Edwards Affair: A Hard Lesson For the Left Half of the Blogosphere

Are you still ignoring the story?

Do you understand how the news cycle works yet?

Have you apologized to Lee Stranahan yet?

Let me be clear, I don't find affairs to be news. I certainly don't find the marriages of others to be the type of thing we should all hold up and ridicule or praise or even care about.

What I do find disturbing is when a blogger went after a story, his own cut him down because they didn't want to hear what *might* be true.

How many of you held back with Larry Craig? How about Haggard? Mark Foley?

You didn't. You all went nuts typing away and suddenly, like a kid with his hand in the cookie jar, you're caught.

Welcome to the big time, bloggers.

This is called journalism. You might like to call it citizen journalism, but it's journalism none-the-less.

In breaking news situations many outlets get it wrong at first. ALL THE TIME. That's why it's breaking news. It changes.

Some stories get printed prematurely and some too late. And many stories get "mentioned" as a way of giving a nod to the rumors, without reporting on it directly until confirmed.

Go ahead and watch and read the Main Stream for a bit. I'll wait.

Took me awhile to catch-on myself, thinking I was just writing opinion pieces that didn't need much but...my opinion.

Then the world put down their newspaper and started reading blogs.

Enter the world of "obligation" for bloggers and their communities

Obligation and accountability.

The left needed to be ahead of this story, and had the opportunity to be -- but chose instead to get defensive and nasty (another great blogging trait) to those who dare speak about it's possibility.

While the web has given voice to millions, it's also going to show very quickly how many of you in those millions are worth listening too.

Now I'm off to read more about Obama and Exxon donations and hope it's not worthy of a post, but I certainly won't be afraid or begrudge you if you type away.

Erin Kotecki Vest is on her last hours of a trip to Detroit, Michigan where she saw family and drove a Ford Mustang and had to fight off her republican kin with Obama's New Energy for America plan.

Comments

[steamboat]

They didn't hold-back on Rush Limbaugh and Vitter, either.. For that matter the NY Times broke a 'Page One' story of McCain having an affair with a staffer, which turned-out untrue....­..........­Also, there still trying to hold back the part I'm interested in: The $15,000 a month payments to Rielle Hunter. Especially if they can't account where every penny of how the PAC money was spent. Or using people's hard-earned money who may have contributed to him. Stay tuned.

[Candace8383]

Larry Craig? How about Haggard? Mark Foley?
in office,active preacher with large following, in office
please explain to me what office J Edwards held while commited adultery and what office he holds now

[FirstShirt]

"...and what office he holds now"

He took thousands of dollars from you democrats trying to get to the office while lying to his closest staff about a deal breaker of a personal problem. You don't have a problem with that?

[mamacat]

I wonder who Ms. Vest is addressing. Certainly not everyone.

Since I have no way of independently finding out anything about Edwards (or Larry Craig) except by reading and/or watching, that is what I do. I do not criticise someone who reports about it. Just for the record.

I suspect that a huge percentage of us, if given the temptations of power, would abuse that power, including the chance to cheat on our spouses. When the concept of balance-of-power was installed in our government, I think they omitted any mention of adultery.

[disgustedcitizen]

No I did not apologize to Lee Stanton. I'll tell you what I told him, it is none of our business! There is enough of this crap in the MSM, we do not need it here. Elizabeth Edwards is a classy lady. John Edward's infidelity hurt her deeply I am sure, but it is their business, and she chose to forgive him and work it out. The fact that she support his run for president is not a bad thing, or something to "lose respect for her" about. He cheated on his wife, but he had some very good plans on how to improve the lot of the American people, and had he been in the race when the primaries reached my state, I would have voted for him, even if I knew he cheated on his wife. Why? Because this country of well and truly screwed up as a result of 8 years under bush the shrub and Edwards is ten times the man, and would have made 100 times the better president. And the fact that Elizebeth forgave him of a transgression that hurt her, not me, would have been the clincher for me.

The MSM is mired in garbage reporting, let's keep Huffington Post on the high road.

[Michale32086]

One has to wonder if you had the same attitude with the Larry Craig issue??

I am betting..... not...

Michale.....

[FirstShirt]

"He cheated on his wife, but he had some very good plans on how to improve the lot of the American people, "

Certainly his antipoverty program for Rielle Hunter seems to be working.

[ayiticherie]

Hear! Hear! The ignorance and denials displayed all over the web was astounding. I loved how people acted as if this wasnt displayed on the MSM then it was automatically untrue. Wake up people. Question everything. This is not the first time the Enquirer has broken a news story.

[OtayPanky]

You nailed it, Erin.

The lefties leave a lot to be desired, when it comes to the blogostan.

I had the exact same thought as you: Cheney (with the gun), Vitter, Craig, etc - all provoked them into immediate, and typically very nasty, comments.

But when it happens to one of our own, not even the willingness to look at it squarely, as the story unfolds.

Maybe this will be a wake up call...but honestly, I doubt it.

You're the right stuff though.

[jbgnyc]

As an oldLeftie journalist (Boston Real Paper) I say, Right On, Write On, never stop searching for the truth. But even in the good ol' days, few ever told the whole story.

Many turned a blind eye to Teddy, to Bobby, to Gary, etc. etc. Again, they were fair game because they were running or in office. John Edwards' affair would not have been BIG news if he owned up to it. It would have been sad, disappointing, joke-inspiring, etc. Frankly, he was not out there campaigning. However, his decision to deny it and deny it and deny it made it much more newsworthy, especially since there was too much from the other side. The liberal bloggers dropped the ball here. And, lesson learned, real journalists report the WHOLE story, sadly, disappointingly, joke-inspiring as it may be.

[OtayPanky]

You're old school, brother, like me...and righteous.

Or would that be lefteous?

[FirstShirt]

HuffPost's Pick

I'm republican and agree with you entirely for our side. I am sickened by the lack of ethics of republicans recently. All bloggers drop the ball when they don't call out the politicians on either end of the spectrum.

[w8aminute]

I see a difference between not going after Edwards yet going after Craig, Spitzer, Foley, Vitter, etc.
What difference? Edwards doesn't hold any office - he isn't getting paid with our tax dollars. The other four? They were representing their citizens and getting paid with our tax dollars. Not that I condone or judge what Edwards did, I'm just saying, he isn't getting paid with anyone's tax dollars - he isn't our 'serving' us.

[JohnKelly]

Chasing someone down to get a story about infidelity is the low road. Bunch of peeping toms! I don't care about anybody else's marriage. I don't care what they do in their bedrooms, who sticks what in who etc. None of my business, and none of your business.

What the left needs to do is continue to take the high road by holding politicians responsible for public policy, not private behavior.

John

[Michale32086]

So things like honesty and integrity should not enter into the picture at all??

Michale.....

[Michale32086]

Very well said, ma'am.

I have said it before and I'll say it again..

When all is said and done the Hysterical Left is as corrupt, mean and vindictive as the Hysterical Right. They are simply two sides of the same pathetic coin..

Michale.....

[KingCranky]

Right Michale, fact-free again as always, because the "Hysterical left" has been driving public policy since Bush Jr slithered into the Oval Office and was allowed by bipartisan Congressional lackeys, to subvert our Constitution, over-burden our military and rape the taxpayers at the same time.

Last I checked, Obama is the nominee, Edwards isn't, and all this "what if Edwards was the nominee" is useless crap, as Edwards was not, and will not be, the Dem. nominee.

And if the Democrats end up losing the White House, AGAIN, in spite of how irate the voters are with Bush Jr and the GOP, then the party should disband as a political entity, as it will have far more problems to worry about than an affair by someone who's not holding any elected office, and will not be the Dem nominee.

IF the same DLC-type, wet-themse­lves-in-te­rror-with-­every-GOP-­hissy-fit, Edwards-bashing circular firing squad wants to do the GOP's work for it by focusing on Edwards-who is NOT the Dem. nominee-as opposed to the disaster McCain will be as President, then by all means, do even more to help get McCain elected.

Giving in to GOP selective outrage in this case, when there's no indication that such whining has actually supplanted the economy as the top issue for most voters, is a politically, logically, and realistically stupid move to make.

[Michale32086]

Indulge in the political bigotry all you want.

Doesn't change the fact that Edwards is a public figure...

And Edwards is a liar and a cheat...

And if it had been an GOP'er in Edwards' position, you and your fellow bigots would be screaming far and wide for FULL and COMPLETE disclosure and investigation..

Don't bother denying it because you and I both know it's the truth..

Michale.....

[ebbtide]

I agree and appreciate your ability to see the bigger picture. Blog members have almost formed a cult that indeed posters seem at times to demand. In order to feel "accepted" one must adhere to the current views of the majority of posters there. There are some very good writers on Kos. I often read those whose opinions are posted on the front page. Less and less do I read the comments. There are some people who need to feel themselves part of an "in" group in order to feel comfortable doing something they enjoy. So be it. Human beings all. This happens on almost every liberal blog that allows comments.

[Fairfloss]

Dear Erin,

You are absolutely correct. Yet, I can not help thinking of Elizabeth Edwards. Than there was Elliot Spitzer's wife, some were saying things like, "she didn't care." Larry Craig's wife, I heard a well known comedian say, " look at her, she drove him to it."

I suppose every one will feel badly for Elizabeth Edwards and her children and there won't be much written about John Edwards for their sake. He said, it wasn't about love, it was just about sex. As if that makes it all right.

[GeekMommy]

The sad part is not so much what happened with Edwards - he and his wife Elizabeth seem to be dealing with that in their own way - as what happened with Lee Stranahan and DailyKos. Because honestly? Politicians are public people. They open their lives to a certain level of scrutiny by seeking public office. They're not superhuman, tho, and they will make mistakes. Regardless of political party or affiliations.
Crucifying someone for reporting on a potential scandal simply because you don't WANT it to be true is not good form.

Wishing the Edwards only the best as they deal with this... and hoping that a few bloggers have learned a lesson.