Rob Tully, John Edwards loyalist, reacts to his adultery admission

Rob Tully qualifies as an absolute John Edwards stalwart.

A longtime Democratic activist in all-important Iowa -- he ran unsuccessfully for a House seat there in 1998 and then served a stint as state party chairman -- Tully first sized up Edwards as a prospective presidential contender in 2001.

A trial lawyer like Edwards, Tully said he told the then-little-known freshman senator from North Carolina that he could count on his help should he launch a White House race.

Tully was true to his word, serving as campaign co-chair for Edwards' 2003-04 run -- where the candidate's surprise second-place finish in the Iowa caucuses set the stage for his eventual selection as John Kerry's running mate -- and assuming the same role for Edwards' 2007-08 bid.

Tully was totally committed, as he related in an interview with NPR almost exactly a year ago. So his reaction was worth checking following Edwards' revelation Friday of an extramarital affair.

"I'm disappointed. That sums it up," he told The Times' Seema Mehta, who frequently covered this cycle's Edwards campaign.

He said he believed Edwards last fall when the candidate emphatically denied the first National Enquirer reports of an affair. "I do my own shopping, I read that stuff going out the checkout line. Half of it's crap."

As he reflected on the news of the day, his thoughts turned to Edwards' wife and children. "This is a family situation and obviously, regardless of the family involved, whether it's someone you know or not, it's a very difficult situation. It's tough being in politics ...the whole world watches. It's still a private matter.

"They have all of our concerns and prayers in dealing with this. I'm hopeful that however it comes out, that everyone can move on. But it's a tragedy in anybody's life, in any family. ... Everybody's human and people make mistakes. I at least am glad he admitted his mistake. Now is the time for both he and his family to deal with this in whatever matter they see fit."

As for Edwards' future, Tully said: "I think the question of whether this affects his political career -- that's something that has to be seen. The thing he has to ride out now is a number of supporters such as me that are disappointed in him over this."

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[Faith Neal]

Diasppointed does not adequately describe how I and other Edwards' supporters I know feel about this. Going forward how do we back other political candidates confidently? Perhaps the personality charactistics needed to suceed in politics require an ego and ethical base that does not match with the needs of the public.

[Robert Lewis]

Andrew Young of the John Edwards story: The arrests for worthless checks, DWI, burglary, criminal mischief, the federal tax lien

webofdeception.com

[Susan]

A strong woman doesn't want our pity. Elizabeth has put her faith in the wrong man as has many of his followers. He is a sick man. He continues to lie because he can't face the fact that he is as corrupt as all those he runs down every single day. He is at the bottom of the barrel. Sleeping with another woman is not an accident, but it is very poor judgment and it does speak about somebody's character. Imagine for a minute, what would now be happening if John Edwards had won the nomination, or if Obama had picked him for their VP. What it boils down to is the fact that the media refused to do their job and they shelved this story. They stopped the vetting process just like they are doing with many of Obama's relationships. Obama gushed wildly about the mayor of Detroit and see how that turned out. It is true we can't be responsible for others but when facts begin to surface we can be truthful enough to ask questions and keep asking until the truth comes out. Obama has a long list of powerful men that he calls his friends that he should have distanced himself from a long time ago. He too like Elizabeth has poor judgment. Imagine Edwards believing he would not get caught???????

[Sonya]

Wow. I watched the full interview on ABC's Nightline. I still think John Edwards is lying. If he and Rielle Hunter had an affair, and the child isn't his, then he could have gone on forever denying it because there is no physical proof. Visiting someone in a hotel and holding a child can have an innocent explanation. She did produce campaign video's so he would be friendly with her.
But now that this has come out, I wrote out a little timeline of my own. It's my belief that the strong reaction this story got from Elizabeth Edwards and the written report that she gave a tearful, off camera interview, strikes me as a person who just recently found out about the full truth of the story. If she dealt with it two years ago, she would probably not be crying as intensely as reported.
John Edwards needs to take that paternity test. I'm one hundred percent confident that he is the father of the baby. He had the affair in 2006, and Rielle has a baby barely into 2007. Andrew Young tried to take the blame, but any woman with a cheating husband doesn't take in the offending woman. No way! This story just doesn't add up.
For the sake of the election to come in November, John Edwards needs the DNA test, for nothing else, but to end the press feeding frenzy and stop the distraction from the two candidates running for president.

[Kathy]

I just feel sorry for his wife.

[M Albin Morariu M.D.]

John Eduards is a fraud. He tried to hide his affair for as long as he could and when he got caught he tells us that he was 99% honest. What do you expect from a trial layer and politician ?

[ian]

"At least he admitted it"? That would have been true had he admitted it the first go 'round. This time, he simply finally got caught after his emphatic denials.

If it was an affair years ago, then I think many people can see it as an unfortunate private incident.

That he did this very recently, *during* a campaign, and while his wife was battling cancer surely speaks volumes of the tremendously bad judgment he exercised. An affair in and of itself shouldn't signal the end of a political career IMHO, but all of these circumstances esp given this political climate should be the end of public life for Mr. Edwards. A shame.

[JEANIE]

I am very disappointed in Sen. Edwards & feel terrible for his wife and children. Why are we so concerned over our political leaders & celebrities personal issues? I suppose it's human. Maybe if you can lie to those closest to you ~ you're capable of cheating the country, as well. It's very sad and how embarrassing for all concerned.

[James Mason]

I know people say "It's none of the public's business." But, if someone wants to take a position who's principal job involves executing the interest of the public with the full backing of the public's trust, I feel basic character issues are fair game. As far as we know, THIS MAN VIOLATED THE TRUST BETWEEN A HUSBAND AND HIS WIFE. If he is not able to keep this basic contract, then how can he be trusted to keep the covenant between the public and an elected official? Now, if there's an arrangement between Mr. and Mrs. Edwards, then "fine." But if he demonstrated a lack of discipline and self-restraint, then how are we expected to believe him to behave when the real beats come down?

[oski]

Tully's English is abominable.
Good enough for a trial lawyer I guess.

[s]

So tell me what do I believe: the john edwards that states :he doesn't know this person ! or the John edwards that now has a Baby from having an affair with this person Take your hundrends of millions of dollars and deal with it......I never want to see your name or face again trying to run this country Karma is your payback and the American people is better off finding this out now than if we had given you the highest office /the best job in the World...You are a Creep!

[starryperdun]

"This is a family situation and obviously, regardless of the family involved, whether it's someone you know or not, it's a very difficult situation. It's tough being in politics ...the whole world watches. It's still a private matter."
Guess Tully did not hear Edwards interview about why he allowed this to happen.....most certainly NOT a private matter.
To lie to the public during a campaign is a public matter.

[Ron Arnason]

Who actually cares?
He is just another trial lawyer making tons of money by being a parasite.
His wife certainly did not deserve this.

[william]

How come no one mentioned one of John Edwards' largest fundraisers says he made payments of over one hundred thousand dollars to Rielle Hunter, the women with whom Edwards acknowledged he had an affair?

[Elizabeth]

WOW, I taped Nightline.

I have never been a fan politically of John Edwards. But this steps outside the political arena for me.

And my day of discovery of my husband's affair.

And you know what, I just saw and heard "my husband" confession when I found out.

I quote:
I have only loved my wife.
I think she is a remarkable woman
I love her, she is sexy and beautiful
This is not her fault
I made a mistake
I wanted to keep it a secret

Yeah, I just saw my husband on TV.

Just for the record, I am still with my husband. I gutted it out, it is painful, destroying and will eat you up.

[Sue]

I'm saddened to hear about John Edwards. I imagine his life has been torn apart before he met the other woman. He lost his son in a fatal accident and is facing, perhaps, losing his wife to cancer. He felt alone and needed to find solace in "something". I feel that he made a grave err in judgement, that he was trying to capture what he doesn't have with his wife and he was drawn into a web of deceit. No one admits to those things unless they have to.

Of course, people are disappointed, who wouldn't be? The problem that this society has is that everything is OK unless you get caught. We need to realize that people are just that human, and have issues in their private lives...no matter what job they hold.

The other woman is acting like a saint, lets face it it takes 2 to have an affair.

John Edwards has learned a horrible lesson. His wife is strong and will get past this...just like Hilary did.

[teresa]

OK... I am confused. I really don't know what to think, or feel, about Elizabeth Edwards. In her statement on Daily Kos, she essentially puts most the blame on tabloids, making money. She says this from her six million dollar, 28,000 sq. foot home. In her statement, she sneaks in a backhand to other politicians who have done the same as husband John. And she says she has known since 2006 about the affair. Of course, she doesn't address the recent Beverly Hills debacle. What was that about?

So, yes. She has cancer. And yes, many of us either have cancer or have lost loved ones to cancer. Myself included. What I don't understand is why she, too, was happy to stand by her husband, making all manner of statements about morality and family values over the past two years... and all the time knowing her own family didn't live up to the statements. I'm sorry... this woman was manipulating along with her husband. People are human, people make mistakes, people have affairs. But this was a national game, and the Edwards presented themselves as paragons of family values. I'm disgusted with the entire cast of characters.

[miami hurricane]

APPROXIMATELY FOUR MONTHS AGO THE SAME NEWS ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE NOW CLAIMING THEY DIDN'T REPORT THIS STORY EARLIER BECAUSE THEY NEEDED MORE PROOF WERE STEPPING OVER EACH OTHER REPORTING THE McCAIN / LOBBYIST STORY WHICH WAS BASED ON A COUPLE OF DISGRUNTLED EX
CAMPAIGN WORKERS.
MAYBE THE "SUPERMARKET / TRASHY TABLOID LABEL" IS ON THE WRONG NEWS ORGANIZATIONS. SAY WHAT YOU WANT ABOUT THE NATIONAL ENQUIRER BUT UNLIKE THE SO CALLED MAIN-STREAM MEDIA THEY HAVE NO POLITICAL AX TO GRIND. THEY DON'T IGNORE A STORY SIMPLY BECAUSE THE PERSON IS FROM THE POLITICAL PARTY THE NEWS ORGANIZATION SUPPORTS.

[Tom]

Elizabeth Edwards knew of this affair, in 2006, before he decided to run for president. How complicit of her, to let him run. Can you imagine the recklessness and arrogance involved here ? She had to know that there at least a chance the affair would be uncovered.

They were putting the whole democratic party at risk.

That is not to say I don't feel for her, obviously she did not cause him to have an affair

[Virginia Harris]

Sex and the Suffragettes

I admire Elizabeth Edwards for standing by her man. Thanks to the suffragettes, women have choices in their lives. She doesn't have to stay - she wants to stay.

Politicians will be politicians!

Betcha don't know which president had a love child while running for office, and how that helped women win the vote.

Most people are totally in the dark about HOW the suffragettes won.

Now finding out the sexy, shocking truth is as easy as opening your e-mail.

"The Privilege of Voting" is a new e-mail series that follows eight women from 1912 - 1920 to reveal ALL that happened to set the stage for women to win the vote.

Two beautiful and extremely powerful suffragettes -- Alice Paul and Emmeline Pankhurst are featured, along with Edith Wharton, Isadora Duncan, Alice Roosevelt and two gorgeous presidential mistresses.

There is a ton of heartache, and lots of hot affairs on the rocky road to the ballot box.

Presented in a unique sequential e-mail series that makes discovering history fast and FUN! Each exciting episode is a about 10 minutes - perfect to enjoy during coffeebreaks, or anytime.

Subscribe free at

www.CoffeebreakReaders.com/tpovpage.html

[TickleMeElmo]

If you think this is bad....wait 'till you find out about Obama not keeping it in his pants. The truth is out there, So is another 4 years of Republican tyranny. Why can't we get a clean candidate to run?

[jolene]

the only reason the edwardses came out now is to try to control the damage - admit affair but lie about time line and paternity. I think they are hiding much!