Edwards finally admits his affair

Washington Post:

Saying he was "ashamed of my conduct and choices," former North Carolina senator and onetime Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards today admitted publicly that he had an affair with a campaign videographer in 2006, but he emphatically denied a tabloid newspaper's report that he fathered the woman's 5-month-old child.

In a written statement issued hours after ABC News quoted Edwards as having admitted the affair in an interview to be broadcast tonight, the 2004 Democratic vice presidential nominee said apologies to his loved ones and supporters were "inadequate," and he berated himself in striking terms.

"In the course of several campaigns, I started to believe that I was special and became increasingly egocentric and narcissistic," Edwards wrote. "If you want to beat me up -- feel free. You cannot beat me up more than I have already beaten up myself. I have been stripped bare and will now work with everything I have to help my family and others who need my help."

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The story could no longer be denied. It can also not be denied that Edwards is a man who will say anything to get what he wants or avoid responsibility for his actions. It is a matter of character and he is found wanting. Narcissism and ego mania appears to be a problem for several Democrats.

The NY Times story is here.

Apparently the Edwards campaign has been paying the women he was not in love with and whose baby is not hers.

Then there is this from the Dallas Morning News:

Dallas lawyer Fred Baron told The Dallas Morning News today that he paid relocation and housing expenses for the woman that former presidential candidate John Edwards has confessed to having an affair with.

Mr. Baron, who was chairman of Mr. Edwards’ presidential campaign finance committee, said he paid money for Rielle Hunter to move from North Carolina to another location.

He said she and another campaign aide, Andrew Young, who claimed paternity of Ms. Hunter’s child, were being dogged by tabloid reporters who believed she had an affair with Mr. Edwards and fathered the child.

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I am curious if there have been any payments to Andrew Young from the campaign or Edwards' friends. There does appear to be an unraveling of a web of lies that was used to keep John Edwards politically viable. There is certainly no need for that anymore.

Mickey Kaus has been pretty aggressive in following this story and he seems to have collected several stories including the cover some in the media are still trying to give.

The Anchoress has some thoughtful things to say about the media's coverage before his admission.

Then there is this from the Raleigh News & Observer:

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Here is Edwards on Clinton on Feb. 12, 1999:

I think this President has shown a remarkable disrespect for his office, for the moral dimensions of leadership, for his friends, for his wife, for his precious daughter. It is breathtaking to me the level to which that disrespect has risen.

Later, Edwards debated whether Clinton intended to obstruct justice when he talked with a White House employee:

We have a man who has just been confronted with this problem, who is political by nature. And do we really believe that the first thing he thought about is, "I'm going to go protect myself legally'"? I suspect the first thing he thought about is "I'm going to protect myself politically.'' He was worried about his family finding out. He was worried about the rest of the staff finding out. He was worried about the press finding out.

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Yep. That was probably Edwards motivation too.