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John Edwards 'Love' for His Child Is as Political as His Hair

by Sasha Brown-Worsham on June 18, 2012 at 7:43 AM

When you think John Edwards, you think sleazebag. The married father of three whose wife was dying of cancer took up with the uber skeevy Rielle Hunter, knocked her up, and then tried to deny it by saying his campaign aide was the father. To add insult to injury, he stood trial for using campaign funds to hide her.

Of course we all know this story. And now with Hunter's memoir (What Really Happened: John Edwards, Our Daughter, and Me), we could know more than we ever want to know about this once-Presidential candidate who played the loving family man while secretly being a complete liar.

Ah, but we haven't seen the last of that John Edwards "charm," have we? Even though he narrowly escaped jail time for his alleged role in using campaign funds to hide his mistress, Edwards still wants the public to think he is a stand-up guy (ha!).

In a news conference following his trial, Edwards told the public that he loved Quinn “more than any of you can ever imagine.” Quinn is now 4 years old and living with her mother in North Carolina. While he said all this, his grown daughter Cate was beside him. It's easy to imagine she must be well versed in hearing his lies by now.

The rest of us need to get used to it. In her book, Hunter says: “He is a great dad to her when he is with her." One could read those words as tinged with bitterness. "When he is with her ... " She cites his obligations to his other children as the reason Edwards is not always with her.

The book has many photos of daddy and daughter looking happy. And while it IS good that he has at least acknowledged her, at this point, his "love" feels more like an attempt to salvage his destroyed image and career than any genuine emotion. Or maybe it's just that I have a hard time believing a man who spent most of his career lying about ANYTHING now.

That poor baby girl has two major sleazebags for parents. It would be nice to believe he is being sincere, but my suspicion is he forgot what that word even means.

Do you think his "love" for his child is political?

 

Image via marcn/Flickr

Filed Under: politics

Comments

5
  • bills...
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    billsfan1104

    June 18, 2012 at 8:16 AM
    I dont understand why its up to you or anyone else to question his love for his child. You dont know what is in his heart. He could very well love his "other" child, but couldnt express that, because of the death of Elizabeth.
  • hotrd...
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    hotrdumommy

    June 18, 2012 at 8:27 AM

    I agree with billsfan on this one. I do believe that he loves all of his children. My beef is that she blames his obligations to his children with Elizabeth for him not being around much for Quinn. Umm Ms. Hunter you do realize that those children were there when you started messing around with him. They are not going to step aside to accomodate your feelings. Sorry just can't happen.


  • pupuk...
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    pupukeawahine

    June 18, 2012 at 11:50 AM

    Even really despicable people can love their own child.  She is a precious little girl.  I'm sure he knows that and loves her.  Who knows what is in the heart of others or why they have done what they have.


  • CPN322
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    CPN322

    June 18, 2012 at 11:54 AM

    Just because he cheated on his wife, which is terrible, does not mean that he doesn't have great love for ALL of his children. I'd be more surprised to learn that he didn't then that he did. Speculating this is really just a waste of time as people lie and we aren't mind readers. Actions do speak louder then words though so perhaps we will see.


  • DebaLa
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    DebaLa

    June 18, 2012 at 12:40 PM

    "To add insult to injury, he stood trial for using campaign funds to hide her."

    ...the "insult to injury" is that he got away with it.

    And his public declarations of undying love for his love child is politically, econmically and legally motivated... like everything else he does. It's all about perception, and he's got a lot of image-laundering to do.


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