Political Hotsheet
By

Brian Montopoli /

CBS News/ August 13, 2009, 6:13 PM

Report: Edwards to Admit Fathering Ex-Mistress' Child

(CBS/ AP)
Former North Carolina Senator and Democratic Presidential and Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards is expected to admit that he is the father of the 18-month-old daughter of former mistress Rielle Hunter, sources tell CBS affiliate WRAL.

Edwards acknowledged the affair last summer but has previously denied that he fathered the child, whose name is Frances.

As WRAL notes, longtime Edwards aide Andrew Young initially claimed paternity but is now writing a book in which he will say Edwards is the girl's actual father.

Hunter testified last week at the federal courthouse where a grand jury is investigating whether campaign funds were illegally used to buy her silence.

The sources told WRAL Edwards could acknowledge paternity before the investigation concludes.
© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
116 Comments Add a Comment
linkicon reporticon emailicon
NinthSt78 says:
Would the holiness have been more palatable if it had been served a la carte? Some folks just don't trust apples.
reply
linkicon reporticon emailicon
NinthSt78 says:
Have we forgotten the line "Christians aren't perfect but can forgive and be forgiven?" Have a heart and give the poor guy a break. Haven't you ever tried on ten pairs and still ended up with sore feet? I have.
reply
linkicon reporticon emailicon
duffyn says:
Only a idiot would use this to bash liberals. Come on man, repugnants and dems are equal opportunity impregnators!
reply
linkicon reporticon emailicon
daquanna says:
Will His wife now keep calling the baby "it"? Hope she treats the child kindly and not be indifferent to him. Her past statements on the View and other time were not to kind about how she felt on the matter. Keep the lord in your life Mrs. Edwards I pray.
reply
linkicon reporticon emailicon
mrstracy1 says:
What is the big deal? Clinton had umpteen affairs before, during, and after the White House. Hillary certainly knew. He probably fathered UMPTEEN unacknowledged children. So, Edwards had an affair. Doesn't everyman?
reply
linkicon reporticon emailicon
JayEaton says:
what a d**k........!!
reply
linkicon reporticon emailicon
mypatch says:
This man is a pure waste. He can't tell the truth if his life depended on it. But then, most of us are the same. No one in this world walks on water. What have we got running our country? I hope they are not all like this. He is no Christian and I resent anyone saying he is.
reply
linkicon reporticon emailicon
lafemmekatia says:
It has nothing to do with Democrat or Republican or Christian or whatever. It's all about people in positions of power and prestige and usually who have too much money. They think they are entitled to do whatever they want, and the "rules" don't apply to them.
reply
linkicon reporticon emailicon
get_down says:
Mr. John Edwards turns out to be a cheater and disgraced loser after all - all due to his own creation of this scandal in the first place!
reply
linkicon reporticon emailicon
jrantoine17 says:
Someone help me out with the timeline of this b/c I'm not seeing or hearing any mention of this. Because if Edwards is the father, then that completely throws off the previous timeline given for the affair and when it ended.... The child involved is 18 months? So she was born around Feb 2008? Which means She was conceived approximately 9 months earlier, around April-May 2007? This is four months after Edwards declared his candidacy, 8 months and counting til Iowa caucuses. Previously he said that the affair ended like in November or December 2006 right? So really all along, this was an ongoing thing. And now reports come out saying it started in early 2006, so this more than likely lasted for well over a year and was not just a one time dalliance as it was initially portrayed.

And for the record, I don't feel one way or the other about John Edwards. I've never been a fan but I've never been a hater. It's just tragic for the family. Normally I wouldn't comment on a tabloid sex story but I'm just surprised that no one is connecting the dots in the media or at least publicly spelling it all out for everyone that this affair was not over in December 2006.
reply
See all 116 Comments