Hiding the Scumbag

So, John Edwards had a brief affair with a woman who is over forty, and it's a scandal. Elizabeth Edwards was ill at the time, and so John is especially naughty for being so callous, and yes I gave money to his campaign, but then, I never thought adultery was a big deal in the abstract, because, as we all know, I am a liberal, and I think denying people healthcare, swindling the taxpayer, starting an unnecessary war by forging documents and lying, and stealing the oil belonging to other nations is a lot worse than adultery. If every working person in America were to be free to join a union and if we had mastered that global warming thing, then I could start worrying about adultery, and be glad of it.

So, John McCain had a lengthy affair with a young rich woman, left his wife for her when she was crippled from a car accident, and went on to live off the new wife, for decades, and it's not a scandal. Why is that? Why is a misstep, followed by anger and reconciliation, a scandal, while actual bona fide betrayal followed by abandonment (and, let's say, a parasitic lifestyle) is just one of those things?

It is said that the first Mrs. McCain has forgiven her former husband. It is said Elizabeth Edwards has forgiven her current husband.

I know, I know, the National Enquirer never went after McCain. Why is that? When there seemed to be a bit of a smoking gun about John McCain and a lobbyist earlier this year, The National Enquirer didn't touch it. The lobbyist was disappeared, the New York Times dropped the story, and shhh. NO scandal. Why is that? Wouldn't I, as a citizen, rather my president slept with a filmmaker than a lobbyist?

Is it just that John Edwards is cuter than John McCain? Is it just that the idea of McCain getting it on makes the press squirm, and so they don't touch that story? Or do they really have a pro-Republican bias that shows up over and over and over? The press seems to be saying, go ahead, Republicans, trash the country, bankrupt the country, drive the country into a economic, moral, ethical, and military abyss. We don't care. We aren't going to hold you responsible for anything, including marital abandonment and cruelty.

Comments

[1will]

I guess the lobbyist in the made up McCain story is ignored by the National Enquirer, NYT and every other news service and blog because McCain is a Republican. Of course it could just be a total lack of evidence that there was a scandal.

[Michale32086]

@jotunloki

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It's not the sex per se that was illegal in Craig's case, it was the location. It is illegal to have sex in a public bathroom, whether gay or straight.
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It's also illegal to embezzle public funds to pay off a mistress and her co-conspirators...

Michale.....

[mamacat]

When the history of this era is written, the complicity of the MSM will be part of the story.

[gage]

"...a parasitic lifestyle..."

Why do you say that? Many legislators are married to wealthy spouses. These include Senators Clinton, Feinstein, and Kerry, and Speaker Pelosi. I'm sure they and Sen McCain all work hard, and I would not accuse any of them of living a parasitic lifestyle. If McCain is a parasite, then they all are.

[spaceghost06]

Edwards could have made this go away easily. All he had to do was divorce Elizabeth, marry his mistress, and register Republican. That's what Gingrich, Guiliani, and McCain did.

[rationalthought1]

Lets get real, people. Edwards was out of his mind to put the dems and our country at risk over something like this. In an ideal world no one would care but in the political reality we must face - this would have been an unmitigated disaster if he had gotten the nomination. If he had to run for president he should have let the voters know what was there BEFORE they voted for him - that way they would have an honest perspective of what his campaign would face. His risky behavior (and his wife's complicity, to what extent she knew) was playing Russian roulette with the election and, along with that, all of our futures, not just their own.

[Michale32086]

@jotunloki

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It's not the sex per se that was illegal in Craig's case, it was the location. It is illegal to have sex in a public bathroom, whether gay or straight.
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As I said, the issue of illegality is irrelevant.. It's a red herring that the Left wants to use to mitigate the Edwards issue..

"What Edwards was doing WASN'T illegal, so it's OK if he is a hypocrite and lies about it.."

BUT....

It's becoming evident that Edwards may have embezzled campaign funds to pay for his mistress...

So, now we are getting into illegal aspects...

One has to wonder how the left will attempt to mitigate and justify Edwards' actions NOW...

Michale.....

[wolfgangmo]

Well she was a legitimately paid media consultant and $15,000 a month is not out of line for a media consultant so I guess the "left wing conspiracy" [see a shrink - you really need one] will adopt its usual nutty wait and see what the facts are attitude.

Sigh. If only things on the left could be as easy on those on the right where facts are optional.

[research]

You do know that Iraqi deaths are up in the war crime occupation of Iraq, right?

You are aware of the corruption of the DOJ, Right?

You are aware of the massive theft ffor cronies that is taking place under BushCo?

You conservatives really put party above country, don't you?

We liberals are thankful that We found this out before Edwards got chosen for anything.

Thankfully Edwards "open marriage" is irrelevant.

[MmeFlutterbye]

AMEN!!!!!!

[Michale32086]

And yet, Craig's hypocrisy was COMPLETELY relevant, right???

Hypocrite...

As far as me being conservative?? You obviously are new here... I am a confirmed and enthusiastic Obama supporter.. With a few exceptions (4 to be exact) I am more liberal than you are...

So, your bigoted labels won't work on me, grasshopper....

Michale.....

[splamco]

Great post as usual Jane.

The math:

trash the country, bankrupt the country, drive the country into a economic, moral, ethical, and military abyss

is less than

profit potential of another Republican administration.

It's a no brainer.

[Ryter]

The idea of McCain getting it on makes me squirm. I really don't care what any of these people do with consenting adults behind closed doors - the betrayal is to the contributors of the Edward's campaign that was destined for failure from day one. They (John & Elizabeth) had to know this would come out and that America is too morally superior to elect an "admitted adulterer." Is it narcissism or arrogance that prevents them from admitting that they robbed from every contributor? It was a swindle (sorry Jane, but you've been had).

This is the prefect opportunity to make a case for voter fraud - to enforce some of the flimsy campaign finance laws - to hold at least one arrogant, narcissistic, opportunistic, power-hungry politician accountable for the words that come out of their mouth. There was clearly another behind-the-scenes plan at play and it had everything to do with campaign funds. Edwards HAD to know that he wouldn't make it to the final. IF I had contributed a dime to this fraud - I'd be on the first high horse that came along to demand financial retribution from these jokers. Hey, it's a start.

THIS is a perfect opportunity NOT for moral judgment, but for actual accountability for what a politician says. This could have both sides of the aisle running for cover. IF that high horse comes along...

[gdwtch52]

Thanks for the reasoned response, Jane, BUT ewww! why did you have to make m think about McCain doin' the nasty??

[Michale32086]

@RealCalGal

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Yeah, because it's a proven scientific fact that a man cannot hold a baby that is not his genetic progeny. Every try it? It's like positive and negative ions. The baby just flies out of the hands of any man not its father or grandfather.
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Hmmmmm

So, you are saying that Edwards went to Hunter's hotel room in Beverly Hills at 0230 in the morning to just hold a baby???

Is THAT your story???

Michale.....

[clr2]

You're forgetting to include the fact that the man holding the baby had an affair with the mother of the baby. Edwards is the father and no matter how many times you say he isn't it doesn't change the facts.

[HeyItsTodd]

>>Edwards is the father and no matter how many times you say he isn't it doesn't change the facts.

Please show us the source for your FACTUAL knowledge of this. Even if in the end this is proven to be true, at this point in time you have no facts to support making this statement.

[wolfgangmo]

And you know that because why? Did you video tape the conception?

That would make you a pornographer. And more than a little creepy. [well creepier]

[Michale32086]

@Reine

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You've said it. Politicians from both parties are guilty of the same thing & I'm disgusted each time it happens & I don't care if it's a republican or democrat.
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Then you are definitely the exception.... I salute you...

The vast majority on here who are screaming, "THIS IS NOT NEWS!!" and "THIS IS NO ONE'S BUSINESS BUT THE FAMILY'S!!" would be screaming the complete opposite if it had been a Republican in Edwards place..

One only has to remember the Democrat glee at the Larry Craig incident to know this is true.

Granted the Craig incident is not exactly analogous, but at it's heart it's the same issue...

Michale.....

[Aramingo]

I have to disagree with you in a sense here. I think the two scandals are of a kind. The issue is hypocrisy. Larry Craig presented himself as the ultimate anti-sodomite and then is caught fishing for something similar. John Edwards presented himself has the Family Man. Turned out one family just wasn't enough.

The key difference to me, is the reaction of those two. Craig seems to be indenial, whereas Edwards seems intent on self flaggelation until the furor dies down.

So for the sex itself, to me that IS a private issue. But the hypocrisy isn't.

Just so you know where I stand: It's going to be loooong time before I vote Republican at the national level.

[Michale32086]

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So for the sex itself, to me that IS a private issue. But the hypocrisy isn't.
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I agree completely..

It doesn't matter WHAT exposed the hypocrisy.. The cases of Edwards and Craig share the same base hypocrisy.. The only difference is the catalyst that exposed the hypocrisy...

Some will say that Craig is different because what he did was illegal.. Ignoring for the moment the hypocrisy of THAT position ('so, you think gay activities should be illegal??') there IS a criminal possibility within the Edwards saga..

So, I wouldn't advise the hypocritical Left to try and hang their hat on THAT difference..

"A difference which makes no difference IS no difference."
-Commander Spock

Michale.....

[likeicare]

Thank you, Ms. S.!

You seem to be the ONLY one in the MSM who hasn't contracted a case of selective amnesia when it comes to Johnny McSame and Vicki Iseman. Just what happened to her?

And how is it, that she has evaporated so completely? It seems as tho no physical evidence remains of her existence -- kinda like Jimmy Hoffa, or something -- bizarre!

You'd think that when it comes to politicians and sex, Fox News would be on it like white-on-rice, but they're not going anywhere near this one. Gee, I wonder why . . .

So, JE, or any Dem for that matter, gets drug over hot coals for marital infidelities, but good, ol' Christian-family-values-types like Fake War Hero Johnny get a pass for theirs' -- hmmmmm. Interesting double standard.

But the Vicki Iseman story hasn't gone away, nor will it. This could be the Dem's October Surprise for McSame & his Rethuglican handlers.

[tdpubs]

Funny how the scandal surrounding GHW Bush and his mistress disappeared into thin air as well back in the early 90's. I knew a rich white congressman who loved young black men. He kept it out of the press for years until one of his "men" decided to commit suicide in his house. He was never charged of course, he just retired and disappeared from public view with his wife and family.

[gage]

She works at her old firm in DC, just as she has for years. Why do you say she's vanished?

The only mystery here is how so many computer users here are enable to open up google and do a 30-second search.

[gage]

unable, not enable

[mamacita]

Isn't it interesting that here on the Huffington Post, there is only ONE posting on the forged letter from Habbush, yet how many postings on John Edwards? WHY is the public so easily distracted by a sex scandal? We've got major problems with our economy and criminal activity that goes all the way to the White House, and the public is focused on a fling???

No wonder the Bush administration doesn't even bother to pretend that it represents the people of this country anymore. It's obvious that nobody cares about boring ole treason, fraud, and corruption when there's a juicy sex scandal.

[rjmiller]

You obviously haven't been paying attention. I'm not going to bother digging them up, but there have been at least a half dozen posts I've read about the Habbush letter. They're all over the place, just look for words like "forged," "CIA" and "Suskind."

[TXfemmom]

I was amazed that the woman disappeared and the story disappeared and the press did not persue the truth. Of course, they did the same thing when GHW Bush's relationship with a woman who had been paid by the government for years was revealed, and he denied it, refused to speak of it, and the press rolled over and played dead.

[Davwbaird]

Jane tou have a great way of puttung forth the truth. Whatever happened to the Cindy look alike lobbyist?