John Edwards will break his silence today with speech at Indiana University.
By on Nov 11th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
John Edwards will break his silence today with speech at Indiana University.
Former Democratic presidential nominee John Edwards “will break almost three months of public silence when he speaks at 7 p.m. today” at the Indiana University Auditorium. Edwards will deliver a speech, give his reaction to the election, and answer students’ questions. “The Union Boards’ decision to bring Edwards to speak – which cost $35,000 – has garnered criticism on whether it is appropriate to pay someone to speak who recently admitted his extramarital affair.” (HT: On Politics)
Update The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Edwards will also be debating Karl Rove at a "mortgage bankers convention" hosted by the Commercial Financial Association. The Chronicle notes Edwards was once a consultant for the New York hedge fund Fortress Investment Group.
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Do they pay Newt Gingrich?
November 11th, 2008 at 1:45 pmThey wouldn’t have a problem if his admission wasn’t recent? That sounds like the problem isn’t with the affair, it’s the admission. Weird.
November 11th, 2008 at 1:50 pmEdwards will also be debating Karl Rove at a “mortgage bankers convention”
Mr. Edwards redeem yourself in one easy step: handcuff and arrest Karl Rove!
November 11th, 2008 at 1:50 pm“The Union Boards’ decision to bring Edwards to speak – which cost $35,000 – has garnered criticism on whether it is appropriate to pay someone to speak who recently admitted his extramarital affair.”
____________________________________________________________
I am assuming that Edwards’ critics are Republicans who don’t like him because he’s a Democrat, and would find any excuse to demonize him.
I’m no fan of Edwards’ extramarital activities, but I believe it’s HIS business — his, Elizabeth’s, their children’s, and the business of the woman (whose name I can’t remember) he was dallying with. Not mine.
And unless he’s going to be giving a lecture on the benefits of marital fidelity at Indiana University, I don’t see how it’s relevant.
BTW — I assume these critics are just as critical of Giuliani, Gingrich, and McCain — ALL of whom have cheated on their wives before upgrading to different models.
November 11th, 2008 at 1:51 pmRe: “has garnered criticism on whether it is appropriate to pay someone to speak who recently admitted his extramarital affair” — they are kidding right? What does that have to do with the topic of discussion? How many of their teachers do they pay? How do they determine whether any of them are then presently engaged in extramarital affairs?
Politicians are people, imperfect ones at that, not saints. The sooner we all realize this, the better off we all are.
November 11th, 2008 at 1:51 pmSorry John that your recent lack of discretion has led to your demise . You were one of the best candidates running for the nomination based on your Nader-esque view of corporate influence on our democracy . Thanks for your patriotism .
November 11th, 2008 at 1:52 pmSomeday politicians personal lives will be off limits .
Interesting question as Edwards had an affair. George H.W. Bush has for a long time before he was VP a mistress with no problem from the public or Barbara Bush. Clinton had an affair and makes millions from speaking. Powell had several affairs but he makes big money from speaking. FDR had a long time mistress and even dead his name makes money.
Maybe we should look up to someone like John McCain who left his wife and kids for a younger rich girl, or Newt he wanted Clinton impeached for having an affair while Newt was sleeping with his mistress and wife. Vitters gets a prostitute that has the same name as his wife. Larry Craig looks for sex in the men’s room and the best of them all is Mark Foley who for many years and everyone knowing about it used the Govenment Computer to find kids to have sex with who were working as Pages in Washington.
November 11th, 2008 at 1:54 pmMust be a “family values” institution. So, how many coeds has the university president mingled with?
November 11th, 2008 at 1:54 pmi was unable to attend, but he was scheduled to speak in october at the University of Illinois – Urbana/Champaign…
i didn’t notice if it was cancelled…
i DID notice some pics of Elizabeth WITHOUT her wedding ring…
sad…
November 11th, 2008 at 1:59 pmAnd the name that cannot be spoken said Edwards was gay.
November 11th, 2008 at 2:05 pmUIUC paid $65k… guess his fee went down…
November 11th, 2008 at 2:06 pmI’m glad to see him back out speaking. He was important voice for poverty. I was said to see so many liberals attacking him for something that should have been resolved in his private life. I don’t care about Republican attacks because many of them are hypocrites.
November 11th, 2008 at 2:07 pmFight on John Edwards !
November 11th, 2008 at 2:09 pmI have always admired John Edwards. That hasn’t changed. I’m sorry he did such an incredibly stupid thing (have an affair), but he’s certainly in exalted company…
Let he/she who is without sin cast the first stone – so all you Republicans? Drop the rocks. Now.
November 11th, 2008 at 2:11 pmoh, so that’s why i heard nothing more:
Edwards cancels UI speaking event
By Daily Illini staff report
Posted: 9/5/08
Former U.S. Senator and Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards announced Thursday that he will avoid any public engagements, including an appearance at the University, until after the election in November to avoid becoming a distraction to the Democratic presidential campaign.
Edwards was scheduled to speak at Foellinger Auditorium on Oct. 14.
“Nothing is more important than electing Barack Obama and Joe Biden,” Edwards said in a statement on the Illini Union Board’s Web site. “I don’t want my appearance at these events to be a distraction from the important issues of the election, or from the important purpose of these meetings.”
November 11th, 2008 at 2:12 pm[...]
http://media.www.dailyillini.com/media/storage/paper736/news/2008/09/05/News/Edwards.Cancels.Ui.Speaking.Event-3417125.shtml
#
jstrick Says:
I’m glad to see him back out speaking. He was important voice for poverty. I was said to see so many liberals attacking him for something that should have been resolved in his private life. I don’t care about Republican attacks because many of them are hypocrites.
I still believe Obama should consider bringing him on — Secretary of Labor, or reestablishing the might of Lyndon Johnson’s great society programs (i.e., Office of Economic Opportunity) and appointing him to lead those efforts would be a good utilization of his talents. The more he works to get back to business, the faster we’ll see this controversy pass. It doesn’t pay for him to stay in seclusion.
November 11th, 2008 at 2:14 pmWatch how the Right jumps on Edwards, to distract from their own political and economic crimes and failures.
====
November 11th, 2008 at 2:16 pmOnly the people who are actually involved know what took place between them. It’s no one’s business but their’s.
November 11th, 2008 at 2:17 pmSo who hear who is either married or once was didn’t find themselves in uncharted waters at one time or another. Most people are liars. The ones that preach the loudest always are…
November 11th, 2008 at 2:25 pmBut there was no problem for a presidential candidate who left his injured wife to fend for herself so he could go marry someone else 6 weeks after their divorce was final? Hypocritical thinking there, ya think?
November 11th, 2008 at 2:26 pmSorry Nettles #10-you really stated it better than I did.
November 11th, 2008 at 2:28 pmJohn Edwards has shown that he understands the problems that lay ahead for this country, and he would be an intelligent and competent addition to the President Obama’s Administration. In his July 2007 Coopers Union speech he tried, to prepare us for what has happened, the collapse of our nation’s financial institutions.
“First, I will create a Family Savings and Credit Commission to make sure that financial services treat families safely..I will help working families build up a cushion by matching their savings and bringing bank accounts to the 56 million without them. And I will support non-profit groups offering affordable, short-term loans. We need a new era of responsible lenders who see families as long-term investments, not quick bucks.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJlKE_BLAUM
http://www.johnedwards.com/news/speeches/20070621-reduce-debt
Remember John and Elizabeth Edwards:
November 11th, 2008 at 2:34 pm“Black America Has Your Back”.
I guess what most people who put themselves in the public spotlight don’t understand is that they should be setting the bar higher for themselves and not just be a person with flaws like everyone else!!
Public persona’s should be setting examples instead of letting their egos flourish.
If you don’t want the public to know your flaws or personality quirks, then don’t put yourself out there.
One thing the election proved is that intelligence and high moral values are respected by a majority of Americans again.
There are plenty of public figures with questionable morals be they dem, gop, tall, short, black, white, skinny, fat, male, female…just don’t expect us to only recognize your good traits and ignore the bad traits when you end up on the news.
November 11th, 2008 at 2:48 pmAffairs of the heart don’t belong in the political arena.
November 11th, 2008 at 2:51 pm.(Period)
I thought he would be a great president but was very disappointed with the affair.
November 11th, 2008 at 3:10 pmPlease — McCain and Guiliani were running for the Republican nomination. Both have a history of unfaithfulness to their wives. Gingrich has now become a major spokesperson for his party, also adulterous. And Vitter is still in the Congress, isn’t he?
November 11th, 2008 at 3:26 pmI’ll be the first to say it then, despite the “personal lives are off limits” mythology, as if either party would adhere.
Edwards ran after starting the affair; almost guaranteeing that if he had won the nomination, with that big fat tamale hanging out there (for any investigative reporter’s conference to discover,) we would’ve been slammed and Sarah Palin would be shopping for inaugural clothes! *shudder*
Nope, I’ll not trust Edwards’s judgment again, particularly when the chips are down.
November 11th, 2008 at 3:35 pmI am from NC and we have never forgiven him for his arrogance when he left the senate to run for president and opening the seat to a repug.
November 11th, 2008 at 3:39 pmBut I hear he needs the money since elizabeth kicked him out.
snark
Totally agree. I think Edwards has been a sincere and passionate voice for the poor, but I could not trust his judgment in any kind of executive position ever again.
November 11th, 2008 at 3:57 pmThe speaking fee is a bit staggering, but what do they mean is it fair to pay someone to speak who has admitted to an extramarital affair?! By that standard there are quite a few popular speakers who would be denied the opportunity. Among them Bill Clinton and perhaps even John McCain. John Edwards’ affair has damaged his political career, but I don’t think we shun people for marital infidelity in this country.
November 11th, 2008 at 4:03 pmWhen the press focuses on the sex lives of politicians reach for your pocket, and see who’s pulling out your wallet.
November 11th, 2008 at 8:30 pm- Noam Chomsky
He would still make a great AG…
November 11th, 2008 at 10:07 pmIsn’t Edwards worth 400 million or so? What is he doing takng $35k to speak? I mean, that would be like one of us bending over to pick up a dime.
November 12th, 2008 at 12:11 amDidn’t Jess used to be Jiff? No but I am watching you!
November 12th, 2008 at 8:47 amEdward’s has broken 3 months of silence to speak at Indiana University. This speech was arranged before the affair became public. He was supposed to get a fee of $50,000 but the university cut it to $35,000 because he had an extra-marital affair. (If you’re going to use those guidelines, the truth be known, he should have to pay Indiana University to speak.)
No cameras were allowed in the auditorium. No TV crews. Students had to submit written questions before the speech. Then Edwards picked the one’s he chose to answer. For some inexplicable reason his prior infidelity never came up during the entire speech.
The students and the university got nothing out of it that I could see. Edwards got enough money to pay Rielle Hunter for another two months to keep her mouth shut and prevent her from getting a paternity test. I guess some good comes out of everything.
November 12th, 2008 at 8:53 amSo let me get this straight:
They’re hesitant about Edwards’s attendance due to his admitted affair but have absolutely no qualms having KARL ROVE attending?? A man who should be rotting in a damp federal prison over his long list of anti-American treasonous activities from stolen presidential elections, outing an undercover US agent, politicizing the Justice Dept and skipping out on subpoenas???? That Karl Rove??
November 12th, 2008 at 8:55 amKarl Rove-Dog Food
John Edwards-Dog Food
Mortgage Bankers-Dog Food
To be fair, the Commercial Finacial Association is more than mortgage bankers. It involves all forms of asset backed lending.
Ironically, this is the group Hank Paulson wants to open the TARP for. 24% of CFA members are banks, 76% are non-bank financial institutions.
November 12th, 2008 at 12:09 pm