John Edwards Affair: Edwards' Mainstream Mania

John Edwardsibilia:
August 18, 2008





Edwards to editor on Hunter story last year: Did I mention my wife has cancer?

AllahPundit's wrath is a sight to behold. AP relates a story from John Edwards' hometown newspaper, The Raleigh News & Observer.

"Via Byron York, who calls it “breathtaking” when it’s really just par for the course."

By the time Edwards called, we had decided not to publish the story in the Friday paper. But Edwards didn’t know that. I wanted to hear what he had to say. We still could have reversed our decision. Edwards told me that the allegations were not true. He said The N&O was the paper that arrived on his doorstep every day, the one read by friends of him and his wife, Elizabeth. He said he’d never called before to complain or state his case. Given Elizabeth’s health — she has cancer — he said it was especially important to him that the story not run in The N&O. He was calling from an airport, and we spoke only a few minutes. I made no promises. Edwards’ comments were off the record. Because he has acknowledged he lied, I feel free to report them.

Allah hits a couple nails on the head with the same hammer in the following paragraph.

Anything wrong with a guilty husband doing what little he can to protect his sick wife after the fact? Nope — except that, as we now know by Edwards’s own admission, Elizabeth Edwards had already learned about the affair by that point. He claims he told her in 2006; HuffPo’s timeline says it was April 2007 at the latest, fully six months before the Enquirer story broke. Which makes what he told the N&O a lie, and a bad lie at that. Was he seriously suggesting that she wouldn’t have found out about the story if their hometown paper hadn’t mentioned it when it was already screaming from every checkout counter in America?

Questions are being asked--and unlike December 2007, a horde of MSM reporters are not only on the story: they're upset that they swallowed John Edwards et.al.'s lies "hook, line and stinker", as LBG pointed out.

Deceiver has its daily dose of John Edwardsibilia, including these interesting finds:

• First things first: According to no less an authority than Pigeon O’Brien, Rielle is pronounced “Ree-elle.” Not “Riley” or “Real” or “Cosmic Babymaker McGee” or anything else. So that’s one unanswered question down, a zillion to go…
• When you’re campaigning for president and you think your hometown newspaper is about to run with a story about your infidelity — and, inevitably, the intricate and expensive coverup of that infidelity — you know what’s a good weapon to have in your arsenal? Your wife’s cancer.
• McSweeney’s presents: Edwards! The Musical.

Also, Deceiver has the answer to all those who write that "Nobody in the general public actually cares about John Edwards or his unsavory behavior. Edwards became ancient history the first five minutes after this thing broke."


From CNN RELIABLE SOURCES: John, Elizabeth Edwards Speak Out on Tawdry Affair; Hillary Clinton's Paper Trail

HOWARD KURTZ, HOST: So, are journalists going to keep chasing this story even though Edwards is out of politics, perhaps forever?

Joining us now in New York, Lola Ogunnaike, entertainment correspondent for CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING"; Mark Feldstein, former CNN investigative correspondent who now teaches journalism at The George Washington University"; and Lois Romano, "Washington Post" reporter who has been covering this story.

Lois, John Edwards gave a heartfelt performance on "Nightline," said he was lying before but he's telling the truth now.

Do most journalists believe he's telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

LOIS ROMANO, "THE WASHINGTON POST": No. Most journalists do not. And basically, we're seeing kind of death by a thousand cuts now.

Or maybe even Death by 1000 Papercuts?
[hat tip: Dossier]

Dossier adds in another comment to the same story [John Edwards Cover-up: Press Releases a Carefully-Orchestrated Affair? ]

Could the biggest story of the whole John Edwards Lovechild story be the exposé that Trial Lawyers have covertly purchased control of the Democratic Party?

Barack Obama may be extremely vulnerable on the issue of Tort Reform in this election.

Is there a top secret ATLA agenda? Have the tinfoil hat guys been right all along?

As a Democrat, I am outraged that I have been sold this bill of goods under the false assumption that factors other than the highest bidder were planning my society!!!

That would be too bad: trial lawyers reined in?

No more 24/7 commercials on daytime television with the not-so-subliminal meme that everyone in America has been wronged and needs to consult the talking head ambulance chaser sponsoring the come-on?

That's not the America I knew...

by Mondoreb