Everyone's True Colors Show In the John Edwards Fiasco

By now, it is likely you have heard that some news outlets are reporting that John Edwards may have recently been involved in an affair that may also have produced a child. It is difficult to confirm any of this because details are sketchy and also because the tabloid the National Enquirer has been the one breaking most of the details. Since details are sketchy I can't confirm the rumors for sure, however, if they are, it certainly says a lot about the character of John Edwards. That would mean that while his wife was battling cancer he was off with another woman. To me, whether this is true or not, he's already rather duplicitous. Here is a guy that tried to make his political career as someone battling for the little guy, and all the while, he was living in a 28,000 square foot mansion. It appears helping the little guy was awfully prosperous for Mr. Edwards.

According to this report from Bill O'Reilly, John Edwards barely knew any of the poor neighbors that lived within the vicinity of his giant mansion, let alone helped them out of poverty.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He don't know — he really doesn't know what two Americas are.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody here is just normal income people. You know, just live day-to-day. And I don't think he knows anything about us.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you have in common with John Edwards?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can't imagine anything. He don't know anything about the things I know about.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know if he knows how to help poor people or lower class people. He doesn't know them. He doesn't — you got to know something about something before you can help the problem. He doesn't know anything about it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When he talks about the two Americas, what do you think he means when he's talking about that?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know. He says many different things. I just don't pay any attention to what he says any more.

So, if this story is true, it would cement the devious character of John Edwards.

Of course, if all your news comes from the MSM, you would likely not even have heard about this story. That's because there has been a near media black out on the story.

If a former Democratic candidate for vice-president is involved in a possible scandal, and the mainstream media refuses to cover it–does it exist?

A tabloid newspaper, the National Enquirer, has reported that John Edwards was caught at the Beverly Hilton hotel meeting his alleged mistress, Reille Hunter, and visiting his alleged love child. Fox News has confirmed that Edwards was in the hotel and confronted by those same reporters at 2:40 AM Tuesday night. Fox also confirmed that Edwards was not a registered guest at the hotel.

Not one other major media source has reported anything.

The standard excuse? John Edwards is a private citizen and entitled to that privacy.
Hmm. Isn’t pop star Britney Spears a private citizen? How about Yankee Alex Rodriguez? Both of them, and many other “public figures” have been subjected to countless speculative stories regarding their so-called private lives. Apparently the MSM has decided–collectively–that certain public figures are entitled to privacy while others are not.

The reasons for the black out are layered. For one, the roots of this story appear to have started during the campaign and so any enterprising reportor should have had every reason to pursue it in the winter and spring. Often times, the reason for a lack of coverage has been a lack of evidence. For instance, the New York Times has given this almost no coverage at all and their reasoning appears to be that they can't confirm anything. Of course, the same New York Times had no trouble running a story in which anonymous sources insinuated something untoward between John McCain and a female lobbyist.

Of course, one place where you will have no trouble finding this story is in the conservative blogosphere. Many within the Conservative media were more than willing to run with this story even though they were then relying on the tabloid as their lead source.

I want to start by bragging to you about how discreet Pajamas Media is. Over six months ago, we had wind of the John Edwards/Rielle Hunter love affair and love child and did not run with it. Most of this information was hearsay from people here in Hollywood, people who know Rielle. She was a long time hanger on in Hollywood circles before heading East to do political promo videos… and, yes, I had met her myself on a couple of occasions at parties. She was not particularly notable, of the tedious sort that bore you to death about their yoga instructor.

...

Oh, one last thing, for those of you who say it’s The National Enquirer, how do we know it’s true? I suggest you Google the “National Enquirer and OJ Simpson.” They broke most of the important stories on that case. In general, these days they’re vastly more reliable than The New York Times.

What's really unseemly though is that some want to revel in this story. For instance, this is one such reveler.

Ironically enough, he received this award nine months before the birth of his love child.Oh, sorry. Alleged love child.Probably got busy with Rielle right after the ceremony.Of course if the American media is your sole source for information, you haven't heard anything about that.Even some little tyrants on the lefty blogs have banned any mention of it.

In today's Redstate, the title reads as such.

John Edwards Creates Two Americas: One for Legitimate Children and One for Illegitimate Ones

I guess some forget that even though they are political opponents, their families are still human. I don't much care for Edwards and he doesn't deserve sympathy if this is all true. That said, if this story is true, it isn't one to be celebrated and reveled in, but rather one of sadness and disgust. If this is true, a marriage is ruined. A woman has to deal with a life threatening cancer as well as a cheating husband. Several innocent children all have to face the fury of intense media scrutiny and embarrassment. There is nothing to revel in here. This is not a story to be enjoyed.

So far, no one has shown much in the way of class involved in this story, and those reporting on it, or failing to, are only slightly less despicable than the subject.