Out of respect for A PROMINENT DUer can we just stop the gossip already?

[Connonym]

It serves no purpose in the fight to win the White House in 2008. He did it, he lied, he admitted his mistake and she's asked us to mind our own business. Don't we have better things to do than keep this on the front page 24/7?

ETA: Prefer this subject line? What a bunch of tittering fools we all look like to make this such a huge deal.

[Vickers]

1. Irony alert.

:P

[TexasObserver]

2. If you want to respect her, leave her out of titles and stop talking about her.

Most of us are talking about JOHN, the politician, and the important public issues his misconduct entailed and continues to entail. We're going to discuss it, here.

If that offends you, please use HIDE THREAD.

We understand why this is a public issue.

[cali]

3. Elizabeth Edwards hasn't posted here in years

and sorry, it's a prominent news story, made prominent by her husband's words and deeds.

Oh, and Elizabeth, as I recall, thoroughly excoriated and repudiated DU. That's certainly her right, and I agreed with her, but Elizabeth is not part of the DU community- not that that should have anything to do with it.

[PeaceNikki]

4. I couldn't find any posts by her

Does anyone have a link or links?

[cali]

5. She did post here a couple of times in 2004, I think it was

and she left in disgust after quite a few DUers attacked Laura Ingraham after Ingraham developed cancer. Sorry, I don't have links, but that's how I recall it.

[EV_Ares]

7. I can see where she might leave in disgust if they attacked another person for

their cancer as that is rather disgusting. She did post on Kos the other day.

[mnhtnbb]

12. Elizabeth Edwards has disabled her profile on DU. I just checked.

[TahitiNut]

44. Yup. She registerd on July 12, 2004 and her account is still in good standing.

:thumbsup: She has 29 posts on DU.

[Blue Diadem]

13. That's how I remember it too.

Although I'm not sure of the year. IIRC, she was pretty upset over that thread.

[EV_Ares]

15. and understandably so, eom.

[Blue Diadem]

29. Yes, she called a poster or two to task for their remarks

I don't think she posted after that but she still may lurk and read here.

[EV_Ares]

30. I sort of doubt it and she chose Kos to post her letter about her husband's affair

and asked for the family's privacy to get through all of this. Personally, how you feel about it is irrelevant as I of course am as disappointed as anyone but if the campaign workers who put in countless hours for him, sacrificed a lot of their lives can forgive him, I can as well. I myself do not understand it other than how he explained how narcissism, ego, thinking you are above all, etc. However, as I am sure you noticed, a post on DU about gossip or such as Edwards and his affair will get a lot more posts than say the top news story of the day or the bombing of Georgia; whatever.

Regardless, I don't see how crucifying him here does anyone or anything any good other than the freepers, neo-cons who love watching us crucify each other. It has come out, its over and there is an election ahead which seems we would all be better served by focusing on something positive that might help Barack in winning the election. There are human rights being violated, our civil rights being violated, the environment being destroyed and those environmental laws that Bush is trying to eradicate before he leaves office. Working toward helping in those areas is much more beneficial to us all than wasting time going after Edwards.

So much for my rant and sorry I got started but do feel rather strongly about it and I think it is juvenile, stupid and cruel as whoever did the posting that Mrs. Edwards got upset about.

[tammywammy]

28. That's what I rembered

I was a lurker then.

[Freddie Stubbs]

36. Here is the Laura Ingraham cancer thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3545777

[LSK]

56. here you go

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2604461

[pecwae]

9. Was she TS'd?

If not, she's still a member.

[cali]

11. so what? no she wasn't tombstoned, but as I pointed out

her having posted here a couple of times over 4 years ago, is not really relevant to the story. Fact: It's a prominent news story, created by her husband's actions, words and judgement. It's going to get discussed. And the story is in a new incarnation due to John's revelations a few days ago.

[pecwae]

35. My goodness,

but you're the prickly one.

[JuniperLea]

64. You're too kind... eom

[cali]

68. Something you're unlikely to be ever accused of.

[JuniperLea]

73. Well, if you insist... that would be one thing we have in common... eom

[JNelson6563]

20. You forgot to mention

how delighted you must be to once again have reason to throw shit at Edwards. You're so transparent.

Julie

[cali]

21. I never trusted Edwards. I never forgot his cheerleading for a fucking illegal

war or attacking Dean for his opposition to the war. I didn't agree with much of his centrist right voting in the Senate. I never hid that. And Edwards is the one who shit all over himself, dear. I'm not hiding anything, and sorry, I'm not emotionally invested in JE, so I'm not delighted in this crap he thrust on us. I don't feel vindicated or anything else.

[kestrel91316]

41. You're not delighted? Sure could have fooled. me.

Gloating is so unbecoming.

And so is obsessing over a private citizen's personal life.

[JuniperLea]

65. Well said...

:applause:

[cali]

69. sorry, dearie. I'm hardly obsessed and grab a clue if that's

possible: This is a public matter. He made it so. And do try and be consistent. Don't forget to defend repubs when they're criticized for lying and hypocrisy.

[Inspired]

27. I think she posted last year when she received the roses the DU sent her.

[Regret My New Name]

70. Perhaps I'm a bit cynical, but how sure is it that it was her?

Just curious... I'm assuming it was more than just someone coming here and claiming to be her, right?

[EV_Ares]

6. Yes, thanks for posting and agreed; move on as others with the exception

of the tabloid media. After all there are other more forthgoing events taking place that have a higher importance on our lives or should have.

[robcon]

8. I think Elizabeth owes us an apology.

She knew her husband had an affair. She knew, like John, that once the Enquirer got some of the story last October, it was likely that more evidence would surface.

Yet she and John participated in his campaign for the nomination for president, knowing that if he were nominated, it was likely that the affair would be uncovered in more detail, and that the Democratic nominee would probably lose the election this Novemeber. John took an unacceptable risk with the future of our country.

She and John betrayed their supporters, donors, volunteers, workers by not canceling his campaign for the nomination because of the risk of disclosure. John betrayed all Democrats because of his selfishness. It's tough to say it, but she's almost as guilty as John for that betrayal.

[mnhtnbb]

10. I wonder just how much influence Elizabeth had in the decision.

I wonder how much her cancer influenced her desire to make a difference rather than sitting home
waiting for the end. I also wonder whether John, the trial attorney, didn't work his magic
on her because running for the presidency was something he really wanted to do--for his own ego.

[robcon]

14. That's certainly possible.

I'm really referring to their presentation of themselves as an ideal couple as an important part of his campaign.

The decision to go forward was John's, I assume. For the sake of the Democratic Party, and John's supporters, volunteers, donors and workers, I think she should have insisted that he not run. I'm only guessing here - but I suspect she acceded to the run, and presented her and John as symbols of American family values, because she thought John would make a very good president.

She was willing to work for John despite the enormous risk he was taking with the future of the country. I think John's decision to run (and perhaps Elizabeth's acceptance of the run) was a betrayal.

edit:spell

[TexasObserver]

16. Until I know different, I'm assuming he fed her a line of bull that was untrue.

She was sick. She's his wife, the mother of their children.

He probably lied about when it started, when it ended, what all in entailed, and all the sordid financial details. He minimized it. He limited it and made it remote in time. My guess he was busted, and he offered up a story that would sell her to continue on. Can't you hear him lying and saying "it was only brief, only in 2006, way in the past"?

I'm giving her a complete pass until there's something that shows she was culpable. She was obviously reeling with the events, and I can't know she was wrong. I know John was wrong.

[kestrel91316]

42. She doesn't owe us jack shit. No harm, no foul.

[helderheid]

47. If he's telling the truth about the timeline, you're right, however I don't think he is. Why drop

out RIGHT before Super Tuesday? That never made sense to me. If Elizabeth knew about the affair in 2006, why on earth would she encourage a run knowing the truth would eventually come out? I think she has too much integrity to have done so. I don't believe this time frame and would bet something came out right before Super Tuesday.

[Kahuna]

80. I don't get why anybody would defend the Edwards. What they did

is despicable. All the time and money they wasted on a fraudulent run. If JE is guilty of laundering money from his campaign for his mistress I want to know about it. And if he did that I want to see him puninshed....SEVERELY.

[geiger]

17. Except we can expect the Clintons to use it to gain some sort of levarage

towards their own narcissistic ends. Unfortunately, it will be necessary to stay watchful.

[Catherine Vincent]

52. Leave it to you to bring up the Clintons in every thread. nt

[polmaven]

60. Do you have a Hillary doll

with a knife through it's head that you sleep with at night?

GROW UP!!!!!!!

This is not a thread about Hillary!

[JuniperLea]

67. My thought exactly!

I'm so sick of hearing about ANYONE other than Obama and McCain I could just spit!

Too much time, effort and bandwidth is being wasted!

[JNelson6563]

18. 50 + threads hidden so far

What I find the most telling is those posting on this thread defending this behavior. Of course at least one is a long time shit flinging monkey re: Edwards. When this was all just rumour that poster was sure to keep the rumours alive (sometimes under the guise of "parody" ;-) ).

This debacle demonstrates the childish element of DU. What's sad is that there are actually really old time DUers who are driving this bus as hard as the current batch of kool kids.

Losers all.

Julie

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[JNelson6563]

38. I struck a nerve, eh?

Thought so. You've harbored your burning ember of hatred a long time. Carry on you poor soul, carry on.

Julie

[SammyWinstonJack]

24. I agree, Losers all. And they aren't about to give their feigned outrage a rest any time soon.

:puke:

[robcon]

25. My outrage is not feigned. Edwards betrayed his country.

His knowingly risked losing the election if he had been nominated, and then his affair had been exposed. He is a selfish bastard.

[EV_Ares]

32. Well, you better go back with your outrage all the way to the socalled father of ourcountry, to FDR,

General/President Eisenhower, JFK, on and on because there have been so many and some great leaders of our country and others that have lied about affairs.

[robcon]

77. It has NOTHING to do with whether he's a faithful husband.

It has EVERYTHING to do with his incredible selfishness - running for president when he KNEW or should have known that his infidelity (and perhaps his child) would be revealed before the election.

If he had won the nomination, then the voters found out about his infidelity, John McCain would clearly be the next president.

The problem with Edwards isn't his infidelity, it's his lack of patriotism: his selfishness overwhelmed his judgment: he was willing to risk a Repub president so that he could run for president.

[cali]

26. how childish.

and who the hell are you to deem someone's response to this story as "feigned"? Little psychic, are you? And for the record, I'm not outraged by John's rather predictable phony behavior and lying. It's what I expected from him.

[EV_Ares]

31. You are right, losers and childish behavior just as you will get a childish attack

from someone who is relishing in the attacking and carrying on about this rather than something important of the day. I have always supported Edwards and as someone over on Kos said, what has changed about his policies, beliefs now. If you watch the posters you will find a lot of the same ones other than the kids that constantly went after Edwards during the early stages of the primary before he dropped out.

Oh well, whatever.

[Bluenorthwest]

34. Look here, bud.

Your homophobic Johnny 'Holy Pantaloons' Edwards spent the Primary season preaching on the subject of his Southern Baptist values about marriage, and how they are a part of him, and because of this 'faith' and his sacntified Union, he can not support marriage equality for all Americans. He stood on stages across America and claimed to have some divine view of how others should behave, while he allowed himself to behave any way he wanted to.
How do you defend a fucking adulterer and liar who calls other people's relationships unworthy of legal equality? Nothing could be more hypocritical, nothing could be more evil. He used my house hold as a device to distract from his own sexual issues and dishonesty. How do you defend that?
Do you really think that Edwards has the right to lie and paint himself as some righteous man, and also to paint others as sinners undeserving of rights, and those he slanders and opposes should just sit and let him lie and slander?
He brought his 'faith' and his 'morality' into the discussion of MY family's basic rights. He did that. For his own political gain. Why on Earth should I let him do so unanswered? He and his wifey have yet to apologize to GLBT Americans for blocking our rights using 'faith' they do not themselves bother to live by. She knew he was a liar and adulterer and she stood with him while he blathered about his 'values' and how gays just don't fit into his moral world. His mistress does. The vows he took mean zero. But he stood there proclaiming himself to be all Sourthern Baptist Holy and just unable to extend to gay folk any equality...
Frankly, nothing could be more my business than some fake who attacked my family from a place of pretended righteousness. Edwards is a liar, so is his wife, and they are part of the problem, they should apologize and get the hell out of the public eye.
So maybe it is not your business, but it is mine. Your Edwards started it. And it will be answered until he makes it right. He did this. Not the media, not the millions he had insulted during the primaries with his homophobia. John Edwards and his wife did this to themselves, and money will not buy them out.
They are getting exactly what they deserve. I hope that Liz reads this, and feels like shit. She helped harm my house, so I don't give a fuck about her feelings and her manisions and her staff of helpers and her millions and millions....as long as she has hers, she does not care who gets slandered or prevented from getting health insurance or equal treatment under tax law. She and John have thier lovers and hobbies and dress up time in fine clothing...
The money does not mean they get to piss on others and not hear about it. Sorry. They did this of their own free will. Both of them.
If they want to pay for my partner's health insurance, if they want to get up and take action to correct the wrongs they have done, we can talk about forgivness. Right now, they are only thinking of themselvs, as usual. John even claims that nothing anhyone says can hurt him, so fuck those who say we should be silent.
The adulterous liar John Edwards is the perfect picture of the anti-gay religious element in our politics. Full of shit. Always. Just a poser and a liar and nothing more. Willing to harm the least among us just for political advantage. People like him do not deserve any quarter. According to John's 'faith' adulterers get stoned to death. Jesus called them 'whoremongers'. So I'm being nice when I call him a hypocritical bigot, nice at least compared to Jesus...and Johnny just loves him some Jesus!

[JNelson6563]

39. So many issues, where to begin?

Seek help friend. To have so much hatred in you will kill you.

And no one says you should be silent but if you think it's effective to carry on and on and on and on ad nauseum on this issue, well then go right ahead. If I were DU Admin I'd've limited it to only a few threads and shut the rest down so the forum didn't rank with FR or maybe Faux News, Entertainment Tonight and the like. But hey, if this is what makes a forum *popular*, and popular pays the bills, by all means give the high school cafeteria kids and the hate mongers and the shit flinging monkeys free reign.

Sad but there it is.

Again, get some help or say hello to a before-your-time death.

Julie

[LittleClarkie]

50. Short answer: Why should we mind our business when JE couldn't mind his.

He had his nose in the sex lives of the GLBT community. Fair's fair, after all.

I think bringing up the man's references to his religious upbringing is totally in bounds. And criticizing the man on this point does not make us haters. It's to easy to label someone who criticizes someone you like as a "hater". Republicans do that. I'd think we could do better.

[JNelson6563]

58. There's commenting and then there's obessesing.

And then there's taking it to the whole new level of blaming the person for all your troubles in life.

Oy.

Done with you poor bitter soul. Surely there's still a thread or two on Edwards where you and like minded DUers can still go fing shit?

Buh-bye.

Julie

[EV_Ares]

45. Maybe you need to take a walk or go get a beer because with all that

rage, you may need some help.

[LittleClarkie]

51. How good of you to diagnose a fellow DUer and same him/her the price of a therapist

So, did you get your psychology degree through the mail, or what.

[EV_Ares]

59. Maybe you need that walk as well, didn't know taking a walk or getting

a beer was diagnosing somebody but if you say so, whatever.

Hope you all get your rage out someway.

By the way why did you pick "take a walk or get a beer" for diagnosing when one or two of the other threads in reply actually was more of a or somewhat of a diagnosis? Seems you would have responded to all of the what you claim to be diagnosis threads. Maybe you need a little education on the meaning or what diagnosis actually is.

[aikoaiko]

19. He said, "And anybody....who wants to beat me up for this, they should have at it."

He gets to live with it.

[robcon]

23. I think Edwards was thinking about his unfaithfulness to his wife,

when he said "have at it."

That's not the problem. Married people have affairs all the time, and Edwards is no worse than many others.

The problem is his betrayal of the party by running for the nomination despite the risk of exposure and probable loss of the election (if he had been nominated.)

[slackmaster]

33. I didn't know Rush Limbaugh posted here

What's his handle?

[SOS]

37. Haven't paid attention to Edwards since he voted for the war.

nt

[tuckessee]

40. It's not gossip - It's fact. n/t

[Connonym]

43. is it a fact that he fathered that child? I haven't seen any DNA evidence to support that, have you

I reiterate, why the hell are you guys bashing one of our own, don't you think the right wing has that shit smearing covered? Why are you continuing to do their job for them? With all the other horrible lies and murders going on at the hands of the Republican party why on earth would you choose THIS to be outraged about? All it's accomplishing is distracting from more important matters at hand. It's a bunch of Puritanical hysteria and when we obsess about sexuality it makes the rest of the world think we're all about 11 years old.

[Name removed]

46. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Catherine Vincent]

55. I'll bet you wouldn't be so defensive if Obama was the one being bashed all the time. nt

[Connonym]

76. A conversation doesn't consist of a bunch of people all agreeing with one another

con·ver·sa·tion
informal interchange of thoughts, information, etc., by spoken words; oral communication between persons; talk; colloquy. (via dictionary.com)


And a couple of points A)Since I only posted twice in this thread I think "nag, and nag, and nag" is grossly misrepresentative. Two nags would have been sufficient. B) "Shrill hysteria" and "nag, and nag, and nag" is some awfully sexist terminology. C) The "hide" and "ignore" features work both ways. If you don't like my OP put it on hide. Don't like my opinion, put me on ignore. Please, do. But don't think you can tell me I can't reply to my own OP. D) Grow up.

[TexasObserver]

81. Sure it does. You're confused again. You're thinking of an argument.

No disagreement is required of a conversation.

Hey, your baby sure is cute.

Yes, isn't he?

He looks just like you.

Well, thanks. See ya.

AND SCENE

[LittleClarkie]

48. 1. I'm not tittering.

2. Did any campaign funds go to this woman. If so, it IS our business.

3. My point o' the day: Why is it that his religious upbringing prevented him from supporting same sex marriages, but didn't prevent him from cheating on the Mrs?

[leftofthedial]

49. Edwards' penis and where he puts it is none of our business.

His aspiration to be "president" (if it was a legitimate aspiration, which now seems doubtful) and his public lying are both our concern.

[Joe Chi Minh]

53. Then it's clear that you eminently deserve the leaders you've had -

excepting the adulters, such as Roosevelt, Eisenhower, JFK, et al.

Really "upright" types, such as Nixon, Johnson and Ford. You're beyond parody. Whatever dial you're left of must be a little to the left of Ayn Rand's ugly moosh.

[leftofthedial]

54. Johnson!!

LOL

You crack me up!

[Joe Chi Minh]

63. Oh was tehre a great shindig about his having adulterous affairs? I must

have missed them. Same with Reagan.

[leftofthedial]

75. I was talking about Edwards penis and you said

Johnson (who was a raging horndog, with more adulterous affairs than any of us could possibly count)

I don't care where they stick their peckers, as long as it's in a consenting adult.

I don't trust liars though.

[Joe Chi Minh]

85. And you're as honest as the day is long. A man who didn't lie about

his adultery to self-righteous, prurient voyeurs, would have to be as shameless as they are.

You think Johnson wasn't a liar? I don't mean about trivial matters such as the Vietnam war, or anything like that... You know real character-defining stuff like adultery.

I don't now if you are a Christian or a Jew or not, but if you are, perhaps you'd like to check God's own description of David, as "a man after my own heart". This, after he had effectively arranged for Uriah the Hittite to be slain in battle, by withdrawing support - so that he could marry Uriah's wife, Bathsheba.

Now, don't you think you should take God to task for not just failing to condemn David in perpetuity (as you rascals do, Edwards) but for praising him literally to the skies ("In my eyes, his throne is like the sun, a faithful witness in the heavens"), even having Christ called Son of David. Remember to show God some tough love. He'll thank you later. It's important He knows what's character-defining.

[leftofthedial]

86. I judge not, lest I be judged

but I don't like being lied to

[LittleClarkie]

57. So in order to be a truely great president, Obama should cheat on Michelle

Or else run the risk of being considered a stuck up old fuddyduddy, eh?

[Joe Chi Minh]

62. Nope. That's a false inference, though understandable from someone

who apparently hasn't observed how shallow outwards appearances of respectability can be. Even more understandable from someone who looks up to Wes Clark, and effortlessly overlooks my implicit point about the far greater sinfulness of presidents committing a country to an unjustifiable war, thereby visiting all the horrors of war upon vast numbers of innocent men, women and children, at home as well as abroad. What are your thoughts on General Smedley Butler? Clark's enthusiasm for bombing Serbian cities is regared by many Europeans as a war crime, I believe. Unprecedented in Europe since WWII.

And conversely, how adulterous politicians, nay statesmen of the highest stature, unlike the "upright" (nb the inverted commas) Nixon types, are not reviled by most of mankind, but their very memory is worshipped all around the globe, in the cases of JFK and Bill Clinton, for the purposeful way they used their office to further the interests of the people of the country, and indeed the world. Although apparently Nixon was almost a Socialist compared to subsequent Republican presidents. But since Wes Clark's CV elicits your respect, I'm sure anything I write on this subject is simply wasted effort.

[EV_Ares]

66. Good points but you are hitting your head against the wall with these evidently

obsessing people. Seems to be a lot of former Clark supporters so I guess they are taking their shots. Really beneficial stuff right. I would say let the little shallow people obsess and stay above it. Hell, all of us are disappointed but thank god not to the rage and extent of these few.

[Crunchy Frog]

71. Yes, let's turn this into an attack on Clark supporters.

:rofl:

Myself, I've decided to vote for John McCain. I just can't bring myself to support for president someone who doesn't have a history of marital infidelity.

[Joe Chi Minh]

78. Great to hear! I wish more of you would.

[Crunchy Frog]

82. Well, the posters on this board have me convinced.

All the great presidents were adulterers, and all the crappy ones were faithful to their spouses. Many posters here have made that point over and over again. They've just finally persuaded me. :)

[Joe Chi Minh]

84. Well don't worry. Some people are slower learners than others. It doesn't mean you're a bad person.

[Blue-Jay]

61. Kleeb had sexual relations?

[JVS]

72. Profiles in Studliness

a college memoir by John Kleeb

[Political Heretic]

74. Real American Heroes!

[Kahuna]

79. Not me. If EE wants to avoid criticism I'm sure she will avoid DU. nt

[snooper2]

83. If it was Mittens or Huckatooth

It would be the same thing..so deal with it..

I think a grown woman can take handle this situation-and I SERIOUSLY doubt Elizabeth Edwards is just sitting around on her ass reading democraticunderground every day :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: