This makes her role in this series of lies even more obvious. Whatever sympathy I have for her as a person, in her public role, she is, to say the least, a huge disappointment.

Aside from purely rubbernecking reasons why is this being investigated and discussed? He holds no office, he has no position in gov't. He is a private citizen.

GET OVER IT

Would like to know why the fuck we should care about this drivel. Or, more importantly, why Salon is posting this prurient babble. If I actually wanted to read the Enquirer, I'd subscribe to it.

Who needs Republicans when we have lefty bloggers to take down our own so thoroughly? Edwards is done. America has long proved it can only tolerate right wing, family-values types cheating on their wives. Is it really necessary to keep clawing at him and his wife like this, especially from the left? What are we now? Shrieking self-righteous vultures no different from the right wing hypocrites who get away with this kind of this all the time?

The man is not coming back from this. Which is too bad, because he's a helluva better person than John McCain, Newt Gingrich, David Vitter and a host of other Republicans who paid no political price for infidelities far worse than the one Edwards committed.

For crying out loud, who the hell cares? This isn't news, it's gossip.

to all who asked why this crapola is being covered. It's so un-newsworthy it's pathetic.

This is gossip. It's relevant only to the people directly involved. There's no reason for any of us to hear or read about it. We don't care nor should we. If Salon keeps mentioning the "Edwards Affair", it sinks to the level of the National Enquirer. Enough already!

I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care ...

(to infinity)

Just as with Bill and Hillary Clinton (or any other famous couple, from Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt to the present day), whose business is it but theirs? To use a term probably coined in the 1970's, if someone wants to have an "open marriage", or forgive a straying spouse, it's NO ONE'S BUSINESS BUT THEIRS.

Sure, I'm as human as the next person -- I get a small charge out of knowing intimate details about someone else. But would I want others knowing such secrets about ME? No. Did adultery truly affect negatively the way FDR or Clinton performed as President? In the absence of any real evidence, that answer is also NO.

do i give a good goddamn?

People love gossip. It's part of our social interactions. No one is making you read this. The number of people saying this story is unworthy of coverage makes me think there are just a lot of folks who love feeling superior for not enjoying gossip. You know, the ones who read Us and People and the NE in the dentist's office.

And you may not think Edwards is a public political figure, but he sure does. His presidential website is still up so he can share his take on the issues. Of course to get there you have to first pass the tab "About the Edwards family".

Was Hunter hired after she and Edwards hooked up? Did PAC funds go to keep the sweetie in the picture? Campaign finance aficionados want to know.

Those who keep bleating "It's private" need to rethink. Why should campaign donations go to pay for the candidate's sexual partner's services?

who think with their little head, not their big one.

And I'm tired of salacious gossip.

And I'm tired of people reflexively blaming the wife when the husband strays.

Specifically, all those above this one (except the two from marcparis!*).

I clicked on this article to post a note saying "WHO CARES?" and was glad to see, at last count, 9 others expressing essentially the same sentiment.

So please listen to your readers and cut this crap out.

*PS to marc: Here are two things I consider wrong with gossip:

1. There's too damn much of it, especially in places it has no business being (NPR, broadcast network "news", etc.); and

2. It's a distraction from a gazillion other things that matter (as has been stated by others much more eloquent than I am).

Also, in response to your statement "The number of people saying this story is unworthy of coverage makes me think there are just a lot of folks who love feeling superior for not enjoying gossip." I plead guilty as charged. After all, not only do people love gossip, they also love easy targets.

Attraction to gossip is the method our lizard brain is using to let us know we are still creepy creatures. I personally hate and am totally disinterested in gossip. I don't read or glance at gossip magazines in the dentist office or the supermarket line. When someone starts with: "you wouldn't believe who X is fucking", my reaction is always:"stop right there, I could care less". I have no idea who a "celebrity" is sleeping with, nor do I give a damn. I never even heard of most "celebrities" the media, even Salon keeps mentioning, nor do I want to. I don't care what celebrities think and feel about. I don't care about other people's private lives because I have a life of my own and I don't need to stick my nose into the private affairs of others to feel alive and relevant. In my case, my complete disinterest in gossip allows me so much more time to read good books, work out, listen to good music, enjoy the outdoors, travel, etc. Try it, you might like it.

Oh, the horror--a man running for President turned out to be merely a man! All this hyperventilating about the dire consequences that might have been--He might have thrown the election to Barack! He might have been nominated before anyone found out!! He might have been elected President before anyone found out!!! He might have been elected President and lived long enough for people not to care what he did in his personal life. . .one can only hope--

Obviously, in today's world, he's through--but I can't help wondering what the wonderful world of political theater would be like if we really cared more about pinning candidates down on issues than on salacious gossip. I feel sorry for Mrs. Edwards, but I HOPE she never takes the bait and tells anyone what she knew or when she knew it. It is ENTIRELY and EXCLUSIVELY her own business.

Let's get back to real issues.