Nightline's Daily Line

As someone who supported Edwards during the primaries with my time, effort and money, I'm so sad and disappointed right now. Elizabeth's statement has salved the wound somewhat, and I hope, frankly, that this story fades from the public discourse as quickly as it arose. This is a family in crisis, and the wall to wall media coverage cannot help at all.

So sad...so very, very sad.

Nope. If Edwards is telling the truth now, the family was in crisis in 2006. Then they decided to run for President AND hide the truth, knowing that if it came out his chances were sunk, leaving them open to extortion in addition to public shame. If Edwards did not want to hurt his family any more than he already had, he would not have run; he would have spent the next few years as a private citizen.

and Elizabeth should have told John she would not support his candidacy unless he came clean to his supporters first.

He has certainly blundered.

There's more to come...much more....there is payments to his mistress, there is a real child that will be proven to be his, and Edwards is a complete idiot by continuing to not tell the truth, the WHOLE truth, and nothing but the truth...stay tuned because more is about to be exposed.

What an egomaniac....... couldn't even confess without mentioning John McCain.
Notice how he never refered to his mistake as a sin !!!

Edward is one of the sweet talk politician, a rotten meat. I don't know how he and his wife decided to run for the president. I don't know why he don't stay home and take care his wife and children. Be caution when you go to the booth to vote in November, don't let any sweet talk bind your brain and you eyes.

I personally don't agree with what Edwards has done. However, I am already tired about hearing it on every station. The only people who need to be concerned with it and need to forgive him is his family. As for the rest of us, no one goes without making mistakes. Some bigger than others! In addition, let's all face it! He's not much different from other policitians both present and past. They all need to clean up their acts!

I don't recall hearing an "I'm sorry", in tonight's interview. He kept saying how wonderful his wife Elizabeth is, so how come he cheated on her? I wish he would have been more sincerely instead of calling is a "mistake" and really called it what it is... a mistake is something that inadvertently occurs, and affair that goes on for the length of time that John's did, is more than a "mistake", it is down right sinful. I think it's his child, we haven't heard the last of this saga.

I just watched Edward's interview. Who does he think he is kidding? Having just admitted to the worst possible transgression by a husband against his wife who is dying with cancer, he has the gall to try to "spin" the American people. Why do visions of Bill Clinton come into clear focus?

Edwards came across pompous tonight. He never flat out answered questions about the picture of him in The Enquirer. This woman was given either hush money or child support. If he was so sorry about the affair, then why did he go back to the motel much later. The guy is arrogant and self-serving. I feel sorry for his wife who is a class act.

I tuned into Nightline not knowing what topics were being discussed tonight. I had hoped to learn more about the conflict between Georgia and Russia. Over 1400 deaths have been reported in a 24 hour period. But not one word on this topic. Instead I have to watch a politician who has been lying to the public for more than two years continue to lie. Can you imagine if 1400 people would have been killed in Iraq yesterday what the Nightline topic would have been?

The Edwards have been through so much, with Elizabeth's illness, the death of their son, etc. John made a serious mistake but I believe he will be living with the shame, and is a good man. He's not any different now than the person we all know and respect.

It seems policians aren't immune to the human weakness. I think sometimes we hold them to an unrealistic standard thinking they must be perfect and free from mistakes.

I hope this story will fade and allow the Edward's family some grace. It shouldn't become a media circus because if the media wants to talk about infidelity, they have a repeat offender in John McCain and the story how he treated his first wife to marry money and power to advance his ambitions.

With some of John Edward's comments this evening, it still seemed as he was more concerned with John than he was with how he may have hurt his family. It's really difficult to believe anyone who has lied in front of the camera so often, I, too think he should have dropped out of the race sooner. I am not so sure if he is sorry, or if he is sorry he was caught, However, it is God who knows what is in his heart, and it is not up to me to judge. Personally, though, I don't think I would ever trust him in public office.

For some of you to say this is just the Edwards' business is silly. He ran, and she approved, for the Presidency where his basic appeal was his family love for a woman with cancer. And, we are told this is just their business. I am sorry she has cancer, but if she knew and shut up, then she is as guilty as he. She is absolutely equally at fault for the coverup. Yeah. A real role model. I feel sorry for neither of them.

Did he think he would be helping his party by bringing up McCain? I don't think so. What a low blow.

Edwards has lied and lied and the story will hang around. Hush money, dna, etc. Yes, McCain messed up but that was many years ago and was covered years ago. He admitted it long ago and did not put himself in a blackmail position. And he wanted to run the country and be responsible for our security. Please. Edwards has lied over and over and by his own admission, has become narcisisstic. If he had appeared contrite, I would have felt sorry for him. I am not so sure he is sorry or sorry he got caught. I DO feel badly for his wife and daughter.

while I think this is something that needs to be addressed by husband and wife, Edwards has now become just like every lying cheating politician before him. If he was so hot to "serve" he should have focused on serving his family first. It is not the affairas much as his lies....pretending to be a loving husband and an atypical politician. He can join the ranks of Bill Clintons....his penis got us into the political mess we are in today.

I just watched the John Edwards interview and came away with additional questions. He says that he went to the hotel in California to discuss Hunter's problems with her and a friend. What kind of meeting lasts from 9:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.?

And why didn't he try to have a paternity test before this interview?
Why did he run for president? Why do they always think that they will not be caught?

I will pray for Johnand Elizabeth, but I'm so shocked by his behavior. I would not have voted for him, but I do like him.

I beleive in forgiveness, he said his wife forgave him and his Lord! I am not his judge ,but sometimes I think that when people get caught they start running to god. I believe if he truly wanted forgiveness he would have told the truth about it when he was asked. These types of people are who are teaching our children it's o.k. to lie and run our country. Ialso believe that if he had not been caught he would have kept on lying. Itruly feel sorry for the child! Iam not perfect by any means, butI am truly forgiven by Gods Grace and don't lie when asked a direct question.

I watched the Nightline program in its entirety tonight. Even now I would still rather vote for John Edwards for US President than for either Obama or McCain. I believe he has the potential to be a great leader for our country. If his wife can forgive his transgression, I certainly can.

I could never vote for Edwards. He can be so disloyal to his wife and lie over and over to the camera, how can he be trusted. Plus,he said, I became narcissistic which means it's all about me. How can one make good judgments for others when it's all about me?

After watching Bob Woodruff's interview with John Edwards tonight on Nightline I was more enraged with Edwards than I was when the story first broke earlier in the day. The only person John
Edwards cares about is himself. He never said he was sorry; did not come across as contrite and I think is telling more lies about "hush" money and blah, blah, blah. Politically this man is TOAST and well he should be. What an absolute jerk he is to fool himself into thinking he can do such a nasty and heartless thing as to have an affair while his wife is battling cancer. (Or even if she wasn't battling cancer.) I think Elizabeth is probably an okay person but for her to know this was going on and try to keep it from the public so her husband could run for President of our country is wrong, wrong, wrong. Perhaps she is just as narcistic as he is.
What a mess. It's the children I feel sorry for and nobody else.

Congratulations to the National Enquirer for providing the truth to the American people in timely fashion. You’re a little late ABC. I guess you wanted to wait till the Democratic primaries were over. In any event, watching the liar John Edwards squirm is almost as much fun as watching Hillary Clinton panhandle for money to pay off her campaign debt.

I was angry & horrified when I heard that John Edwards had cheated on his wife while she was battling cancer. I always thought it was odd that he chose to continue his run for president instead of choosing to be by her side during her health crisis. I also thought that their body language betrayed them during the announcement that her cancer had spread. They stood 2 feet apart & barely looked at one another. He made it clear that his needs were more important than hers.

She is an extraordinarily selfless woman who puts herself aside for those she loves. It's sad that she has to live her remaining years with this. I'll keep her in my prayers.

I thought John was extremely courageous in granting an interview with the superb Bob Woodruff, who asked every question that he should have without holding back. (Love Bob Woodruff! Please give him more air time!)

Mr. Edwards handled himself very well & seemed sincere if not very sorry. I thought it admirable that he didn't have Elizabeth by his side, hoping to spare her some pain. I'm also tired of seeing the public figures bring their grieving/angry wives to stand beside them as a show of support. I am disappointed in him, because he seemed to be honest & sincere, unlike many other political candidates. Do I believe him? Don't know yet.

As for what he did, who cares? Hasn't everyone else who has power & influence done the same thing? Give us a news story about married people in America who HAVEN'T cheated on their spouses! It's out, it's over. Leave the Edwards family alone! Please

John Edwards appeared neither sincere nor contrite --nor honest -- in the Nightline interview. And because he refuses to be honest, the media will feel compelled to continue its "investigative reporting" to ferret out the truth . . . and this soap opera will dominate the "legitimate" news when it really belongs on the Jerry Springer show. I read recently in the news that today's teens believe there is nothign wrong with lying and cheating . . . it gives them a "competitive advantage." I guess that's the kind of advantage Edwards believes that he gained by his own behavior. I would like to believe that politics is good for a democracy, but I'm quickly losing my stomach for any of it. And I blame the media almost as much as I blame Edwards . . . everything in today's world is nothing but one huge "reality show."

I'm VERY disappointed in John Edwards and his backstreet affair. As sickened as I am regarding his handling of this sin, I would still rather have him for my President than I would Obama, who, In my opinion will be the downfall of our whole country, not just his family, and himself as Edwards is.

Saw the whole show. Thought Woodruff was a bit of a jerk. Edwards admitted his mistake, confessed to his wife, and wants to go on. It isn't our business if the child is his or someone else's. As a male, I understand that certain circumstances could result in faithlessness.
I am a conservative who could never vote for him, but admire his honesty.
Thanks

Edwards is obviously still lying through his teeth. Consistently dismisses Woodruff's reasonable questions about paternity, money, and the LA meeting with Rielle Hunter by saying "these are things in supermarket tabloids that make the most outrageous allegations every week," all in an interview to admit that these supermarket tabloid allegations were true all along. Bizarre. But at least we can see that he's lying, so does that rule out sociopathy? Narcissistic personality disorder sure is first on the list of explanations now.

Edwards's erratic performance invites further attack -- this isn't going to disappear until after all the paternity and money issues are tracked down. He owes it to his party and country to get an independent DNA test done ASAP, and come clean on the money and services paid to Andrew Young and Rielle Hunter, the legal contracts they undoubtedly signed to receive that money, and who was paying them off for Edwards and whether they expected or demanded a quid pro quo from him.

A broken man. A broken family with life/death issues far greater than a very, very stupid mistake.

Edwards has so many people in his pocket, it's not funny. The truth will all come out in the end. His girlfriend will get tired of him denying her.

Gee whiz! Most, if not all of you "righteous" commenters are so full of you know what. J. Edwards is a man in a very stressful marriage. Sex is a very good way to relieve stress. Obviously he wasn't able to get that relief from Elizabeth, so when confronted with an opportunity where a consenting adult was more than willing to "comfort" him, he did what most virile men, married or not, in the same situation would do; he gave in to the temptation for self gratification. I don't blame him or his wife. I've been through it myself, and even though my marriage didn't survive, my "infidelity" was a simptom of a stressed-out relationship. I never felt guilty for what happened, as I don't think "feeling guilty" helps anybody. Leave this man alone and get on with your own boring and stress-filled lives.

I am disappointed in John's actions, but I was glad to hear him say he had told Elizabeth before it came out in the news. I am also glad it was a women and not a man in an airport restroom.

" but I believe he will be living with the shame, and is a good man. He's not any different now than the person we all know and respect."

He will have to live with the consequences of his actions becoming known if that is what you mean by "shame". He is obviously not a good man. After cheating on his wife, he put his entire family in the limelight to pursue his grandiose dream of being President knowing that when his cheating became public his family would be publicly humiliated.
It is true he is no different than he was. What should be different is your respect for him.

John Edwards is a cheater and a snake.
He endorsed Obama the next day after
Hillary's big victory in WV........
I don't have any respect for Edwards...
I feel sorry for Elizabeth.....

Who out there has a family member that is presently fighting a war in Afghanistan or Iraq? Do "you" think this thing deserves all the hull-a-baloo it's getting? Just thought the MSM was trying to confuscate the big picture.

I think he came clean tonight, too bad he had to lie earlier, that's worse than the affair. But, there's way more to running the government than keeping the zipper up. America is way too hung up on sex scandals and who is sleeping with who. We should be paying more attention to our buying habits (want jobs? buy stuff from here) and rebuilding our economy. If folks want to banish him to hell for this mistake, there's a good percentage of men and women who will be going with him cause he ain't nearly alone in the lying and cheating that's happening all the time.

Why does the media assume any of this John Edwards stuff is any of our business? C'mon people, get a life.
I pray for the day when a public figure will flatly refuse to answer any of these kinds of questions. It is none of our business!!! Period.

WHO CARES and who's surprised? Not me. . . . He IS a man of power, privilege, and money, after all. It's what men of power do. Sure, blame it on stress or whatever. The point is these men give in to lust rather than letting their higher sense rule. Blame it on stress; blame it on a one's "falling-apart" marriage; just don't expect him to explain himself, because remember, an adulterous affair IS ABOUT LIES. You can't in our society be approved of for unlawful carnal knowledge.

Of course, he tries to get away with it for as long as he can--it's SHAMEFUL to be found out, n'est-ce pas? And now, know he lied (as every adulterer lies) and he HAD to try to get away with it, because it was a shameful betrayal (only to his wife/family, tho', because it's none of our business, even if he IS a politician). It's his private affair in his private life. It has nothing at all to do with me or you! WHO CARES? (The press LOVES to be ultradramatic about these things, as tho' it's the greatest scandal that ever happened!)

John Edwards has shown today how very noble he actually is. Although Edwards had been "99% honest" about the matter, he declares that to be insufficient. Clearly, he sets for himself a standard that is unrealistic for us humans: perfection. Further, Edwards insists that responsibility for what happened is his alone, stressing that his family bears no responsibility at all. That was gracious. A lesser man would have assigned some responsibility to his wife and children.

Edwards is hoping that with the Olympics going on, he can squeak by with his partial confession. Kind of like Ted Kennedy did with Chapaquiddick when, lucky for him, we just happened to have the first moon landing going on.

His interview raised more questions than it answered both with regard to the facts and to Edwards character. Too many players and too many loose ends for this to be anywhere near over. And we know that campaign money changed hands which makes it more than just a private matter.

I was just heart sick when I had heard John Edward's confession. My heart goes out to the family. Yes, he is a human person who made a very big mistake. So is the rest of us are human. We do and should hold people thats in the public eye to a higher standard. I also was married 3 differ times to a narcisstic person. Three times I was divorce. Now all I have left with is to try to figure out how to surrive my life by myself as I get to retirement age. I don't belive in marriage. I don't understand how people can be so selfish and can not see how much it can damange other people life. Edwards didn't come across been sincerely or sorry. The bible tells us not to JUDGE. I believe its time to start judging. Lets get back to the old standard of life. If you do something you are look down upon by our SOCITEY. I agree he should not had run for the PRESDEINT.American its time to ROLL back the times to the 50's or before. Lets start teaching our children that a sin is what it is a sin. That our society will not stand for it any more. Not from orinally people, or people that should have a higher standard than your average person. It was not meant for Edwards to becaome our next PRESDIENT. He hopefully will now serve his family .

I am truly sad to hear the news about Edwards. I have always admired the Edwards’ family.

David Bonior, Edwards’ campaign manager for his 2008 presidential bid, said he was disappointed and angry at Friday’s news.

Bonior replied: “You can’t lie in politics and expect to have people’s confidence.”

WHAT ABOUT ALL THE LIES OBAMA HAS TOLD TO DATE — YET HE’S THE DEMOCRATIC FRONT-RUNNER???

HOW CAN ANYONE TRUST OBAMA? HE HAS BASED HIS ENTIRE CAMPAIGN ON LIES.

The DNC and biased media “selected” the LIAR Obama — he was not “elected” by the people.

I’m voting for John McCain in 2008.

After listening to him and all the news coverage today I can only wonder how anyone could possibly believe that what he says is the "whole"truth and I can only question the legalities of the financial payments to Ms. Hunter-the mistress-and to Mr. Young-who Edwards alleges is the "real father" of Ms. Hunter's daughter.I find it interesting that Young has such a colorful criminal history and yet was a supposed aide to the Edwards campaign.He also apparently has arrests going back aas far as 20 years!

Though I am disgusted with his actions and lies you have to admit that this is the most media coverage he has ever gotten!
Beyond the affair the tabloids do have a tendency to blow things way out of proportion with the baby lies and payments. Its sounds like he screwed up and tried to cover his tracks as most people would do.
I wish him and his family the best, for he is still a great American and has done an enormous amount of service to his country.

What is telling about Edwards' cowardliness is deliberate participation in letting other people, the Young family, bear the shame. In addition, Rielle Hunter, is lying in wait. She expects to move right in once Elizabeth passes away. What a vulture? No one put a gun to Edwards' head to make him run for president. What type of supporters would "pay" to continue the cover up. Yes....those with special interest. Edwards is a creep and so is Rielle Hunter.

Aren't we shameful as a nation that we focus so intently on our public figures' personal issues---and this issue is personal and ONLY the business of the Edwards family. I am so impressed by Edwards' guts to deliver this interview and by his wife's ability to rise above her pain/humiliation and keep her family intact. Rather than scorn, this family, who has given much to its country, deserves our compassion and our support---and the privacy to cope with its issues. Who among us doesn't have laundry we'd rather not display? I am so sorry that a whole country has nothing better to do than focus on the Edward's personal pain---there are some pretty enormous issues, far more critical than a Senator's indiscretion that we might address.

I watched the interview tonight and I really don't know what to say. I was a HUGE Edwards supporter. I voted for him in the primaries because I believed in him. I thought that he wasn't like the rest of those lying politicians but I guess he is. Now I see why Americans get so turned off by politics today. I never followed this story because I thought it was all stupid lies. Then I hear this and see that the affair rumors were true. I can't believe he cheated on the woman he said he loved so much. I know this should be a personal matter but John is a public figure and people trusted him. I am so disappointed that he has admitted to this. I still believe in what he fights for like decreasing poverty, healthcare for everyone, etc. I just don't know if I could ever believe in him again and I thought he would make a good president.

Oh and what's with all the coverage on John's affair? Both of the nightly news cast that I watch featured this story for TEN minutes at the top of the hour. John couldn't even get two minutes of news coverage when he was running for president. That’s just ridiculous. This isn’t real news.

I would have voted for John and urged others to follow me. Fortuanately, they were more intuitive. Most of the discusion now seems to center on "the affair." Please note that the affair is primarily a family problem. BUT, the lies, lies, lies to us, the people he wanted to lead, are inexcusable and totally distructive. The integrity of our nation is "in the toilet." We have missed too much of what Sunday is supposed to be all about!!!!! Bill Clinton's lies precipitated our election of G.Bush, more lies, lies. As in the "good book," I challenge us to find one truly honest man(let-alone woman) in our capital!!! Folks, we are in "deep serious" primarily and very basically because we don't value honesty, the truth, in our actions with each other. Whatever we can get away-with makes it OK. WOW, how did we get down here???? The mortgage crisis..dishonesty on all sides, the war....dishonesty by our leaders, our judicial system collapse....dishonesty by our judges, our educational system collapse....dishonesty by parents,children,and administrators!!! And on and on. Is there still hope? Be honest!!!! THX!

John Edwards' Nightline confession (at midnight, no less) didn't add up the way his campaign didn't make sense: Something was missing. The body language was all wrong, belying the Edwards' pronouncements. Whatever their agenda, the public seems to have had enough of the odd couple Edwardses: martyr and Boy Wonder. Do they have any idea how excruciating they are?

John Edwards' Nightline confession (at midnight, no less) didn't add up the way his campaign didn't make sense: Something was missing. The body language was all wrong, belying the Edwards' pronouncements. Whatever their agenda, the public seems to have had enough of the odd couple Edwardses: martyr and Boy Wonder. Do they have any idea how excruciating they are?

This is off topic a little bit and I am not a huge ABC fan, however it was great to see Bob Woodruff doing well, and I give ABC props for allowing Bob to return on a time table that has allowed him to gradually return.

I am surprised that John Edwards brought up John McCain's sexual affairs during his first marriage during the Nightline program last night.

Gee, here I thought he had some virtues. After all, he was standing by his wife during her breast cancer ordeal. Or not.

It seems he was searching for his wife's 'replacement' even before she was gone, doesn't it? I agree that it's really not any of our business, & I long for the days when we didn't know who was sleeping with whom. I wish we could focus on how the candidates would work to make our country a better place to live, IF we could figure out what their positions actually are. They do change postions rather quickly, after all.

However, the facts are that he will lie to make himself look good & he doesn't really seem to think about anyone else.
It grieves me deeply that he could think so little of 'the woman he loves' at a time when she so desperately needed his love & support.

I agree with previous posters who've said that our country's ethics & morals are in serious trouble & that the media, charged to help us find the truth, is more interested in the tawdry.
More often it seems that the evening news is 'Entertainment Tonight' or the "Hollywood Minute". All these wealthy & influential people do not live the same existence that middle-class working people do. Why should we expect them to behave as we do? Money , power & influence allow them to live on a different plane & suffer fewer adverse effects.

I'm not saying this out of resentment. I very much enjoy my anonymity & peaceful, press-free existence. It's just to point out that most of the people we rely upon to 'work for the people' & represent us in government have lost touch with how the majority of us live.

Off the soapbox now!

Peace to the Edwards family & prayers that our country will once again become a place where people care about one another & respect one another regardless of their power, wealth, & postion.

Pretty boy Edwards disgusts me - he couldn't even answer a question without squirming. He kept calling "it" a mistake - a mistake is grabbing your spoon instead of your fork - give me a break! If he had won Iowa he would probably be the Democractic nominee right now - wouldn't this scandal have been great????

Bob Woodward was a master of the straight face in the presence of such blatant evasion, outright lying, and "I'm the victim"-ism during the Edwards interview. My jaw actually fell open a couple of times during the interview; I'm sure Bob's almost did..the look on Edward's face appeared to me to be a reaction to what he saw in Woodwards face, at some points. His defensiveness became horrible, at these points.

I'm a lifelong observer of people, a parent and teacher who has interviewd many a child, my own and others', caught square in the headlights of guilt, and I'm sure any body language expert worth a dime will be salivating to point out the many moments in which Edwards was exhibiting one or more signs of evasion,lying or self-pity.

Worse, perhaps, even after he was was caught with his pants down, he's trying to take credit for being honest in "admitting my mistakes". If you lie, and then proof is supplied of your "crime", you don't get credit for truth telling when you say, "Oh, all right. I dunnit. But at least I'm telling the truth!"

Further...what he did was no mistake, as he tries so hard to call it; it was a choice that will have long-term devastating effects on his life as well as his family's. They must now live with the reality that the man is a pathological, perhaps mildly sociopathic liar. The forgiveness will no doubt be sincere, and the facades will all be intact, and that's the right of each family member. It's useful for survival, I suppose.

But I predict few truly peaceful moments when someone in his closest circles isn't doing mental memory checks to see if and when they too were lied to. It's one thing to defile one's own spouse and children in this way; it's another to lie as he did, "because I didn't want the public to know." The public is you and me, and we were being asked to trust him as the leader of our nation.

The only good thing I've gotten out of this is the self-confirming reality that I have always felt the man was a liar...to me it was obvious; his narcissim lay barely beneath the surface. Guess I've been around long enough to recognize that when I see it, or something. Thank God this was caught in time.

People, take a lesson from it, and look a bit more closely at those who are blinding you with smoke, mirrors, charm and the semblance of being different.

please give some more information about a girl who was sick from her stomach on 9th August 2008 night news, with thanks

It's a real tragedy what Edwards did. But I do think it is his family's business.

It is also a tragedy to see the way that some in the media and blogging community have exploited it.

I have friends who claim the media "covered it up." But these same friends also told me they hoped the story would break during the Democratic Convention... and that maybe Edwards would be a VP pick... and that the scandal would break and sink Obama.

In the end... that's what this all is: Politics. An opportunity to score points. (not to the Edwards family... but to all the people who are making a big deal about it.)

Why don't the media give the Edwards a break and let them work out their own "personal problems." This is all Elizabeth Edwards needs in addition to her serious health problem. Does the media know or possess the word "compassion" in their vocabulary.