CNN) -- Former U.S. senator and Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards admitted to an extramarital affair in an interview with ABC News, the network reported Friday. He denied being the father of the woman's child, as had been alleged in tabloid reports.
Speaking to the network for a story to be aired Friday night, Edwards acknowledged the affair with 42-year-old Rielle Hunter, which began after she was hired to make documentary videos for his campaign, ABC said.
He said he has not taken a paternity test, but that the timing of the affair rules out the possibility that he could be her baby girl's father.
Edwards, of North Carolina, had repeatedly called reports of the affair "lies" but refused to discuss them further.
The former North Carolina senator announced in January that he was dropping out of the 2008 Democratic presidential race.
"It is time for me to step aside so that history can blaze its path," he said in New Orleans, Louisiana.
With his wife, Elizabeth, and children at his side, Edwards said he couldn't predict "who will take the final steps to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue," but he said it would be a Democrat.
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Edwards endorsed Sen. Barack Obama May 14 during a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
He trailed Sen. Hillary Clinton and Obama in the early contests. He came in third in key races in New Hampshire and South Carolina.
Edwards had campaigned on the message that he was standing up for the little guy, the people who are not traditionally given a voice in Washington, and that he would do more to fight special interests.
After dropping out of the race, Edwards asked Clinton and Obama to make poverty a central issue in the general election and a future Democratic administration, something both agreed to do.
Edwards is a South Carolina native with an undergraduate degree from North Carolina State University and law degree from the University of North Carolina.
Before entering politics, winning a Senate seat from North Carolina in 1998, Edwards was a lawyer representing families "being victimized by powerful interests" and gaining "a national reputation as a forceful and tireless champion for regular, hard-working people," according to his campaign Web site.
Chalk one, or at least a half, up for the National Enquirer.....
Damn. I still have a great deal of respect for Edwards and everything he's tried to do in the sphere of civil justice, and, in my opinion, personal matters, even affairs like this one, should have little bearing on public perception of politicians. That being said, its an extremely good thing that this came out before Obama chose his running mate (Edwards wasn't looking to likely, but still...)
I dont see why this is such a big deal. Just about everyone cheats, those that dont at some point are comparatively rare exceptions, at lest he was honest about it eventually.
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Alyrium Denryle wrote:I dont see why this is such a big deal. Just about everyone cheats, those that dont at some point are comparatively rare exceptions, at lest he was honest about it eventually.
That would be because he drug his dying of breast cancer wife out onto the campaign trail to try and used sympathy for her to advance his position. All the while fucking around behind her back.
I could understand a girl or boyfriend having sex with someone outside of my marriage if I was clearly dying of some disfiguring cancer. I might even suggest it, because it would make me happy to know they were happier.
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Well, according to Edwards he had the affair in 2006 before Elizabeth's cancer re-emerged.
This was dumb, because hiding it as the official Democratic nominee would have meant that had news of the affair broken in September or October that would be all the media would be talking about. I don't think Americans would have viewed it too negatively (Clinton had a 73% approval rating when he was impeached), but it still would have hurt because the campaign message would collapse and we'd be getting Monica-redux coverage.
I briefly held out the insane hope that this might get some spotlight on McCain and his cheating. I paraphrase from Hardball just a bit ago..
It's only a matter of time before they ask Barack Obama and McCain --- well McCain's talked about his past --- Barack Obama, if he's ever had an affair.
Of course, McCain began an affair when his first wife was hospitalized and actually briefly was legally married to two women, but the media will ignore that. BUT OBAMA MUST COME CLEAN.
Different rules, folks.
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I'm just glad that this didn't take place while his wife had cancer or I'd have to write him off as a total scumbag, rather than a wife cheating scumbag. Other than that, I don't see how this effects his credibility when it comes to the issues he fought for. It's not like he's one of those Republican asshats shouting "family values" in between chocking on cock.
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The Duchess of Zeon wrote:A lawyer, an unethical, cheating, lying bastard? Hah, no surprise. I can't believe people actually bought his bullshit lines about reform.
The man's carreer record was and continues to be solidly in support of his campaign message during the primaries. That he cheated on his wife is immaterial, I still want him to be Attorney General.
SirNitram wrote:I briefly held out the insane hope that this might get some spotlight on McCain and his cheating. I paraphrase from Hardball just a bit ago..
It's only a matter of time before they ask Barack Obama and McCain --- well McCain's talked about his past --- Barack Obama, if he's ever had an affair.
Of course, McCain began an affair when his first wife was hospitalized and actually briefly was legally married to two women, but the media will ignore that. BUT OBAMA MUST COME CLEAN.
Different rules, folks.
Well, they did try that bullshit about Obama's secret gay lover that he snorted cocaine with back in college or such during the preliminaries. Wouldn't be surprising to see it happen again.
"It's you Americans. There's something about nipples you hate. If this were Germany, we'd be romping around naked on the stage here."
Flagg wrote:I'm just glad that this didn't take place while his wife had cancer or I'd have to write him off as a total scumbag, rather than a wife cheating scumbag.
He's kind of a jackass, there's no way around it. I guess it'd be worse while his wife was in a hospital, but it's still pretty shitty. But jeez, Fox, CNN and MSNBC were flogging this silly earlier on Friday.
If someone asks Obama about any infidelity, I truly hope he tells the questioner that it isn't anyone's business and that he and his wife have always been committed to each other.
He came out after the fact. How many Republican philanderers have done so? 
