BlogHer - Rielle Hunter - Comments

I dunno, the sisterhood of women looks right to me.

She Who — Wed, 27 May 2009 19:26:53 -0500

I think John Edwards was a cast iron jackass. But I don't think his mistress should have played, either. I don't think that's "encouraging women to think of everyone but themselves first," because I don't believe you're giving up something valuable when you demand that your sexual partner be free to BE your partner. I think women who choose to be the "other woman" shortchange themselves, and I believe a little bit of class solidarity (not to mention average compassion) between women does everyone good.

His nuts I'll make into a change purse, though. As an example. :D

http://www.blogher.com/blog/she-who

I Can't Be Mad At Her, But...

Megan Smith — Fri, 22 May 2009 11:12:12 -0500

I can't be mad at Elizabeth Edwards, the woman's dying of cancer after all. Whatever decisions she makes about her life are her decisions to make.

However I noted several interesting points in the Oprah interview:

Her admission that one of her first instincts after learning of her husband's affair was to protect him. I guess after so many years that's understandable, but it irritated me.
Her saying that if the child of the mistress is her husband's child, that it will have no bearing on her life. I think that might be an unrealistic assessment. But once again, the woman is dying of cancer, so she's got bigger things to worry about.
She said at one point that there should be this sisterhood of women that wouldn't allow them to do this to another woman. I've heard this argument before and whenever I do I reject it. The reason is, it says to me that once again women are being encouraged to think of everyone but themselves first. Instead, what I think should be uppermost in their minds is how sleeping with someone else's husband makes them feel about themselves. The main reason they shouldn't do it is because of how it will make them feel to do something so destructive and wrong.
Finally, that they both continued the fraud of her husband's presidential campaign with the full knowledge that this secret had to come out was disgraceful. He should have withdrawn from the race and dealt with the repercussions. He was a coward not to.

Megan
BlogHer Contributing Editor, TV/Online Video

Megan's Minute

Elizabeth Edwards is the last person I'm mad at here.

lauriewrites — Fri, 22 May 2009 02:04:03 -0500

John Edwards sucks. He's in the wrong, and even more so because he hasn't spoken out regarding his wife more loudly and vehemently since this latest news broke. Elizabeth went along on this political ride, madly in love (I believe) with a man who sold her a faulty bill of goods, and there she went. She lost a child. She got cancer. She continued to believe in a guy who believed his own son of a millworker/super perfect hair hype, and then he cheated.

She was still sick with cancer. She still had little kids. She was probably dying inside every single day. Sick. Sad. Reflective of what I believe to be the ultimate unfairness of life. How much suffering can one woman be asked to bear and still be asked to satisfy me?

How dare John Edwards behave that way? Really?

I want to believe that the Obamas haven't let politics corrode their marriage but I refuse to allow myself to have an opinion of their marriage or to care about it. They could be as screwed up as they come. I don't care. I want a stable country, led by someone who makes sound decisions. I couldn't care less (sorry, I admire her as a person, but just keeping this clear.) who he's married to or what her arms look like or whether they life each other or not. I was prepared to vote for a woman whose husband, a man I also believe to be a great leader, betrayed her in the ultimate act of political hubris and personal irresponsibility, so I've learned to separate my political judgment from my personal.

I prefer to keep the focus on a man who chose to keep his family in the spotlight and his seriously ill wife in a stressful, futile position rather than the choices that grief-stricken, long-suffering woman has since made. I have no idea what I would choose to do or feel capable of doing in that situation. I still appreciate what she tried to do and stand by my old belief that I'd have voted for her over him any day. May she achieve some measure of peace in her remaining time here, which I also hope is free from any sense of unworthiness because her stupid husband lost his mind.

Laurie

LaurieWrites

Why Be Mad At Her?

Elana Centor — Thu, 21 May 2009 16:25:32 -0500

Being mad at Elizabeth Edwards makes as much sense to me as saying the institution of marriage is in jeopardy if gays and lesbians can legally marry.

She's just a person trying to get through a public humilitation. Maybe you would do it differently. I know I hope I would do it differently but I'm not Elizabeth and as much as I love her public persona, I don't know her as a real person.

So in this situation the only thing we do know is that she and John have been publicaly humiliated.Humilitation is a powerful emotion.

They can never again go to Wendy's to celebrate their anniversary. Any fairy tale that we had about them living happily ever after is gone.

The mask of their public persona has been pulled off. We know nothing about their real lives except it seems that her husband cheated, lied and betrayed her. A lot of women have been in her shoes.

So is she being the best Elizabeth that her public wants her to be? No. She is not living up to our expectations. But then again, it's her life and if she is not playing the role in a way people are comfortable with then they don't have to listen.

elana
Blogher Contributing Editor,Business&CareersFunnyBusiness

Elizabeth Edwards owes me nothing

ShoreBookworm — Thu, 21 May 2009 12:07:04 -0500

Elizabeth is a seemingly lovely woman who has been served a crap sandwich by life. She does not have to be a paragon for me. She is a human being who has suffered and most likely is still suffering. Who knows how we would behave under the same circumstances? If you think you could have done better, then more power to you. Just like Kimberly says above, I know I wouldn't have even been coherent.

Marie

www.nourishourselves.blogspot.com

www.theshorebookworm.blogspot.com

I Actually Admire Elizabeth Edwards

kdc521 — Thu, 21 May 2009 09:31:23 -0500

It's funny, I had similar views to yours until I read an interview with Mrs. Edwards in Oprah magazine. Although I think that I personally would have made different choices (in regards to staying in a marriage with a lying, cheating spouse), I walked away respecting her decision and admiring her strength as a woman. (If I were Elizabeth, I think that I would be in a ball somewhere crying out the remainder of my days...)

I'm learning that everything's not so cut & dry; black& white.

Kimberly/Mom in the City

There Is A Creep Factor About Politics and Affairs

Gena Haskett — Thu, 21 May 2009 07:03:44 -0500

I think it is that taste of power, freedom and fame that increases the chances of a political affair to happen. Professional politicians have seen this happen time and again yet something in their heads say, "I can get away with this."

A few of them do but either publicly or privately they get found out. The look like dear in the headlights and are so sorry when they get caught.

I don't understand why Elizabeth went public with this; she is still angry and I don't blame her. This aspect of her life was private and I didn't need to know.

Maybe we should be cautious about embracing any public figure.

If it should happen that, you know why you said, please don't jump. I would be shocked but not surprised. Here is hoping that he is way out of office before I find out.

I'm really hoping The Obamas are the exception.

Gena - Out On The Stoop

the brotherhood

cutiebootycakes — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:08:42 -0500

I love the title of this post so I had to come check it out. I agree with you completely that the US needs to start dealing with sex head on. Not only in the political realm but especially in the health arena. Sex as a "taboo" topic is one of the main reasons why HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases continue to ravage Americas and especially teens and young adults. If we were able to look at politicians as equals that happen to have a job representing us we would admit that infidelity often comes with marriage, not that I condone it but it is reality.

The US needs to loosen up and perhaps some real change could happen.

Renée aka Mekhismom
Cutie Booty Cakes a blog about my life as a WAHM starting a new diaper cake business

the mantle

Gloria Feldt — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 11:50:46 -0500

Rebellious, I hadn't thought about the waves of immigration that by rights might have made a difference in the culture. It is an interesting question, given that immigrants have so shaped and changed other aspects of our lives. Wish I knew the answer!

Gloria Feldt

www.GloriaFeldt.com

www.GloriaFeldt.com/heartfeldt-politics-blog

ccarfi, you are correct

Gloria Feldt — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 11:48:32 -0500

Thanks for the eagle eye!

Gloria Feldt

www.GloriaFeldt.com

www.GloriaFeldt.com/heartfeldt-politics-blog

Fact Check

ccarfi — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 10:24:33 -0500

>Illinois Congressman Larry Craig

Larry Craig was actually the Senator from Idaho

Brotherhood of the Traveling Pants

rebellious thinker — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 16:15:36 -0500

I love the title of this post!

So true, this weird obsession and subsequent hypocrisy with sex is ridiculous. I wonder if those politicians who are now trying to revise the definition of abortion as anything that prevents a woman from becoming pregnant using condoms in their assignations?

How is it that each wave of immigrants to this country takes on the mantle of puritan attitudes towards sex? Why haven't they succeeded in loosening things up?

Laura, www.RebelliousThoughtsofaWoman.com

What Was She Thinking?

Lauriesm — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:18:08 -0500

Rielle Hunter should have used her head and should have been thinking. The guy not only is married, but has a wife who had just come through a battle with cancer. Has she no compassion for Elizabeth Edwards. Obviously not.

I'm deeply disappointed when any inspiring leader does this kind of stuff, most particularly when he's John Edwards and I gave him so much credit for being a stand-up guy with a great marriage and family.

But it really drives me crazy when a woman - seemingly a smart one - doesn't use her brain.

Laurie J. Storey-Manseau

www.walkinginmysleep.com

www.storeymanseau.com

Edwards: What a Disappointment

rebellious thinker — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:06:11 -0500

Where to turn? Maybe the answer is in the last line of your posting: Elizabeth Edwards, or the women. Have many female politicians been caught in cheating scandals? Do they think that they are "masters" of the universe and that they will not be caught? Have we heard of male escorts being secreted into rooms in the Mayflower? (Oh, sorry, I mean for women.) Is it because at the core, the men are in politics for the power and control, and women for the good they can do. I know this is stereotyping and oversimplifiying, but sometimes that just makes things stand out.

Laura, www.RebelliousThoughtsofaWoman.com