A "Serious Error in Judgment?" WHAT??????

[Nestof3]

An affair is not an error in judgment. An error in judgment is thinking someone has fine character only to realize later that the person should be avoided. An error in judgment is thinking you are buying the right size curtain, but when you get home you realize you were wrong.

 

What a stupid statement! :rant:

 

Why can't people just be honest? Try, "I was sexually attracted to this woman. She turned me on. I'm bored with my wife. Ya know, same old, same old -- time for something new."

 

I'm done now.

[wagnfun]

An affair is not an error in judgment. An error in judgment is thinking someone has fine character only to realize later that the person should be avoided. An error in judgment is thinking you are buying the right size curtain, but when you get home you realize you were wrong.

 

What a stupid statement! :rant:

 

Why can't people just be honest? Try, "I was sexually attracted to this woman. She turned me on. I'm bored with my wife. Ya know, same old, same old -- time for something new."

 

I'm done now.

 

:iagree::iagree: enough said.

[GSMP]

Not sure where that came from.....but the :iagree: is a good way to end it....and maybe a few of these....

 

:grouphug::grouphug:

[Nestof3]

Oh, I should have clarified -- it is regarding John Edwards.

 

Not my husband. ;)

[teamturner]

I never understood why he was running for president when his wife's cancer had returned. That just didn't sit well with me. So I guess I am not entirely surprised by this latest revelation. This "it was an error in judgement" is an attempt to make it not about a character flaw but just some momentary loss in judgement. Please......

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

An affair is not an error in judgment. An error in judgment is thinking someone has fine character only to realize later that the person should be avoided. An error in judgment is thinking you are buying the right size curtain, but when you get home you realize you were wrong.

 

What a stupid statement! :rant:

 

Why can't people just be honest? Try, "I was sexually attracted to this woman. She turned me on. I'm bored with my wife. Ya know, same old, same old -- time for something new."

 

I'm done now.

 

 

 

You would have him be that cavalier about it? Really? Do you want sackcloth? Ashes? A pound of flesh?

 

An affair, IMO, is the ultimate error in judgment. I'm truly relieved that not everyone's besetting "sin" is a sexual. It must be amazing to live a life free from that terror of failure, to have other, less potentially explosive and public struggles.

 

But when we're shocked and aggrieved that other people do, yes, struggle in this regard and have feet of clay, that they are not perfect and disappoint, then... I dunno.

 

Not everyone who struggles will prevail. Some will. Some won't. Some who fail will admit immediately and privately. Some will carry the secret to their grave to protect the innocent. Some need a Nathan or a CNN to point a bony finger and say, "Thou art the man" in order to come clean and be brought to a place of repentance.

 

It is, I agree, a HORRIBLE situation, so public and heartbreaking. I just feel like throwing up thinking about that poor family.

[Mrs Mungo]

But when we're shocked and aggrieved that other people do, yes, struggle in this regard and have feet of clay, that they are not perfect and disappoint, then... I dunno.

 

I don't know that anyone is expecting perfection. I am most definitely the last person to expect perfection out of anyone. It's just SUCH a betrayal and it's one that you can avoid if you avoid the types of situations that put you in the way of that kind of temptation. As you know the military frequently has rules against the mere *appearance* of anything shady going on. I think those are the sorts of guidelines we would all do well to follow, especially those in the public eye.

[battlemaiden]

Not the biggest John Edwards fan here. Can't say that I've ever mentioned his name in any sort of complimentary fashion. However, I found myself oddly impressed at his admission of guilt today- his use of the words, "egocentric" and "narcissitic" to describe himself were refreshing. In his line of work it is like the beginning of a Politicians Anonymous meeting- "Hi, my name is Senator Smith...I'm egocentric and narcisstic..."

 

I'm in the everyone sins camp.

 

I am not particularly shocked at Edward's actions. But regardless, it is heartbreaking for any family to endure the pain and suffering of that confession (which happened back in 2006 between the couple) much less have people opine about it endlessly on the news. I would have additional thoughts on the matter if he was still in any sort of position of governmental representation, but he isn't.

 

Jo

[Amy in NY]

Not the biggest John Edwards fan here. Can't say that I've ever mentioned his name in any sort of complimentary fashion. However, I found myself oddly impressed at his admission of guilt today- his use of the words, "egocentric" and "narcissitic" to describe himself were refreshing. In his line of work it is like the beginning of a Politicians Anonymous meeting- "Hi, my name is Senator Smith...I'm egocentric and narcisstic..."

 

I'm in the everyone sins camp.

 

I am not particularly shocked at Edward's actions. But regardless, it is heartbreaking for any family to endure the pain and suffering of that confession (which happened back in 2006 between the couple) much less have people opine about it endlessly on the news. I would have additional thoughts on the matter if he was still in any sort of position of governmental representation, but he isn't.

 

Jo

 

I'm not an Edwards fan, either. I was impressed with his choice of words and feel for his wife and children, who now are healing in the public eye.

 

I was very impressed with his wife, too. She has posted a statement online and, of course, I can't find it now. Bottom line, she is still there for him with open arms. I think she is sincere and I admire her ability to forgive.

[SFP]

She posted a diary here and she responded in the thread at least a couple times to comments made.

[Melinda in VT]

You would have him be that cavalier about it? Really? Do you want sackcloth? Ashes? A pound of flesh?

 

An affair, IMO, is the ultimate error in judgment. I'm truly relieved that not everyone's besetting "sin" is a sexual. It must be amazing to live a life free from that terror of failure, to have other, less potentially explosive and public struggles.

 

But when we're shocked and aggrieved that other people do, yes, struggle in this regard and have feet of clay, that they are not perfect and disappoint, then... I dunno.

 

Not everyone who struggles will prevail. Some will. Some won't. Some who fail will admit immediately and privately. Some will carry the secret to their grave to protect the innocent. Some need a Nathan or a CNN to point a bony finger and say, "Thou art the man" in order to come clean and be brought to a place of repentance.

 

It is, I agree, a HORRIBLE situation, so public and heartbreaking. I just feel like throwing up thinking about that poor family.

 

:iagree: I think "error in judgment" is exactly what an affair is.

[Kathy in MD]

I never understood why he was running for president when his wife's cancer had returned. That just didn't sit well with me. ......

 

That I consider a decision to be made only between the couple on the advice of their doctors. Only they can know how severe the returning cancer is and how hard the treatments will be. Running for president is hard, but they both are experienced campaigners. And it can be good for her. She'll have things to think about and pull her out of bed and self-pity.

 

Cancer is no longer an automatic death sentence. Even when it returns, it often becomes a chronic desease. Should the entire family put it's life on hold while they wait for her to die, which may not occur for 10, 20 or more years? What a horrible life for her!

[PariSarah]

"Error in judgment" suggests that he engaged his faculties of judgment. In other words, he's saying, "I thought about it, reflected on it, compared risks to benefits, evaluated all the possibilities, and decided that it was a good idea. That was a wrong decision."

 

Not how I would want to phrase it, if it were me. I would want to highlight the complete absence of judgment, by using words like "foolish" "precipitous" "heedless" or "reckless."

 

But there's probably a reason nobody hired me as their C.J. Cregg. :D None of those words sound presidential. "When confronted with a situation of marital emergency, I acted recklessly" risks being heard as "When confronted with a situation of national emergency, I acted recklessly."

[Melinda in VT]

"Error in judgment" suggests that he engaged his faculties of judgment. In other words, he's saying, "I thought about it, reflected on it, compared risks to benefits, evaluated all the possibilities, and decided that it was a good idea. That was a wrong decision."

 

Not how I would want to phrase it, if it were me. I would want to highlight the complete absence of judgment, by using words like "foolish" "precipitous" "heedless" or "reckless."

 

But there's probably a reason nobody hired me as their C.J. Cregg. :D None of those words sound presidential. "When confronted with a situation of marital emergency, I acted recklessly" risks being heard as "When confronted with a situation of national emergency, I acted recklessly."

 

But don't most people who commit affairs engage their faculties of judgment? Granted, those faculties don't seem to be working very well by the time they are engaged. :tongue_smilie:

 

I don't know the details of Edwards's affair, but I'm guessing he didn't trip over the other woman in a library and commit adultery immediately. He probably thought about various steps and convinced himself that the step was innocent and so was the next one and so was the one after that. Errors in judgment, all.

 

Looking back, I'm sure it seems obvious that those decisions were stupid, clouded by lust or ego or ? But I think few people are able to look at their current situation and make decisions using only reason, with no taint of emotion or (in cases like this) desire.

[Danestress]

Yes, he called it a serious error in judgment.

 

And said he was "ashamed" of his misconduct. He called it "disloyal." He said that saying "sorry" is inadequate, that he was narcissistic and egocentric, and that he is beating himself up worse than anyone else can.

 

I am spitting mad at him and have lost a lot of respect for him as a man.

 

But I do think he sort of covered the bases here. I'm not sure what else I wish he had said, except that, even if the newspaper story was full of lies, I can't believe that denying the affair could ever count as "99% honest."

[PariSarah]

I would imagine many people go the "I'm just going into the candy aisle to look at the magazines; I won't even LOOK at the chocolate" route, yes. Small steps, each one in itself merely an error in judgment, but all undergirded by an attraction to what one knows one shouldn't have.

 

But other people get hit by surprise, and act solely on emotion. An opportunity presents itself, all out of the blue, the hormones surge, and all of a sudden, you're looking at the aftermath and thinking, "OMG, how did that happen? What have I done?"

 

But I wasn't really debating whether adultery is or isn't an error in judgment. I was only interested in the "spin" choices. My spin choice would be to portray my actions as the second, because it seems somehow more human, less incomprehensible. Nothing makes it right, of course, but being swept up in a wave of passion you couldn't control makes it seem like a juvenile crime, rather than a cruel one. Calling attention to one's faculties of judgment makes it seem more deliberate and more ugly: "I thought about it, and I decided to betray you." If I were trying to spin my actions for my spouse, that's not how I'd spin it.

 

But he's not spinning for his spouse right now. He's spinning for people who might vote for him next time around. By calling his actions an error in judgment, he's seeking to cast himself as a man of reason, who occasionally makes mistakes in judgment. People vote for that sort of man, because they can respect mistakes in judgment. They can't respect men who are trapped by their own emotions.

 

The idea that he is trying accurately to describe what happened so that he can make full confession isn't really on my radar screen. ;)

[cin]

An affair is not an error in judgment. An error in judgment is thinking someone has fine character only to realize later that the person should be avoided. An error in judgment is thinking you are buying the right size curtain, but when you get home you realize you were wrong.

 

What a stupid statement! :rant:

 

Why can't people just be honest? Try, "I was sexually attracted to this woman. She turned me on. I'm bored with my wife. Ya know, same old, same old -- time for something new."

 

I'm done now.

 

I do think it was a bad choice of words. I do like the rest of his statement, especailly the fact that he use words like egocentric and narcissitic (I KNOW I spelled that wrong!) I did NOT hear his statement, but I think instead of error in judgement, flat out saying. I was WRONG. I made a BIG mistake.

 

I think error in judgement sort of lessens the severity of it. It makes it sound like he's dodging responsibility. I SCREWED UP is what we need to hear. That is not dodging the issue. That is flat out saying that I made the mistake. I chose to do something that was wrong and hurtful to my family.

 

Just my take on things ;)

[Tammy]

generic....and really...I don't think he should go into 'detail' why he did what he did. I couldn't believe it got so much media attention.....I will bet over 80% of politicians mess around on their wives.... It is only the ones in the limelight that get caught, LOL!

 

Tammy

[Jackie in AR]

But I do think he sort of covered the bases here. I'm not sure what else I wish he had said, except that, even if the newspaper story was full of lies, I can't believe that denying the affair could ever count as "99% honest."

 

Dh's response when he read the "99% honest" comment was, "Only in the mind of a politician."

 

Here's something else I think he should have explained: If the affair took place only in 2006 and the baby isn't his, what was JE doing visiting the woman (who had her child with her) late at night at the hotel where he was caught by the National Enquirer photographers?

 

ETA: For those who don't know, this occurred last month (July 2008).

[laylamcb]

"Error in judgment" suggests that he engaged his faculties of judgment. In other words, he's saying, "I thought about it, reflected on it, compared risks to benefits, evaluated all the possibilities, and decided that it was a good idea. That was a wrong decision."

 

Not how I would want to phrase it, if it were me. I would want to highlight the complete absence of judgment, by using words like "foolish" "precipitous" "heedless" or "reckless."

 

But there's probably a reason nobody hired me as their C.J. Cregg. :D None of those words sound presidential. "When confronted with a situation of marital emergency, I acted recklessly" risks being heard as "When confronted with a situation of national emergency, I acted recklessly."

 

:iagree: I know that 'm hopelessly cynical, but I agree with this 100%. It seems like for politicians, everything--even an abject apology--is meticulously worded and carefully staged.

[Scarlett]

Dh's response when he read the "99% honest" comment was, "Only in the mind of a politician."

 

Here's something else I think he should have explained: If the affair took place only in 2006 and the baby isn't his, what was JE doing visiting the woman (who had her child with her) late at night at the hotel where he was caught by the National Enquirer photographers?

 

ETA: For those who don't know, this occurred last month (July 2008).

 

Yes, this is what I'm wondering about as well. Although I can't understand why or how he thinks he could keep the baby a secret at this point.

[Nestof3]

Pam,

 

I never implied that he was a greater sinner than I. I never said he should have had feet other than "clay." It seems to me like you are speaking to someone else in your post.

 

I simply called his semantics in question. "Error in judgment" is not a fitting statement. It makes NO sense. Yes, when a person admits something -- confesses something -- I expect the words to reveal the truth or else he's still holding back. When I scream at my kids out of impatience, I do not say, 'Sorry -- I made an error in judgment" -- I say "Please forgive Mommy for being selfish and impatient."

[Nestof3]

But don't most people who commit affairs engage their faculties of judgment? Granted, those faculties don't seem to be working very well by the time they are engaged. :tongue_smilie:

 

I don't know the details of Edwards's affair, but I'm guessing he didn't trip over the other woman in a library and commit adultery immediately. He probably thought about various steps and convinced himself that the step was innocent and so was the next one and so was the one after that. Errors in judgment, all.

 

 

Affairs never "just happen." Anyone who says "it came as a complete surprise" that the person wanted to have s_x is lying. Affairs come from one small step after another of uncompromising standard. Each step involves premeditated choice. They are not errors in jugment. The person knows full well the feelings he or she has inside, from the first feeling of attraction, to the first flirt, to the first moment alone. To call it an error in judgment is to say that the person having the affair "thought" something different was going on. Anyone who tries to tell me the affair came as a surprise to them -- that they just started ripping clothes off without any forethought -- is holding back, in my opinion.

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

Pam,

 

I never implied that he was a greater sinner than I. I never said he should have had feet other than "clay." It seems to me like you are speaking to someone else in your post.

 

I simply called his semantics in question. "Error in judgment" is not a fitting statement. It makes NO sense. Yes, when a person admits something -- confesses something -- I expect the words to reveal the truth or else he's still holding back. When I scream at my kids out of impatience, I do not say, 'Sorry -- I made an error in judgment" -- I say "Please forgive Mommy for being selfish and impatient."

 

We see the phrase differently, Dawn. And that's ok. I was just sharing my take on the words and expanding a little. I see the little steps as extreme errors in judgment. Missteps of the worst kind. Missteps that can't lead anywhere good. Had he judged rightly where these steps would lead, he would have ended up on a different place.

 

You don't see it the words that way, and again, that's ok. If (when) I scream at my kids, I say I'm sorry like you do. But I might acknowledge to their father that I made a horrible error in judgment in not getting enough sleep the night before because I got up in the middle of the night to post on a certain [ahem] message board and was therefore too exhausted to parent with generosity and patience. The error in judgment that led to the hurtful parenting incident was no less awful than the impatience and selfishness that resulted. It's not excusing the behavior, it's just... well, it just is what it is, a description of the absence of judging rightly that led to less-than righteous behavior.

 

I could extrapolate into the realm of nurturing marriage, walking a righteous road in regard to the opposite sex, etc, but I should probably stop now. :001_smile:

[TXMomof4]

Affairs never "just happen." Anyone who says "it came as a complete surprise" that the person wanted to have s_x is lying. Affairs come from one small step after another of uncompromising standard. Each step involves premeditated choice. They are not errors in jugment. The person knows full well the feelings he or she has inside, from the first feeling of attraction, to the first flirt, to the first moment alone. To call it an error in judgment is to say that the person having the affair "thought" something different was going on. Anyone who tries to tell me the affair came as a surprise to them -- that they just started ripping clothes off without any forethought -- is holding back, in my opinion.

 

:iagree: This wasn't a "we ended up in the same room after a party having had too much to drink and it just happened" situation. This was apparently an extended affair, which required a lot of planning, right? To me, an error in judgement is something you didn't intend to do. He obviously intended to do this, intended to keep it a secret. Now his family has to deal with it. Is the child really his? How heartbreaking for all of them.

[Kathleen in VA]

I'm thinking if he were still running for President it would be more of an issue for me. I guess he could still be considering running later in his life, so it does matter in the long run if that were the case. For Elizabeth Edward's sake I kind of wish the media could move on or at least leave the family alone.

 

I do wish that folks who say "what happens behind closed doors is none of my business" would realize how nonsensical that it is (no one here has said that - but I've watched them on the news being interviewed at random and it makes my blood boil). Men (and women) who wish to gain the public trust must realize that everything they do reveals their character and that if they choose to lie to their own family members, where the heck does that leave all us nobodies out here in nowheresville?

 

If a man vows to love a woman - a woman he has singled out from all others - for the rest of his life on this earth and then so easily and utterly disregards that promise by betraying her trust and having an affair with another woman - especially if it is a long, drawn out affair, then why would I think he would behave any differently towards the American public??? How could I trust a man to tell me the truth about anything at all when he cares less for me than the woman he vowed to love til "death do us part"?

 

I've never understood that "it doesn't concern his public life - his life as a senator or president or whatever" kind of attitude. We're talking about character here - the substance of the man. What won't he lie about??

 

Also, I agree with Dawn - "error in judgment" is so stinking tiptoeing through the political word choice game it makes me want to kick him in the shins. I agree with Cin on this one. Saying he made an error in judgment is a way of sugar coating it - he should just say, "I was an idiot. I knew what I was doing was wrong and I did it anyway. I don't deserve forgiveness but I am asking for it in spite of that." Just out with it already!!

 

Yes, we are all sinners and we all can make mistakes through life, but to say, "I made an error in judgment" is, well, slimy and calculated and as about as un-self-incriminating as you get considering the circumstances. Glossing over the outright wrongness of it like that just makes it worse (even with the "narcissistic and egocentric" remark considered).

[cathmom]

What I want to know is, did he read an advance copy of SWB's Art of the Public Grovel before apologizing to make sure he did it right?

 

Although, frankly, his political chances weren't that great BEFORE this came out.

[mcconnellboys]

Well, I did hear something about him saying that he had become "increasingly ego-centric", etc. which was at least a little refreshing. Most of those middle-aged guys in the limelight who let their egos run wild never even recognize or admit that's precisely what's occurring.....

 

I think trying to get a worker to take the fall for the affair was probably at least as deplorable as the affair itself. I can't believe that poor man and his family went along with such garbage for even a moment....

[melmac]

Who? EE? :confused:

 

She posted a diary here and she responded in the thread at least a couple times to comments made.

[Mississippi Missy]

I agree with you. Except in my eyes an affair isn't an affair, it is adultry. I think people try to glorify adultry by just calling it an affair. Same with lying. Saying it is a fib. No, it is a lie. Ya know. :)

[Parrothead]

Honestly, I can't see why it matters to anyone but him, his wife and the woman involved. The making of mountains out of mole hills (sexual activities) in politics is nuts, IMHO. I'd rather base my opinion of politician on whether one can do the job or is just spending my money to spend it.

[TravelingChris]

I agree that calling this behavior as an error in judgement is sort of like calling Thnaksgiving dinner a little snack.

 

More to the point, we can't move on since there are potentially laws that were broken. His head of campaign finances has admitted to paying Rielle Hunter thousands of dollars in moving expenses. Were these campaign donations? I did not support Edwards since I am not a Democrat, but I have donated to campaigns before. If it turned out that my campaign donations were going to completely personal and non-campaign related expenses like hiding love-children and their mothers, I would be livid. When I donate to a campaign, I expect it to be used for things like ads, mailings, office expenses, transportation costs for the candidate, things like that. Also, if someone gives a person more than 10,000 in a calendar year, the giver has to declare that to the IRS and pay a gift tax. There are some exceptions like funding your child's education but it is one reason even wealthy parents often only give a 40,000 down payment on a home for their married children (both parents can give 10,000 to both child and child's spouse).

[Sue G in PA]

I knew exactly who you were talking about before you even posted it. I heard that last night on the news and was flabbergasted. Well, no, I wasn't. It's typical these days unfortunately.

[SFP]

Who? EE?

 

 

Elizabeth Edwards, yes. Amy in NY said she couldn't find Elizabeth Edwards's online statement so I linked to it.

[Fourmother]

I have no opinion on how John Edwards describes his "transgression." It's up to Mrs. Edwards to make that judgment. I hate that he betrayed his wife and family in this way, but what I hate even more is that I have to know anything about it. When an elected official abuses his/her office, misappropriates public money or otherwise violates the law (not including archaic sodomy laws) then that's news. If he/she cheats on the spouse, that's no one's business outside those unfortunate enough to be directly involved. Sex scandals are so tiresome.

[E_Edgerton]

I hate to sound pessimistic, but I have grown to expect disappointment from most of our elected officials. I continually grow more disillusioned by politics.

[melmac]

Elizabeth Edwards, yes. Amy in NY said she couldn't find Elizabeth Edwards's online statement so I linked to it.

 

 

 

Oh, I was more :confused: "she responded in the thread at least a couple times to comments made"

 

I thought you meant EE, reading through the thread again, I see that isn't the case. Silly me. :tongue_smilie:

[RebeccaC]

I agree that calling this behavior as an error in judgement is sort of like calling Thanksgiving dinner a little snack.

 

More to the point, we can't move on since there are potentially laws that were broken. His head of campaign finances has admitted to paying Rielle Hunter thousands of dollars in moving expenses. Were these campaign donations? I did not support Edwards since I am not a Democrat, but I have donated to campaigns before. If it turned out that my campaign donations were going to completely personal and non-campaign related expenses like hiding love-children and their mothers, I would be livid. When I donate to a campaign, I expect it to be used for things like ads, mailings, office expenses, transportation costs for the candidate, things like that. Also, if someone gives a person more than 10,000 in a calendar year, the giver has to declare that to the IRS and pay a gift tax. There are some exceptions like funding your child's education but it is one reason even wealthy parents often only give a 40,000 down payment on a home for their married children (both parents can give 10,000 to both child and child's spouse).

 

 

 

:iagree:

I think this all goes back to his character, if he is willing to cheat on his wife why not cheat on how he uses campaign donations. If he is willing to spend months lying/denying and affair why not deny misuse of campaign donations. After all he does not know most of the folks who donate and if he found it easy to lie and cheat on his wife, who he loved at least at some point in his life, why would it be any harder to lie and cheat on donors he does not know and misuse their money, trust, and break campaign finance laws. If there is a paternity test and he turns out to be the father then not only does he have bad judgement and is a cheat on several levels but he is also a pathological liar imho.

 

Then there is the whole issue of his winning father of the year and it it turns out that the baby is his what does it say about his character? Nothing good again imho.

 

Electing a president is all about trust, do we trust his finger on the red nuclear button, do we trust his judgement in many areas. If he breaks trust with the most important person in his life why would he keep trust with millions of faceless Americans?

[Kathleen in VA]

I think this all goes back to his character, if he is willing to cheat on his wife why not cheat on how he uses campaign donations. If he is willing to spend months lying/denying and affair why not deny misuse of campaign donations. After all he does not know most of the folks who donate and if he found it easy to lie and cheat on his wife, who he loved at least at some point in his life, why would it be any harder to lie and cheat on donors he does not know and misuse their money, trust, and break campaign finance laws. If there is a paternity test and he turns out to be the father then not only does he have bad judgement and is a cheat on several levels but he is also a pathological liar imho.

 

Then there is the whole issue of his winning father of the year and it it turns out that the baby is his what does it say about his character? Nothing good again imho.

 

Electing a president is all about trust, do we trust his finger on the red nuclear button, do we trust his judgement in many areas. If he breaks trust with the most important person in his life why would he keep trust with millions of faceless Americans?

 

:iagree:That's exactly what I said in my post. What won't he lie about??? This isn't about someone's bedroom - it's about someone's character. A liar is a liar no matter what he lies about. If Joe Nobody down the street cheats on his wife, that is their problem. If "Mr. I-May-Run-for-President-Someday" cheats on his wife, that is *my* problem - especially if he gets elected.

 

I'm sorry it involved his wife and family - they don't deserve this. But it is not going to just go away because we feel sorry for them. He should have thought of that as well. Just how bad is his judgment?

[RebeccaC]

:iagree:That's exactly what I said in my post. What won't he lie about??? This isn't about someone's bedroom - it's about someone's character. A liar is a liar no matter what he lies about. If Joe Nobody down the street cheats on his wife, that is their problem. If "Mr. I-May-Run-for-President-Someday" cheats on his wife, that is *my* problem - especially if he gets elected.

 

I'm sorry it involved his wife and family - they don't deserve this. But it is not going to just go away because we feel sorry for them. He should have thought of that as well. Just how bad is his judgment?

 

Oh, Kathleen I forgot to add the I agree smilie :iagree: so here it is now :)

[RebeccaC]

Honestly, I can't see why it matters to anyone but him, his wife and the woman involved. The making of mountains out of mole hills (sexual activities) in politics is nuts, IMHO. I'd rather base my opinion of politician on whether one can do the job or is just spending my money to spend it.

 

 

Well how about spending donation money he was trusted with to move the other woman and love child out of state? Looks like he might have spent campaign donations to that. If he would break trust with folks, who donate hard earned money in that way just how would he spend our tax dollars and how often would he break trust/promises made about those hard earned tax dollars? Of course it is congress that does most of the spending but still.....

[mcconnellboys]

Amen.

[mcconnellboys]

Oh, I absolutely agree. The words "affair" and "adultery" are synonyms in my mind.

[Mom to Aly]

I think I made A SERIOUS ERROR IN JUDGEMENT when I decided that, although he was more conservative than I liked, John Edwards was a wonderful family man who truly cared about his wife, and would stick by her, as any decent husband would. I think I made another SERIOUS ERROR IN JUDGEMENT when I listened to him deny that he had had an affair, and when he stated that he had been in love with his wife for over thirty years, that he found her to be sexy, beautiful, loving, wonderful, the only woman he wanted to be with, I believed him.

 

I think he made a slimy decision to betray the woman who has stood by him and helped him campaign for years and years, in her deepest and darkest hour of need. And I think he is absolute scum!!! I've seen a few huge disappointments in politics, one of which was Bill Clinton, but I don't think there has been one that, for me, was more disillusioning than this one.

[RebeccaC]

I think I made A SERIOUS ERROR IN JUDGEMENT when I decided that, although he was more conservative than I liked, John Edwards was a wonderful family man who truly cared about his wife, and would stick by her, as any decent husband would. I think I made another SERIOUS ERROR IN JUDGEMENT when I listened to him deny that he had had an affair, and when he stated that he had been in love with his wife for over thirty years, that he found her to be sexy, beautiful, loving, wonderful, the only woman he wanted to be with, I believed him.

 

I think he made a slimy decision to betray the woman who has stood by him and helped him campaign for years and years, in her deepest and darkest hour of need. And I think he is absolute scum!!! I've seen a few huge disappointments in politics, one of which was Bill Clinton, but I don't think there has been one that, for me, was more disillusioning than this one.

 

Oh, I am so very sorry! I wish all the people we looked up to did not let us down no matter who they are or were. I really mean this and wish there was something I could write that would erase it all. My dh and mil were very disillusioned by President Clinton. I was disillusioned by Speaker Hastert and some of his dirty pork barrel spending that profited his pockets, not to mention the never ending list of IL governors who were as crooked as they could be :glare:

[Mom to Aly]

Oh, I am so very sorry! I wish all the people we looked up to did not let us down no matter who they are or were. I really mean this and wish there was something I could write that would erase it all. My dh and mil were very disillusioned by President Clinton. I was disillusioned by Speaker Hastert and some of his dirty pork barrel spending that profited his pockets, not to mention the never ending list of IL governors who were as crooked as they could be :glare:

 

I hope you're not being sarcastic, because, really, I adored John Edwards. For me to like a candidate who didn't back what I believe in is a big thing for me--I worked for the democratic party for three years, and very nearly went into politics (until my boss was indicted on certain charges, 5 months before I started law school, which is why I have two bachelor's--I went back to start over and totally change what I was going to do--really opened my eyes). Politics are a huge thing to me, and I research each candidate with great care, and am not wishy washy about who I choose. Even though he wasn't my first choice on issues, he was on integrity, and I adored him. And, although I wouldn't have voted for Edwards in the primary because I didn't believe in some of his stands, I thought he was one of the better politicians I've seen, which is so hard to find, truly a wonderful person, someone who had stuck to his morals, and his family values. I have found this to be truly disheartening, and demoralizing.

 

I've spoken of him so often to my dd, and she, of course, had to pass newspapers with headlines of him in B&N, and we had to have the whole talk (my ex left for someone else, after a two year affair, all of which he bragged about in front of my dd a while after he'd left, so it makes it worse). We've talked about his wife and her disease, and how he has stood by her, etc.

 

What a shock this one has been! I just feel so sorry for his wife...

[RebeccaC]

I hope you're not being sarcastic, because, really, I adored John Edwards. For me to like a candidate who didn't back what I believe in is a big thing for me--I worked for the democratic party for three years, and very nearly went into politics (until my boss was indicted on certain charges, 5 months before I started law school, which is why I have two bachelor's--I went back to start over and totally change what I was going to do--really opened my eyes). Politics are a huge thing to me, and I research each candidate with great care, and am not wishy washy about who I choose. Even though he wasn't my first choice on issues, he was on integrity, and I adored him. And, although I wouldn't have voted for Edwards in the primary because I didn't believe in some of his stands, I thought he was one of the better politicians I've seen, which is so hard to find, truly a wonderful person, someone who had stuck to his morals, and his family values. I have found this to be truly disheartening, and demoralizing.

 

I've spoken of him so often to my dd, and she, of course, had to pass newspapers with headlines of him in B&N, and we had to have the whole talk (my ex left for someone else, after a two year affair, all of which he bragged about in front of my dd a while after he'd left, so it makes it worse). We've talked about his wife and her disease, and how he has stood by her, etc.

 

What a shock this one has been! I just feel so sorry for his wife...

 

Nope I am dead serious. It is hard when some one you really respect falls. I don't care which side of the isle they are or are not on.

 

What I hope is that this whole thing does not hurt her health. Affairs take a toll on the health of the spouse who is cheated on and her health was already in a precarious state.

 

I was not at all being flippant or sarcastic. What he did was serious and I wager there are a lot more folks like you who have been hurt by this and I just wish it wasn't so.

[Mom to Aly]

What I hope is that this whole thing does not hurt her health. Affairs take a toll on the health of the spouse who is cheated on and her health was already in a precarious state.

 

I was thinking the same thing, about her health. How horrible--I already thought she was an amazing, very strong woman--how horrible that she has to go through this, in addition to everything else. And I so feel for their kids.

[Jennifer3141]

This whole story makes me mad.

 

I heard on NPR yesterday that the story hit the mainstream media on their freaking wedding anniversary. Nice.

 

But here's what I'd really love to see in our world:

 

I'd love to see one of these idiot politicians' wives just beat the living daylights out of their husbands on TV when they make that obligatory, "I didn't mean to hurt my family," speech. I am so darn tired of watching these smart, beautiful, accomplished women standing behind their husbands' shoulders during these stupid, disingenuous speeches with the the same vapid look to their eyes.

 

Who was the idiot who racked up the $100,000 hooker bill recently? I would have sent his wife flowers and $100 if she had just whomped that jerk on TV for me. If you've got enough disposable income to spend a HOUSE on prostitues, we've got a big problem with your paycheck. And there stood his wife right over his shoulder staring off into space while he filled us all in on the details...

 

I have two other problems with politicians who cheat on their spouses.

 

1. If you are stupid enough to think you are going to pull the wool over the media's eyes and cavort around with another woman without getting found out, you are too stupid to serve in public office. The media love doing this. That's what we pay them to do now. Deal with it or go back to being a "nobody." It's kind of peaceful over on this side of the fence anyway.

 

2. Even if you believe that your private life and your political life are completely seperate, it's incredibly naive to believe that enough of your constituents will believe the same thing and re-elect you. So now you're stupid AND naive, not great characteristics for people running the largest economy in world history.

 

But those are just my opinions. :D

 

Jen

[teamturner]

Of course it is not MY decision but theirs and their doctor's. From what I understand about running for president though is that it is a very grueling job, especially physically. And I would think that undergoing cancer treatments would require many doctors appointments, etc. I think someone deciding now is not a good time to run for president is not the same thing as putting ones life on hold. There's a lot one can do for a living other than be president of the USA. I certainly don't have all the facts of Mrs. Edward's treatment or anything but running around the country wouldn't be something I would want to do while I was healing from any kind of major illness. And if I couldn't travel due to my health, I would hope that my dh would take a job where he could be with me while I went through it. But that's just my point of view.