I'm not a McCain supporter, but I can't believe the spin put on this. I would say that Obama probably can't even believe this spin. How can we possibly talk about infidelity in todays terms and not mention Bill Clinton, but talk about the POW who came back from war and then married the woman he is still with. This kind of thing is what gives people like fox "news" all that "fair and balanced" talk. Not only that, but John Edwards and his wife have asked for privacy, to play it politically is really mean.

Yup, talk about spin.

Comparing Edwards, the "clean" family man who ran for president and should know better to a pow who just got out of hanoi hilton and was not even thinking politics.

McCain being a POW doesn't make his treatment of his first wife any better.

Comparing Edwards, the "clean" family man who ran for president and should know better to a pow who just got out of hanoi hilton and was not even thinking politics.

As a matter of fact, McCain came back from Nam in '73, found his wife disfigured in an accident, had several affairs in the following years, started his relationship with Cindy in late 79, divorced his wife in a hurry in 1980 and married Cindy weeks later. According to biographers, he had been thinking of running for office since the late 70's, and knew the opportunity would come with a new congressional seat opening for AZ in the upcoming redistricting. He began running in 1981 for the new seat, and was elected in 82, using Cindy's money and family connections. That's just history.

And the issue here is not comparing Edwards to McCain: while McCain's behavior was more egregious, it was a long time ago and Edwards's was of course far more stupid. The real question is whether a focusing of the public attention on morals and on Edwards' extramarital affair is more likely to hurt Obama or McCain. The latter certainly has more to lose, because of his personal history and already shaky support from the religious right. Obama for all we know is squeaky clean on that side, so it's hard to imagine he could be tarred with the misbehavior of a person he ran against; plus, core Democratic supporters are far less judgmental as far as sexual transgressions go.

Tellingly, note that the McCain campaign is not touching the Edwards subject with a 10-foot pole. I don't expect them to unless they get really desperate.

What the fuck does Edwards have to do with McCain, at all? Why are people even using Edwards to bring up McCain?

It's cheap and tacky.

What the fuck does Edwards have to do with McCain, at all? Why are people even using Edwards to bring up McCain?

It's cheap and tacky.

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Because these losers are showing their own desperation by trying to project Edwards tawdriness onto McCain.

What the fuck does Edwards have to do with McCain, at all? Why are people even using Edwards to bring up McCain?

You guys are absolutely right: the Edwards affair has nothing to do with McCain, or Obama. In a country with a sane media system, this would stay in the pages of the Enquirer, while serious journalists would focus their campaign coverage on real issues of relevance to the country.

BUT, since the media happen to be obsessed with trivialities (rev. Wright, lapel pins, fist bumps and so on) and the question of the political impact of this pathetic affaire has been raised among the political punditry, then it is fair to ask who would be most affected by it. And the answer seems to be, for a number of reasons, John McCain.

Thanks for the timeline, but it doesn't really undercut what the poster was saying.

McCain came back a changed man, and returned to a woman who was markedly changed as well. His behavior towards here was callous - he's admitted as such, but I won't judge a guy who was put through hell for 5 1/2 years for something that he did 25-20 years ago.

I'd have to believe that spending the time McCain did where he did was transformational. Since I don't know if my behavior would be any better under identical circumstances, I won't judge.