John Edwards' affair: News or not?

I don't understand. If you are referring to the perception that feminism only speaks to equal opportunity in the workplace and has not respected the work women perform in the home or in terms of childcare that is one thing. Not sure how it applies to this situation. But it is something that certainly should be discussed.

If you saying that because of feminism that women now have the equal opportunity to be just as sexually stupid as men and that there is no responsibility to be held for "bad behavior" then I have to disagree with your point. I'm thinking that having your name publicly linked to a married public figure is not a good thing for future employment or career advancement.

Perhaps some kind of public shame put into place to remind women not to hook up with a married man? We use to have that. It didn't stop people from doing the nasty.

Now if I was to beat this into a gender issue I'd start with men. Especially men in public life who have seen their brethren go down in flames because they had outside of marriage sex, or attempt to have sex with people not of the age of consent. Clinton, Spitzer, too many Fundamentalists Christian leaders to even start to list and we can't even touch on professional sports.

We could waste years researching the answer to that question, give them the answer and they would still do it.

Gena - Out On The Stoop ( http://outonthestoop.blogspot.com )

john edwards finally "coming out of the closet or maybe better
described as a room at the beverly hilton" about his relationship with
rielle hunter is news. there are many republicans who are guilty of
such acts, but edwards touted himself as the all-american boy who rose
up to fight for all americans in his "two america's" speech time and
time again. now that mr. squeaky clean has been caught, he tries to
pass it off as a family matter. the problem mr. edwards is that you and
mr. kerry were a few votes here and there four years ago from becoming
our vice president. earlier this year, you were a contender for an even
higher office. while we do feel sympathy for mrs. edwards for all she
has gone through, the hypocrite in all this has finally admitted that
he lied. and what does he do now??? he deflects all the attention on
ms. hunter. while she is certainly no little ms. innocent, there is
only one culrpit in all of this and that is john edwards himself. as
for making the planet a better place to live and breath...maybe now our
global warming will cease somewhat now that all the "hot air" is done
coming out of mr. edward's mouth. well, at least we hope so. go back to
your north carolina mansion and continue more damage control. and to be
fair.... many on the left would be screaming bloody murder if this were
john mc cain, mitt romney, mike huckabee, etc. as i noted earlier, both
parties can lay claim to having cheaters in their parties. i'm sure
somewhere today, gary hart is having a little chuckle over all of this.

dave

gocalifornia.blogspot.com

I just can't understand his timing.  The reasons he chose to be unfaithful are for him to decide and handle with his spouse.  But hello,  Mr. Edwards you were running to be the president of the United States did you not think the affair would be a media sensation?  Personally I am so tired of the lack of morality, integrity and just personal standards our "national" leaders have.  It's disgusting! I'm never suprised anymore.

Tiffany

Blog:  www.randomuttering.blogspot.com ( http://www.randomuttering.blogspot.com/ )

I, too, am not particularly interested in the private lives of politicians.  However, Edwards made his family, especially his wife, a central focus on his campaign.

I find Elizabeth Edwards to be an engaging, smart woman.  I heard on cable that she was planning to join one of the Washington think tanks to focus on poverty and health issues and that now those plans are put on hold.

Politics is about judgment.  We judge people putting themselves forward to lead us.  We judge them on policy, past performance, promises and, yes, on character.  

When a politician repeatedly asserts his wife is the "love of his life" and then is found ducking and scurrying in a Los Angeles hotel, I think it says something about his character and what's important to him.

I ain't too impressed. 

Where are the feminists? What do you have to say about the feminist issues this raises? Everyone likes to beat every story into a gender issue. What are the issues in this story?

What are our responsibilities to other women? Hunter certainly knew he was a married man and that his entire family, wife and children, would be hurt by their actions. 

Look, i was one of the Norma Rae's tossed into Steinem's war and I'm appalled the fact that everyone is so focused on the "glass ceiling" as if that's the only measure of success. There are many ways to be a successful woman beyond sitting in the CEO's chair and one of the greatest measures of success is how we treat other women. 

Is it "anything goes"? Any behavior is fine? No rules. Let the players deal with the carnage. No debate? Let's not call out other women on their behavior? 

Suzanne, the Farmer's Wife

In this day and age, why is the the top news story?  I understand how bad an affair can damage a family, but it seems a rather private matter to me.  He needs to work on his relationship with his wife and kids and repair that damage in private. 

I was watching CNN very early Saturday morning and a woman called in and asked why were we discussing this and not George Bush's policies or the War in Iraq.  I couldn't agree with her more.  Is this just a smoke screen or diversion to take the attention off our current adminstration?

What's there to debate? This just seems like a storm created in a slow news cycle. I don't know anyone who would want cameras and journalists peeking into the crevices of their minds, hearts, and marriages.  Aren't we tired of these kinds of stories?  I sure am!

He’s probably just scared to admit the truth. But I mean it isn’t as if he couldn’t put it tactfully and poetically: ( http://www.236.com/news/2008/08/08/john_edwards_th... )http://www.236.com/news/2008/08/08/john_edwards_th... There. Now was that so hard?

He's not my husband.  Does his affair stablize oil prices?  Does his affair and the knowledge of it stop the mass foreclosures around the country.  Does this information feed some hungry child.  So the only reason why we are interested in this is because he was a politician?  I would be more interested if he was my dentist then I would reschedule my appointment until things cooled down...but I digress.

Seriously, His affair might make for interesting conversation for those who have nothing else to talk about. I for one do not find it remotely interesting.  As a a matter of fact I hope they work through this.  Marriage vows are sacred and if they can deal, then more power to them!

I got no stand on morality.  Last I heard we all have to account for our individual shit as individuals.  There is no group punishement...I can't go to hell for your sins and you can't go to hell for mine.  So being outraged about him and his indescretions does nothing but keep me from minding my own business...which I need to get back to...now!

Love, ( http://www.lovebabz.blogspot.com )

Babz: A Life In Transition ( http://www.lovebabz.blogspot.com )

Privacy doesn't exist for people who have become public figures in the world today.  In that since the Edwards affairs is fair game.

I wish that people would either be married or not be married.  Breakig up may be hard to do, but it is possible.

His wife and family are the ones who are having to deal with this through no fault of their own.  I hope they are able to handle it with caring and understanding.

blog.candelariasilva.com

Good and plenty!

I'm in agreement with you almost word for word.  Who are we to judge, that is not our place.  He told his wife, she seemingly forgave him-it is not our place to stew about.

 Now I guess it may matter in that doing something such as this gives another person power over you, and if you were one of the most powerful men in the country...well that leaves a lot of possibilities for what could happen.  Wasn't there a wesley snipes movie abotu this? 

We had a robust discussion around the dinner table with our 20 year old son about this issue. He basically came of age during the time the Clintons were fielding flak about the Clinton Affair, and he was absolutely disgusted that this is a big news issue, considering all the other world news we should be contemplating.

My husband and I weren't so quick to brush it off, though you have to wonder about someone in a government position, who knows just by looking around at other politicians that there are ultimately no secrets, and yet still plows ahead with a Presidential campaign thinking his error of judgment would never come out.

We obviously get it that relationships are not without their ups and downs, and I think it's possible we've all made some bad choices and decisions in our lives.  We also need to be held accountable for them. It's just that most of us don't have to account to an entire nation. Is this what Edwards signed up for when he ran for office in the first place? Perhaps so. I'm just not comfortable being his judge.  I feel especially conflicted about the press coverage because of the fall-out for the innocent bystanders; his kids and his wife. 

I know there is a big difference of opinion, even among us MOMocrats. But whether we like it or not, the reality is that "news" like the story of Edwards' affair will be covered and get traction.

I don't care about the personal lives of politicians except to this extent -- what does it say about their judgment? If they are aware that we live in an age of 24/7 media that, unfortunately, thrives on stories like his, then wouldn't it be better to err on the side of safety rather than run the risk of damaging your political career?

And what about all the people who gave money and labored on his behalf to try to get him elected president?  Their disappointment must be huge.  Why do politicians not think about that when making decisions about their personal lives that could potentially make their public lives implode?

Yes, in a perfect world, we should be WAY more focused on the economy, the war in Iraq, health care for children and finding homes for the 100,000+ children in foster care in this country. But we're also people who love People. So politicians need to factor that into their decisions if they want to avoid the 21st century media consequences of being found out.

PunditMom ( http://punditmom1.blogspot.com ), BlogHer Politics & News Contributing Editor ( http://www.blogher.com/blog/punditmom )

Also at MOMocrats ( http://momocrats.typepad.com/joanne_bamberger/ ) & The Huffington Post ( http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joanne-bamberger )

To my recollection, in every election since I reached the age where I was able to vote, there has been a "bat in the cave", or a "ghost in the closet" with regard to each candidate running for a very public office.  It is not surprising to me that John Edwards had such a situation.  In fact, as we recall, the press alluded to and actually wrote about a possible John Edwards affair/relationship in many publications during the campaign timeframe.  It is also not surprising that once again the news reporters are visiting the now confirmed affair with the news of a possible child conceived by John Edwards.

What is a surprise is why the focus on the affair at all??  Is it because Elizabeth Edwards is fighting a reoccuring battle with cancer?  Many men and women are in this situation.  Is it because there is a lack of horrific news in the world?  Please, look to the war we are presently engaged  in.  Is it because America loves John Edwards?  Hmmm...  Or is it because news reporters feel America feeds off such stories of infidelity and in fact these stories sell magazines and newspapers?  Bingo. 

We live in a country and on a planet where parents and children should be focused on quality of life issues and reshaping the world.  News reporters should focus on and must help sell the idea that our planet is fast becoming unsustainable.  Anybody ever hear the words global warming? 

Elizabeth Edwards and her family are the only folks who should be really focused on John Edwards and his situation with his former campaigner.   The rest of us, including the press, could be better served making our planet a better place to live and breath.