John Edwards Reappearing On Public Stage Tonight

Two-time presidential candidate John Edwards is returning to the public stage for a speech, three months after he acknowledged an affair with a woman hired to produce videos of him in 2006.

Edwards is scheduled speak Tuesday night about the election at Indiana University. The school said the public lecture will also include a question-and-answer session.

The former North Carolina senator has largely stayed in exile since admitting in August that he had an affair two years ago. He canceled a series of events before the election, saying he didn't want to be a distraction to former rival, Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama.

Edwards' wife, Elizabeth, has held several events in the past two months advocating for health care reform.

Comments

[Okieborn]

08:59 AM on 11/12/2008

John Edwards private life is not our business !!
I just feel that Edwaeds should be at home with his family "NOT" away from them !!!!
He has placed this black mark on himself and i would think he has ruined any chance of ever being a successful candidate for any office !!!

[harhar2]

07:56 AM on 11/12/2008

I heard Edwards speak in St. Paul a day before the election in 2004. I thought him to be a very impressive speaker. I think he has very good intentions in his political views. The many people who had admired him then, and as a recent presidential candidate were very disappointed with his behavior regarding his affair. Ellizabeth Edwards had been interviewed numerous times and some of us grew to admire her kindness and intelligence, and also all her work in regards to health care reform. Just the thought he'd do something like this to this wonderful woman fighting cancer I am sure turned many of us off towards him. I don't know if he'll ever be back in the political spotlight. Maybe it's still too soon to tell. The jury is still out on him as far as I'm concerned. I wish him well and hope he can get his act together.

[SonyaInTx]

01:14 AM on 11/12/2008

I wish John Edwards would just go home to his wife and children. They need him more than we do.

[Cherubim]

11:20 PM on 11/11/2008

John Edwards Calls for a 'New Era' of Leadership
by Ben Phelps | IDS | Date: 11/11/2008
http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=64421&comview=1

The former North Carolina senator showed few signs of rust after months on the sideline of the election. He was his usual self: confident, relaxed, funny.

At one point when talking about the elections, he said McCain “came back from the dead to win the Republican nomination.”Some in the crowd chuckled at the remark about McCain, who would have been the oldest president elected.

“That was not a joke,” said a smiling Edwards, to which the crowd erupted in laughter.


He said the central cause of his life was eliminating poverty and said he would work for the rest of it to achieve it. He also hit on some of his typical campaign themes, such as the universal health care and strengthening the economy.

Edwards said Obama will make the United States respected once again on foreign shores.

He also said economic and energy problems are international, as well as domestic issues.
“Without global cooperation these problems cannot be solved and America needs to lead the way.”

He spoke for about 30 minutes and then fielded 13 questions for another half hour.

He applauded grassroots organizational work done in cities like Bloomington during the elections. He said the youth brought a freshness and energy to the campaign this year.

[GuidedByEwoks]

10:46 PM on 11/11/2008

I went to see Edwards speak tonight and it was a total snoozefest. He gave general views in an unprepared speech for about 20 minutes and then took questions for another 20. He did not mention the affair, which is kind of a big thing because if he would have gotten the nomination, the party would have imploded. He was happy Obama won, has no opinion on Lieberman, and thinks poverty is bad. This guy is a washed up joke and as someone who was inspired by him and went to a rally in 2004, it was a very sad night. I hope the Union Board feels they got their 35,000 bucks worth.

[Cherubim]

10:57 PM on 11/11/2008

GuidedByEwoks, I don't believe you.
I've heard John Edwards speak quite often, and he was never boring.

[GuidedByEwoks]

12:20 AM on 11/12/2008

umm i saw him in 2004 and he was not boring, but he was sure boring tonight. And he jokingly said he wasn't going to comment on Lieberman. He may have opinions, but I guess he's too important to get involved with that. or whatever.

[killmenow]

12:13 AM on 11/12/2008

I cannot believe that he "has no opinion on Lieberman." I have to be skeptical of your comment, GidedByEwoks. I doubt that he did not express strong opinions, and it couldn't have been boring.

[jtown]

10:27 PM on 11/11/2008

I've never liked him for some reason.

Not that anything is wrong with being gay, but I always thought he was gay,
I felt that he was hiding somthing, I would have never thought he would have cheat on his WIFE.

[mdmpo]

10:22 PM on 11/11/2008

I'm not ready for John Edwards. Stay away a little while longer.

[dcoxucla]

09:56 PM on 11/11/2008

JOHN EDWARDS MR. POVERTY SCREWS AROUND WITH RANDOM WHORES WHILE HIS WIFE IS FIGHTING CANCER....WOW JOHN FORGIVE YOU BUT YOU HAD ME FOOLED...BUT TALK ABOUT POVERTY BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE IS AND WE NEED AN VOICE IN THE MIX TALKING ABOUT POVERTY

[Petey131]

09:27 PM on 11/11/2008

We do not forget what Bill Clinton did while in the White House. We see how many Americans still respect him. We are human and John Edwards must move forward in life.

[Cherubim]

08:53 PM on 11/11/2008

A quote for you negative posters:
"When the press focuses on the sex lives of politicians reach for your pocket,
and see who’s pulling out your wallet."
-- quote by Noam Chomsky

A quote for Elizabeth Edwards and the positive posters:
"I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free."
---quote by Michelangelo

A quote for John Edwards:
"All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages."
-quote from William Shakespeare (15641616)
As You Like It Act 2, scene 7, 139–143

Always, remember, John and Elizabeth Edwards:
"Black America Has Your Back."
God Bless You.

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/slideshow/photo//081112/480/0981319eb62c4638925cca1a3e8dc015/#photoViewer=/081112/480/0981319eb62c4638925cca1a3e8dc015

[Cherubim]

09:54 PM on 11/11/2008

Here's the news photo link to the above post. above.
I hope this one works:
http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/slideshow/photo//081112/480/0981319eb62c4638925cca1a3e8dc015/

[kotexbarbie]

10:18 PM on 11/11/2008

Thank you!

[StillIRise]

08:31 PM on 11/11/2008

John Edwards is human, like the rest of us. He made a huge mistake, and the consequences of his mistake has had a much greater impact on his own personal and political life than on any of our lives. In fact, my life has been unchanged by what he did. I for one welcome him back into the fold. We need his presence and in his voice in the dialogue and direction that President-Elect Obama's will pursue as he leads our country forward. Edwards is valuable to the party and to President-Elect Obama. Those who are calling upon him to "Go away," need to put things in perspective and be a little less judgmental ... or, as it is said, "Let him without sin throw the first stone ..."

[OklahomaGirl]

08:34 PM on 11/11/2008

I posted this comment somewhere in here before. Do you think President Obama would be up to shaking hands with Reille Hunter in a reception line? Why should the President put up with that no matter how valuable people think John Edwards is?

[StillIRise]

08:49 PM on 11/11/2008

I'm not sure I understand your comment. What Edwards did was wrong, on several fronts. He was wrong to cheat on his wife, whether she's sick or not. Yet, his cheating on her was even more egregious in view of her illness. He was also wrong to put the party at risk. If he had won the nomination, and this came out, we would have lost. Finally, he was wrong to lie about his infidelity. I do not condone any of this. But none of this precludes him from redeeming himself with his wife, with his party and with the country or his base. In fact, I thought this is what redemption and forgiveness is all about. If we can redeem ourselves for our mistakes, and seek forgiveness from those we have betrayed, why can't we extend this same opportunity to others?

Knowing President-Elect Obama, in spite of how he may feel about what Edwards did, he will have no problem at all welcoming Edwards back. He's a much bigger person than most of us are.

[MrXerox]

08:21 PM on 11/11/2008

I'm an IU student, just got back from the speech. A lot of the speech was normal political banter, though he got passionate at a number of points. The Q&A segment was great though. He really got into issues like privatization (especially of scientific research) and the campaign's focus on the middle class to the level of ignoring the poorest Americans. He was pretty dynamic, but not too loud. You could tell he was a little reserved.

All in all, it was a great event and I'm glad to see him out of exile.

[OklahomaGirl]

08:31 PM on 11/11/2008

But would you trust him?

[MrXerox]

08:37 PM on 11/11/2008

Politically, of course.

I wouldn't date the guy, though.

[jmundstuk]

11:56 PM on 11/11/2008

No. Politically or otherwise.

[Cherubim]

09:06 PM on 11/11/2008

Thanks, ever so much for your report.
John Edwards is the only politician who dares to talk about proverty.
He is much needed in the political area.
I'm so very happy JOHN EDWARDS IS BACK!!!!

[WetPaint]

08:04 PM on 11/11/2008

Assuming there is no criminal activity, one's personal life (which may or may not include extra-marital affairs) MUST be viewed separately from his/her professional life.

It is no one's business, other than the spouse. So many are so quick to climb down from the mountain, and judge other lives & choices....

An individual's private life is simply not relevant to proficiency in the workplace.

[NotMcCain]

08:30 PM on 11/11/2008

I made this same argument about Bill Clinton.

But Edwards is different. First, using donors money (campaign funds) to finance his affairs is dishonest and insulting, even if not provably criminal.

Second, lying (about the baby, obviously) and having his friends lie for him (even a married man with wife and children) shows something about his CHARACTER that I don't like.

Character, not sex, does matter in a politician (for examples, see Bush, George. Cheney, Dick. Rove, Karl. Libby, Lewis E, Hadley, Stephen J, Gonzalez, Roberto.....and on and on)

[lilkitty]

10:55 PM on 11/11/2008

my thoughts exactly!

[BIG JOHN]

07:53 PM on 11/11/2008

JUST A THOUGHT, WHAT IF JOHN WOULD HAVE WON THE PRIMARY, THEN THE AFFAIR HIT THE NEWS, MCCAIN AND PALIN WOULD BE IN THE WHITE HOUSE. I FORGIVE YOU JOHN BUT YOU REALLY MESSED UP.

[WetPaint]

08:10 PM on 11/11/2008

Just a little reminder, if I may: McCain was hardly a role model for "husband-of-the-year."

They would have canceled one another out.

[MsLiz]

02:10 AM on 11/12/2008

No, McCain's infidelity to Carol with Cindy is very old news, and no one has proved that he has been unfaithful to Cindy. There aren't any babies out there either.

Edwards took a big risk with the party's future and showed the same cavalier attitude Bill Clinton did towards us, the supporters, who depend upon them to act like adults and not risk a sex scandal.

In the great scheme of things, infidelity may not matter, but in American presidential politics, it matters a lot.

[eastutican]

07:49 PM on 11/11/2008

Please, please go away.

The lifestyle, the hypocrisy and the Clintonesque word splitting.

Please go away.

[kotexbarbie]

09:02 PM on 11/11/2008

Sheesh, What a moral scold !

[Petey131]

09:28 PM on 11/11/2008

Wow another PERFECT human being.