John Edwards is an embarrassment to his Party, and of course, to Elizabeth:

John Edwards repeatedly lied during his Presidential campaign about an extramarital affair with a novice filmmaker, the former Senator admitted to ABC News today.

In an interview for broadcast tonight on Nightline, Edwards told ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff he did have an affair with 44-year old Rielle Hunter, but said that he did not love her.

Edwards also denied he was the father of Hunter's baby girl, Frances Quinn, although the one-time Democratic Presidential candidate said he has not taken a paternity test.

Well, since he didn't love her, it's okay that he made a run for the Democratic Party's nomination knowing that he was lying through his teeth about this. And a Friday news dump on the day of the opening ceremonies of the Olympics? Coward.  

Stranahan began writing about the Edwards affair about two weeks ago.

After seeing a few of his diaries, all of which quickly filled up with comments damning him to hell, I got curious enough to click on his links to the various deconstructions of the story. What I found convinced me that he was right. That there was enough evidence to conclude that more likely than not, Edwards  had had an affair and was caught at the hotel of Rielle Hunter. (Edwards now admits that he WAS at the hotel and the National Enquirer story was correct.)

Meanwhile, Stranahan was hide-rated into oblivion, all without any kind of justification for it. And eventually, he was banned from the site.

I thought that was really wrong. Even if he HADN'T been vindicated, I would think it was wrong. And now that there is no more doubt that he was telling the truth, I think every effort should be made to re-instate his account.

This news is shitty. I keep feeling terrible for Elizabeth, grateful that Edwards didn't win Iowa or get named as the VP, incredulous that he would behave so dishonorably AND...sad that Stranahan lost his account over it.

Will you join me in trying to get it back?

We all know you frequent (and contribute to) dailykos.  I hope you're not reading the postings here today.  But, if you are, I want you to know there's at least one person here who loves and respects you for being one hell of a classy woman.

I can't even begin to imagine what you and your family are going through right now.  My heart goes out to you and yours.  

Today's news doesn't negate the positive impact you and John have had toward raising the level of awareness about poverty in this nation.  I hope when the furor dies down that you and John will continue to speak up for the people in this country who have no voice.  Your contribution to the betterment of the political process is greatly needed.

With much affection,
Tanya

I couldn't help myself. As Bugs Bunny would say, what a maroon.

So by now you might have heard that John Edwards had an affair or if you didn't well, John Edwards had an affair and you know what...I don't care and neither should you.

This is between him and his wife.  

I don't care what anyone else thinks.  I will and continue to support John Edwards and his family.

So another human showed himself to be human, and nominal progressives hop on their high horses and moralize and judge and get all dewey-eyed in support of Elizabeth, as if you have any idea what went on in their marriage, and in their bed. As if you have any right to know.

I'm pretty disappointed in John Edwards at the moment, Elizabeth rocks.  I'm glad that we dodged a bullet, Obama really is the right nominee.

All over the tv they are talking about Edward's political career being over because of this affair.  Sad stuff, I had dreamed of him being AG.  

With all this talk about how this has ruined his career and all, what about John McCain?

What's wrong with Clinton, Edwards, Spitzer, etc.?

I'm not puritanical and no one is perfect, but there has been such high expectations of you, deep affection from the party and your and Elizabeth's story has been inspiring.

The BREAKING part...

John Edwards has admitted today to having an affair during the campaign (2006), but says no child resulted.  The woman is said to be a novice documentary filmmaker and worked for the campaign post-affair.

Sorry to all of the Edwards supporters here.  It seems that yes, it is true, Edwards was sleeping around as the National Enquirer claimed.

Big Deal.

Edwards is not the Democratic Candidate for President.

Edwards will not be the Democratic candidate for Vice President.

Former Sen John Edwards has admitted to a sexual affair with a female documentary filmmaker.

According to a report just published By ABC News and written by Rhona Schwartz and Brian Ross, former presidential candidate, John Edwards "repeatedly lied during his Presidential campaign about an extra-marital affair with a novice film-maker".

In an interview for broadcast tonight on Nightline, Edwards told ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff he did have an affair with 42-year old Rielle Hunter, but said that he did not love her.

In an interview for broadcast tonight on Nightline, Edwards told ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff he did have an affair with 42-year old Rielle Hunter, but said that he did not love her.

Edwards also denied he was the father of Hunter's baby girl, Frances Quinn, although the one-time Democratic Presidential candidate said he has not taken a paternity test.

I am heartbroken. :(

I do not give a sh*t what anybody does in their own personal life, but daym, I can imagine how difficult this could be for his family.

I feel terrible for Elizabeth.

I have been puzzling over the recent story by the National Enquirer about the alleged rendezvous between John Edwards, the former presidential candidate, and his purported "mistress" as well as the blurry now-accompanying photo that is allegedly of John Edwards, holding what National Enquirer reporters also maintain is the "love child" that he fathered with Rielle Hunter, who shot a few video shorts for Edwards for his 2008 presidential campaign.

Most curious to me has been the blurry factor of the "current" photo. The Enquirer chose to clear up the curtains to "prove" it was the Beverly Hilton instead of clearing up the face of the man holding the child. This was a bit odd. I had considered that perhaps there was an area size issue, but in my closer scrutinization of the "current" photo, I have come to the conclusion that it is indeed faked. Let me walk you through the evidence. And there’s quite a bit of it.

Welcome back for more speculation! Today we'll continue the final elimination series of possibilities for Obama's v.p.

This series began with the bottom 14 names, eliminated the bottom vote-getter(s) and replaced them with new name(s) from just up the list, reaveraging as we went (so each thread's bottom vote-getter[s] may not have been the ones cut--who was cut was determined by averages generated from this series's votes only). We're now to the point where candidates are not being rotated in, but only being eliminated. It looks like Obama won't pick very soon, so we may have time for another round before we see if the DKos wisdom of crowds is. Rep. Robert Wexler (FL) was eliminated in the previous round. The remaining candidates, just in case Obama beats this series to the punch, are now listed in the poll from the most average votes to the least average votes in this series. So candidates near the bottom are most likely to be eliminated in this round of voting, which adds a certain element of strategic voting.

Please discuss any v.p. candidates in the comments. The most correct format would be to state their name, unless you have further comments. I'm happy to hear all ideas in this open thread, and of course I'm no official gatekeeper, so play nice.

(continued below the fold)

David Freddoso is a conservative political reporter for the right-wing website National Review Online. In his recent book The Case Against Barack Obama (subtitled The Unlikely Rise and Unexamined Agenda of the Media's Favorite Candidate) Freddoso unsurprisingly outlines the case against Barack Obama which is essentially that Obama is not an idealistic reformer but in fact a shrewd and cynical political operator whose political career evolved from the milieu of corrupt Chicago-style machine politics.