John Edwards released a statement Friday following a report that he had admitted an extra-marital affair with 42-year-old Rielle Hunter.
Watch: Edwards: 'I sin every single day'
STATEMENT OF SENATOR JOHN EDWARDS
August 8, 2008
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
In 2006, I made a serious error in judgment and conducted myself in a way that was disloyal to my family and to my core beliefs. I recognized my mistake and I told my wife that I had a liaison with another woman, and I asked for her forgiveness. Although I was honest in every painful detail with my family, I did not tell the public. When a supermarket tabloid told a version of the story, I used the fact that the story contained many falsities to deny it. But being 99% honest is no longer enough.
I was and am ashamed of my conduct and choices, and I had hoped that it would never become public. With my family, I took responsibility for my actions in 2006 and today I take full responsibility publicly. But that misconduct took place for a short period in 2006. It ended then. I am and have been willing to take any test necessary to establish the fact that I am not the father of any baby, and I am truly hopeful that a test will be done so this fact can be definitively established. I only know that the apparent father has said publicly that he is the father of the baby. I also have not been engaged in any activity of any description that requested, agreed to or supported payments of any kind to the woman or to the apparent father of the baby.
It is inadequate to say to the people who believed in me that I am sorry, as it is inadequate to say to the people who love me that I am sorry. In the course of several campaigns, I started to believe that I was special and became increasingly egocentric and narcissistic. 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.
I have given a complete interview on this matter and having done so, will have nothing more to say.
From CNN Politics
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What i find odd is that thsi is "Old News"... where was the media? I found out about this at PerezHilton.
I'm am so terribly disappointed in him. My sympathies to his family, particularly to Elizabeth. I don't know where she gets the strength and courage about the many blows in her life, but I greatly admire her.
What "HIPOCRICY", how can McSame's Camp criticize Sen. Edwards. When McSame did something similar if not worse!!!! He too should step down from the presidential race..
Having an affair is no one's business, I don't care who they are so long is they get the job done and it doesn't interfere with their work.
I am not ashamed of you John Edwards. I do not hold you in contempt. I will not judge you sir.
I have seen you work to make this country a better place and I appreciate your efforts. I believe in you. Things happen, people make stupid decisions sometimes. It's okay
Our contitution provides separation between church and state. However the American public can't realize a separation between a politicians elected office and his bed room.
Repub's...should be careful b/c many have negative thoughts about McCain and his first marriage and the details....
Hillary...
they are in the same place as all of the people who prayed that the clintons could get past their marital rough patch. What kind of person takes glee in another's fall?
At least Edward made an entire statement without mentioning that friggin' mill!
Just the language in his statement shows he still thinks it's all about him. I'm sorry for his family and especially his wife. Certainly the stress caused her by her husband’s action will have a deleterious effect on her frail body.
guess who's not going to get the VP nod now???
I am still totally disenchanted with my party – the one that picked a Ba-ROCK Star over Hillary. Pick whomever you want, Obama – you still won't get MY vote.
Right on John...sue the Republican party for premeditated slander.
Bad move, dude. Bad move.
The important lesson to teach our children is – we all make mistakes. Whether we gauge the mistakes small or large... a mistake is a mistake. It's so great that this man came honest and informed the rest of the world of a secret that he has kept. This shows that he's human. We all do things that we are ashamed of. Some of us don't talk about those things, but there is something that we all do. It may not be commiting adultery or the like... but I'd like to see some Income Tax statements or insurance claims. Sinning is sinning, and God judges us all equal. So before we attempt to point the finger at Mr. Edwards, I challege each to consider yourself. What is it that you do (or have done) that you will take to the grave?
I notice Obama supporters are so silent about this...
Edwards, who also didn't 'end' his campaign, merely 'suspended' it, has been seen only at one event with Obama since the primaries, and now turns out to be a cheater is still regarded by them as better than their arch-nemesis Hillary, who merely 'suspended' her campaign, who has been cheated upon, and who has campaigned more for Obama since the primaries than all his other rivals combined.
Talk about double-standards...
Senator Edwards, you should be ashamed of your choices. Can't believe you did this to your wife who is ill. Another bad choice you made was endorsing Senator Obama. We all know that Hillary Clinton is and always will be the better candidate for our presidency. You should have stood by her. As they say, what goes around comes around.
Notice CNN's priorities: the olympics opened today and there is a war now in Georgia... but the number one news here is a guy's private life...
Don't have an affair if your running for president. As a rule, you should divorce your spouse before sleeping w/some one else.(unless your a swinging couple) Plus the baby thing? Oh John, this is not like you. Or is this the real you? I still am a fan though, I don't care.
Another cheating, lying Democrat. Go ahead Democrats, call the Republicans some more insulting names. Can't do it? Chocking on your own words? Good!!!!!!
It takes courage and character to admit to something you had gotten away with..(nobody believes tabloids and even still it wasn't a big story).
I'm saddened, shocked and upset.
Edwards is a sneaky guy who wants Obama to lose. Why has he only 'suspended' his campaign and not 'end' it? How come he appeared with Obama only once since the primaries? He sure isn't putting in any effort for party unity...
Oh wait. All these standards only apply to Hillary. Hillary is the only one who should be blamed for everything. She also just 'suspended' her campaign and campaigned for Obama merely twice as much as all of Obama's other rivals combined. How dare she undermine Obama so much...
And another great man falls....
Let's all read the Lib's comments about "it was okay" and "compared to McCain..." and "They all do it, only Edwards got caught..."
and then we can all use our brains and simply say;
"He betrayed his wife, a woman ravaged by cancer, and now moreso by a faithless, lying husband."
She shows more support for him than my wife does for me and I don't cheat on my wife. I guess some of us hold marriage sacred. And some of us are John Edwards.
This comes as a complete lack of surprise to me. He was a lying dirtbag ambulance chaser before and little has changed since then. The only real good is his politcal career is dead finally.
I'd still take him over McCain anyday.