Elizabeth Edwards: Trust Is Biggest Hurdle

Wife of Ex-Candidate Says She Is Focused On Children, Health Reform Since News Of Husband's Affair Became Public

(CBS/AP)  The wife of former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards says her husband's extramarital affair has allowed her to focus on the importance of her children and health reform as she goes through "an ongoing process of finding your feet again."

"There's a lot of adjustment to make," Elizabeth Edwards told the Detroit Free Press. "When you mention trust, that's probably the most difficult hurdle."

The interview came she returned to the public stage this week to speak about health care, more than a month after her husband acknowledged that he repeatedly lied about being unfaithful in 2006.

Elizabeth Edwards, 59, had been quiet about the affair, only discussing it in a brief statement last month in which she pleaded for privacy and said her husband confessed the affair to her in 2006.

The two-time Democratic presidential candidate and former North Carolina Senator publicly admitted last month to an extramarital affair with campaign videographer Rielle Hunter.

"I made a very serious mistake. A mistake that I am responsible for and no one else," John Edwards said when news of his affair became public. "In 2006, I told Elizabeth about the mistake, asked for her forgiveness, asked God for His forgiveness."

Elizabeth Edwards has remained quiet about her husband's infidelity - issuing only a brief statement last month saying "I am proud of the courage John showed by his honesty in the face of shame."

She spoke with the paper ahead of a visit to Detroit next month to talk about coping with life's setbacks, including the loss of her teenage son in an auto accident and her 2004 cancer diagnosis.

She said she wants her children - Cate, 26, Emma Claire, 10, and Jack, 8 - to have an image of their father as "an advocate for poverty, not for this current picture of him to be the only one they carry with them, as young people and as adults."

"I have to prepare for the possibility if I die before they are grown," she said, of helping them "function without an involved, engaged and admiring parent. So I need to create the picture for them that I want them to have."

On Tuesday - her first public appearance since word of the affair became public - Edwards spoke to a Philadelphia audience, keeping her remarks limited to health care policy.

After being diagnosed with cancer herself, she has become a respected speaker on the subject.

As CBS News correspondent Bianca Solorzano reported, Edwards said she was "more discouraged than I was before" that the nation's economic problems might draw attention and money that might have been spent on fixing the health care system.

Audience members asked no questions about her private life, and Edwards did not mention the affair.

Meanwhile, John Edwards has canceled all of his public events until after the election, saying in a statement through his publicist he doesn't want to be a distraction to his party's ticket.

[blackyowe]

Kennedy fooled around but was a good president.

[mydiatribe]

Sadly, some women swim in the same pool for so long they never make it to the ocean!

[cricketmk3]

So...in 2006 John Edwards confessed to Elizabeth that he had been involved with Hunter...then allegedly fathered a daughter with Hunter in Feb, 2008? What did Elizabeth do...give him permission in 2006 to continue on?

[michaelm07]

I don''t see how they are much different. They both sold their souls for politics. This is just about her trying to reapir her image and they probably both sit around calculating which move will put them back in the spotlight. Yes, it is sad that she has cancer but she didn''t let it stop her from pushing him towards the Presidency. I have empathy for her, but pity for neither.

[longtree-2009]

Surprised if Elizabeth has anyone''s trust herself after lying just like Edwards. Very surprised anyone would trust anything she has to say on any topic. Color Elizabeth and John Edwards, bright "liar".

[bpai99]

She''s right about trust - after discovering that she was abetting her husband''s lies, I don''t trust Elizabeth Edwards. Why isn''t she also apologizing, in her case for misleading her supporters and the voters?

[tmittelstaed]

From ketemkin:

"...This is a recipe for disaster, but realistically, what man can resist this kind of temptation on a daily basis? I would say his marriage was missing something that he wasnt getting..."

Lots of men resist this every day. And this is nothing more than blame the wife for the husband''s cheating. If hubby isn''t getting *** in the marriage then he can seek a divorce FIRST and THEN play the field.

From Tx2Democrats:

"...yes, thats right, men are dogs and any woman who believes that her man is the most faithful, dream on sweeties..."

Oh really? So I guess it''s perfectly OK with you that Rielle Hunter knew perfectly well that John was married yet screwed him anyway? Did ya know that writer Jay McInerney, one of Hunter''s former boyfriends, described a character he based on Hunter as sexually voracious? And that Hunter''s sister personally apologized to Elizabeth Edwards for Rielle''s behavior? John was a dog, for sure, but Rielle is also as white trash as they come. She''s also not as cute as Elizabeth.

[kansas1946]

and I wouldn''''t be a bit surprised to learn that both of the Obama''''s also knew of this "indiscretion". Elizabeth should be ashamed of herself for the cover-up and not revealing it. She cared more about what others would''''ve thought, instead of caring about how the cover-up potentially altered the campaign outcome. The Edwards'''' did to Hillary what John did to his adultress.

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LOL. I doubt very seriously that the Obama''s knew about little John''s indescretion during the primaries. Most of the Edwards folks went to Obama, so I doubt it would have made any difference.

[kansas1946]

Look folks, we (the American people) did not embrace John Edwards...at least we have THAT going for us. Perhaps we''''ve learned to spot a phony (after electing the corrupt and incompetent George Bush). There IS hope for our country. If common sense continues to rule the day, McCain (McBush) won''''t have a chance in h.e.l.l. of winning in November. Thank God for that.


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Posted by CitizenUSA at 09:53 PM : Sep 18, 2008
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Excellent point. I guess we did see through him. John McCain is out of touch with reality and I wouldn''t trust that VP pick of his as far as I could throw her. Just something not right about that woman.

[citizenusa-2009]

truewords: The person(s) that SHOULD be held accountable are the architects of this ILLEGAL AND BLOODY WAR. Our men and women have died and been maimed by the THOUSANDS. Now THAT''S CRIMINAL.

[truewords-2009]

Isn''t it interesting that Elizabeth is "proud of john for being honest in the face of shame". He repeatedly lied to us for two years. What part of honest is she talking about. I''m glad he asked God''s forgiveness and Elizabeth''s forgiveness, but I guess it''s perfectly alright to lie to the rest of us...how about asking our forgiveness? Lying is a sin too.
I can understand wanting your children to have a good memory of their dad, but guilting the media into not pushing the story because she has cancer and may not live is just manipulation. He made the choice, as a public figure, to commit adultery-he should have considered his family before the fact, not after. I feel very sorry his family is being drug through his dirt. They should him accountable.

[citizenusa-2009]

Look folks, we (the American people) did not embrace John Edwards...at least we have THAT going for us. Perhaps we''ve learned to spot a phony (after electing the corrupt and incompetent George Bush). There IS hope for our country. If common sense continues to rule the day, McCain (McBush) won''t have a chance in h.e.l.l. of winning in November. Thank God for that.

[brundage3]

Immorality sucks.

It sucks to be immoral.

What IS "Immoral?" Ah... Well,,, it is when a Presidential candidate makes a huge sexual mistake, confesses to his wife, but then neither he OR his wife mention it to the general public while he is running and it becomes public through the media.

But it is NOT immoral when a candidate knows their own child has made a huge sexual mistake and the candidate does not tell anyone even when they are to be nominated for Vice President and it becomes public only through the media.

Of course the latter is not immoral. iT SHOULD not BE CONSIDERED IMMORAL AND NEITHER SHOULD THE FORMER.

Palin''s qualification for Vice President has nother to tdo with the private lives of her or her family. And Edwards value as a political leader has nothing to do with a mistake in private life either.

What is immoral about all this? It is OUR being so piously judgmental about either. Shame on We the people.

[republic1776]

This is the cost of being to a Democrat.
Life means NOTHING to the Democrat.
Too bad your mother did not abort you.
We could have saved you all of the pain.

[credibility2]

Although I''m sorry for Elizabeth''s terminal cancer, I''m still furious over her having known about this prior to her husband declaring his candidacy for president. Had either revealed this sleazy affair right after his candidacy, there would''ve been plenty of pressure for him to step down. His remaining in the race possibly impacted votes for Hillary Clinton, and I wouldn''t be a bit surprised to learn that both of the Obama''s also knew of this "indiscretion". Elizabeth should be ashamed of herself for the cover-up and not revealing it. She cared more about what others would''ve thought, instead of caring about how the cover-up potentially altered the campaign outcome. The Edwards'' did to Hillary what John did to his adultress.

[tx2democrats]

what an embarrassment John and Liz are to the Dems, go away please....stay out of the public, hang out with Vider and his leopard wearing wife, y''all are just disgusting to the American public, no one admirers you two any longer....go away....just go away.

[tx2democrats]

Elizabeth and John brought the Dem''s down to the level of Republicans, no morals, no respect for the American public. Thanks alot you dumb-A$$es, what the f''ing were you thinking, that this would not be found out, you live for the media, we all know everything about you and thanks to your lies and deceit, we are looking no better than Two-Timing McGoo.

[tx2democrats]

I feel bad for what Elizabeth is going through, bless your soul.

BUT...

she lied to the American people by not saying
something when the news broke about the affair
last Oct. She will always be remembered
for not speaking up and forcing her husband
to speak the truth. This is not a quality of an honest woman. She was self-serving and power-hungry. She needs to apologize to all Democrats for the mess they created during the primaries.

We have no respect for liers like Elizabeth Edwards.
We don''t even think of John Edwards as still in politics, he needs to go away. This is what happens when you judge Bill Clinton for being a man, yes, thats right, men are dogs and any woman who believes that her man is the most faithful, dream on sweeties.

[hypnotoad72]

%u201CI think this President has shown a remarkable disrespect for his office, for the moral dimensions of leadership, for his friends, for his wife, for his precious daughter. It is breathtaking to me the level to which that disrespect has risen.%u201D %u2014 John Edwards, Feb. 12, 1999

Now while it''s true people can change their mindset over time, I have to wonder how John went from bashing Clinton''s cheating to wanting tolerance for his own. Where''s the impetus or catalyst to justify his own "Forgive me, waaaaaaaaah!" song and dance? Perhaps there is a slight reprieve in John''s favor, as he didn''t do anything in the Oval Office... he did it somewhere else like how all philandering jerks tend to do it.

I genuinely feel sorry for Ms Edwards. What her husband did behind her back was sick; while there are problems in life, infidelity of this sort just can''t ever be justified. Never mind a terminal illness (thankfully not a STD)... she is very brave indeed for talking.

[dogsoul]

"They are human, like McCain divorcing and marrying a 20 year younger wife, Palin''''s daughter getting pregnant, Obama being raised by a single mother."

I don''t define being human by the evil I do - that takes away from my humanity - in fact, it''s considered inhumane. There''s nothing wrong with marrying a person 20 years younger, especially later in life. And Palin''s daughter getting pregnant early by someone she loves isn''t good timing, it''s not responsible - but it''s not evil. Obama''s father DID abandon his son, but that''s not Obama''s fault. So if you want to compare wrongs here - I think your only legitimate comparison is Obama''s father & this charlatan known as Edwards. They abandoned & betrayed those they were supposed to love in their greatest time of need. That is not being ''human'' lady, that''s being an animal. Get it straight.


Your lack of compassion is sickening, but I firmly believe your petty little lives are in the minority. You have my sympathy.