Political gossip - Edwards fall?

While I often obsess here about the French language and my very poor attempts to speak it, I can’t really get up the energy to write about it. Perhaps because it has been a huge struggle for me. It isn’t that fun to talk about my semi-failures. Perhaps later in the trip I will gain some energy to tackle it.

But, today I am obsessed by something else. I have decided to throw my hat in the ring, as it were, as a political/news journalism blogger. I have been tracking, of course, Obama’s and McCain’s campaigns – both reading French sources such as Le Monde, Le Figaro and Liberation – and reading American sources such as NY Times, Dailykos, Slate, New Republic and Huffington Post. (As an aside, I might not be able to speak French – but I have no problem reading their newspapers now.)

But, in doing this reading I ran into the existing Internet storm - which I firmly believe will soon be a mainstream media storm - on John Edward’s alleged on-going affair and paternity of an infant with a woman named Rielle Hunter. (As on the internet, I will call the mainstream media MSM) Now, I found out via the Internet that the rumors about this affair have existed since September of 2007. What got the ball rolling was, I believe, this article in the Huffington Post by Sam Stein: He wasn’t looking for an affair, a cover-up or anything of the sort – but he seemed to stumble onto something, nonetheless.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/09/26/edwards-mystery-innocuou_n_66070.html

The National Enquirer, then, decided to follow the thread to see if there was some hanky-panky behind the story. They have published various accusations - with lots of smoke but no gun - about this alleged affair and his paternity but no MSM source picked it up – most likely because another married man, Andrew Young (a good friend of Edwards) has claimed paternity. But, the Enquirer kept on the case and certainly strengthened their case this week. The MSM – albeit just Fox – added confirmation. The comically sad story is here:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,391426,00.html

Right wing Internet sources have, of course, jumped on the story. Beyond the Huffington Post, the left-wing sources have stayed pretty quiet. To the degree that it has been discussed within the left, there are eight basic reactions (with my take following in blue):

1. Enquirer and Fox. Totally unreliable sources. Maybe, maybe not. This will become clear over the next few days. But, if you look at all the evidence out there, it really has the ring of truth. At this point, I would be willing to put $100 down that the basic story is true – that he was visiting her in LA at that hotel. But, could there be an innocent explanation? Sure. Maybe they are just really good friends....
2. He is no longer a candidate, so whether it is true or not is irrelevant and he should be left alone. Come on, he is on the list of VP candidates and is certainly also in line for a potential cabinet post – so that response is lame.
3. Who cares if it true or not. There are really important things out there. Stop with this sex- stuff already. Let’s be more like the French and let our politicians have mistresses if they want! On the one hand, I couldn’t agree more. And, indeed if we were like the French, I would be shrugging along with everyone else. But, we are not.
4. If it is true, he isn’t going to get the VP nod or a post in the administration. Yep, that is true. And, at this point – I certainly don’t want Obama to appoint him to anything unless, of course, the story is shown to be crap or an innocent explanation is really there.
5. If true, it is so sad for Elizabeth. Yep. It sucks to be in the public eye sometimes.
6. If it is true, it does, in fact, raise some big and legitimate character questions about Edwards and it is a legitimate story, not just gossip. This is strongly my point of view.
7. If it is true, how stupid can you get? Could he not learn from Gary Hart, Bill Clinton and Elliot Spitzer – to name just a few? Apparently, no.
8. Karl Rove is behind this. Oh, come on. He isn't that all-powerful. And, he would have certainly waited until Edwards was actually appointed to something to spring it.

The right-wingers all claim that the story isn’t being followed because of some left bias of the MSM. But, to me that is nonsense. When the press was hounding Clinton over Gennifer Flowers, they refused to really investigate the story of “the other Jennifer” – the alleged lover of Bush the 1st, Jennifer Fitzgerald.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Fitzgerald

And, the press absolutely gave Bush the 2nd a free pass on cocaine:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-seery/the-bush-cocaine-chronicl_b_37786.html

In those cases - as this one - I think the principal reason is a convulted combination of cowardice with conviction. But now, thanks to the Internet – it isn’t so easy to sweep things under the rug, for good or ill. And, I must admit that I prefer it this way.

This particular story is at the tipping point. Once the Enquirer publishes their photos (and if they don’t have photos – then the story is surely not true), I believe the MSM will be forced to jump on the story or it will really accelerate the MSM death spiral. And, yes – I feel sorry for John a bit. And Elizabeth a lot. But, in this case, I would rather know the truth. So, I say thank you Sam Stein, National Enquirer and Fox. I am not sure that the truth will set us free – but it might have helped Obama avoid a big fall….

Update Sunday: To the list of leftist reactions may I add that this one has gained some traction: Hillary is behind it (because a supporter of hers owns a big chuck of the Enquirer). To this, I can only say - oh, give me a break!