Mostly outrage is being expressed here about John Edwards' admission of having an affair. A sampling from the previous thread:
georgia10:
Fuck John Edwards. I have zero respect for his self-serving ass.
I don’t really care what he does in his private life. If he wants to screw around, fine. I don’t agree with it, obviously, but it’s ultimately between him and Elizabeth.
But he chose to be a presidential candidate, cheating on a wife with cancer, and then running for the Democratic nomination with that fact tucked away waiting to break out as an October surprise. Not only is that an incredibly selfish act, but he could have single-handedly given us another 8 years of Republican rule if he won the primaries.
His hubris makes my blood boil. To think that he ran with this thinking he wouldn't endanger not just the presidency but this country too is just repulsive.
hekebolos:
I'm not going to listen to anyone who says "oh, this is just between him and Elizabeth" because that's not how we treat Newt Gingrich.
And second: what if he had become the nominee and this came out? He would have basically handed the presidency to the Republican nominee.
Self-serving egomaniac with a distinct lack of moral fiber.
pat 208:
He had an affair, THEN asked us to nominate him.
He's not getting any more invitations to my Christmas parties, that's for sure.
I am SO glad he's not our nominee. But he put us all at risk by asking running.
And some objections to the expressed outrage:
RNinNC
WELL over 50% of married people have affairs. Especially men. McCain as well, but there's no massive MSM shock over that one. We can judge and throw rocks all we want, but dismissing someone for an affair is way overblown.
I'm stunned to see this place explode like this.
MrHinkyDink:
Jesus, you'd think JE was the first politician to have an affair, when they've been doing it for thousands of years.
Is it wrong? Yes. Does it erase all the good things about JE? No.
He's not evil. He just made a huge mistake. It's one he should have to pay consequences for, but it's certainly not an unforgivable sin.
And, of course, the top recommended diary right now by David Mizner:
This is none of our business.
This is an American sickness, this need to know--the belief that we're entitled to know--about the sexual lives of politicians.
But but but, you don't have a problem with the sex, you say, you have a problem with his lying about it. Yeah, that's what Ken Starr said too.
And a counter-argument to the recommended diary, this comeback by Meteor Blades:
You’re an asshole, John Edwards. Adultery is a private offense, of course, a matter to be resolved between you and your wife. How she chooses to deal with this ought not to be something that holier-than-thou pundits argue she should behave the way so many did in the case of Hillary Clinton in regards to Bill’s philandering. If she forgives you, as millions have done for their straying spouses, then count yourself lucky.
But I don’t forgive you. And I suspect many of your long-time supporters will not either. How can we? Your betrayal of us and the Democratic Party was not a private matter.