Give Edwards a Break

Talk of John Edwards losing his public career forever is just plain silly. Such a fate for having an extramarital affair and lying about it would mean that millions should be added to the already rising numbers of jobless Americans.

Even political figures ought to be allowed to survive a sex scandal if they have something worthy to offer. After all, Bill Clinton served two presidential terms and beat an impeachment rap despite the whole world knowing that he repeatedly cheated on his wife and lied about it over and over again.

Sure, there is massive hypocrisy in what Edwards did, considering how he and his wife, Elizabeth, were presented as the model couple in contrast to the Clintons. And that will always be a blot on the former North Carolina senator's image. But if hypocrisy were a virus, just about everyone in Washington would be dead by now.

There is no need here for a public execution of Edwards. If his talents are deemed useful in a possible Barack Obama administration, for instance, why not?

Craig Crawford blogs daily on CQPolitics.com

Follow Craig Crawford on Twitter: www.twitter.com/craig_crawford

Comments

[libbygirl]

No break for Edwards, or anyone else involved in this, until all questions are answered. I'm feeling no sympathy for what he brought upon himself.

[KISSman]

After a confession on Friday where we are still learning some of the details, we are supposed to already give him a break? The guy doesn't even have his affair timeline straight since he's trying to paint us the best picture he can. He clearly began the affair before she was hired, but he says it's the other way around.

The end-game for John Edward's political career came when money became part of the equation. He paid his mistress over $100,000 -- money from hard working Americans who believed in him -- for work she wasn't even qualified to do. And she's STILL getting paid $15,000 a month (which will amount to $180,000 a year) for reasons no one really understands. And we're supposed to believe that John Edwards is oblivious to this?? C'mon...

Someone who has such a questionable moral/ethical standard is not someone who is qualified to hold any position in Obama's administration.

[cloudmaker]

Why is that when any blogger wants to comment on an infidelity they use Bill
Clinton as an example. Why not John McCain or some other repub. After all
he cheated on his wife while she was disabled and not just to get his jollies,
but obviously to move up to someone more attractive, healthier and richer,
which he did. Bill Clinton behaved like so many men. He had a fling with an
attractive young girl and then went home to his wife. Big deal! With Bill we are
talking about a meaningless infidelity. With McCain, a despicable disloyalty.
Bill and Hillary are still together. Where is the first Mrs. McCain?

[Petunia12]

Sadly for men like Edwards, the days of getting away with sexual infidelity are nearly over. With the tabloids, internet and women's lib, men have lost the upper hand and a lot fewer women are tolerating this behavior as they can now support themselves. Sorry weasly men, women don't have to put up with your B.S. anymore and can pursue honest, trustworthy, respectful relationships. There are actually some decent men in the world and I'm sure we can talk them into representing us in government since there seems to be several openings!!

[tiredandworried]

Paul Krugman wrote: "One more thing: if we do get real health care reform, a lot of people will owe a debt of gratitude to none other than John Edwards. When Mr. Edwards dropped out of the presidential race, I credited him with making universal health care a “possible dream for the next administration.” Mr. Edwards’s political career is over — but perhaps he and his family can take some solace from the fact that his party is still trying to make that dream come true."

OK. Nice point. How about letting Edwards redeem himself (somewhat) by making health-care reform work in the Obama administration? It's not going to be an easy job. He will be condemned to "public service" for his prior lack of judgment.

[RedSt8r]

"Even political figures ought to be allowed to survive a sex scandal if they have something worthy to offer."

John and Elizabeth purposely betrayed the public trust with their maliciously deceitful campaign. If you can't trust a word that comes out of their mouths, how can they have anything worthy to offer?

Unworthy.

[LittleSanityLeft]

I said it in a different "Edwards Cheats' story and I'll say it here. I don't see how a man cheating on his wife and then her forgiving him is of anyone's business. Does it take some of the sheen off of his halo? Sure but that doesn't make him a monster of a man, just another flawed human being and the world is full of billions of those.

[libbygirl]

If it was only "a man" cheating on his wife I would agree with you. Unfortunately this story is ever so much bigger than that.

[SeriousBlack]

"Talk of Edwards losing his public career forever is just plain silly. "

Of course it is. Not that I'm excusing the seriousness of what he did, but, ummmm.... didn't Bill Clinton commit adultery (with a 22 year old intern instead of a 42 year old career woman), as PRESIDENT (instead of as someone not holding any public office), and actually undergo IMPEACHMENT proceedings, and here we are about 10 years later with him still being talked about as one of the most powerful figures in the Democratic party and having a prominent address at the 2008 Democratic convention?

Really lost Billy boy HIS public career forever, didn't it?

[deeppeace]

Let's not forget the sainted Newt Gingrich. Why is Bill Clinton the only example the press recalls when talking about affairs?

[fignozzle]

i KNOW!
and he had a sick wife at the time as well.

[liz]

That was not the end of the Gingrich scandals. He cheated on the second wife too--including with a Congressional aide while he was in full cry for impeachment of Clinton. He is in serious contention for worst hypocrit of the modern era.

[FirstShirt]

You keep missing the point. McCain is a known quantity. Edwards pretended to be something he is not. Not only to his wife, but to his staff. He took money. Ran on an image that was false. And, if he had become, say, the attorney general and this came out it would have been another Spitzer situation. By the way, you keep forgetting that he apparently continued to see Hunter long after it was a rumor and while his wife was battling cancer,,,,again. How's that for judgement?

[klmebane]

sure Edwards showed poor judgment. i personally wouldn't tolerate an unfaithful spouse, but that is between the Edwards's. both men and women cheat, it shows that they can have poor impulse control and poor judgment when it comes to sex and relationships, but nothing beyond that. it doesn't make any of the proposals he made on the campaign trail any less viable then before he was called out on having an affair.

there was a time when cheating men were completely ignored. it was almost expected that men would wander because they were "just being men." many political figures regularly had numerous affairs, but it didn't matter to the public because they were still competent enough to do their jobs. does it make them a crappy spouse? sure it does, but it doesn't take away the abilities they demonstrated that got them elected.

[steamboat]

>"Give Edwards a Break"<

Craig, here's why you are wrong !

(1) Why didn't guys like you give President Clinton a break? Rush Limbaugh a break? Trent Lott a break? Gingrich a break? Craig a break? Vitter a break? The NY Times once had 'Page One' of McCain having an affair with a staffer-----which turned out to be false. So no DOUBLE STANDARD, please.

(2) This morning its been mentioned there may be criminal doings in this. It's now appears Edwards has given Hunter $15,000 a month in payments. And that PAC money may be involved in the payments.

(3) As reported by Howard Wolfson, the media sitting on this story may very well have, in reality, cost Hillary Clinton the nomination.

(4) Besides, just the foul-taste of a man running around on his dying wife. What can possibly be your excuse for that?

[fignozzle]

craig a break?????

[ceindependence]

Your right, we should have more liars in government!

[clearthinker2008]

"Give Edwards a break."

He was going to bring that crap into the White House. So no, I won't give him a break but I do feel bad for his family.

[feo]

Simply proves that running for or attaining high office isn't a full-time job. How do these fools have enough time to arrange for affairs AND run the free world? Totally high energy lads!

[pupbayer]

I couldn't care less about Edwards' having an affair. I don't even care he lied about it. What I do care is that he ran knowing he wasn't electable and that this would come out. (If he'd lied and not run, big deal.) He changed the face of this election and absolutely may have changed who the Democratic Party's candidate is. If O doesn't win, a lot of blame for the final demise of the Democratic Party will be on Edwards's shoulders.

[Chachi]

That's extreme. If Obama loses Edwards will have nothing to do wtih it. He's a nobody now, not running for anything, not speaking at the convention, and holds no public office.

But, his reputation should be forever damaged and his political career should be over (at least for the foreseeable future). What he did - running for president and risking that this could've come out while he was the nominee of the party is unforgivable. Period. Full Stop.

Both John and Elizabeth should forever be tarnished by that act of selfishness and the risk they were willing to take. At this critical juncture in our history they were willing to guarantee a Republican win in the fall had Edwards actually won the nomination or been chosen as VP prior to this coming out. I can't stand either of them for that. Elizabeth is just as guilty as John is for agreeing with his decision to run.

[steamboat]

pub, good one........another one: In '04' Edwards pathetic performance in his debate v. Cheney (of all people) may have been the difference in why we aren't talking about President Kerry's chances at re-election. Edwards obviously did NOT prepare at all for that debate.

[FirstShirt]

"He changed the face of this election and absolutely may have changed who the Democratic Party's candidate is."

I think this is the most critical thing for both parties. This year we have seen alot of new voters [most democratic] coming out enthusiastically and supporting their candidates. For us old republicans and democrats it is not surprising. However, I fear the new voters may become discouraged and disenchanted with the system when they see such behavior on the part of someone who presents as a new change agent.

[Rogue55]

According to everything I've read, the polls I've seen, Edwards did NOT change who the Democrat nominee would be. All statistics indicate that if Edwards would not have been in the race, his voters still would not have voted for Clinton en mass enough to have given her a win. Even Wolfson is backing off on that statement.

If Obama doesn't win the Presidential election, the blame will be on the shoulders of Obama and especially those people who voted for McCain.

[SandWedge]

Why was he unelectable? Clinton was cheating left and right prior to getting elected in 92 and everyone knew it and he still got elected.