The Edwards Affair

By Michael J.W. Stickings

What more can be said about l'affaire Edwards? (There's a ton of reaction over at Memeorandum. Go have a look, and a read, if you want.) He had an affair, he lied about it, and now, with the media after him, he's come clean.

To me, this is a private matter. How Edwards and his family deal with it is up to them.

It has always seemed to me that Edwards is a genuinely good man who loves his wife and family. But he is also, obviously, human. And humans aren't perfect. It's that simple.

Does it matter that he lied? Who wouldn't lie about such a thing?

Does it matter that he lied while a political candidate? Yes and no. Given the hypocritical moralism that pervades American society, and the media in particular, one must either lie or be destroyed. (Or, of course, not do it in the first place. But he did -- so what was he to do?) It's not like he lied about taking bribes, for example. And it's not like he's fundamentally corrupt. (I suppose there are some who will say that he is morally corrupt, but, to me, this transgression should not be understood to define his entire character, his entire moral being. Indeed, morality has nothing to do with it, at least as far as I'm concerned.)

And yet, we may perhaps question his judgement. He should have known better. He should have behaved more rationally. And, yes, we do often, if not always rightly, hold public figures to higher standards than we do private citizens. And that is not such a bad thing. Not always. I, for one, would like my democratic leaders to be "better" -- which is to say, better people -- than, say, my next-door neighbour.

But what is right and wrong here? What is judgement? We're not talking about politics and policies, we're talking about sex and sexual desire. Many men -- and many women, but I'll keep it to men here -- have cheated on their wives or girlfriends or partners. Many men have transgressed -- and transgressed in many different ways. Indeed, many of our democratic leaders have done what Edwards did, or transgressed in some way. This is not to excuse what Edwards did, merely to put it in context.

Right now, this is all about Edwards. But it isn't really all about him.

And yet, I must admit that I am disappointed. I was once a big Edwards supporter. I was a featured blogger way back when at his One America Committee blog. I respected him -- and, yes, I respect him still. But he should not have done what he did. It's that simple.

And, inevitably, his transgression, once revealed, has become a sensation.

And his lies -- his repeated denials -- have taken on greater meaning than the similar lies of men who aren't public figures, let alone presidential candidates.

And his fall has been greater and more public than the falls of other men who have done what he did. And he will continue to be dragged through the mud.

I cannot say what he deserves, but, to me, there is a gross unfairness to it all.

Yes, he should have known better. But who are we to presume to understand him, to presume to be able to get inside his head and his heart, to be able to grasp his being?

And who are we to damn him for what he has done?

His political career may be over, and we may continue to talk about the career that was, and perhaps even about the lies, but how he, Elizabeth, and his children move forward from this is none of our business.

And I, for one, wish them the best.