Politicians
John Edwards: Nothing Short of Pathetic
Posted by: David Ring
January 23, 2010
I met John Edwards back around 2002 when he was starting to begin his first run aimed at winning the Presidency in 2004. How could I not like the guy? He was a successful plaintiff's trial lawyer from North Carolina who championed people's rights in court against large insurance companies and huge corporations. He was young, successful, charming, and said all the right things. I thought Edwards would go far. He almost did. But what an incredible downfall.
Has anyone made more bad decisions in such a short time span? First, he engages in an affair with Rielle Hunter during his run for the 2008 Presidency. He allows Hunter to cover his campaign as its videographer. He continues with the affair even after his wife learns her terminal cancer has returned. He then gets Hunter pregnant. The National Enquirer is all over the episode, but no other media outlets pursue the story at the time. When the story breaks, Edwards has a loyal aide take the fall by claiming he's the father of Hunter's baby. Then, in what could truly be the worst decision of all, Edwards may have diverted campaign funds to assist in the cover-up: he paid Hunter to keep quiet. A federal criminal investigation is pending.
