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Sunday, Nov 8, 2009
Infidelity makes me ill. I don't care whether it's Joe or Jane Schmo or the dude who was a Presidential Candidate. Although decisions are made and mistakes happen, those of us that may find ourselves in these situations can either let it kill all that we are, or it make us stronger than we were. This man lost his direction, his moral compass seemed to stop working. That will be between his wife, family,and God on the moral standpoint. However, if it's found that campaign monies were re-directed to this woman, then it will be an issue on the legal standpoint too, and as well as it should. People have a right to privacy and what goes on in their life--however, if you're a public figure then this engenders a trust that you're fulfilling your obligations to city, state, and country first, not yourself...-- Public Service being all that you know. A crime it is not to get your bread buttered, but if you paid for it on the taxpayers/Contributors dime...Oh hell no! Aside from that, what I find absolutely distasteful, is that your wife is battling an incurable Cancer, and yet you would add this kind of pain and humilation to the list that she has to bear. For shame. For shame that your honor and integrity were so easily mislead. Also, was this the best that you could do? Frankly, "Rielle", is a bit scary looking. Sort of like a scarecrow on crack.
It seems like a lot of people hate infidelity and take it personally when someone of Edwards's ilk screws up like this. It is really no one's business but Elizabeth Edwards. This will bring more pain to her than her chemo and diagnosis. Some things in life are very painful and this is one of them. Her ability to forgive and continue with her life is very admirable. Again, she is a strong woman and knows how she wants to spend her time on this planet. Judging her makes no sense. How many of us know what real death begins to feel/look when you know your destiny is short? We all know that everyday we die, but with the consumerism and religious frenzy in the USA, we somehow think that we will escape...Elizabeth Edwards knows she will not and her time is limited.
Why do other people throw up about errors in human behavior when they do not even know the people? We are an odd bunch!
I still like John Edwards. He is just a human with poor judgement and a great haircut. He ruined her political life, but he is still a father and husband. Also, I gave to his campaign...I don't care about my money going for his mistress...I have better things to think about...shouldn't we all?
America, get over yourself. Time is relentless.
Is that a recent photo? Rielle Hunter looks frozen in time, like maybe 1982. Let me guess -- I bet she's wearing Doc Martens with fishnet stockings!
Well said, PL101.
I liked John and Elizabeth Edwards. I still do. John fucked up big time on a big stage and he's going to pay the consequences for it.
I enjoyed Justin's story about Rielle's background, but I was surprised by the variety of reactions from Salon readers to it.
Rielle, as presented by Justin, seems to be a like a lot of people I know. She did a lot of the same kind of stuff many of us have done (booze, drugs, parties, sex), then channeled her energies toward more creative and enlightening endeavors. One thing lead to another, then -- boom -- here we are reading and commenting.
I'm baffled by the fact that a good deal of the commentary here seems sanctimonious and oddly derisive. The hostility is hurled multi-directionally, aiming randomly at: John Edwards, Rielle Hunter, Justin Jouvenal, and even Salon itself.
Compared to the moral outrages and international crimes that have been committed by the Bush crime syndicate over the past seven and a half tortuous years, the Edwards/Hunter affair should be regarded as, at most, an inconsequential curiosity to those of us who aren't immediately involved in the situation.
As long as we elevate stories like this to the top of the news cycle for days and weeks on end, we deserve whatever we get. When honest but fallible folks end up in situations where their pants are down around their ankles in public, hypocritical wingnuts will mount the pile of naked bodies to slither their way to the top of our political discourse. And I guaran-godamn-tee you the holier than thou slimeballs are invariably the ones who lead the charge to oust the Edwards' of our political culture. They pretend to hold their noses as they wriggle their way into the orgiastic pile of flesh, begging god to forgive them for getting so excited about doing the Lord's Work. They truly are the scummiest hypocrites ever to thrust their embarrassing little organs of corruption up our collective orifices. It may feel good but they scourge their flesh for days in repentance before searching out another avenue of righteous release. The Lord's Work never ends, but they are always up for another grapple with that ol' debil. It might feel really really really good, but they say the magic words after every orgasm and all is forgiven.
...but I read it anyway, just so I could post my indifference with credibility.
Isn't it amazing how most comments for the Edwards' affair story denounce it being covered--it appears those posters are the story's biggest followers. Kind of like protesting cuss words, da...it!
The one curious detail in this story concerns the amount Ms. Rielle was paid to produce the videos. Heretofore, all stories have stated that Edwards paid her $114,000 to produce the videos...until yesterday.
Donors to Edwards campaign had questioned why Baron, Edwards campaign finance minister, relocated her and the proxy, Young, to California, installed them in multimillion dollar homes, and gave them $15,000, too.
Yesterday that $15K was reduced to $14K and then attributed to what the campaign owed her for her "work." Oh.
Good work, Jouvenal--you're certainly up to date with the details. Of course, you checked that out, verified it with at least 2 sources, saw a copy of the receipt. Since you are still in school, I imagine you are still hypervigilant about conducting journalism by the book.
Why is this story important to me? The sex? Not at all. In fact, I sympathize with Edwards--I know how tough it is to face midlife in the dark: kid died, wife sick and dying. We all lean toward the light, look at those pictures of ourselves when we were young, carefree, and really happy, so happy it is shocking to see.
What bothers me about this story is the other betrayal. Edwards betrayal to me, to Ralph Nader, to all those homeless people, impoverished, Hurricane Katrina victims who gave money to their spokesperson--who in turn gave it to shamelessly uncredentialed Rielle Hunter to film vanity videos for his campaign.
Rielle's been the recipient of overgifting. (For someone so guru'ed up, I'm surprised she took the people's donations--what happened to all that enlightenment? ) Edwards gives her $114,000--why not a few bucks and a disposable camera. Baron, in the midst of a poverty campaign, surrounded by people who live in the street and take the bus where they want to go, actually feels so sorry for Rielle and the proxy that he unlocks his safe and moves 5 people to the other side of the country, finds a couple of multimillion dollar houses for them to cower in.
Why not a few bucks, an apartment, and a job? Heck, why not a Fema trailer to call their own? After all, if it's good enough for your contributors....?
Funny who people feel sorry for? Donald Trump decides,among all the people victimized by Countrywide and losing their homes and everything, that he feels sorriest for Ed McMahon--though he's never met him. So he buys Ed's multimillion dollar home and tells Ed you and your squeeze can live their for life, free! I wonder if he's tucked a few hundred thousand in his pocket, to help him get started again? Wow, Ed McMahon is the most tragic victim of the foreclosure debacle--at least to Trump. Don't ever accuse Trump of being heartless again.
Do I sound bitter? Maybe. Rising prices, unregulated companies who con you and then get out of paying taxes, oil companies that raise prices with impunity, our govt who gives Iraq $10 billion dollars a month--ah, forget the receipt, don't insult me.
Funny how people rallied around Edwards in the first place. Ralph Nader is the real thing.
Much of the initial coverage about Fort Hood turned out to be wrong. Is there anything wrong with that?
The accountability imposed by another country for the CIA's kidnapping and torture reveals much about our own.
Fox News' morning show plays to type, talking about whether Muslims in the Army should face "special debriefings"
The survivor and author is upset about comparisons some on the right are making to genocide
Once seen as a lunatic fringe, reactionary anti-women groups are courting respectability
Salon headlines in your mailbox
