Predictions on the Edwards Saga
[Guest post by DRJ]
Lee Stranahan reviews where the John Edwards story is now:
“As we head into the the Democratic convention, the Edwards scandal isn’t over. It’s really just beginning. Don’t blame the media, blame John Edwards.
***
So instead of a responsible and swift end to this mess we’ll get the Edwards Water Torture that reduces all politicians (especially idealistic ones) to same lying bastards that cynics always believed they are.Cynicism is exactly what Republicans want when their opponent’s message is ‘hope’.”
… and predicts where it will go next:
“It’s His Baby.
The Other Meetings At The Beverly Hilton.
Some Democrats Will Want Their Money Back.
Some Democrats Will Remain In Denial.
The Youngs Speak.
Elizabeth Splits.
Rielle Talks.
John Edward’s Ultimate Confession … And the bonus, pointless, ‘it’s just sex’ prediction.
The Other Other Woman ?”
More speculation at the link from Stranahan, who’s been right about this before.
— DRJ
I predict that Silky will look like a major-league a-hole when this is all over. Oops.
If campaign dollars were being directed to Ms. Hunter, is that within the letter of the law, or the spirit of the law?
JD (75f5c3) — 8/19/2008 @ 8:34 amI knew you would keep grabbing the Edwards penis story with both hands DRJ.
daleyrocks (d9ec17) — 8/19/2008 @ 8:41 amDidn’t you mean Rielle?
Bradley J. Fikes (0ea407) — 8/19/2008 @ 8:46 amWhere it’s going next? Dr Phil, of course!
David Ehrenstein (1d6679) — 8/19/2008 @ 8:47 amBill Wyman wrote this:
He then goes on to list his top-5.
What’s interesting isn’t that Wyman is correct, it’s that he wrote this post on August 5th, in the scandal’s comparatively-early days. If the outlines of the affair were so difficult for reporters and editors to discern…
AMac (c822c9) — 8/19/2008 @ 8:52 amYes, daleyrocks, this post was for you.
DRJ (8b9d41) — 8/19/2008 @ 8:56 amSure it was DRJ. I’ll bet you’re a closet or not even a closet People magazine reader.
The shame! The shame!
daleyrocks (d9ec17) — 8/19/2008 @ 9:05 amI always look at celebrity magazines when I stand in line at the grocery store. In fact, today one cover story was on Elizabeth Edwards and how she’s holding up.
DRJ (8b9d41) — 8/19/2008 @ 9:07 amCourtesy of Just One Minute, here is a big linkfest on the state of the saga as of yesterday.
daleyrocks (d9ec17) — 8/19/2008 @ 9:10 amre #1. I should add a link but it’s too early. A WSJ story the other day said John’s okay because (paraphrasing) some campaign money can be earmarked for use as ‘special campaign message fees.’ Up to the candidate’s discretion. So there should be no federal investigation.
Vermont Neighbor (a066ed) — 8/19/2008 @ 9:18 amIt’s a good scandal gone to waste. If only Obama had brought him on board. Sure, he would’ve thrown him under the bus, but still.
Vermont Neighbor (a066ed) — 8/19/2008 @ 9:23 amJD, the are saying they were paying Rielle a salary with campaign dollars. Even though a ton of it came after she was fired (they have an excuse for that).
It’s probably not going to be possible to raise too many legal problems on that point. Fred Baron’s motivations might lead to something, but I can’t imagine what.
Juan (4cdfb7) — 8/19/2008 @ 9:53 amAs much as I enjoy the Schadenfreude, I’m tired of Edwards and his peccadilloes. Move on.
Hmmm. There oughta be a web site by that name.
quasimodo (edc74e) — 8/19/2008 @ 10:27 amCut Silky Pony a little slack. It’s not his fault he’s a chick magnet. Most male Dems are way too soft to attract healthy, normal, chicks, and the metro’s who look OK can’t cut the mustard. Silky Pony looks like a stud among geldings.
So, don’t think of Silky as cheating on his cancer stricken wife, think of it as a far- sighted contingency plan. Just a step or two in the right direction in anticipation of possible bad news.
Ropelight (4a83c9) — 8/19/2008 @ 10:44 amCome on you guys. In the age of birth control pills available in vending machines and abortions available at every first aid stand you guys actually think Hunter “got” pregnant?? Bullshit. She pulled the oldest trick in the slut manual and tried to capture the gold with a baby. Edwards thought he could “trust” a one night stand.
howard432 (cc8b85) — 8/19/2008 @ 10:54 amhoward – That really was not called for.
JD (75f5c3) — 8/19/2008 @ 10:55 amJD, while you’re right that Howard was rude, I think that the huge risk rich married politicians take when they sleep around.
The mistress getting pregnant indeed is a bit of a golden ticket, and in this age, it’s tough to understand why birth control wasn’t used.
I don’t care about this case much, but suppose the child wasn’t even Edwards’s? That would explain a bit of her behavior. Edwards can’t put the issue to rest if he can’t compel a paternity test and isn’t the father.
Quasimodo, the media is still burying stories that hurt democrats. The edwards scandal is a great way to prove it, and I don’t think the story should go away as long as the papers refuse to be fair. Case in point: the Ayers/Obama story.
Juan (4cdfb7) — 8/19/2008 @ 11:39 amI saw this post from one of the commenters on the link you gave. Very thoughtful and deep. It best summarizes the whole John Edwards saga to me.
Men like Edwards often operate discreetly outside the boundaries of a long and happy marriage. The amorous cad hero of “Cactus Flower” was single but pretended to be married to keep his affairs dangerous but without a future. Edwards probably had numerous involvements but was always able to escape before the final reel and retreat to the safety of home and family. But not this time. John Edwards is going to have to pay a hefty price for what might have been a quick pick up in a New York bar, a one night stand and a clean getaway. We write the outline, but in the end, life writes the script.
love2008 (0c8c2c) — 8/19/2008 @ 11:44 amComment by shela88
Great post.
#16 JD, #17 Juan
m (fbf320) — 8/19/2008 @ 12:50 pmI agree that Howard expressed himself a mite rudely. But the talkative friend of the mother seems to be implying the same point: “O’Brien also thinks Edwards is the father of Hunter’s child. ‘I don’t see any other explanation,’ O’Brien told Rodriguez. ‘She would not have a child with someone that she doesn’t love, and she loves him.'” Not “she would not sleep with” but “she would not have a child with.” Implying, I think, that Rielle did not avail herself of means to stop that outcome.
The advice is way old: just follow the money. If there are any other other women, you know that they’re getting paid off, too. If such money can’t be found, then maybe there are no other other women.
Dana R Pico (556f76) — 8/19/2008 @ 3:04 pm#18,
If the commenter listened to Country-Western mucic she would know “There ain’t no such thing as a clean getaway.” Other than that, she’s pretty much got it right.
Rich men are different from regular guys, they have more money.
Ropelight (4a83c9) — 8/19/2008 @ 3:04 pmThe Washington Post’s blog describes why the Edwards’ campaign waited to send the final payment to the “flaky videographer” Rielle Hunter.
DRJ (a5243f) — 8/19/2008 @ 9:20 pmSome pretty nosey folks are following the money, and the trail leads right back to ex-Senator John Edwards (D-NC). The use of campaign funds to bankroll his hankey-panky has serious political consequences, legal consequences, and could even result in the IRS taking an interest if hush money and other payments are considered as personal income.
Do you know the difference between Tax Avoidance, and Tax Evasion? About 20 years.
Ropelight (4a83c9) — 8/20/2008 @ 7:08 am