Gotcha

They finally beat it out of him.

Am I disappointed? Yes, a little--as with Bill Clinton and Gary Hart, I just want to ask: What the hell were you thinking? When you're in the media spotlight, it might be a good idea to at least try to make your personal life above reproach. Edwards was not out of the media spotlight in 2006, far from it; he was laying the groundwork for a 2008 presidential campaign. So no, this wasn't smart.

But who am I to judge? I'm not one of those people who is shocked at news of marital infidelity. This certainly isn't the first time a man cheated on his wife, or cheated on his wife when she had cancer. In the grand scheme of things, this one is pretty tame: there were no high-class hookers, gay sex, diaper fetishes or cross-dressing. It's all rather pedestrian. Maybe we can do better next time, spice it up a little, 'mmkay?

It's all very interesting to me. John Kennedy had his affair with Marilyn Monroe, George HW Bush had his longterm romance with Jennifer Fitzgerald, and the press politely ignored it all. But that was a different era. Times have changed, I get that.

I do have to question the media's double standard. It seems Democrats are always held to a higher standard of moral rectitude, even though Republicans are supposedly the "moral values party." David Vitter can prance around with hookers in a diaper, Larry Craig can plead guilty to soliciting sex in a public bathroom, and both men keep their Senate seats and the world continues to turn.

Remember Vicki Iseman? Boy, that story sure disappeared in a hurry.

Go figure. Guess it's just one of those things.

Edwards Endorses Obama

Breaking on CNN: John Edwards is endorsing Obama. And he's saying some really nice things about Hillary Clinton as he does so:

She cares about our men and women who are putting their lives on the line in Iraq and Afghanistan. This tenacity has shown her strength and determination, she is a woman who in my judgment is made of steel and she's a leader in this country, not because of her husband but because of what she has done. Because of speaking out. Because of standing up.

And when this nomination battle is over, and it will be over soon, brothers and sisters we must come together as Democrats and in the fall stand together for what matters for the future of America and make America what it needs to be. And we are a stronger party because Hillary Clinton is a Democrat. We are a stronger country because of her years of public service and we're going to have a stronger presidential nominee in the fall because of her work.

Now, what brought all of us here is a profound belief that we can change this country. That there are service men and women in Iraq who can come home starting today. That our kids deserve to go to better schools than we went to. That we can run our cars on something other than oil. That have good jobs that fill these empty factories. And that the anxiety that all of our people face every day can change when we finally make two Americas one America. For every single one of us.

Sigh. He was my pick for president. I thought he combined the rhetorical skills of Obama and the steel and strength of Hillary Clinton. Oh well.

Obama it is.

[Update]

And Loud Obbs is throwing a hissy fit that this great show appears to be over. Hilarious.