Candidates Offer Views On Infidelity

Katie Couric Asks Whether They Can Understand Voters Who Don't Feel Comfortable Supporting A Candidate Who Cheated

(CBS) 
JOHN EDWARDS

Couric: Harry Truman said, "A man not honorable in his marital relations is not usually honorable in any other." Some people don't feel comfortable supporting a candidate who has not remained faithful to his or her spouse. Can you understand their position?

Edwards: Of course. I mean, for a lot of Americans, including the family that I grew up with ... it's fundamental to how you judge people and human character: Whether you keep your word, whether you keep what is your ultimate word, which is that you love your spouse, and you'll stay with them.

Couric: Do you think ... what about people who use that as a way to evaluate a candidate? In other words, there have been a number of fine presidents according to some analysts ...

Edwards: Right.

Couric: ... who have certainly not been sort of exhibited the greatest moral character ...

Edwards: Right.

Couric: ... when it comes to infidelity ...

Edwards: Right.

Couric: I guess is what I'm getting at.

Edwards: Yes.

Couric: So how important do you think it is in the grand scheme of things?

Edwards: I think the most important qualities in a president in today's world are trustworthiness, sincerity, honesty, strength of leadership. And certainly that goes to a part of that. It's not the whole thing. But it goes to a part of it.

Couric: So you think it's an appropriate way to judge a candidate?

Edwards: Yeah. But I don't think it's controlling. I mean, I think that, as you point out, there have been American presidents that at least according to the ... stories we've all heard, that were not faithful, that were in fact good presidents. So I don't think it controls the issue. But I think it's certain ... something reasonable for people to consider.


MITT ROMNEY

Couric: Harry Truman said, quote, "A man not honorable in his marital relations is not usually honorable in any other." Many people say they don't feel comfortable supporting someone who's not remained faithful to their spouse. Why should they?

Romney: Well, I'm certainly faithful to my spouse, my spouse. Ann and I fell in love in high school. We really our lives revolve around each other. I'd rather be with Ann than any other person in the world. And if I have any extra time, I wanna share it with Ann. That's just the nature of ... our relationship.

I know other people who've had other circumstances. If a marriage doesn't work, if people really can't get along, if they end up really disliking each other, then I guess it's appropriate to go find a new relationship or move away from marriage. But I'd do that. I would recommend people doing that in an honorable way. And there are ways of doing that that are appropriate and ways that are not.

Couric: Well, what do you think of people who base their judgment at least partially on a candidate's ability to remain faithful to his or her spouse?

Romney: You know, I let people look at me any way they want to. I'm not gonna give advice to the American people in which aspects of a person's life they look at. After all, the president of the United States is gonna be under a microscope. He will be. The first lady will be. The whole family will be. Every mistake will be open to the world. In some respects, you respect the nation.

In some respects you represent an example to the children of America. So we're gonna get looked at in all sorts of ways. And I'm not gonna try and counsel the American people as to what to look at. I know they look at my faith, for instance. And I'm happy to have them do so. Some are critical. Some are positive. It's just part of the package. And take me as ... the whole character that I am.

Couric: Do you think that people shouldn't vote for candidates if they are -- commit adultery, for example?

Romney: I think people should be able to do what they want to do. And express their own views when they get into the ... voting booth. I'm not gonna tell them how to ... do that. And I know that people will, again, take their own counsel.


FRED THOMPSON

Couric: Harry Truman said, "A man not honorable in his marital relations is not usually honorable in any other." Some people don't feel comfortable supporting a candidate who hasn't been faithful to his or her spouse. Can you understand their reservations?

Thompson: Yes. I can understand where that's coming from.

Couric: Do you think it's an appropriate way to evaluate a candidate?

Thompson: Everybody's gotta make up their own mind about that. I think that you can evaluate a candidate any way you want to. It's a free country. There are a lot of things that go into it. When we elect a president, we're electing the leader of the free world. We're facing tremendous challenges ahead. I don't think we've come to terms with the nature of the threats against us, really in terms ... of radical Islam and the things we've got to do and the threats to the economy with the growing retirement population, things that, of that nature.

So, nobody's perfect. Everybody has weaknesses and has made mistakes one time or another in life. But everybody's gotta decide for themselves what they want to consider that go into making up. The leader is going to have to deal with these problems of the country.


MIKE HUCKABEE

Couric: Harry Truman said, quote, "A man not honorable in his marital relations is not usually honorable in any other." Many people don't feel comfortable supporting someone who has not remained faithful to his or her spouse.

Huckabee: Uh-huh (AFFIRM).

Couric: Can you understand their position?

Huckabee: I can. If you violate the promise that you made to the one person on earth to whom you're supposed to be closest to, and this vow was made in front of your families, your closest friends, and God, and you don't keep that, then can we trust you to keep a promise that you made to people you don't even know?

And I think that's the parallel. And that's ... the concern. Is, that a promise you make to a spouse is the most sacred one you ever make to anyone on this earth. And if ... you don't keep that, and you break that, then I think there's a good reason to be afraid that you might break other promises, because your credibility ... has really been damaged at that point.

Couric: Having said that, many people might argue, there have been a number of really fine presidents ...

Huckabee: Yeah.

Couric: F.D.R....

Huckabee: Yeah.

Couric: ... even Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy ...

Huckabee: Right. (LAUGHS)

Couric: ... just to name a few.

Huckabee: Uh-huh (AFFIRM).

Couric: And who knows about some of the others ...

Huckabee: Yeah.

Couric: ... who were not faithful to their wives.

Huckabee: I don't think it means that a person can't be a good president. Obviously, there have been some great presidents who had personal issues. I think that's going to be true of all leaders. Nobody's perfect. Nobody. Me, anybody else. We all have flaws.

One of the things that I think I've learned most about life, particularly from my experience of having been a pastor, is that the people that you think are the best people on earth? Well, they've got some secrets sitting in there, about some pretty dark spots.

And the people you think are the dregs of the earth, there's some qualities there. May not be on the surface, but they're there. The capacity to make great decisions is not always the same as the capacity to make really good personal decisions.

But it does come to the matter of, I think, whether the general population will trust you, and that if what you're saying is really true. They may believe that what you do is a good thing. It's just they don't, they may not believe that what you say is necessarily the truth.


RUDY GIULIANI

Couric: Harry Truman once said, "A man not honorable in his marital relations is not usually honorable in any other." Some people say they don't feel comfortable supporting someone who has not remained faithful to his or her spouse. Can you understand their reservations?

Giuliani: Sure, I can. Absolutely. You know, they look the every single part of us. And the ... only thing I can say to people is I'm not perfect, you know? And I've made mistakes in my life. And that ... not just in that area. In other areas and I try to learn from it. I try to -- I feel sorry about them. I try to learn from them so I don't repeat them.

Sometimes I even repeat them and ... you try again. I mean, you ... so -- I have a, maybe a more generous view of human beings and a more generous view of life. I mean, it comes from growing up as a Catholic. I mean, we're all sinners. We're all struggling. We're all trying hard. We ask for forgiveness, and then we try to improve ourselves again. And I've -- relate to other people that way. Relate to the world that way.

Couric: How important is the politician's relationship with his or her children?

Giuliani: I think it's important. And it -- but, no more important than anybody's relationship with their children. There's nothing special about politicians' relationship or a lawyer's relationship or a ... news anchors relationship with their children. Or a baseball player's relationship with their children.

It's all ... the same as far as the relationship between a ... parent and a child. Often, they're real complicated. Often, they're least understood from the outside. They're best understood from the inside. But, I don't think there's anything special about politicians' relationship with their children. Except maybe for a high profile person, and sometimes the problems that that creates.

[coolprophet]

RON PAUL WINS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
According to Google Trends, if the election happened today, Ron Paul would be the next U.S. President. In competition with Hillary Clinton, Ron Paul wins. Ron Paul is the most searched for presidential candidate in the 2008 election. What the sold-out mainstream media mouthpieces doesn''t realize, and what the neocons don''t realize, is that Google is all-powerful, even beyond them. Google Trends accurately predicted the last U.S. President--George W. Bush.

[justamere]

There was a time in Canada if the King or Queen came to visit the country, in rural areas schools would be let out and the children would stand near the railroad to wave their hands when he/she went by.

Public officials were honored and were expected to at least in public set an exemplary example of morality and good values.

Hollywood, the media, and liberal teachers and professors seem to have changed all that, and I don''t think we''re better off for it.

Still, I continue to believe that the majority in America, at least those in rural areas, continue to hold morality and faithfulness to one''s spouse and children near and dear to their hearts.

Of course it''s important for politicians who make the laws of the land and represent America and Americans nationally and abroad to demonstrate morality.

Couric''s questions were valid, a big part of America wants to know where the presidential candidates stand on values and morality.

My vote''s for Mitt Romney!

[coolprophet]

ron paul has been faithful to his wife for fifty years also to the people in his district look at his voting record for the past thirty years this will prove his honesty level is far above and beyond the other canidates this competition these are true facts those who do not learn from history are bound to repeat thee mistakes google ron paul 08

[joelstephenb]

While on one hand Huckabee and Edwards are correct, you must also consider the fact that many people make mistakes. However, you can tell when someone has sincerely realized their mistake and decided to correct the behavior. Continuously, abusing the woman you are married to by carrying on an affair with another woman is never correct.

Obviously, as some posters have said the issues should be the most important consideration but this adamant assertion that morals don%u2019t matter makes no logical sense. We have to have a point where we say a persons personal life carries weight on his candidacy. Otherwise, we could have a man that%u2019s states he%u2019s a pedophile run for office. Let%u2019s try this %u2018interview%u2019 out.

Reporter: Sir, it is said that you prefer *** with children. Since, you haven%u2019t been convicted this doesn%u2019t disqualify you but why should we vote for a man that believes as you do?
Candidate: Well, I believe a candidate%u2019s personal life should have nothing to do with why a person votes for them but we should look at their position on the issues and since I was let off of having *** with that child on a technicality, I%u2019m free to run for office.

Can we not see the ludicrousness of saying a candidate%u2019s moral life is unimportant to who we vote for? Has society really become that stupid? The only question is do you think that person has crossed the line or not.

[superdem]

This is such B.S. !! It''s nobody''s business what you do in your personal life !! There is no correlation between marital fidelity and leadership. Bush is completely faithful to his wife, but he''s a pathological liar and is the worst President America has ever had ! Did Cheney ever cheat on his wife ? WHO CARES - he''s a demon from the corporate underworld ! Some of the best Presidents who saved America in times of crisis cheated !! It''s utter nonsense to even consider this ! The same people who pontificate on this hate Hillary Clinton - because she did NOT divorce her husband ! The marriage vow is not "until you cheat" - it''s "until death do us part" so Hillary SHOULD be the MODEL of what marriage means. Does she get any credit from the Save Marriage Family Values crowd ? HECK NO - she could discover the cure for cancer and they''d still hate her. They call themselves Christians but they are sick, sick, sick. I don''t believe humans are naturally monogamous, if they were, there would be no divorce rate, yet it is over 50% ! Don''t blame it on the ''60''s - none of the great apes are monogamous, you have to go down to the gibbons to find monogamy in wild primates. Certainly the cavemen were not monogamous, figures in the Bible had more than one wife, they cheated all the time, the arabs are not monogamous even today. And those Mormons, well..enuf said.

[Syndicate]

I think it would be Hypocritcal of Republicans to support Rudy after blasting Clinton for his extraciricular activities. I also think it would be Hypocritical to support Romney after blasting Kerry for flipfloping. Perhaps some marriages were not meant to be but as Romney said their is an honorable way to end them you don''t go out get a misstress and expect the wife at home to be happy. Obviously the one who cheats is the problem in the relationship.

[mudrose-2009]

I''m wonder if any of them know how to spell it.

[gunownerdan]

Both Bill Clinton and Rudy Giuliani have cheated on their wives, people they are supposed to love, respect, and swore an oath to be faithful to.
If they can''t even keep a promise to their loved ones, how are they supposed to keep promises to the American people who are complete strangers?
The fact is, they can''t!

[nativewoman]

Posted by mbcsmith at 10:16 AM : Dec 20, 2007

Obama was disagreeing with the casual approach taken by other countries. He said he thinks that infidelity should disqualify the candidate.

I see nothing wrong with considering how other people and other countries approach various issues. As with Obama, that doesn''t mean one accepts the way others do things.

All information and approaches should be considered regarding any issue to make informed, thoughtful decisions.

[klifton2-2009]

Stupid question! What and how do you expect the candidates to reply? Of course, they will say things YOU like to hear but behind close doors, anything can happen, has happened, and will happen. If infidelity is frowned upon and is a "sin," which is rightly so in an ideal world, then both Houses would be pretty much empty.

[watcher269-2009]

Just look at Cheney. He''s *** Bush!

[omega39-2009]

I sent a comment as well I hope they send it on ha ha Omega you are the best
Posted by starleo

Thanks Starleo! To expound on my previous thoughts, during WW2 many German citizens broke the law and secretly listened to the BBC because they could not believe the press that was controlled by the German Propaganda Ministry. Many of these people were turned in by their neighbors and in some cases unwittingly by their children. We now have unprecedented access to news beyond our boarders but as the sources have increased exponentially, so have the ways to monitor those who would use them.

[starleo146]

Hey, I got the same email and signed the same petition. Every authoritarian government throughout history has co-opted the press to keep the citizens in the dark. That is what is happening here, remember when republicans set out to make PBS more "fair and balanced"?

Posted by omega39 at 10:12 AM : Dec 20, 2007

I sent a comment as well I hope they send it on ha ha Omega you are the best

[mbcsmith]

Interesting that Obama looks to other countries when responding. Should America set it''s standards based on other countries standards?

[starleo146]

I''''m one of those that does not care what a person does in his-her private life. As long as they do the job that they were elected to do. That''''s all that matters to me.

Posted by pollroller1 at 09:39 AM : Dec 20, 200

I think you are right for some reason the news media is into everyones business and forgot how to report news. It is all about a Splash of Tabloid and who can report the dirt first and how stupendous the report can be. It is not our business about peoples lives unless they committed a crime or got killed no more dirt on anyone please. Did you like her question do you think we should vote for someone who had an incidence of fidelity. SHE WANTS TO DESTROY HILLARY It will take more than her to do it but the media is sure trying and they may do it.

[omega39-2009]

I got a e-mail to sign a petion this morning , It seems thee Fcc gave Rupert Murdoch more access to other station that is what we need more Faux Nooz opinions everywhere. control the justice dept. ,control supreme court and now control the media just before the election huh

Posted by starleo14672

Hey, I got the same email and signed the same petition. Every authoritarian government throughout history has co-opted the press to keep the citizens in the dark. That is what is happening here, remember when republicans set out to make PBS more "fair and balanced"?

[azcagirl]

I don''t care what they do in their personal lives either as long as it is legal. And is it just me or does Huckabee sound like a complete moron? He is trying to become president for crying out loud, you think he would learn to use regular words instead of "uh-huh". It just sounds ignorant to me.

[starleo146]

Katie you couldn''t be a reporter if your life depended on it. Get real and please figure it out we do not want tabloid we want real news you are a doofus and are hurting women everywhere

[starleo146]

Hi Starleo, long time no see. I suspect even Katie Couric couldn''''t have come up with such a blase story without guidance from the corporate powers that be. Early in the Republican debates, when Huckabee was in single digits, he made a comment that outsourcing has to be stopped because it is destroying America (or something to that effect). since he has reached top tier status there has been no repeat. The corporations and their shills want no discussion of what is good for the people because it would ultimately be bad for the corporate bottom line.

Posted by omega39 at 09:57 AM : Dec 20, 2007
+ report

I got a e-mail to sign a petion this morning , It seems thee Fcc gave Rupert Murdoch more access to other station that is what we need more Faux Nooz opinions everywhere. control the justice dept. ,control supreme court and now control the media just before the election huh

[omega39-2009]

What is it with Katie Couric is she for real or what? Please get her away from the television, she hurts every woman who has a real brain, and will probably hurt these women from being noticed. What is her salary again? Wonder why she asked this particular question, every one knows how she feels about Hillary, and it is a stab against her. Once again Her husband was guilty of infidelity, she didn''''t fool with Monica, and she shouldn''''t be held responsible for his actions.

Posted by starleo14672

Hi Starleo, long time no see. I suspect even Katie Couric couldn''t have come up with such a blase story without guidance from the corporate powers that be. Early in the Republican debates, when Huckabee was in single digits, he made a comment that outsourcing has to be stopped because it is destroying America (or something to that effect). since he has reached top tier status there has been no repeat. The corporations and their shills want no discussion of what is good for the people because it would ultimately be bad for the corporate bottom line.