So, John Edwards admited to having an affair in 2006. I've heard the reaction of those in the media, of David Bonier, former Edwards campaign manager, and of bloggers from the right and left. My reaction: Who cares? Who cares what someone does in their personal life unless they make that aspect of their personal life into a public issue (i.e. Vitter and Craig)? Who cares about an affair that someone had who hasn't held elected office since 2005 and is not running for office currently? Why is this such a big story when there are so many issues that matter so much more?
The media is covering this story non-stop. It is ridiculous. Why not inform the American people about where the Presidential candidates stand on the issues instead? What is this affair story doing to advance the much needed conversation among Americans of all backgrounds about the future of this country? Nothing, nothing at all.
For once, I wish the media would leave these tabloid stories to the tabloids. There is nothing wrong with the media pointing out the hypocrisies of David Vitter and Larry Craig, or the illegal doings of Elliot Spitzer, but this John Edwards story has none of that. John Edwards is not a hypocrite; he never put himself and his morals on a pedestal while criticizing those of others and, of course, Edwards did nothing illegal.
Too often we let politicians' personal lives get in the way of what they do for the country. Some of our best Presidents have been lacking in the morality department --- Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Clinton, etc. And the Presidents who arguably have been the most moral --- Nixon and Bush --- have turned out to be two of the worst Presidents in American history. The bottom line is this: we elect politicians to better this country and to advance the issues we care about. We do not elect them for their morality. John Edwards was a politician, a great one at that. He served the people of North Carolina well and advanced the issues they cared about. He then went on to represent and become a strong voice for the hard working men and women of America in this campaign season. John Edwards tried and succeeded in many of those ways, both as a Senator and a Presidential candidate. That is what should be discussed when we talk about John Edwards --- not this man's personal life.
