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Elizabeth Edwards People Cover Hits Newsstands Today

CitizenSugar — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 03:00:24 -0700

This week's People cover girl isn't as beaming as last week's Brad and Angelina lovefest — Elizabeth Edwards graces the cover — and I think "grace" is really the appropriate word. She seems to be handling the John Edwards trouble about as well as she possibly can. She's issued a statement in support of Edwards, though according to the story inside the mag, her friend says she's really having to tough it out. "There was anguish – excruciating anguish – for her in dealing with this."

She's, of course, weighing her kids, her disease, and her broken trust with her husband — and the youngest kids haven't been told yet what's going on though Elizabeth's brother says, "Children are very wise and know things." While I'm glad there wasn't a "parade the wife to the podium" shot like we saw earlier this year, somehow I feel like this mag crosses my line a bit. I'll read everything there is to read about him — he made his bed, so to speak — but I might just want to leave Elizabeth (even two-dimensional Elizabeth) in peace. What do you think? Are you picking up the issue? Are you glad that John seems to have made the story about him and less about their marriage?

Hillary Advisor Says Edwards "Cheated" Her Out of Nomination

CitizenSugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:30:38 -0700

Is Hillary having a huge case of dé ja vu? The last time a popular Southern politician got caught fooling around and wrecked her life, it was admittedly closer to home — but this time it may have cost her a ticket back to that very White House. Top Clinton Aide Howard Wolfson is alleging that fancy philanderer John Edwards done Hillary wrong — and worse — cost her the nomination.

Wolfson says that had the Edwards story broken last Fall when the Enquirer first started digging into it, "I believe we would have won Iowa, and Clinton today would therefore have been the nominee." Clinton finished a squeaker third behind Edwards, with Obama getting a huge boost from having beat two more well-known candidates. Without Edwards, splitting the share, Clinton would have won Iowa the course would have been different.

After recovering from the brutal campaign and laying low, Clinton is back in the news in a cavalcade of stories. To see what else is going on,

Watch John Edwards' ABC Interview Discussing Affair With Rielle Hunter

CitizenSugar — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 09:55:33 -0700

Watch John Edwards' ABC Interview Discussing Affair With Rielle Hunter John Edwards appeared on ABC's Nightline Friday to discuss the revelations about his affair with Rielle Hunter. During the interview Edwards spoke about how the relationship began, what drove him to adultery, its effect on his political future, and whether or not he was the father of Hunter's child.

John Edwards Admits to Affair, Doesn't Claim to be Father

LibertySugar — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 12:25:40 -0700

John Edwards has admitted to having an extramarital affair with filmmaker Rielle Hunter, and lying throughout his Presidential campaign. ABC News will run the Edwards interview tonight, in which he admits to the affair, but says he never loved the woman. Although he has not taken a paternity test, Edwards says he knows he is not the father based on the timing of the affair. He also denies making payments to the woman, but says his friends or supporters may have done so without his knowledge.

The former presidential candidate says his wife Elizabeth and other family members learned of the affair in 2006.

Update: Following the news of his admission, John Edwards released a statement.

In 2006, I made a serious error in judgment and conducted myself in a way that was disloyal to my family and to my core beliefs. . . . I am and have been willing to take any test necessary to establish the fact that I am not the father of any baby, and I am truly hopeful that a test will be done so this fact can be definitively established. . . . It is inadequate to say to the people who believed in me that I am sorry, as it is inadequate to say to the people who love me that I am sorry. In the course of several campaigns, I started to believe that I was special and became increasingly egocentric and narcissistic. If you want to beat me up — feel free.

For the rest, read his full statement.

Source

Convention in Jeopardy: Does Edwards Have to Come Clean?

CitizenSugar — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 12:15:05 -0700

Usually former presidential candidates are a shoo-in for a plum speaking role at their respective conventions. Certainly John Edwards as the third-to-last man standing this year, with supposed big promises from Barack for a good time-slot in exchange for his endorsement and fiery, progressive antipoverty rhetoric that sparks the base, would be a key (if not keynote) speaker. But the matter of his alleged love child and his lack of response to the story is in the way, big time. One former DNC chair says, "if there is not an explanation that’s satisfactory, acceptable, and meets high moral standards, the answer is 'no,' he would not be a prime candidate to make a major address to the convention."Edward's own former strategist agrees: He absolutely does have to (resolve it). If it's not true, he has to issue a stronger denial. It's a very damaging thing. The big media has tried to be responsible and handle this with kid gloves, but it's clearly getting ready to bust out. If it's not true, he's got to stand up and say, "This is not true. That is not my child and I'm going to take legal action against the people who are spreading these lies." It's not enough to say, "That’s tabloid trash."

After somewhat questionable photos surfaced this week of (perhaps?) Edwards holding his love child (her name is Frances) one professor says speak up or be shown the door, "it would be sort of party suicide to take someone with that kind of scandal and place them up.” Is an Edwards explanation in order?Source

Convention in Jeopardy: Does Edwards Have to Come Clean?

Absolutely. Silence at this point is an admission. The party needs to know who he is.

Ridiculous! Edwards is doing the right thing by not acknowledging the story at all.

I would just like some resolution so we can stop talking about it — even if it's true.

Other. I'll tell you in the comments.

Is the John Edwards Love Child Story Newsworthy?

CitizenSugar — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 07:00:34 -0700

OK, I'm sure you've heard. John Edwards may or may not have a mistress and a love child. I've had my fingers crammed in my ears, doing the la-la-la-can't-hear-you song, all week. But now this weird meta story has developed from the whole affair (ahem): should the media be covering it — and if not, what does that mean? The story was originally broken by the National Enquirer — Edwards was supposedly caught visiting his mistress and love child at an LA hotel. (The reporters have since filed criminal charges.) In the double whammy of who the source is, and the scandalous topic, some news outlets have run with it, some dropped it like a hot potato, and some have been banned from talking about it. Fox ran an update yesterday with the hotel guard saying that when Edwards found out about the reporters, "his face just went totally white." Some at Slate are asking why the MSM isn't covering the story, citing a double standard (why Larry Craig and not Edwards). The Daily Kos says it's right not to cover it considering the source, and the LA Times issued a memo banning their bloggers from writing about the story. Is it a cover-up or a double standard? Does the story need more investigation? Or is it just good judgment to let the story go?Source

Is the John Edwards Love Child Story Newsworthy?

Of course! It deserves investigation — all leads should be followed, it's good reporting.

Not in the least. It's just garbage, and I'm glad not to read about it.

We heard enough about what Jesse Jackson said about nuts — this must be news, too!

Other. I'll sneak into the comments and leave my opinion.

John Edwards To Debate Karl Rove

CitizenSugar — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 12:55:23 -0700

John Edwards To Debate Karl Rove The Buffalo News reports that former Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards will debate Karl Rove on Sept. 26 on the campus of the University of Buffalo as part of the school's Distinguished Speakers Series. When Rove announced he was resigning from the White House, Edwards released a statement that simply read "Goodbye, good riddance."

Did John Edwards Endorse His Way to Vice President?

LibertySugar — Thu, 15 May 2008 09:00:30 -0700

Yesterday, son-of-a-mill-worker John Edwards endorsed Barack Obama, ending months of silence and rebuffing former rival Hillary Clinton.The announcement was made in Michigan, a state that acutely experiences America's economic slowdown, and has felt scorn by the Democratic Party this primary season. Perhaps the announcement had more than geographical strategic significance — could this be the first dual appearance made by the reincarnation of the "dream ticket?" Will John Edwards take a second crack at becoming the nation's number two leader?John Edwards, whose own campaign appealed directly to white, blue-collar voters, received seven percent of the vote in West Virginia, where Obama struggled to keep his momentum. Not, bad for a man not even running. Obama has trouble with the group that embraces Edwards.Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton is talking Democratic unity. On CNN yesterday, she said that it would be a "terrible mistake" for her supporters to vote for John McCain over Barack Obama. But, does Obama need her on the ticket in order to get her supporters to vote at all? The New York Times reported that although Edwards denied holding out for an administration position before he endorsed, he told them privately that he would consider the role of vice president, and favored the position of attorney general.While John Edwards didn't even make Huffington Post's Obama VP frontrunner list, this ticket does seem plausible. Will Obama tap Edwards? Source

Did John Edwards Endorse His Way to Vice President?

Yay! He fills out Obama's weak spot perfectly.

Nay. Edward's has been there done that . . . and lost.

Other. I'll tell you in the comments.

Who Won't Be Fairest of Them All in Four Years?

CitizenSugar — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:00:38 -0700

I promise we're not going wall-to-wall Pennsylvania today like some (cough, cable news, cough) but we were just talking about this the other day with John Edwards! The Internet works in mysterious ways. You Obama supporters out there might want to think long and hard about electing his royal handsomeness. Do you want this to befall his pretty mug in four years?

The folks at PopPhoto put together a set of outrageously addictive photos of the candidates that let you roll over and see what the toll of four years as commander in chief will take on their youthful good looks. Yes, McCain, too! You guys are terrible. Go check it out. Who do you think comes out looking the best?

We'll have the Pennsylvania primary results here tonight, the split-second they're called. Don't forget to check back to see who's on the way to looking like their picture.
Source

Lighten Up: John Edwards Is Back! Catch this Colbert?

CitizenSugar — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:15:30 -0700

Aw, heck! I missed this pretty little jokester! John Edwards, that ol' Son of a Millworker was back in top, shiny-haired form last night on The Colbert Report. He delivered the EdWords possibly better than Colbert himself. Catch the graphic after he hits his "two Americas" talking point? Ha!

Get Flash to see this player.

Johnny, I'll make sure you get that JetSki if I have to buy it myself. Thanks to sugarbean who caught this live — and we were wondering, that pin Edwards is wearing? I'm pretty sure it's his late son's Outward Bound pin, but the "O" shape does make the imagination race . . . ?

Headline: John Edwards Announces End to Campaign

CitizenSugar — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 10:34:56 -0800

John Edwards has just formally terminated his campaign in New Orleans. He began this, his second White House bid, in New Orleans a little more than a year ago. He kicked off his campaign by announcing in the middle of the Ninth Ward his quest to end corruption in Washington on behalf of the dire and downtrodden.

Speaking again today from the Ninth Ward, after a disappointing third-place finish in his home state of South Carolina last weekend, Edwards dropped out, saying this of his crusade to help those who he says government has forgotten:

"We didn't turn our heads. We turned and looked them straight in the eye and said we hear you. We see you . . . and we will never forget you."

Credited by some as the force that brought specific policy discussion to this campaign, his presence certainly shaped the discussion and will continue to affect the outcome.

Do either the Obama or Clinton campaigns show the potential for compassion that was the hallmark of Edward's bid? What will the campaign be lacking without Edwards willingness to fight for those who struggle? Will Edwards disappear, or do you think he will endorse a candidate? If so, who?!

Debate Rebate: Democrats Gamble in Vegas

LibertySugar — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 12:08:09 -0800

Now that they're all friends, (sooo over the race thing,) and on a first name basis, the Democrats were free to talk policy at last night's debate. While it seems like debates are supposed to help highlight each candidate's unique qualities, this slot machine came up cherry, cherry, cherry. All three support universal health care, ROTC/increased military recruitment, and energy independence — and all three oppose the war. Seems like a jackpot — unless you're undecided. Here are the highlights:

John Edwards: John seemed pretty passionate. He broke down his stance on Iraq, saying:

“I will end combat missions. And while I'm president, there will be no permanent military bases in Iraq.”

Overall, Edwards was the most willing to point out differences. He says his plan to get troops out of Iraq is more aggressive and claimed to be the only candidate not to take money from special interests.

For the rest of the candidates,

Check This: Did Edwards Benefit From Second Choice-Syndrome?

CitizenSugar — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 07:08:23 -0800

Since the dawn of time—okay, since the dawn of this campaign which is practically the same thing, we've been trained to expect the big Hillary/Obama showdown. This neck-and-neck binary has spawned a lot of passionate supporters—as well as just as fervent detractors.

For voters heading into the caucuses supporting a candidate who would be proven "unviable," (R.I.P, Chris Dodd, Joe Biden,) and forced to reassign their votes--did Edwards reap his second-place victory as a second-choice candidate?

Apparently, yes, for many Iowans stuck between Barack and a Hard Place, the choice was John Edwards.

Source