‘This Week’ Interview with Edwards the Day Elizabeth Learned of Affair
EmailSo Elizabeth Edwards now says she was told about her husband’s affair on Dec. 30, 2006, the day of our interview.
John and Elizabeth Edwards did run late that day (we were told it was due to a late plane arrival the night before), but the interview was still pretty early in the am.
I guess I have a hard time believing they could have pulled off this performance (below) coming off a conversation about Rielle Hunter.
So I’m still betting Elizabeth found out later that day — maybe just before the rally that Hunter attended? Elizabeth Edwards told Oprah that rally in Chapel Hill, NC, was the only time she met Hunter.
–George Stephanopoulos
Dec 30, 2006 ‘This Week’ Interview (aired Dec. 31)
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: The Senator and I have talked several times over the last few years and every time he talked about getting into the race, he said he was going to make the best decision for his family.
Did you get a vote?
MRS. EDWARDS: I probably could have vetoed it, but I didn’t. Part of it was my health, which is good now, and the other is whether or not we would support him and, of course, I have to say he was beside me every step of the way during my fight against cancer.
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: You look great now.
MRS. EDWARDS: Thanks, I appreciate that. And that’s what a marriage is about. I’m with him in the fights that he has to undertake.
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: How do you see your role in this campaign?
MRS. EDWARDS: The way I’ve always described it is that I’m a window, I mean, in a sense, another surrogate, somebody who believes in him and believes in what he’s saying and if I can reach out and talk to people.
I think there’s a big question about — and there may be spouses who don’t fall in this category, but how much difference a spouse actually makes, except that if I can talk to 200 people in a day that he didn’t get to talk to, that’s helpful.
EDWARDS: That’s a gross understatement. That was very humbling and I appreciate the humility of Elizabeth on that.
She is my most trusted advisor and always has been, always will be, and I care what she says about things. We disagree, you know. There are some serious things that we…
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Give me one issue.
EDWARDS: Not on camera, I’m not going there. But we know what they are and she is a strong willed woman. She may be sitting there looking meek and mild. She’s a very strong willed human being and is not shy about speaking her piece.
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The timing doesn’t matter, George. The issue that I have with her is she knew of the affair in the middle of the campaign and she didn’t seem to care about how this would affect the Democratic Party’s chances if her husband secured the nomination and she was complicit in her husband’s lies. The extra-marital thing is strictly among the three of them. It’s nobody’s business. What bothers me and what should bother everyone is their deception and their blatant betrayal of public trust and the trust of their allies. I am still waiting for Elizabeth’s apology.
Posted by: teddymaniac | May 7, 2009, 1:14 pm 1:14 pm
teddymaniac:” I am still waiting for Elizabeth’s apology.”
Her apology?!?! This disgusting episode and fallout is all on that idiot Mr Edward’s shoulders.
And actually, I wouldn’t be surprised that if Edwards were more successful in the primaries, Senator Clinton or Obama would have quietly leaked the story. (They must have known and I don’t think either would be above it.)
Posted by: jhw539 | May 7, 2009, 2:21 pm 2:21 pm
I don’t know. It seems pretty clearly the kinds of things a couple would say on camera after just going through talking about an affair. I don’t understand your position.
They almost seem to be having the conversation about their relationship on camera that must have been going on in the car before they got there. He is trying to reiterate that their relationship is much more important and deep and a partnership compared to a cheap affair and she is trying to understand her importance to him.
Posted by: Jay | May 7, 2009, 4:40 pm 4:40 pm
Remember how many ‘Web-Libs’ just loved Edwards and Boasted about & Promoted him (he was their Golden Boy – now they just want him & Mrs. Edwards to Go Away).
All this shows how well liberals can pick Legitimate Candidates (and they want it all forgotten now).
Was, & is their assessment of Obama, of about the same caliber!!???
Posted by: Da Truth | May 7, 2009, 4:51 pm 4:51 pm
The ‘Truth’ is Painful, isn’t it Libby-Libs!!!
Posted by: Da Truth | May 7, 2009, 4:53 pm 4:53 pm
How awful to make this very human story into a political dart game. What does it matter if the parties are liberal or not? This woman’s heart was torn from her chest by a cheating husband blinded by his own narcissism. That type of swine looks bad in red and blue.
Posted by: Eileen O'Farrell | May 8, 2009, 1:36 am 1:36 am
The issue George is why did you and the rest of the media spike the story and use a tabloid as cover?
You used the American people as well as the Edwards did.
Posted by: J House | May 9, 2009, 3:27 am 3:27 am
i believe Mrs. Edwards owes the people that supported her husband’s candidacy an apology. let’s recall that she was front and center at rallies/talkshows etc speaking highly of her husband’s character and the trust we should have in him. this, bear in mind, after she was already aware of his infidelity (though it doesn’t seem she can get the date of the revelation correct). i for one, watched her sparring with Ann Coulter admiringly and thought, “this woman can be First Lady. he can be our president!” what a bunch of frauds. i donated my hard earned cash to his campaign in the belief that he was a man of integrity who was out for the commom American worker. what a joke. years ago, i should have stuck with my first impression of him, which was of a smooth talking litigator, with a cheesy smile that i instantly distrusted. her charade and his fooled me into believing he was an honorable man. shame on me for that. shame on Mrs. Edwards for her complicitous behavior in duping the American voter. shame.
Posted by: go chicago bears | May 9, 2009, 5:02 pm 5:02 pm
Way to go, George.
Clearly the Edwards’ affair is far more important than Bush and Cheney’s various immoralities, crimes and just plain bad governance. It is far more important than taking a dispassionate and unpartisan look at Obama’s decisions thus far, some of which have leaned in the right direction but most of which seem to be little more than a combination of continuance of the bad governance of Bush/Cheney and the ownership of our government by the corporations and if you can do it with style and look good while you’re doing it, end results don’t matter.
I predict democrats are going to lose a lot at the next election. It may be love, joy, happiness, and caviar at your economic level but most of us can’t hope to obtain your level of existence and will vote accordingly.
Posted by: jan | May 10, 2009, 7:16 am 7:16 am