Quinn "Edwards" in 2025

My name is Quinn. I'm a teenager. You might remember that my name was in the news about 15 years ago because of my father. Actually he doesn't really deserve the title "father." His name is John Edwards.

Back in January 2010, he admitted that he was my "father." The quotes are intentional and the word admitted stings whenever I write it.

It's a long story but I'll make it brief. You see, my "father" was running for President in 2008 and gaining some momentum in the race. And then Obama and Clinton took center stage and his spotlight was fading. And on top of all that, his wife was diagnosed with cancer. I'm sure it was tough.

I'm equally sure my mother (no quotes here) offered solace. Until she found out she was pregnant. This is where I enter the story. And as they say, the plot thickens.

So he admits that he was having an affair (when all hopes of winning the nomination were gone) but decides not to come clean about me. He lies. He denies that he is my biological father.

I have recently read the newspapers in which my "father" was quoted denying that I was his daughter. I have seen the television interviews. I took special note of his wife's observation that she could tell by looking at me that I was not "his." I have told him how all this made me feel. Small. Awful. Unwanted. Painfully sad. I have told him how it made me feel about him. Selfish, uncaring, unfeeling, despicable.

Politicians deny and then they admit all the time. About paying taxes, about using government money to fund vacations, even about having affairs.

But did he not think for one instance that someday I would see and read his lies? Did he not think for one instance how it might make me feel?

I know the answer to these questions now.

So why am I telling you? Because if my voice can keep one politician from lying about something or someone... hell, about anything or anyone- then it strikes me that I should tell more than my "dad."

I have so much more to say but I must run. I can't be late for therapy.

 

Follow Joan Garry on Twitter: www.twitter.com/joanmgarry

Comments

[Ankhorite]

06:30 AM on 02/02/2010

Denying his child is an unforgivable sin. By sinking to that, Edwards has lowered himself down to the level of other politicos who have done this -- such as Senator Strom Thurmond, who never publicly acknowledged the middle-aged daughter he had by a black housemaid who was under 18, or Congressman Dan Burton, the creep from Indiana who condemned single mothers because he was "pro-family" -- without ever acknowledging the concubine he kept outside his marriage, who bore him a son he was content to let some other man raise.

Denying a child. My *first* thought about this scandal was, "What will that baby think when she's a little older? And what will her classmates say to her?" Adultery is bad enough; child abandonment is unspeakable.

http://www.salon.com/news/1998/12/cov_22newsa.html

[argyle]

09:15 AM on 01/23/2010

It's mean and silly to think that what a politician says in the heat of battle should be read by their children fifteen years later as an indication of how they feel about them.

[AmericanJoe]

02:31 AM on 01/22/2010

LOL, thats funny.

[Cherubim]

04:42 PM on 01/21/2010

I look forward to the day I can vote for John Edwards for President of the U.S., again.

[roshni]

08:39 PM on 01/21/2010

Again? He never made it past the primaries, remember?

[Chris202]

03:27 PM on 01/21/2010

And when he did finally release the statement admitting paternity, he immediately took off for Haiti to "help" people impacted by the earthquake. He didn't have the courage to stay and face the fallout but left that for Elizabeth to do. So shameful!

[roshni]

06:23 PM on 01/21/2010

Note the timing - the day before Andrew Young's tell all interview.

[ofcoursejesusisblack]

06:58 PM on 01/21/2010

Yes. The whole thing just makes my skin crawl. Ugh!

[Marcospinelli]

10:13 PM on 01/21/2010

Yes, he immediately took off for Haiti because what the Haitians really need right now is a lawyer.

[carester]

02:54 PM on 01/21/2010

I'm sorry but I just can't agree. People have opportunity to redeem themselves. I think that Mr. Edwards still has a chance to be a good, loving, caring father for this child. This child can forgive his father for his initial mistakes if he proves to her his love and care.

[lexicontwo]

01:54 AM on 01/22/2010

Mr. Edwards has a chance to be a good, loving, caring father, but he is not a good, loving, caring Human Being. He has demonstrated none of these attributes so far to ANYONE, not his wife, not his mistress, not the voting public, but especially not his children (all of them).

[riverhouse]

10:57 AM on 01/22/2010

Like he was a good, caring father to his other three children? That kind of loving, caring father? Do you suppose they can forgive their father for destroying their family? For the apparent lack of concern and devotion he had for them and their mother?

[carester]

12:44 PM on 01/22/2010

All I can say is that I believe in redemption and forgiveness. I know very up-close really good people who have made horrible mistakes for which they are ashamed and regretfull. These people turned their lives around and ever since are devouted to make it up to those they let down and hurt.

P.S: In my scale of values forgiveness and compassion is higher than condemnation and judgment. Maybe it has something to do with my true Christian values and my own lives experiences :-)

[ignoranceequalsfear]

02:24 PM on 01/21/2010

I thought the same thing, Joan, about how he didn't think a thing about how all his choices and behavior would affect this innocent child. Talk about clinical narcissism...

...And some people think LGBT people shouldn't be parents. Wow.

[riverhouse]

10:59 AM on 01/22/2010

I think it was that he didn't thing a thing about how his choices and behavior would affect his other three children. What about them? They didn't deserve a father who cared about what he was doing to their lives?