Do I believe this tale? No. Even if Edwards were randier than Hef, would so ambitious a politician impregnate a staffer during his campaign for president? Even Bill Clinton knew better than to take a risk like that.
Also spreading this tale: Matt Drudge and Ann Coulter. Drudge's spurious 2004 tale of John Kerry and an intern was one of the outrages which prompted yours truly to enter the blogging fray. Ann, you will recall, not long ago called Edwards a "faggot." I think that the candidate is a lot straighter than her stories.
Edwards has issued a stern denial of the claimed affair, as has Rielle Hunter. (By the way, Ann -- when are you going to issue a stern denial of those claims that you were born with a penis? We need to put that sordid rumor behind us.)
Some suspect that the Enquirer has spiked Edwards because its owners favor Clinton. However, the tabs are all owned by one company, and they have published plenty of anti-Hillary stories, including the ever-popular "Hillary the lesbian" meme.
Some right-wingers are pushing the theory that the Hillary engineered the Enquirer tale. Obviously, they're hoping for a two-fer -- a smear which will harm both candidates.
The Enquirer now appears to have pulled its original story (in which Rielle's name does not appear) and has replaced it with a new tale excerpted on this right-wing site. Take note:
The ENQUIRER has now confirmed not only that Rielle is pregnant, but she is also living in Chapel Hill, N.C. in a gated community, just a few streets away from Andrew Young, who has been a key official in Edwards’ campaign.
A former Director of Operations for Edwards’ campaign, Young’s last official position with the campaign was North Carolina Finance Director.Would a married former campaign director fall on his spear to protect the candidate for whom he once worked? I doubt it. (There's a pun to be fashioned out of that "fall on his spear" image, but I'm too tired to work it out.)
He left that job about a month ago — nearly the same time Rielle relocated from the New Jersey area to Chapel Hill.
In a bizarre twist, Young, a 41-year-old married man with young children, now claims HE is the father of Reille’s baby.
But others are skeptical about his claim and talk of a political cover up is heating up.
Reille, when contacted in person by the NATIONAL ENQUIRER, denied that she was Reille Hunter. Later, she hired a lawyer and issued a statement, saying that Young is the father.
The Nation summarizes my great fear:
Under the circumstances, it is difficult to see how the Edwards campaign could survive a legitimate sex scandal.(Gary Buell? Are you there? Listen, if the Enquirer's accusation turns out to be fertilizer -- and that's the way I'm betting -- will you rewrite "Buell's Law"?)
It may not even be able to survive an illegitimate sex scandal.
10 comments:
I'll cross that bridge if we come to it. Perhaps a tabloid exception. Thanks though for publicizing Buell's Law, which, in case some readers are unfamiliar with it, states that if a male politician is accused of some sort of sexual misconduct--he did it.
first, i don't believe it for a second; more on that soon.
second, i'd be right careful if i were the likes of ann and drudge and the tabloids; this guy is a power litigator, and i highly suspect he - unlike kerry - will not hesitate to file a libel suit.
third, i'm wagering the public is just really tired of all this sex scandal crap. we/they've been saturated with all that nonsense about brittany and the teacher/student and on and on, to the point where i feel it's not of interest anymore. in fact, i think the public is just not going to buy a sex scandal at this stage in the prez campaign.
in fact, it sure pales by comparison to rudy's little affairs, does it not?
Edwards could do a lot better, she's a hag. Don't believe it!
What the hell is The Nation talking about when it says that the campaign could not sustain a legitimate, nor illegitimate, sex scandal?
Edwards is hands-down the best candidate either side has to offer right now if reversing the course this country is on is important to you.
Jamie in Boston
Well, if the Enquirer is reporting this, I'm more inclined than not to believe them.
They have done a pretty good job over the years on their beat (the celebrity news), and on at least one of their high profile losses to a celebrity, they were RIGHT (Liberace sued and won against them when they reported he was gay, by bringing the lawsuit in Britain, where truth is no defense).
Another high profile loss for them was to Carol Burnett over their reporting of her supposed alcohol problem, and who's really to say they were wrong about that one, either? (I haven't studied the trial transcripts to have an opinion).
But they generally get it right, so far as I can tell.
...sofla
um, sofia, how can you say on the one hand that, if it's from the NE, then you DON'T believe it, but on the other hand, they're generally right.
the brit and us strictures on libel reflect the difference between a democracy and an aristocracy; you can't say anything bad about anyone, even if it's true. bad form, especially if the target/victim is someone in power.
the stricture in the us that holds up libel cases is in proving the source actually knew they were printing a lie. which is why kerry should have pushed forward with that (see john dean's assessment of the lie in the SBV book). edwards knows the law, and i honestly don't think he'll hesitate to haul them into court if they keep it up.
it's true that the NE has gotten a few smattering stories correct. but c'mon, really now! Barbara Bush giving birth to twin space monkeys? etc etc etc ad nauseam...
Well this is pure BS.
Personally, I'm torn between Edwards and Clinton. I really, really like Edwards, but I also really want to see history made, and Clinton is decent enough, with a husband that can work magic overseas repairing relationships.
I cannot support Obama in the primaries, because I strongly believe he cannot win - any country with as many braindead people walking around as ours is just not ready, but also I believe the right wing is pushing Obama because they also know he cannot win.
There's no way Clinton was involved in this BS. There's no way Edwards would have cheated on Elizabeth.
Thus, I agree with the theory that the right wing is attempting to score a two-fer.
Coulter and Drudge are shock jocks and pornographers. Why would John Edwards spend even a moment on shameless assholes like them? Besides, he should expect that Drudge's and Coulter's backers have coked-up well-paid lying testimonials waiting to pounce. The vast right-wing conspiracy is nothing if not dependent on old tactics that have worked.
It's good to regard Edwards and his sexuality, it's part of production-value charisma. In 2004 when Elizabeth was stumping for him by herself in Iowa and New Hampshire, her glow was melting my TV. I thought of Janis Joplin: "All you gotta do is be a good man one time to one woman...".
Whatever, Iowa and NH are do-or-die for John, so at this point even porn publicity is good publicity. Sorta like how Tipper Gore helped Madonna's CDs sell. Plus, some undecided voters will vote for him because it's their way of showing they don't believe the garbage and it's their revenge on the perpetrators.
dr. elsewhere, I believe you've misread my statement above.
I said I was more likely than not to believe this story (i.e., I tend to believe it).
The NE does not do 'Barbara Bush's space monkey children' stories-- those are its look-a-like tabloid cousins, the Worldwide Weekly News, the Globe, Midnight, or whatever.
The NE did enough original reporting that it has been cited as a source by the NY Times, which is loathe to credit any other news organization, and often declines to print a story until their own reporters can get some original news of their own for a story.
The NE does not appear to rely on the 'public figure' semi-exception to libel laws, but instead does solid reporting. When they report somebody is in their last brave days of struggle, usually I read their obituary later that month. I noticed this with the Gilda Radner ovarian cancer story, and it has held true ever since those now far gone days.
...sofla
All the stuff about her being a kept woman is what makes me wonder. Would a married man really keep his pregnant mistress in a million-dollar house in his own neighborhood and pay all her bills? Have dinner with her and his family? Either his wife should be nominated for sainthood or there's something fishy going on. I'm skeptical of the Enquirer too, but this whole thing is just too weird to dismiss.
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