Rielle Hunter: John Edwards "Reckless" for Continuing Presidential Campaign

Updated 3:55 p.m. ET

John Edwards was "reckless" to stay in the 2008 presidential race, his mistress Rielle Hunter said in an interview with GQ Magazine, because he had "a lot of problems." Still, Hunter said, Edwards is better off as a humanitarian than a politician, and she compared his situation with that of scandal-ridden South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford.

"He had already been vetted for a vice presidential campaign. And he had a lot of problems going on that nobody knew about. So no, I didn't think he should run," Hunter said about Edwards.

Hunter said she told Edwards to wait at least until April 2007 before getting back in the race "based upon intuition. And my small knowledge of astrology."

When Edwards announced in March 2007 he was staying in the race in spite of the fact that his wife Elizabeth Edwards' cancer had returned, "I really viewed it as reckless," Hunter said. "And what's interesting is that she wanted to stay in. That's the key. He wanted to get out, and she wanted to stay in."

Elizabeth Edwards was in denial about problems with her marriage, Hunter said. When asked whether she meant problems with other women, Hunter said, "In part, yes."

While it is improbable John Edwards could ever revive his political career, Hunter said, "I don't really believe he was a politician."

"I believe his ego and ambition drove him to that field," she said. "I believe he's more aligned with being a humanitarian."

Hunter said that Edwards first denied being the father of their child because "he was traumatized."

"He had been living a life that was now exposed... Like Mark Sanford," she said, referring to the South Carolina's exposed extramarital affair with a woman in Argentina. "A hidden life, when it is exposed, is a traumatic event for the person going through it. And they're not in their right mind. Anyone going through that should never speak publicly. And what they say, if they do speak publicly, should be forgiven."

Hunter also posed for some photos to go along with the story, which you can see at the top and below. The nature of the photos surprised Hunter when she saw the final products, Barbara Walters said on ABC's "The View" this morning. Hunter reportedly "cried for two hours" after she saw the pictures she deemed "repulsive."

Stephanie Condon

Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.

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