Memo To John Edwards; Start Telling The Truth And End This Circus

Enough already, Mr. Edwards. Your wife and mistress are in the early stages of fighting it out in public. It's not exactly newsworthy at this late date but no matter. It's so sensational that of course it's something that both hard news and the entertainment / celebrity news industry will cover as long as new details, statements or legal filings keep dribbling out

The problem is all the damn lying. It's the constant lying that you've done and had others do for you to this very day. It's the lying that necessitated you and your supporters attacking The National Enquirer or Mickey Kaus; people who were telling the truth about you. It's the lies and misdirection that your deceit foments to this day. It's how you're treating those who defended you, believed in you, or mothered your children.

You could end this stupidity fairly quickly by simply telling the truth and clearing up all the lies you've told already.

And this is why you're contemptible. You're sitting by and watching your wife embarrass herself on national television while your mistress is living in exlie with a daughter who has no father listed on the birth certificate. That's not the past, it's today. Right now.  You see this, you know this, and let it keep happening.

Elizabeth is particularly painful to watch, especially for anyone who knows anything at all about the facts and timeline of this story. She's lying but at this point I just pity her. She's a smart woman who's partially in deep denial and partially just trying to keep the seams from showing on all the untruths she's spun defending you up to this point.

Take a simple question asked by Larry King. King asked your wife how she felt when she saw the tabloid reports of your affair. Elizabeth rambled a little about how untrustworthy the tabloids were. Then she said that she dismissed the rumors when she first saw them in the headlines.

Sounds plausible, right? To millions of people, maybe. But anyone who spends a minute thinking about it knows that your wife  said something that couldn't possibly have been true.

Why? Because you told your wife about the affair in late December, 2006 but the first tabloid story appeared in the National Enquirer in October, 2007. So - even though you'd told her about the affair months earlier, she dismissed the reports when she first saw them?

Of course not. But it's all part of the big narrative switcharoo that your wife has done in interview after interview - telling the story in such a way that it feels like she found out about your affair at the same time the rest of the world did.

By acting like she didn't know until we did, she blurs the lines in a story most people aren't following close enough to notice the date problems. And it lets her  avoid the really hard questions about why she lied for months to help get you money and votes.

There are, of course, other timeline gaffes that Oprah, Larry and the morning news crews aren't picking up. Real simple one; if Rielle Hunter gave birth in late February, 2008 then and the baby is yours, then the logical assumption is that you conceived the baby sometime around late May, 2007, give or take.

But your wife doesn't ever mention that date because it occurred five months after you first admitted the affair to her.  It would also mean that you continued the affair with Hunter even AFTER you and Elizabeth went on TV and said your wife's cancer had come back.

And that would mean that even though you admitted the affair in December, 2006 that somehow you managed to keep it going while you were actively running for the presidential nomination of the Democratic party with your wife's full public support. And of course, you continued to meet with Ms. Hunter even after that.

And all of that would make your wife a lot more than just "naive", wouldn't it?

Rielle Hunter hasn't even had her say yet. Your wife's weird obsession with not saying her name isn't magic. It won't stop a court ordered paternity test, should Ms. Hunter decide she's sick of waiting and request one.

And really, Mr., Edwards- what did you THINK would happen? Was your hope that Rielle Hunter would keep her mouth shut forever? If so, why on earth would you think she'd do that? Because she loved you? Is that what you were counting on?

We're in a world where a former Vice President is on TV defending torture every few days. We face massive problems and we don't need your little sideshow filling airtime. The truth will out. Please do the country and your entire family a small service and just set the record straight.

Update: The New Republic also spotted Elizabeth's Screwy Timeline and posted the relevant excerpt from the interview.

KING: All right. When the story first appeared -- talking about "Resilience," when the story first appeared in the tabloids, a friend had to mention it to you, did you see this in the Enquirer?

EDWARDS: Yes.

KING: What did you say?

EDWARDS: You know, I remember a long time ago standing in a line and seeing a picture in front of one these tabloid magazines of an old plane surrounded by dust. And they said, "Abandoned World War II Plane Found on the Face of the Moon."

And I thought, you know, isn't it odd that, you know, CNN and ABC and everybody missed this story that was picked up by this tabloid. At the same time that the stories appeared about John, there was exactly the similar stories appearing about now President Obama.

You know, this is the fodder that they have.

KING: So you dismissed them.

EDWARDS: I dismissed them.

Edwards's initial answer is particularly sad to see all written out.

Comments

[Shyla]

Don't understand all the people on the site saying that Elizabeth Edwards has a responsibility to the illegitimate child of Rielle Hunter and John Edwards. Why is it her responsibility? She owes nothing to that child. John does but again that is not Elizabeth's responsibility.

[mphsnme]

The ego of Elizabeth Edwards is truly astounding. She is not the only woman in America to suffer a loss, battle cancer, and have a cheating spouse, but she is the only woman in American who is smug enough and spiteful enough and self absorbed enough to write a book about it. People are in marriages where they fall out of love, they meet someone and fall in love, they haven't been intimate in years. It happens. This was his first affair ... look at Elizabeth, look at John, what do you think? Elizabeth Edwards lives in a 28,000 square foot mansion on 100 acres, is a millionaire, is living in denial, and we are supposed to buy her book. And the thing that is most insulting is that we are honestly supposed to believe that a little videographer undid a slick trial lawyer with four little words. People cheat for many reasons; to believe that one spouse is just a dog who cheats on his perfect, saintly wife is naive.

[Tadpole2919]

John Edward's political career is damaged. Why does he have to justify his self to anyone outside his family? He's not running for president.

[YoungerVoice]

Lets see. A fortune made as a litigation attorney. Odds of lying and using others for personal game=99% Then, a politician. Odds of lying and doing only what is expedient = 99%.

Married to a woman who stood beside you and made you look better. Odds of betraying her = 198%

[hollace]

Could the drugs be effecting her judgement. ?

[Heartlander]

If you really do not want to hear anything more about John and Elizabeth Edwards, just stop reading or watching or posting anything about the affair that John Edwards had with Rielle Hunter.
If you want to drag out the story about John's affair, and Rielle Hunter and the child, keep reading and watching every story about it. Keep up your speculation about the affair in blogs and posts. The people who own the media outlets will be glad to oblige your interest in sex scandals and adultery.

[Tena]

I wish the Edwards would get the message: John, I've been a Democratic activist since before i was old enough to vote - that's the truth. I want you and your wife to shut up and go away.

Neither of you have any excuses for this sorry spectacle- it's sordid and does nothing for anyone. Just get some dignity, please, both of you and go away.

[TheBaffler]

You should cross-post this on DailyKos.

[Vurz]

I didn't read the article.

It's time for the Edwards to go back to a private life. He didn't win the presidency, he's not working on any of the problems facing the nation, he's not representing anyone but himself. So I am not certain why I am supposed to care if his wife and his mistress choose to embarrass themselves and leave any children with the record of all this nonsense when they grow up.

[djs111]

Why does anyone "need to know "all the details? It is no longer anyone's business except for the people involved.
Reading this article is like reading a tabloid.
Shouldn't we be this interested in what is going on at Capital (not a spelling error) Hill?

[dessertsfirst]

It is terribly heart-wrenching to see Elizabeth working so hard to scrape what's left of her world together and trying desperately to hold it together, because it must be held together at all cost. The infidelity in her marriage is clearly the very last straw, and she absolutely cannot deal with it except by denying it's existence. Denial is one of the five steps in the grieving process. Acceptance is the last step.

[roshni]

And she is certainly in denial.

[felisa11]

Elizabeth is still lying to protect John. My take on this is the John never told Elizabeth anything. She found out and confronted him probably in May or June of 2007.

They cooked up this story so John could look like he was doing the honorable thing even though he was wrong.

[Ellyllon]

That makes sense to me, & it's in keeping with the way women tend to handle things.

[Lee Stranahan - Huffpost Blogger]

No, she found out right at the end of 2006 - although the affair continued after that.

And she's not trying to protect John. She's trying to protect the 'marriage' which I don't think means the same thing to her as it does to most people. If she could keep the marriage and lose John, she'd do it in a heartbeat.

[felisa11]

If she found out at the end of 2006, why was rielle still working for John early 2007. Do you really think Elizabeth would have let that go on.

We do agree that she found out and was not told? I believe she found out a couple of days before Rielle was fired..ie..after she confronted John

[Ellyllon]

That seems reasonable, also, except why would we thing she was telling the truth about when she found out?

[Shyla]

Why do have so much love for Rielle Hunter? Isn't she as much to blame for this mess. She knew John Edwards was married with kids and still proceeded to bring an illegitimate child into the world. Why do you think she has done nothing wrong?

[BMS]

John Edwards is a cheater and a liar who disrespects his wife, his family, and all who supported him. He is nothing but a coward who refuses to accept financial responsibility for his child.
Elizabeth Edwards is a liar who helped, and continues to help, her husband deceive his supporters.
Rielle Hunter is a cheater and a liar - she made her bed and now she must deal with the consequences.

[ofcoursejesusisblack]

A perfect synonpsis of all the parties involved.

[truthartbeauty]

Elizabeth is the least guilty. She is mostly a victim. john is a typical dog who is attracted to young women, and the mistress is a typical woman who is attracted to high profile and powerful men. They got together. It is nature. it would not be so bad except that how stupid to do while running for office, and how cruel to do with a sick wife! without a doubt John is the most guilty. Even though his urges were natural, under the circumstances you either dont get caught or you dont do it.

[ofcoursejesusisblack]

Can someone please explain to me so many on here seem to insist that it is Elizabeth Edward's responsibility to care for the welfare of this poor innocent child. A child that is a constant reminder of her husband's betrayal??? Its as if people are suggesting that everyone should be one happy family. Am I the only one that thinks this as odd? Rielle needs to work out some arrangement to keep that baby fed. She needs to sue him for child support or w.h.o.r.e. herself out to the next married politician and hopes he sticks around.

Elizabeth has enough things to worry about, i.e. lying to herself, lying to the American people and taking care of her two beautiful children.

Just curious. Is there anyone on here that has raised a child from an affair?


By the way Lee, you have done a specatular job of covering these crooks from the beginning. Good job.

[JNelson113]

Yes. Because no woman should support a man who is not taking care of his own children.

Elizabeth need have no interaction with the child or her mother, but she should not be proclaiming how fantastic a person John Edwards is while he is a deadbeat father. It makes me gag.

If she chooses to stay with him, and that is her choice, she cannot carry on with the head in the sand act while the child grows up being neglected by her father.

The needs and rights of a child to know her father and receive his support must come before the desire of his wife to deny the situation, no matter how heartwrenching her own story.

If Elizabeth were to say "We do not know if the baby is John's, but we are going to find out, and if she is John will be an active father to her" I would stand up and cheer for her. What a magnificent lesson to teach her own children--we must do the right thing, even if it is personally painful or inconvenient for us.

[floridafun]

excellent post! i am disturbed by all who focus of what a martyr elizabeth is and what a ho reille is..altho most agree john is a dirtbag. they are all humans who are going thru things we all have friends or relatives (or ourselves) who have gone thru. i wish elizabeth would get some counseling and quit parading around in public to trying to get sympathy for her victimhood. if you were victmized and cant get over it..leave and start over. she sounds alarmingly like some country music song. seems she could be getting some peace and calm in her life if she werent in such desperate need of media drama thats all about her.

i hope reille gets the dna test done because her child deserves to know who her biological father is, deserves the opportunity to develop a relationship with whoever he is. and praise to reille for not diving into the fray to play media catfight.

[roshni]

Brilliant! I couldn't agree more.
I used to respect EE. Now she is making herself look pathetic in her lies to hold on to her marriage. She needs to stop talking about JE's "light" and claiming that he was a mere victim in this. He was not. He kept this affair going for years. It was a long-term betrayal. enough denial already!

[roshni]

I think the point is that Frances is not going to go away. JE may have financial responsibility for her and she may be the step sister of the other children.
EE can't wish this away. Her children may one day want to have a relationship with their step sister.
I certainly would not expect EE to have anything to do with Frances, but JE may have to.

[clevelandchick]

If the people on this board put themselves in Elizabeth Edwards' shoes; getting a diagnosis of 'there's nothing we can do, you're going to die', while on the campaign trail with her husband then finding out in the midst he's been cheating on her and possibly fathered a child? Who can say with 100% certainty they would have done the 'right thing'.

Would you call a reporter and tell on him? Kick him to the curb when you've been married for decades and he's the father of your children when you had little time left on the planet? Would you admit to yourself he has fathered a child with another woman and embrace that child? I just personally can't judge her on this. I have no idea how I would deal with such a horrible situation.

She's trying to salvage what's left of her life and her husband is part of that. Maybe going about it the wrong way. I don't know. I just think it's a bit macabre Mr. Stranahan has chosen this story as his cause celebre. There are so many other issues and situations out there that are a hell of a lot more important needing attention.

It's not like Edwards was ever really in the running for POTUS. Well before any of this came out, he was a dark horse and dropped out. The media blacked out his economic populist message from the get go. Hey....maybe that's a story worth reporting on.