Edwards Flees From Reporters 2nd Time in 10 Days

Run, Johnny Run

It may be too late for John Edwards to try out for the 1000 meters at the Beijing Olympics, but he’s certainly getting in some practice running from reporters.

UPDATE at end of story: 14:00 EDT July 31, 2008

Using a side area, usually reserved for the kitchen staff, John Edwards, fled from reporters, “at least some of whom wanted to question him about recent reports in the National Enquirer that alleged an inappropriate relationship with a former campaign videographer.”

The Raleigh News & Observer account below (via PJ Gladnick at Newbusters):

About a dozen reporters and photojournalists attended a speech Edwards gave to an AARP Foundation symposium on poverty and aging in Washington. Afterward, he avoided most of the waiting reporters, at least some of whom wanted to question him about recent reports in the National Enquirer that alleged an inappropriate relationship with a former campaign videographer.

…
On Wednesday, Edwards apparently ducked out a side area used by the kitchen staff in the fourth-floor ballroom of Washington’s historic Hotel Monaco. Edwards emerged from a lower-level handicap ramp near the rear of the hotel with two men. When approached by a Charlotte Observer reporter, Edwards said, “Can’t do it now, I’m sorry” and quickly walked past.

Raleigh News & Observer: Facing questions, Edwards evades reporters
NewBusters: Cracks Emerging in MSM Wall of Silence on John Edwards Scandal

Gladnick updated his article above with the mention that Edwards’ whole “Two Americas” Traveling-Poverty-Salvation Show was–just an gimmick?

UPDATE: In what could be seen as an indirect acknowledgement by Edwards that this alleged scandal might have destroyed his political future, comes this report titled, “Edwards ending college program,” in today’s Raleigh News & Observer:

Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards is pulling the plug on a scholarship program he started at an Eastern North Carolina high school — a program he once promised would be a model for the nation under an Edwards presidency.

Edwards’ presidential hopes have evaporated. And he recently informed Greene County officials that he would end the pilot program at Greene Central High School.

To the suspicious mind of your humble correspondent, it looks like John Edwards’ whole poverty tour shtick was just that…shtick. Once it looked like his scholarship program would serve him no purpose, Edwards ditched it immediately.

UPDATE: 14:00

Reader RACHEL, in a fresh comment on our article “John Edwards Scandal: Enquirer Editor, David Perel “We Drew the Media a Road Map”, reminds us that the LA Times has been sitting on this story since last October.

Media Bistro’s LA Times Censoring Andrew Malcolm on Alleged Edwards Affair:

Click image to enlarge.

Patterico has caught the LA Times in some blog post sleight-of-hand shenangigans, regarding the John Edwards/Reille Hunter rumors, as posted by Andrew Malcolm:

Thanks Rachel.

Say it ain’t so.

by Mondoreb

images:
* frugal yankee
* media bistro