copy of the book proposal, and reports:
“ ‘You know how much I love you,’ Edwards said. ‘You know I’d walk off a cliff for you, and I know you’d walk off a cliff for me,’ ” Mr. Young wrote in the book proposal. “ ‘I will never forget this. And I will always be there for you.’”
I don’t doubt that is true, or as close to true as most characters in this farce are capable of coming. However, I very much doubt Young’s additional claim that Edwards and Hunter had made a sex tape, and that Young had seen it. The stories are unclear about what may have happened to the alleged tape, but I’ll bet it has “disappeared” just as mysteriously as it “appeared.”
Edwards may be is a fool and a cad who makes Mark Sanford look like a moral giant. In a culture in which it is almost impossible to sin yourself into permanent banishment — see, the resurrection of Newt Gingrich — Edwards may have pulled the feat off. It is impossible to feel sympathy for the man.
That said, the sex tape business reeks of an invention designed to fatten the price of a book contract. But even that is oddly fitting, a detail of scurrilous fiction that nicely embodies the tawdriness of the larger tale.
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91 comments Add your comment
Gawingnut
June 30th, 2009
11:43 am
Because, really? Who cares??
@@
June 30th, 2009
11:46 am
If you don’t believe it, jay, why even write about it. I saw this claim days ago and quickly moved on to something more relevant.
Edwards is the typical egomaniac politician. For me, that was determined the day he chose the pursuit of politics over his ailing wife.
John’s Two Americas:
Scumbag and Bigger Scumbag! He falls into both categories.
Chris Salzmann
June 30th, 2009
11:49 am
Edwards crashed and burnt and the ashes have long since blown away………..why even discuss who is and will from now on, always remain a “has been” on the garbage heap of political history.
Paul
June 30th, 2009
11:53 am
Rather calls into question all Edwards’s other claims, doesn’t it?
I wonder, though… many on the farleft justify the attacks on conservative family values Republicans (and their families) because of the hypocrisy issue.
What do they use to justify condemnation of Edwards?
Wait, the thread’s been up how long and no progressives have condemned him…
ahhh, got it -
GOP is gone
June 30th, 2009
11:54 am
2 words, Gary Hart
Anonymous
June 30th, 2009
11:57 am
The entire group (John Edwards, Rielle Hunter, Andrew Young and Fred Baron) are beyond fools. They are all without any morals or redeeming qualities. May they all burn in hell for the people they betrayed and the pain they caused!
md
June 30th, 2009
11:57 am
Of all the current events going on, you pick John Edwards?
@@
June 30th, 2009
11:58 am
On second thought, it’s easy to see how you would believe this may be true:
” ‘You know how much I love you,’ Edwards said. ‘You know I’d walk off a cliff for you, and I know you’d walk off a cliff for me,’ ” Mr. Young wrote in the book proposal. “ ‘I will never forget this. And I will always be there for you.’”
I don’t doubt that is true
Neither do I seein’s how supporters of Obama are willing to run America off a cliff for love of Him.
I Report (-: You Whine )-:
June 30th, 2009
12:00 pm
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. consumer confidence took an unexpectedly steep slide in June, figures released on Tuesday showed, suggesting the 18-month-long recession had yet to loosen its grip on the economy.
A shaky consumer-confidence reading that aggravated investors’ fears of weak profits and a prolonged recession pushed stocks lower on Tuesday.
John who?
Mrs. Godzilla
June 30th, 2009
12:02 pm
I condemn Edwards for his behavior.
I will condemn anyone who uses “values” only as a political tool, while
behaving like a cad.
Left, Right or in between.
@@
June 30th, 2009
12:04 pm
LIBERAL NEWS ALERT!
Gunmen attacked joint U.N.-African Union peacekeepers in Sudan’s Darfur region, Reuters reported June 30.
Let’s head to Darfur!!!! Peacekeepers are at risk!!!!!! U.N. Peacekeepers at that!
I Report (-: You Whine )-:
June 30th, 2009
12:04 pm
While the Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller index of 20 major cities tumbled by 18.1 percent, ~~~~~~~~~~~it marked the third straight month the decline was not a record.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ And yearly losses in 13 metros improved compared to March.
Spin, spin, spin.
John who?
lovelyliz
June 30th, 2009
12:07 pm
DNA will solve this issue.
@@
June 30th, 2009
12:09 pm
A car bomb killed 20 people and wounded 25 others in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk on June 30, Reuters reported. A local police official said that the death toll could rise.
AND
The deputy head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Mohammad Saeedi, met in Moscow with the chief of Russian atomic corporation Rosatom, Sergei Kiriyenko, on June 30 to discuss new ways to expand “peaceful nuclear cooperation” between Iran and Russia, Xinhua reported.
@@
June 30th, 2009
12:11 pm
More…
U.S. Gen. Ray Odierno, the top commander of the multinational force in Iraq, said June 30 that Iran continues to support, fund and train militants inside Iraq, The Associated Press reported. Odierno added that he believes “many of the attacks in Baghdad are in fact done by individuals supported by Iran.”
Paul
June 30th, 2009
12:13 pm
[[What do they use to justify condemnation of Edwards? Wait, the thread’s been up how long and no progressives have condemned him…ahhh, got it -]]
40 Minutes and Mrs. Godzilla it is!
Knew we could count on you.
Lonely at the top, isn’t it?
AmVet
June 30th, 2009
12:16 pm
Paul, left a message for you downstairs about the Republican War.
One of the things that I have to begrudgingly allow the neo-cons is their brilliantly noted assertion that Bookman only ever excoriates Republicans. NEVER Democrats.
That has always bothered me about him.
Reality check, one-way dupes!
No wonder you keep getting your teeth kicked in election after election…
Paul
June 30th, 2009
12:22 pm
AmVet
Thanks. Have one for you, too.
md
June 30th, 2009
12:23 pm
“No wonder you keep getting your teeth kicked in election after election…”
Its the 2 party way. Drive from one ditch to the other – constantly. Maybe we need to elect an independent to keep the car in the middle of the road.
DB, Gwinnettian
June 30th, 2009
12:25 pm
“But even that is oddly fitting.”
Nicely put.
ken
June 30th, 2009
12:26 pm
The jobs coming. The jobs are coming. The jobs are coming. Hopee Change says unemployment will be over 10%. Maybe, when all the windmills are built and the new light bulbs are installed in the White House, Obamma will see the light. Two Trillion, GONE.
Paul
June 30th, 2009
12:27 pm
@@
Darfur?
Is that worth one American soldier’s life?
These are those “Bush Iraq” questions I was talking about. They work for Darfur as well as Afg.
AmVet – please don’t answer! I want to watch the resounding blankness.
Just like with the Edwards condemnations.
I Report (-: You Whine )-:
June 30th, 2009
12:28 pm
So when this clown finally does take a side, guess who’s he is on-
Yet the U.S. administration stood with Chavez and Castro, calling Zelaya’s lawful removal “a coup.” Obama called the action a “terrible precedent,” and said Zelaya remains president.
In doing this, the U.S. condemned democrats who stood up to save their democracy, a move that should have been hailed as a historic turning of the tide against the false democracies of the region.
The socialists!
eewwwww
gttim
June 30th, 2009
12:29 pm
Jay, why do only print stuff about Republicans and never criticize and Democrats? Always on and on about Republicans and never about…. Oh, Edwards? Never mind.
getalife
June 30th, 2009
12:29 pm
Why the pic of Huckebee?
Another failed cover up.
Funny how the ones that go after corporate end up in a sex scandal.
Seek and ye shall Find
June 30th, 2009
12:29 pm
Edwards, Sanford, Gingrich. Three of the stooges. What’s new?
Paul
June 30th, 2009
12:31 pm
Almost an hour and still it’s only Mrs. G from the left side who condemns Edwards.
But a couple of folks have said “why are we talking about him?”
Wow.
Double wow.
Later -
Redneck Convert
June 30th, 2009
12:32 pm
Well, it’s about time they covered something besides Conservatives caught in sin. The past couple years it’s been nothing but Republicans doing this and that. A Republican man writing love letters to young boys. A Republican man clicking shoes in a bathroom stall with another man. A Republican man paying a Woman of the Night to beat him up when he messed his diaper. Two Republican senators caught doing You Know What with women not their wife. A Republican guvner giving a diffrent meaning to being a expert in Foreign Affairs.
I say this Edwards thing balances the scale. We’re even now.
I got only one question to ask. Where can a guy lay hands on this Edwards tape they’re talking about? Have a good p.m. everybody.
getalife
June 30th, 2009
12:35 pm
At least the dems know they will screw up and never play the moral high ground with family values like the gop hypocrites.
Check out these wingnuts in OK:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/30/oklahoma-republicans-read_n_223074.html
More proof that conservatism is a mental disorder.
Copyleft
June 30th, 2009
12:36 pm
Edwards cheated on his wife, which everyone (left and right) correctly condemns.
Sanford, however, cheated on his wife AFTER basing his career on moral platitudes and “family values” posturing.
So which one’s the hypocrite? I know you like to draw moral equivalencies, Paul, but there really isn’t one here. Edwards was wrong; Sanford was easily twice as wrong, for clear-cut and logical reasons.
That’s why the Republican cheaters get more condemnation… because they work so hard to EARN it!
Lee
June 30th, 2009
12:36 pm
“In a culture in which it is almost impossible to sin yourself into permanent banishment — see, the resurrection of Newt Gingrich….”
May I also submit Barney Frank and his pageboy episodes and Ted Kennedy and Chappaquiddick.
DB, Gwinnettian
June 30th, 2009
12:37 pm
Almost an hour and still it’s only Mrs. G from the left side who condemns Edwards.
What am I, chopped liver?
WTF else is there to say about John Fricking Edwards? You want me to post links to lefty blog threads that have already scourged and crucified the man for what he’s done to date? I mean, if you really want evidence that the vast majority of Democratic voters thank Goddess that Edwards didn’t somehow snatch the nomination, I suppose I can dredge it up for you.
But I don’t really have to do that, do I?
Normal
June 30th, 2009
12:38 pm
Paul, John Edwards just isn’t worth the effort. His blatent disregard of his wifes feelings at her time of desparate need, makes me ill.
I would strip him naked, nail his wille to a table, throw a knife on the table and then set the house on fire…but that’s just me.
AmVet
June 30th, 2009
12:41 pm
The incredible shame about Edwards and his Johnson problem is that unlike virtually every other SOB onthe national stage who has proven himself to lack some shred of self-restraint and modicum of respect for their spouses, families and supporters, Edwards was not an otherwise useless, sorry-a__ed politician completely bereft of value, vision and ideas.
@@
June 30th, 2009
12:42 pm
U.S. News & World Report — “The president had said in the past that he doesn’t believe taxing healthcare benefits at any level is necessarily the best way to go here. He still believes that,” Axelrod told George Stephanopoulos on ABC’s This Week. “But there are a number of formulations and we’ll wait and see. The important thing at this point is to keep the process moving, to keep people at the table, to the keep the discussions going. We’ve gotten a long way down the road and we want to finish that journey.” By refusing to rule out higher taxes on the middle class as a way to pay for “punishing healthcare costs,” Axelrod telegraphed that idea is very much a live option.
Having tested the waters and finding them warm and inviting, it looks like the administration is about to jump into tax revenue pool with both feet. What remains to be seen is if the voters will make them take a bath for it in November 2010.
Remember what resulted with Bush I’s “Read my lips — no new taxes?”
We can’t afford BARACK OBAMA!!!
danjonglee
June 30th, 2009
12:44 pm
What is our foreign policy? Honduras seems to suggest that we embrace dictators & marxist. Very disturbing….
Paul
June 30th, 2009
12:47 pm
Copyleft
[[I know you like to draw moral equivalencies, Paul,]]
Are you and another poster here trying to make a cottage industry out of misrepresenting my views?
Or is it an easy way to make a point? To not address what I write but make something up?
“Moral equivalency” is something I usually condemn. And, I should point out, it is a tactic generally employed by the Left.
Normal
That, I understand. But it’s something how all those other minor players on the national stage were worth so much trouble to so many posters, eh?
DB, Gwinnettian
I do apologize. I was looking for glaring prose. Not subtlelty.
As far as the rest, I guess I’ll just have to wait for the first Rep who isn’t a family values type (I think there are a couple) to screw up and see how long the glee from the left runs –
I’m a bit skeptical.
Now I am out. Late lunch beckons -
getalife
June 30th, 2009
12:48 pm
@@,
You have ods really bad.
Please direct your mental disorder to the cheating dem Edwards.
Thanks.
Gandalf, the White! (!)
June 30th, 2009
12:49 pm
Copyleft, you’re a moron!
I Report (-: You Whine )-:
June 30th, 2009
12:52 pm
Every day of freedom the Iraqis enjoy is a day that MoveOn.org and the rest of the gang wanted to deny the Iraqi people. They helped President Obama win an election of course, but they are losing the battle with history every single day, and days like today must drive that home and drive them into a deserved gloom over their own failed plans to see America humbled.
Instead we see them being humbled, bwahahahahaha.
eewwww
@@
June 30th, 2009
12:52 pm
Well Getalife, my 12:42 was like a “hands in my pants” post…..kinda, sorta.
Then there’s Joe and you know how I LOVE Joe.
socialism is da BOMB
June 30th, 2009
12:52 pm
Blind Faith is running rampant among an alarming percentage of Americans since Nov 4th. .10 cents of advise-do your homework,and don’t believe all thats said in the mainstream media or by our political leaders. And above all Don’t believe JAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@@
June 30th, 2009
12:54 pm
In case you haven’t noticed, Getalife, my hands are on the keyboard, it’s the government’s hands that are in my pants.
Peadawg
June 30th, 2009
12:56 pm
To quote someone off a blog the other day, “Here’s the thing! The word hypocrisy gets thrown around a lot when it comes to republicans. Not so much when it comes to democrats. Why? Because democrats don’t stand on principles. There can be no violations of principles when there are none ”
Just another dem doing what they do best.
getalife
June 30th, 2009
12:56 pm
Well @@,
How do you type with your hands in your pants?
mr. mike
June 30th, 2009
12:56 pm
Jay; as always; I enjoy the column; frequent reader/infrequent blogger(I actually have a life).
I’ve only written previously on military-related issues(semi-retired military historian).
Mr. Edwards is an abomination; as is Gov Sanford, Sen. Ensign, Sen. Craig, Sen. Vitter, Speaker Gingrich, et.al.
As a person who analyzes issues of military import; rather than simply reacts to said issues; I fail entirely to see how this is either a liberal-conservative/Democrat-Republican issue at all. It is a moral issue; and all of the above-named individuals(yes, including former President Clinton) fail the moral test.
Whiner is nuts
June 30th, 2009
1:00 pm
You know, people who are well-informed like to have citations for the quotes that are supposed to “make your case.”
In other words, where do you find this crazy stuff?
getalife
June 30th, 2009
1:01 pm
“In case you haven’t noticed, Getalife, my hands are on the keyboard, it’s the government’s hands that are in my pants.:
I guess you knew I would respond with this:
“Well @@,
How do you type with your hands in your pants?”
You know me too well.
Pennsylvanian
June 30th, 2009
1:03 pm
Jay – Do you know the routers used in datacom for internet access are huge power hogs? They are very inefficient, generate massive heat loads that require tons of air conditioning capacity. Every byte blogged contributes to global warming, er – climate change. For the sake of the planet, please refrain from blogging on such useless topics.
Homer Simpson
June 30th, 2009
1:04 pm
Is it too late to get my Edwards’ campaign contribution refunded?