John Edwards Admits Paternity , Heads to Haiti

By Jeralyn, Section Other Politics
Posted on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 09:22:15 AM EST
Tags: John Edwards (all tags)

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Update: John Edwards is now in Haiti helping with relief efforts. Not a surprise given his trips to El Salvador to build houses last year. Gotta give him credit for trying to redeem himself.

John Edwards has released this statement admitting paternity of Rielle Hunter's child to NBC News:

“I am Quinn’s father. I will do everything in my power to provide her with the love and support she deserves. I have been able to spend time with her during the past year and trust that future efforts to show her the love and affection she deserves can be done privately and in peace.

It was wrong for me ever to deny she was my daughter and hopefully one day, when she understands, she will forgive me. I have been providing financial support for Quinn and have reached an agreement with her mother to continue providing support in the future.

To all those I have disappointed and hurt these words will never be enough, but I am truly sorry.”

Friends of John and Elizabeth say they are separated. Elizabeth has opened a furniture store.

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John Edwards Admits Paternity , Heads to Haiti | 16 comments (16 topical)

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Everyone who is shocked (5.00 / 1) (#1)
by jbindc on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 09:26:31 AM EST

Please raise your hand.

Why do politicians and famous people think we are so stupid that will we believe it when they tell us "Wasn't me"?

: because it is (5.00 / 2) (#3)
by Jeralyn on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 10:01:56 AM EST

an inherent trait

It's bad enough (5.00 / 2) (#4)
by cawaltz on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 10:02:40 AM EST

that he had the affair. Dragging his feet on admitting paternity was reprehensible. I feel for Elizabeth though. It must be difficult to reconcile the idea that this man will ultimately be left with the responsibility of raising and instilling values in their two still young children.

What a sad and disappointing journey (5.00 / 2) (#5)
by Anne on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 10:03:19 AM EST

these people have been on, some of it through no fault or choice of their own - the accident that killed Wade Edwards, and Elizabeth's cancer - and some of it by their deliberate action - the affair, at least - all of which has caused untold damage to many lives; I don't see anything short of a miracle as enabling them to deal with all of it.

One thing's for sure: the children are the victims - as they always are - of their parents' stupid decisions; however much money John Edwards has, it will never be enough to buy him what he will probably never have again - the trust of his children.

Imagine all this going on during... (5.00 / 1) (#7)
by magster on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 10:53:02 AM EST

...an Edwards administration.

all I regret is the (none / 0) (#2)
by athyrio on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 09:33:46 AM EST

hundreds of dollars that I contributed to his campaign...never again for any candidate!!!

: My regret is that he and Obama (5.00 / 1) (#11)
by hairspray on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 12:52:51 PM EST

formed a stone wall and brought Hillary down. This dishonesty is as bad as his behavior towards his children. I don't say Elizabeth since she seems to have been in on it. Shame!!!

a furniture store? (none / 0) (#6)
by cpinva on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 10:39:58 AM EST

seems like an odd jump there, but who knows.

yeah, color me stunned.

: I think it's an antique furniture store. (none / 0) (#13)
by Angel on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 03:26:07 PM EST

: Perhaps it is just another way of saying (none / 0) (#16)
by Inspector Gadget on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 07:28:50 PM EST

"garage sale".

And now, the Poopy Dipe Swipe! (none / 0) (#9)
by Cream City on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 11:15:40 AM EST

This saga now has officially gone beyond the pale, with breathless disclosures in coming tell-all books of plotting to steal dirty diapers.

Trying to remember if Young talked to officials, not just media. If so, did Edwards suborn perjury -- or something equivalent if to an agency?

ABC News has released an excerpt of an interview with former Edwards aide Andrew Young, whom Edwards convinced to falsely claim paternity of the child in an effort to keep his own infidelity a secret. One of the sordid details Young relates is that Edwards asked him to steal one of the child's diapers so he could conduct his own paternity test:
"Get a doctor to fake the DNA results," Young said Edwards told him. "And he asked me ... to steal a diaper from the baby so he could secretly do a DNA test to find out if this [was] indeed his child." Young's revelations about the Edwards and the affair come in his soon to be released book "The Politician."

Another book NOT on my to-do list.

It's sad, but it leaves me (none / 0) (#10)
by scribe on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 11:18:42 AM EST

wanting nothing more than to take a long shower.

I'm sorry, but (none / 0) (#12)
by rise hillary rise on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 02:47:19 PM EST

John Edwards is running his mouth in Haiti at the expense of a qualified rescue worker-or supplies-that could have gone instead.

what possible benefit he can provide to these desperate people is beyond me.

"Running his mouth?" (5.00 / 1) (#14)
by Anne on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 03:46:44 PM EST

Really? That's what you're going with?

Did you read the link in Jeralyn's post?

He said he had come with a group of 25 to 30 people, including doctors, and had brought supplies and medicine in an effort to "help in whatever way we can."
"We're going to do a variety of things, we're gonna get our intelligence, make sure we know where the medicine needs to go, which facilities can do the most good, where are other supplies - generators, food, water, water purifiers, where they can go and be distributed in the best way," Edwards said upon landing in the country. "And we're gonna figure out which places the physicians can provide the most help."
"Once we do all that, we're also gonna go to some places, for example, some of the street schools that we've been involved with in the past, that we understand have been destroyed, to see what rebuilding needs to start," he continued.

That doesn't sound like "running his mouth" to me - but perhaps your definition of "helping" is different than mine - and I rather doubt the people of Haiti give a rat's patootie about Edwards' personal issues and flaws.


: I stand by it (none / 0) (#15)
by rise hillary rise on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 04:02:06 PM EST

the first thing he did after getting off the plane was give an interview, for goodness sake. and I am at a loss to explain what qualifications he has to do any of the things he was talking about. IMO the 200lbs of Edwards and baggage could have gone to a far more useful person-or at least supplies.
he was "my" senator for the years that he warmed the NC seat, BTW so I speak from that experience

Say goodnight John (none / 0) (#17)
by BrassTacks on Fri Jan 22, 2010 at 02:45:36 AM EST

I just want him to go away. Forever. I am very happy that Elizabeth kicked him to the curb. I hope she is enjoying what she's doing now, without him. Cancer can really focus the mind. Sounds like it did that for her and that's a gift. She doesn't need that phony baloney crumb bum. She's too good for him.