Elizabeth Edwards Book Resilience Addresses John's Affair

UPDATE 4/30: In her new memoir, "Resilience," Elizabeth Edwards says her husband should not have run for president.

"He should not have run," she writes, according to the New York Daily News, who received an advance copy. The paper adds that Edwards does not once use the name of John Edwards' mistress, Rielle Hunter. But she describes the aspiring videographer as "pathetic."

When she learned of her husband's infidelity, "I cried and screamed, I went to the bathroom and threw up," Edwards writes.

* * * * *

Elizabeth Edwards is releasing a short memoir titled "Resilience," Fox News reports, in which she will address her husband's affair with a campaign videographer.

Edwards insiders are wondering if "Resilience" will be a tell-all, tell-some, tell-none, or an exercise in denial. The Broadway Books catalog says Edwards has written "an unsentimental and ultimately inspirational meditation on the gifts we can find among life's biggest challenges."

...

The usually private Elizabeth Edwards, I am told, is definitely including her take on the relationship in her new book. Her publicist says she will be addressing John's "affair and how she experienced it."

John Edwards admitted to the affair in August 2008, months after ending his presidential campaign. His mistress, Rielle Hunter, made a series of short videos of the former Senator for his pre-announcement leadership PAC, the One America Committee. Edwards met Hunter at a bar in New York. She had little experience in film before taking the job, and the video footage was taken offline when Edwards announced his candidacy.

When the affair came to light, Elizabeth Edwards wrote on the blog Daily Kos that her husband "made a terrible mistake."

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Comments

[clearlythinking]

I was a very big supporter of John Edwards, made campaign calls, canvassed for him, not once but twice. I believed in him in part because I related to him and thought he was a good person, someone I could trust. To see how little he thought of his family to do what he did leads me to the realization that he cannot be trusted. That disappoints me. While I agree what has happened is between him and his wife, I also feel I have a right to be disappointed and disgusted by the actions of someone I trusted. Therein lies the outrage (although I personally am not outraged I can see why someone else would be). I respect Elizabeth Edwards immensely. I think she is a strong and courageous woman. She realizes she doesn't have as many days left on this earth to be with her children. She could demand a divorce, fight for custody, etc. but in the end she will put her children through more than she probably wants them to since at some point in the future they will also have to deal with her death. I think she is minimizing the trauma for her kids. I for one hope she lives much longer than anyone expects and that she finds comfort in making the best choice for her family.

[ElizaDolittleButTalk]

I suppose the references in yesterday's posts to America's only elite political ruling family and a certain snow haired politician from Georgia tripped the "oh, we shouldn't print this" button?

Funny

[den1953]

Pesident Obama should consider her for secretary of human services.

[Cherubim]

Yes, Obama including Elizabeth in your administration woud be a "wise" decision.

[wrenny]

He wasn't faithful to *her* - that's not the same as deceiving the public. It was between him and his wife, which has nothing to do with how he would have been as a president. There have been some perfectly great leaders who were unfaithful to their wives - their personal character was flawed in that one particular way, but that had nothing to do with their leadership and governing skills and ethics. It would be absolutely absurd for every wronged wife to try to throw her husband's political career apart over it - that would have eliminated some very great figures in history! People all over the world laugh at Americans for the way we carry on over all these incidents. Elizabeth Edwards has been through hell, is living in an ongoing hell, has yet more hell to go through, and if it makes her feel the least bit better or more in control of her life to write a book about her life and some of the darkness in it, more power to her! I hope it's a Best Seller that brings her some peace and healing and recognition for all the things *she* has contributed.

[mothertheresa]

I was married to a complete self-absorbed phony as Jazzman describes and when I learned my husband had an affair (I was called by a co-worker of his in the television station where he worked), I was devastated-- had children ages 2 and 6, one with a disability, and I loved my husband very much. The problem was that the trust I had in him was gone. At great financial loss, I divorced him and 20 years later learned there had been more than just one "other" woman during our marriage. But I was neither blind nor in denial since his best friends didn't know either. My ex presented himself as the ultimate family man and he was good at being duplicitous.

I'm very happy I stood my ground in large part because I showed my children that you don't have to accept betrayal just because you're married. And while 50 percent of spouses cheat, that doesn't mean you have to accept it--not to mention that the cheating spouse can also be jeopardizing your health. I imagine in Elizabeth's case, the cancer influenced her decision to a large extent--but I do think she was complicit in lying to the American people. Had JE been nominated, the Dems may have lost because his persona was fraudulent. Yes, no one's perfect---but Obama didn't lie about his drug use and people accepted this. So it's not the imprefection that's unacceptable, it's the lying.

[Cherubim]

A little more information about Elizabeth's book:
http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/story/1392123.html

"According to Random House Inc., which is publishing "Resilience: Reflections On the Burdens and Gifts of Facing Life's Adversities," it seems a tamer book.

'This short, powerful pocket-sized inspirational book makes an ideal gift for anyone dealing with difficulties in their life, who can find peace in knowing they are not alone, and promise that things can get better,' said the Random House press release.

The 192-page book, which is scheduled for publication on May 12, is a follow-up to Elizabeth Edwards' bestseller, "Saving Graces," which was published in 2005. Her first memoir dealt with her struggle with breast cancer and coping with the death of the couple's 16-year old son, Wade, in an automobile accident as well as her husband's political career."

[Cherubim]

Some things like marriage relationships are private to be discussed between the persons involved. People need to stop pretending they are outraged. The only person with a right to be outraged is Elizabeth Edwards, and she has decided to spend much of her time working for universal health care for Americans. She has also said she and her husband want to dedicate their lives to fighting poverty. Let's not hinder them. Other things like jobs, labor rights, the collapse of our economy, and government bailouts are public matters to be discussed by all Americans. And, yes there are still two Americas. One asked for and got billions of dollars in government bailout money in a matter of hours. Sorry, the names of the con artists who got the bailout money have not been revealed by the National Enquirer or the Main Street Media. The other America is still begging its government for affordable healthcare, the right to a roof over their heads, and jobs. I don't want to see working Americans treated like the workers in "third world countries". John and Elizabeth Edwards are well aware of their short comings, but they also know how to fight and work for the American people. Watch the video see the America worth fighting for:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L52faNtcutM&feature=PlayList&p=1BBBE013EA242628&playnext=1&index=13

[AZ85283]

From all the comments, I have to wonder if any of you are married or in long term relationships? Things aren't always what they seem. And if any of you are, I find it hard to believe that if you found out your other were involved in an affair you would just drop him (or her)and move on. If that's the case, why do we have so many people in counseling trying to "save marriages"? Wouldn't you just move on? No because it's not that easy. Some of you women won't even dump boyfriends who cheat and you know it--you make excuses "he loves me best".. So don't judge what Elizabeth or others do. Besides some of you married men who cheated on their wives with you. Lots of you are married to men who have children with other women and you look the other way, so while you're attack Elizabeth your doing the same thing. There would be NO marriages, or serious relationships if people dumbed either other for cheating. Some of you even continue to have sex with ex' s even after they left you for other woman,how stupid is that? And don't give me this crap "oh I never cheated BS". Who do you think keeps prostitution going- single men? Pleeze.

[AJM1963]

I agree with you AZ, relationship is not as easy as most people thought it should be, not until you are one part of it. I had 8 years of relationship with my ex-b, one of my girls told me that he was seeing someone else, I was not even happy to hear that news, because I was embarrassed and was in denial, her advice reconfirm my suspicion, but I was not ready to let that relationship go, then I continued, two years later I was charged for the crime that my ex-b company's was charged, he did not spare me to say what it could spare me from those charges, at the end I spend 6 months in prison, plus he stopped paying more than 75000.00 back to me for the loan that I took out of my house as second mortgage. Women are more emotional involve than men do. in many cases, we have to give up what we think it is right for us, as mother, there is no way that you don't think about your child, if you were in EE's shoes, you might do the same, but you have to be as strong as she is, it is not easy for her to stand firm for her family and herself. She is doing it for her family, clear and simple.

[DeniseD]

I guess it is just me, but I have dropped boyfriends that have cheated, and yes, I have been married and in long term committments. I was married to my first husband for 10 years before divorcing him, and have been married to my second husband for 9 years. I would rather be alone than be with a person who lied and was disrespectful to me.

I am not judging Elizabeth, in fact, I feel sorry for her. I think she probably believes that she doesn't have a choice because of her health, and that is probably true for her.

[Sugermen]

You go girl......

[TotoToo]

I feel so badly for the wives of men who behave so selfishly. John Edwards knew he was living in a fishbowl, but he had a very visible affair anyway. His subsequent lies have only made a bad situation worse.

[harriettubman]

I wonder if she's writing about that poor baby too. She didn't ask to come here. Her two lustful parents conceived her.

[Steamboater]

Elizabeth Edwards knew about the affair when her husband ran for the presidency and deceived so many people. She's his enabler. To wrote a book about it is just ridiculous. He's finished as a politician and they should just get on with their lives and leave this alone.

[NoToGOP08]

amen!

[jd2408]

I don't agree. Steamboater has every right to criticize. Edward made this a public matter when he funded his mistress with campaign funds and when he lied to the media and the public while going for the nomination. Those things made it a public, not a private affair between a husband and wife. I am sure most of us could care less about their private problems but we are sick of this kind of politics. If you don't care about the honesty and morals of who you vote for thats your right, many of us do care.

[dutchess2]

Walk a mile in their shoes.

then come back and tell us all about it.

Until you've faced what they face, you have no standing to criticize either of them.

[Tulka2]

This stuff writes itself. John Edwards has always counted on being the amazing young John Edwards. He freaked out when he thought Elizabeth was going to leave him. He has little insight to his own motivations. Blah, blah, blah. I am bitter, but only in the small way of someone who loved him because he was the only one talking about poor people.

Glad they're still married.

Glad she still loves him.

Wish them the best.

Will not read the book.

[AlltheBuzzfromCali]

It strikes me that she is the "mommy" figure and John is the little boy who got into mischief and is to be tolerated and still supported in his goals, as she said, he made a mistake. That may be their dynamic. However, the way the issue of Rielle's child was handled is appalling--everyone but Elizabeth seems to know instinctively that this is his kid. Hope the book won't be an exercise in denial.

[Cuyahoga]

Elizabeth Edwards is a brilliant woman who could write a book on many topics of interest. If I were her, I'd dump John - go live in a beautiful place with her children - and write a book that doesn't mention the bum.

It could be more healing than any chemo or radiation ever could be.

[gardengranny]

I could not agree more - Elizabeth Edwards doesn't need to spend whatever time she has left with a man who treated her with so much disdain.

As for Reille Hunter (or whatever her name really is), she should have considered the possible ramifications of having a baby with a man like John Edwards.

Did she truly believe he would leave Elizabeth for her?

The only person JE loves is himself.

[FearlessFreep]

What if she still loves him?

[ElizaDolittleButTalk]

Then she needs therapy.

Or he needs a shock collar.

I never understand why men with classy wives step out with tramps.