Evidence that not all the Edwards campaign staffers were chumps

By Jason Wright, Editor

Filed Under General, Race for White House 2008 on May 11 

Report: Edwards Staff Planned to ‘Blow Up’ Campaign Over Affair

Members of former Sen. John Edwards’ presidential campaign reportedly devised a “doomsday” strategy over his affair with Rielle Hunter in which they would destroy his bid for office.

Several unnamed former campaign officials said they had prepared a plan in which they would sabotage Edwards’ campaign if it appeared he would secure the Democratic nomination, ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos reported on Sunday.

“They were Democrats first, and if it looked like Edwards was going to become the nominee, they were going to bring down the campaign — they were going to blow it up,” Stephanopoulos said.

Side note: PD used to have a small army of Edwards’ loyalists. Where oh where have they gone?

Comments

  • Chris

    this strikes me as some rather embarassed campaign officials trying unsuccessfully to salvage some dignity out of the affair

    as a lawyer though, would urge caution, the “love child” is allegedly Edwards’, not proven by any means…..

    • Brian H

      While I am taking my breath I’ll hold it for a while until John Edwards has the test done to prove it either way.

  • Red State Eddio

    And now we resume our regularly scheduled debate…

    Call me crazy, but I am skeptical of the statements, just because of their decision to wait until he was possibly “inevitable” with the nomination. Why wait till then? Frankly, that would have been way too late. Let’s postulate that it’s Edwards running neck and neck with Obama instead of Hillary. So you’re going to wait until the eve of the Dem Convention to “terminate” or spoil Edwards’ bid? Imagine the turmoil caused by the withdrawal or the revelations arising in the news. Imagine Obama inviting him as the VP. All of these things would be a national minefield, and no Dem is going to neutralize their party’s moment of glory by the shame of these allegations.

    If these alleged staffers truly cared about both the man and the party, they would have confronted him sooner, or left the campaign. By saying they were waiting till the very end, it makes them sound like weasel-y opportunists and manipulators because it wasn’t based on the rightness/wrongness of the issue, but only on political success. (Not that most politicians aren’t already thinking that way; there’s just no way to get out from under that 2-ton gorilla).

    That’s why I doubt that they would actually have crafted a plan to sabotage him. Just sound way too passive-aggressive and immature, instead of just confronting him with the truth and courage.

  • Brian H

    “PD used to have a small army of Edwards’ loyalists. Where oh where have they gone?”

    I believe my comments may have helped you find one of the Edwards’ loyalists you spoke of.

    • David Kaiser, Editor

      Believe what you want. The truth is the furthest from your statement.

      I just don’t believe it was in good taste.

      • http://www.politicalderby.com/ Jason Wright, Editor

        DK, arguing class with Brian H is probably a waste of time ;)

        • David Kaiser, Editor

          Yah, I’m done bashing my head against the brick wall for today!

        • Brian H

          Please remember that John Edwards had NO PROBLEM cheating on a woman with terminal cancer.

          I will stack my level of “class” up against John Edwards any day of the week.

          It is obvious that you and David feel the need to attack me on a personal level because I refuse to accept, or excuse, these people and their continued deceptions.

          • David Kaiser, Editor

            This is my last post on this thread, but first things first spanky. He cheated on her before she found out her cancer had returned and was terminal. It doesn’t excuse cheating, but get your facts right.

            And second, you continue to come back to John Edwards again. I have no problems with anything you wrote about John Edwards, nor do I disagree that Elizabeth Edwards played a role in some of his deceptions.

            I simply think your statement was classless.

            That’s my opinion, deal with it.

          • http://www.politicalderby.com/ Jason Wright, Editor

            Brian, we’re attacking you? Please. This coming from the guy who throws around words like KOOKS and LOSERS like candy at a Christmas parade. Take a breath.

            • Brian H

              Breath taken.

              1) My comments and assessments on John and Elizabeth are based on what I perceive to be their prior and current actions. In no way did I intend to attack her on her illness, the truth is, it never even crossed my mind. I don’t want her to die, have cancer or hope her “kidneys fail”. I just become angry, and probably a bit too emotional, when I think of this child not being recognized by her own father. That makes me angry and my comments are based on frustration and honest outrage at the situation. I want you to understand that.

              2. I have been blogging on PD for a long long time now. When I first began on here I did refer to the people, “9/11 Truthers”, that attached themselves to the Paul campaign as KOOKS and LOONS. I stand by that. But, that was a very very long time ago. I seem to get reminded of that more often than I ever used the actual term.

              3. I respect David’s opinions. Had I reflected on her illness more I probably would not have her referred to her as “trash”. But, as I said. Her medical condition never crossed my mind, but if it had, my opinion of her as a person is not altered by her medical condition.

              • David Kaiser, Editor

                Brian,

                Understood and appreciated. I agree with virtually everything you had to say about both Edwards, and she shares some blame, but I just don’t like kicking someone when their down. You know?

                • Brian H

                  Much understood. Thanks

              • Troy La Mana

                I seem to remember being called a KOOK for just backing Ron Paul.

                As for 9/11, I, to this day, believe that a real investigation needs to be done. What the 9/11 Commission did wasn’t what I call comprehensive.

  • Brian H

    So these “unnamed officials” continued to support the piece of garbage,AKA John Edwards, for what reason?

    They continued to solicite money from people in the form of donations for a campaign they knew they, themselves, were going to sabotage?

    I don’t believe any of it. I believe these people knew John Edwards was a snake oil salesman from the very start of his campaign. If there is one politician I completely despise it it the fraud, John Edwards. As I have said before, this guy was trash long before the affair allegations. Now, this A-Hole has a “love child” that he fails to acknowledge publicly or privately. This little girl will be growing up knowing that her garbage father won’t recognize her.

    Elizabeth Edwards is as much a piece of trash as Edwards is…..they both make sick.

    • David Kaiser, Editor

      Wow. Classy Bri.

      • Brian H

        I will assume your “classy” comment was sarcasm.

        Sure would be nice if you were as outraged over this this man’s actions as you appear to be over my statements over this man’s actions.

        Exactly how “classy” should I be in regards to John Edwards?

        This man has a child that he fails to acknowledge….all the while lecturing us about “two Americas”.

        This man used third party campaign funds to silence and pay off his mistress.

        This man and his wife continued to solicite funds from Democrats for a campaign that he knew was doomed.

        WOW! “Classy”, David.

        I apologize if my honest feelings regarding this man offends your sensibilities.

        • David Kaiser, Editor

          I was referring to fact you called a woman with terminal cancer a piece of trash.

          • Brian H

            So her current medical condition excuses her from the fraud she was, and remains, complicit in?

            I was referring to the fact that a child has no father because these people, wife included, refuse to accept responsibility for their actions.

            I guess only healthy people can do wrong.

  • David Kaiser, Editor

    And I think the Edwards fans are taking a trip around the world in a canoe with Keegan.

    • http://www.politicalderby.com/ Jason Wright, Editor

      Actually I heard Keegan is working in DC. He wrote Wanda Sykes’ jokes for the WHCD.

  • David Kaiser, Editor

    It’s nice to hear that there are some good people left in politics.

    I’ve had my doubts.

    • Brian H

      How much money were these “good people” going to allow to be raised from Democrat donors before they were going to “blow it up”?