After roughly two weeks of virtually ignoring the National Enquirer's breaking news of former presidential candidate John Edwards leaving a hotel after reportedly meeting with former employee Rielle Hunter-- whom the magazine had previously claimed was having an affair with Edwards--the media outlets are now covering the story of the now admitted-to affair from practically every angle you can think of. One of the more interesting ones is featured in a current Newsweek article in which reporter Jonathan Darman, who had interviewed Hunter back in 2006 when the affair was still hush-hush, paints an unflattering portrait of Hunter as a new Age flirt who openly discussed her past lives and John Edwards's special energy, while also dissing his cancer-stricken wife's aura.
Though Daman had several conversations with Hunter because she was chatting him up to write a story on Edwards, little of his conversations with her made it into the original article he wrote on Edwards. But now that her relationship with Edwards is in the spotlight, Daman is revealing the worst of the private comments she made to him.
Among Daman's claims, Hunter-- who referred to herself as an actress and spiritual adviser-- told him Elizabeth Edwards had "bad energy," that John Edwards had the energy to be a "transformational leader" like Ghandi. She also told Daman at a later meeting that she was working with someone on a television show concept where women help men leave their marriages by having affairs with the men. Such sensational comments are made all the more sensational by the fact that Edwards has said that it was just an affair--not a love connection-- and has denied being the father of Hunter's child.
I have no doubt that there are far more secrets and lies about Hunter and Edwards that will come to light in the coming weeks. However, I will say that I appreciated Edward's analysis of the reasons behind the affair in a statement he made last Friday--far more than Hunter's eccentric spiritual musings. Edwards's said in his statement that "In the course of several campaigns, I started to believe that I was special and became increasingly egocentric and narcissistic."
That bit of his truthful--and I am sure painful--confession may be the first step to restoring a now failed political career and an obviously broken family.
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Edwards' "analysis of the reasons behind the affair" was so incredible it was almost funny. What's to analyze? He didn't "become" narcissistic; he is narcissistic, as his excuse-making abundantly illustrates.
Offering the tidbit that, even though he had sex with the woman, he never loved her, is supposed to somehow mitigate the betrayal to his wife and to his supporters who bought into and promoted the "family man" image? What a buffoon.
(BTW, I tried embedding the feed from this blog onto my blogger sidebar, and it seems that someone has hijacked your blog feed. If you click on the feedburner RSS link on your blog, it will take you to "Full Life: The Spirit of Weight Loss with Dr. Norris.")
I just want to comment on what was said about John Edwards career. Are you people serious that this could hurt his political career.I tink the only thing that can do that is the stuff u people write about him. Yes he cheeted on his wife and yes it is wronge but give me a break just because he is in the public eye you have to run with it. If it were my husband or some other unknown you wouldn't care. He is a man just like the rest of the men out in the world. And he is going to make mistakes along the way. Just because he is in the world of polatics just not make him infalable.he is not without the mistake makeing gene everyone has it.if we didn't how else would we learn. You learn by your mistakes. He got cought but if he had'nt then who's life would the media be trashng some other poor shlump who said high to some one in passing! The only thing I can say to all of you is find a new hobby and let these men and there wives take care of there bussiness without it being spread all over creation.Or do u even think about the wives in all of this or just your story. They are the victoms here. Leave them alone and let them take care of there lives there own way without the public being involved.
Here's what will hurt Edwards political career:
He invited voters to assess his fitness for the Presidency based on the judgment he shows as a husband, father, and family man, and all the while he remained entangled with this woman.
This decision on Edwards part to try to sell his "family" image represents the worst possible combination of hypocrisy and folly. That's not a good skill set to bring to the political arena.
Furthermore, Edwards "letter of confession" asserts that he broke off the relationship with this woman in 2006. However, numerous investigative sources are revealing that this assertion is yet another lie.
Moreover, there seem to be some glaring financial improprieties at work here--the use of campaign funds to keep his mistress on the payroll, and then perhaps to keep her quiet. These indiscretions go far beyond marital unfaithfulness and speak to larger questions of political corruption.
This uproar isn't about a politician having an affair; it's not even about a politician trying to hide the affair. It's about a politician contemptuously (or delusionally) continuing to try to deceive the American public about his own honesty and trustworthiness.
Moral of the story: politicians who put character at the top of their resume need to make sure that they have it.
Any story like this is a dangerous thing for me - I try to ignore debasing & coarse scenes and so on...but it's so tempting, too.
I supported Edwards, but he had dropped out by the time my state had its primary. Now I'm glad I didn't get to vote for him. I think he is basically a good person/politician, but what he did with his wife & family is really what ruins him in my mind. And his comments have made it worse... What arrogance to think this quite obvious affair wouldn't be revealed sooner or later!
I CAN understand why Elizabeth might have stood with him as he ran - she certainly had an effect on the race & especially the awareness of health care and cancer treatments - THAT was a good thing. I don't know that she saw it this way, but it's possible.
But really I am tired of it, and wish Edwards would remain quiet now, at home or elsewhere, if he's banished. His girlfriend and her family seem to want to continue on, but...I do hope that baby has a good life and doesn't become a spectacle like "celebrity" kids in general.
Enough already!
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