Elizabeth Edwards on CNN vs. Tommy Thompson on Health Care. The John Edwards part is not in this video
Last night, Elizabeth Edwards appeared on Larry King Live to talk about the health care debate currently raging all over the country. They set it up so it was Elizabeth versus former Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson. The bulk of Elizabeth’s appearance was her talking about the need for health care reform and her support for the public option.
Later in the interview, once Thompson was gone, Larry managed to get in a few questions about the Rielle Hunter scandal (video at Radar). The National Enquirer has run two covers in a row about John Edwards and Rielle. Last week’s story was that John had been confirmed as the father of baby Frances, via a DNA test. This week’s story, that we covered yesterday, was about how John is moving Rielle and Frances closer to him so he can be involved as a parent. Elizabeth pretty much denies these stories, insinuating that the paternity test hasn’t happened yet. Elizabeth says that she “expects” that the test will happen, “in a quiet way.”
One week after a report claimed that John Edwards was going to admit fathering the 18-month-old daughter, Frances, of his ex-mistress Rielle Hunter, Elizabeth Edwards says she expects her husband to take a paternity test.
“My expectation is that, at some point, something happens,” Elizabeth said on a Wednesday night appearance on Larry King Live. “And I hope for the sake of this child that it happens, you know, in a quiet way.”
Earlier this month, Hunter testified at the federal courthouse where a grand jury is investigating whether campaign funds were illegally used to buy her silence. John could admit he’s the baby’s father before the investigation concludes, according to North Carolina CBS affiliate WRAL.
Despite reports of martial discord (The National Enquirer says she packed her bags angrily after John moved Hunter and the baby into a nearby home), Elizabeth told King “things are going fine” with John.
“We’re getting the children ready for a new school year,” she said. “Everything seems to be going pretty smoothly at my house.”
Elizabeth, who was diagnosed in 2007 in incurable breast cancer, also opens up about her health.
“The numbers don’t look that optimistic, but I feel good,” she says. “And I’ve had recent tests that show me to be in pretty good health, all things considered. I’m still out here fighting.”
[From Us Weekly]
Ugh. I don’t even know what to say about this. Is it weird that I think Elizabeth is lying? I actually think the Enquirer might be more reliable on this scandal than Elizabeth. After all of this time, I believe John has already taken a paternity test – although it was probably unnecessary, because I think John knew he was the father of Frances from the beginning. That’s why he initiated this mangled, sketchy cover-up. It wasn’t just a cover-up for the affair, it was for the baby. It’s just so sad, because in the first part of the interview, Elizabeth is kicking ass talking about health care. She’s such a strong, informed, educated advocate, and it makes me sick to see her still out there defending her douche husband.
i do’nt agree with her politically, but philosophically, what a mythical character she has become.
wish she could find a good genuine man to take care of her
john – BURN IN HELL YOU S O B
how about she not answer questions about her personal life at all? At this point I think it’s rude for interviewers to keep bringing this matter up. Clearly she is not over it, and it’s like rubbing salt in the wound.
She is as phony as her husband…they will do ANYTHING for cash.
What an incredible woman.
I so wish she had a man who was deserving of her gifts, but she is a lesson in patience and genuine goodness.
Sometimes I wish she would just leave his horrible ass.
He is a scumbag and she is trying to save face. I wish they would all just go away already. I will be reading the book (when published) by his former right hand man that “claimed” to be the baby’s father. Truly, Edwards may go to jail over the fact that he just couldn’t keep his zipper up. And if he misued funds from his campaign then he should go away for quite a while. Serves him right.
The fact that John tried to get one of his staffers to take the fall for being the father says a lot about him: he’s a narcissist, and maybe even a sociopath. He got rich chasing ambulances…that’s why it’s hard to find good doctors in North Carolina, he chased them all away.
Oh come on– “what an incredible woman”, Jan? Really? You don’t marry someone like John Edwards (highly manipulative power-hungry narcissist) and campaign for him in a context of LIES which could severely damage the political system of the country you supposedly care so much about unless you are basically just as phony and self-serving as him. Elizabeth’s “strength” seems more and more like simply an unwillingness to admit to anything less than applied-perfection. She and John cultivated a false image of perfection to achieve their dreams, but it’s a hollow illusion, and didn’t materialize a legacy of greatness, just heartbreak and resentment.
I have lost so much respect for this woman. She’s still hanging on to John. Even when he had an affair and a CHILD with another woman. Then she goes after the mistress calling her ‘pathetic’. Isn’t the pot calling the kettle black? They are ALL pathetic.
Also, I think at this point Elizabeth should keep references to the baby out of her mouth! It’s clear she has ill will towards that innocent baby. It just isn’t right.
Regardless of how the child came to be, if you staying with your cheating husband you have to rise above petty towards the OOW child. That baby is now Elizabeth’s stepdaughter.
My older brother was a child of an affair. We never became a cohesive family (my parent divorced when was I young), but my mother did not try to pretend he didn’t exist.
elizabeth needs to cut him loose, stop talking about him (all these talk show guests have rules about what they will/will not talk about). move to the caribbean and enjoy the remainder of her life.
People – cut Elizabeth slack on the personal questions she answered last night. It’s not Elizabeth place to announce to the freaking world whether the paternity test has been done or not. Rielle Hunter sold her story again to the NE just like all the others. Does it really make any difference in your life if Edwards the father or not? No – it affects Elizabeth and her children.
Iggles – Judging Elizabeth as you do – are you a woman who’s husband cheated on you while you were getting cancer treatment and then after 18 months of his lying find out he’s the father? Until you’ve walked in her shoes don’t judge her. Frances has a mother who didn’t have any concern for Elizabeth or her children while having an affair and making a baby (or should I say meal ticket) with John Edwards? Plus why would Elizabeth worry about her husband’s “mistake”? She got her own young children to care for. John can deal with his own mess! I think it’s rude of Larry King or other host to always ask the paternity question anyway.
do it quietly?!
I think it’s a bit late for that, what after the multiple press tours they’ve ALL done about it.
Man she had a great decent victim card a while back, now she’s in Jon and Kate territory. The woman needs to STFU and look after her own darn kids (isnt she supposed to be dying? Doesnt she have better things to do?! This is what is on her bucket list? Really?!) or stop acting all hollier than though in victim mode cause it aint fooling anyone anymore!
I agree, she should not be asked any more questions about John’s situation. If I were her, I’d say, “I have no idea, you’ll have to ask John.”
She has so much to offer at this stage of her life aside from addressing what her pig husband got himself into. She can still maintain some dignity if she simply deflects those questions and says nothing at all.
She needs to take her own advice and be “quiet” about this disgrace.
Did John move Hunter and Baby into a nearby trailer?
Uh, well yapping about on national TV isn’t exactly quiet, is it? Ah, sweet irony.
I think it’s incredibly RUDE to be asking her questions about it. She asnwered in a dignified way, giving minimum information. He’s the father of her children and she showed class by not attacking him publicly, no matter how hard it must have been. I wonder how many people eager to criticize her would be able to handle terminal illness while dealing with this circus and, what must have been a hugely painful ordeal, her husband’s ultimate bertrayal while trying to raise small kids and keep a lid on one’s emotions in public. You must have no empathy at all. I wouldn’t even ATTEMPT to judge her.
She does have the option of NOT answering the questions, she also has the right to limit the types of questions she is asked before the actual interview takes place.
Elizabeth obviously wasn’t on Larry King to answer questions about John’s infidelity. She was questioned and gave an non-answer. That’s entirely appropriate in this case. BTW…….Elizabeth is looking pretty good for her health.
You must have no empathy at all. I wouldn’t even ATTEMPT to judge her.
And another singularly perfect human being is born on a GOSSIP site. Why aren’t you guys solving real world issues for the rest of us mere mortals isn’t of vegetating in websites like this? Oh, because then you couldn’t tell us how awesome you are.
The thing is that there could be some married people on hereposting who are already in Elizabeth’s shoes (minus the cancer) and don’t even know it yet. Your husband could be cheating on you and have fathered a child without you knowing about it…yet. So cut her some slack. It’s rude of them to keep asking her about this…ask HIM. Ask the mistress. Don’t ask the dying wife.
Elizabeth shouldn’t place all the blame on Rielle, and I don’t see how she can stay with that loser – but I’m not her, so I don’t know how how that feels. The situation sucks though.
I’m over her too. She’s known for years.
Rielle Hunter is a complete bimbo. She just cannot bring herself to admit that “Johnny” Edwards just used her for sex and basically saw her as little more than a prostitute. He even told Elizabeth that she was a one night stand. I kind of feel sorry for her. I used to think that Elizabeth needed to confront her and kick her butt, but Rielle is so stupid, that she’s already done it without Elizabeth’s help. She has allowed herself to be used and thrown away by some guy who apparently did NOT feel toward her as she felt toward him. She seems to have absolutely NO self respect.