John and Elizabeth Edwards: New Info Casts Doubt on Couple’s Claim Affair Ended in 2006
New info casts doubt on John and Elizabeth Edwards’ claim that the Rielle Hunter affair “ended” in 2006.
John Edwards “confessed” on ABC’s Nightline to an affair that was “short” and began and ended in 2006. Elizabeth Edwards reinforced the “2006″ date in a statement released the same day as Edwards’ interview debuted on Nightline, August 8. Yet DBKP has uncovered new info about those last days of 2006, how Hunter was still literally and figuratively, “in the picture”.
John Edwards claimed in his interview with ABC’s Bob Woodruff that the affair–Edwards refrained from using the word, “affair”, instead he called it a “mistake”–that the mistake had ended in 2006:
From the ABC transcript:
In this quote Edwards claimed he “told his wife” in 2006 and that once he “told her” the couple “went to work” on it.
WOODRUFF: …[I]f you thought that you would not get caught, how did [Elizabeth] find out about this affair?
EDWARDS: I told her.
WOODRUFF: This was before there was public reporting on this?
EDWARDS: Oh it was way before. This was in 2006. I decided, it was clear to me very quickly after this happened that I had to tell her that I loved her, she was central to my life, she had to know it and it was painful for her. Hard and painful for her, but she responded exactly like the kind of woman she is. And then she forgave me and we went to work on it.
Edwards also told of his wife’s reaction to learning of the affair:
EDWARDS: She was mad, she was angry, I think furious would be a good way to describe it.
Woodruff touched on when Reille Hunter, the woman at the center of the Edwards affair, was hired to produce a documentary of Edwards out on the campaign trail:
WOODRUFF: When you hired Ms. Hunter, that was back in 2006, the committee hired in July 2006, paid her $114,000 to make films for you. She did have a lot of experience. Uh was the affair going on when you hired her?
EDWARDS: No. No. And again, I always said this to you, I don’t think I’m going to go through the details of this, I already did it with Elizabeth– uh, she was hired to come in and produce films and that’s the reason she was hired.
WOODRUFF: But this had nothing to do with the fact that you were having an affair with her?
EDWARDS: Same answer. Same answer — no I did not.
WOODRUFF: So you hired her before it even started?
EDWARDS: That is correct.
On the same day that the Nightline interview debuted, Elizabeth Edwards released a statement on the blog, DailyKos in where she once again reiterated 2006:
John made a terrible mistake in 2006. The fact that it is a mistake that many others have made before him did not make it any easier for me to hear when he told me what he had done. But he did tell me. And we began a long and painful process in 2006, a process oddly made somewhat easier with my diagnosis in March of 2007.
Elizabeth Edwards also spoke of the “repair work” that began in 2006:
John has spoken in a long on-camera interview I hope you watch. Admitting one’s mistakes is a hard thing for anyone to do, and I am proud of the courage John showed by his honesty in the face of shame. The toll on our family of news helicopters over our house and reporters in our driveway is yet unknown. But now the truth is out, and the repair work that began in 2006 will continue.
And yet, while both John and Elizabeth continue to maintain that John’s affair was over in 2006, a sharp-eyed reader emailed DBKP about photos they had taken at a John Edwards campaign event that was held in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on the late afternoon and evening of December 30, 2006. The photos showed Edwards, his wife, and a third person, Rielle Hunter. [John Edwards Scandal Photo: John and Elizabeth Edwards with Rielle Hunter Dec 30, 2006 - Exclusive DBKP Photo!]
It’s clear in the photo that Hunter is there in her “official” capacity, capturing the event for use in the documentaries she was allegedly producing for the Edwards’ 2008 presidential campaign. Not only was Hunter there in Chapel Hill on the evening of December 30, but she was also along with Edwards at the end of 2006 on his “Presidential Announcement Tour” which culminated on the evening of December 30 in North Carolina.
According to the Washington Post, Hunter was along when Edwards filmed his Youtube announcement in New Orleans on December 28. Hunter was by no means, “hidden”, as she was photographed and seen by various people in the course of the “trip”.
From Blogumentary and Chuck Olsen who was along for the ride:
“I was with the Edwards campaign, similarly filming behind-the-scenes video, when he launched his campaign in New Orleans in December 2006. After NOLA we went to Iowa where Edwards drew a huge crowd. There was a celebratory mood in the air as we got back on the Edwards jet to fly to New Hampshire.
On that flight, there was a lot of booze and elation, excitement and hope. Edwards was in the back of the plane with Reille, and a couple of other campaign staffers. I remember Edwards turning on his iPod and grooving his head around. I went back to use the bathroom and when I came out, decided to chat with Reille. She was very outgoing, maybe even flirtatious, but really nice. I asked how she got the gig filming webisodes, and she said she met him in a bar and they clicked, and she proposed some online documentary showing his authenticity. She told me about some Hollywood sitcom writing and other weird projects she’d been involved with – nothing I’d ever heard of.”
The next morning, the last day of 2006, the Edwards were interviewed on ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos“. Remember, the night before Rielle Hunter was still in the picture, captured in photos filming the Chapel Hill event. In one photo Hunter can be seen along with John and Elizabeth Edwards.
The Edwards spoke to Stephanopoulos about “morality” and “moral leadership”:
Stephanopoulos: I’ve been watching you over the last few days as you’ve started this campaign and the word “morality” comes up a lot, particularly in foreign policy. But I wonder if one of the lessons of the last few years is that it’s dangerous for America to put its power behind moral crusades and unleashing forces we may not be able to control and entangling us in conflicts we may not be able to solve.
Edwards: Well, it depends on what your definition of a moral cause is and what moral leadership is. The kind of things that I’m talking about I think there would be universal support for, doing something about the genocide in Sudan and Darfur, doing something…
The Edwards also discussed Elizabeth’s role in the campaign:
Elizabeth 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…
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.
The discovery of Hunter’s appearance in Chapel Hill on the evening of December 30 raises some questions about the timeline posited by both John and Elizabeth Edwards as to when the affair truly ended, when Edwards confessed, and when the “repair” work began.
On the morning of December 31, Edwards described his wife to Stephanopoulus as someone who was not only “meek and mild” but “very strong-willed”. Hardly the sort of person, who, upon learning her husband had an affair, would allow the “other woman” to hang around her husband, even in an “official” capacity. Hunter was photographed filming the Chapel Hill event. Elizabeth was fully aware Hunter was there. In fact, Hunter was on the plane, along with other campaign staffers and various other people for the presidential “pre-announcement” trip that led up to the Chapel Hill event.
If Edwards hadn’t yet confessed to the “awful truth” that he was cheating on Elizabeth with Hunter by December 30, then the clock was ticking down to the end of 2006. By the time the Chapel Hill event ended, Edwards had less than 26 hours to tell his wife.
According to Elizabeth, Edwards not only told her about the affair in 2006, but that the “repair” process had also begun that same year. On the morning of December 31, the two were featured on the Stephanopoulus show looking composed and complimentary in the remarks about one another while Stephanopoulus noted that Edwards’ central campaign focused on “morality”.
We find it rather interesting that Edwards, while refusing to discuss the “details” of his affair, would be so steadfast in referring to the 2006 date. Edwards mentioned 2006 several times in the interview with Bob Woodruff as well as Elizabeth, who also used the 2006 date in her DailyKos diary. The latest People magazine features Elizabeth on the front cover, and inside, once again the mention of “when” the affair ended:
Behind the public show of strength, the Edwards’ household has been a scene of turmoil and tension since John, 55, first began revealing the truth about his affair with former campaign aide, Rielle Hunter, 44, after the formal launch of his campaign in the final days of 2006. “He told the truth slowly,” according to one source close to the couple.
The formal launch of his campaign ended on December 31. If John Edwards told the truth about the affair to Elizabeth “slowly”, how much did he manage to eke out on the remaining hours of the 31st, and remember, according to the Edwards, the “repair process” had also begun.
People magazine’s Elizabeth Edwards’ piece revealed something interesting, that Edwards “first began revealing the truth about his affair” which denotes a process, and that it was done “slowly”, ergo a slow, long, drawn-out process. Which begs the question: How does one “slowly reveal” the truth about an affair? We’ll leave that for our next DBKP piece.
By LBG
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You keep saying the saying the same thing over and over again. Just because a relationship ends at particular time,
doesn’t mean the people involved never see each other again. So it means if Edwards promised never to see Hunter
again, that he didn’t keep his promise.
There were no videos from the annoucement tour, that were made like the 4 webisodes made earlier. There were a lot of
videophotographers and citizenship journalist, at all of the stops, starting in NO, Iowa, NC, NH. Hunter was fired after
she was exposed by a staff member who told Mrs. Edwards, she then confronted John,. Like really, does it matter?
He obviously is still in touch with the bitch, and like most men who cheat, he lies about it, what’s new, he’s not running
for office, so stop repeating the same story. If there are new developements, write about them.
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[...] News » News John and Elizabeth Edwards: New Info Casts Doubt on Couple’s Claim …2008-08-17 05:30:14In people in New Orleans on December 28. Hunter was along when Edwards filmed his [...]
Outraged, why are you so outraged?
Besides, the photo clearly proves the fact, that EE is lying, like her husband. And that proof is new. She knew nothing in 2006. I suppose, she knew nothing till NE first came up with the name of RH.
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Elizabeth was so brilliant that she knew in 2006 that John’s sex scandal would never be exposed to the public before he was elected president. She is so classy and brave that she could take contributor’s money for cheatin’ John and know absolutely that folks were helping his campaign that would never be derailed in any way. I really admire Elizabeth. So smart, so cunning, so a wonderful political operator. And no matter how much John lied to her, Elizabeth said that John always has his family waiting for him at home. What a wonderful example to her children. I admire her strength and integrity so much.
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Rjose, I hope you’re being sarcastic….
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http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/the_awful_truth/b24004_john_edwards_missing_mistress8212found.html
They’re saying RH is in Malibu….
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Here is what MSNBC wrote:
“But Hunter was still hanging around Edwards late into the year. At the end of December, Hunter’s videos debuted online. And a few days after Christmas, when Edwards formally entered the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, Hunter was alongside in New Orleans for the announcement. Elizabeth did not make the trip.
On Dec. 29, Hunter attended and filmed a rally in New Hampshire, and flew with Edwards from there to Reno, Nev. Shortly there after, Hunter later told a Newsweek reporter, she was fired.”
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26216035
——-
Several publications indicate Edwards formal announcement for Prez was on 12-28.
Hunter was at the event as pictured on 12-29 & 12-30
But she herself admits she was FIRED shortly thereafter. Meaning after 12-31.
Hunter was OFF the campaign payroll as of 1-1-2007.
This article also says:
“An associate of Edwards, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the $14,000 was paid to Hunter only after she relinquished about 100 hours of cutting-room floor videotape excerpts that were not part of four short Web videos she had produced for Midline Groove Ltd., a company Hunter started with a business partner in 2006.”
–
So this tells me she was angry after she was fired in January. Campaign documents show the $14K was PAID in APRIL. My guess is John brought her the money and that is when they had the final quickie.
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Dee (and Outraged):
The previous coverage (as PJ pointed out) has indicated that John Edwards had Rielle Hunter hanging around him at the end of December 2006.
However, there has been no previous indication that Elizabeth knew this was happening.
I fully understand the squeamishness of the MSM in discussing this topic–if they knew about it at all, previously.
This raises altogether new questions for both J & E Edwards: their statements, both released on August 8, look very similar in their claims. This picture throws doubt, not only on John Edwards’ claims, which others have pointed out, but on Elizabeth Edwards’ claims as well.
Good discussion on this in the comments by all.
Thanks for stopping by, reading and taking the time to leave a comment.
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Outraged:
He obviously is still in touch with the bitch, and like most men who cheat, he lies about it, what’s new, he’s not running
for office, so stop repeating the same story. If there are new developements, write about them.
We are writing about a new development: the involvement of Elizabeth Edwards behind the scenes.
Stop repeating it?
We will, as soon as the MSM picks up on this. We repeated the entire curious nature of the John Edwards-Rielle Hunter story for nearly nine months–until the MSM were finally given permission by John Edwards to talk about it.
Some comments on those stories had the same, “why are you talking about this? You’re just repeating the same thing,” ring to them as yours.
Thanks again for taking the time to stop by and comment.
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It seems pretty obvious that EE found SOMETHING out in early 2007–we know this because RH says she was fired and this was in the winter of 2007 and she blamed Elizabeth. There have been several versions of what the “something” was, but again, we can only speculate. Did JE come clean at that time? Given that the PEOPLE story indicates that JE broke the news in “installments”, it would appear that both JE and EE’s statements/timelines are false. I cannot believe that a woman like EE would allow JE’s mistress to hang around after learning the truth, so whatever she learned, it was early 2007.
I also question if the affair is indeed, over. Certainly by her actions (and silence) RH doesn’t think so.
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RH’s baby was born February 27, 2007, so that makes the date of conception sometime in June 2007. What–where–was JE doing in June 2007?
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Sorry, made a typo–I meant Feb. 27, 2008. My oops.
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Notice that Elizabeth Edwards hasn’t been seen in public for weeks, and that her “statement” was posted on the Nutroots blog, Daily Kos. The “similarities” with John Edwards’ statement may not be so coincidental – maybe he or one of the hacks on his campaign issued the statement on Elizabeth’s behalf.
This could explain why only two days later both Elizabeth’s best friend and brother trashed John Edwards to People magazine – maybe Mrs. Edwards has taken a turn for the worst with respect to her health…or she’s not going to lend her personal support to the cover-up.
My prediction – once Elizabeth Edwards is dead, John Edwards will pull a crying Jimmy Swaggart/James Bakker thing on tv and claim that he only lied to protect his dying, unable to have sex, wife…and the Nutroots will be sending him money all over again.
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Cheater’s Rap
John Edwards talked about Dad’s mill,
While sleeping with a chick off the pill,
He lied and fibbed to the MS press,
And, awoke early to preen and dress.
His wife, Elizabeth, knew the lie in 2006,
But supported John in Iowa while sick,
They stole Hillary’s honest votes daily,
And laughed on cue, and hiding Rielle.
Why did John lie like a cheatin’ rat ?
No “New Deal†for the average Democrat,
While Obama and Hillary fought on the stump,
John Edwards watched Rielle grow a bump.
Now John’s love child is common news,
And Fred Baron has money to lose,
Rielle, now nursing, has jetted away,
Even Geraldo has joined the fray!
John’s affair has hurt his poor kids,
More than Clinton’s cigars ever did,
A sordid tale that some call a crock,
The only winner, a loser named Barack!
Like dogs in heat, Edwards did pant,
Defined forever, just like Hugh Grant,
Tabloids paid to get the sleaze,
Is it John’s baby, mister please?
Vote for John Edwards, give me chills,
Meet you for sex in Beverly Hills,
John, don’t need to prove you ain’t a gay,
Just pony up to compare your DNA.
See Barack in Hawaii like Bobby Vinton,
Unaware the DNC plans to elect a Clinton,
Edwards may face time from the tax man,
But not if a pardon is part of Obama’s plan.
While Elizabeth cries over her brood,
Baby mama with John was not a prude,
Gone the innocent days of Tom Sawyer,
John gettin’ love like a real trial lawyer.
Reply
Specifically, the date of conception had to have been on or around June 6, 2007. Coincidentally enough, Edwards accepted his Father of the Year award on June 7:
http://deceiver.com/2008/08/04/father-of-the-year-john-edwards/
P.S. No matter what anybody says about my coverage of this, at least I’ve never used the phrase “swings the salami.”
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Well, Simon, looks like the “Father of the Year” was doing his best to live up to his new title…and I prefer “slamming the squash”.
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[...] wondered about a few those questions at DBKP, especially LBG’s John and Elizabeth Edwards: New Info Casts Doubt on Couple’s Claim Affair Ended in 2006 and John Edwards Affair: When Private Lives Become Public Lies , as well as Friday’s John [...]
[...] wondered about a few those questions at DBKP, especially LBG’s John and Elizabeth Edwards: New Info Casts Doubt on Couple’s Claim Affair Ended in 2006 and John Edwards Affair: When Private Lives Become Public Lies , as well as Friday’s John [...]
[...] at a rally in Chapel Hill, NC that ended on the evening of December 30. As LBG pointed out in John and Elizabeth Edwards: New Info Casts Doubt on Couple’s Claim Affair Ended in 2006: It’s clear in the photo that Hunter is there in her “official†capacity, capturing the event [...]
[...] at a rally in Chapel Hill, NC that ended on the evening of December 30. As LBG pointed out in John and Elizabeth Edwards: New Info Casts Doubt on Couple’s Claim Affair Ended in 2006: It’s clear in the photo that Hunter is there in her “official†capacity, capturing the event [...]
[...] public links >> chapelhill John and Elizabeth Edwards: New Info Casts Doubt on Couple’s Claim … Saved by mayfair98 on Thu 25-9-2008 Chapel Hill High Athlete Dies After Asthma Attack (NBC 17 [...]
[...] held by Edwards on the evening of December 31, 2006 in Chapel Hill and that they had inadvertently taken photos of Hunter, with her camera, at the event. Photos which included Hunter, Elizabeth, the Edwards’ children, and Edwards’ parents. [...]