How do you feel about Riele Hunter?

[CTyankee]

We've all been concentrating on Edwards and Elizabeth, but I haven't seen much comment on "the other woman." I'm not beating up on her, just wondering what we think about what SHE did.

Personally, I don't think of her as a witch or as a victim. I see her as a rather pathetic soul who either is seeking love or her 15 minutes of fame. She strikes me as being a desperate hanger on, from what little I've read about her. She is certainly no kid.

Whaddya think?

[undeterred]

1. She had an affair with a married man.

And since she is not married, it may not have as big of an effect, but what she did was wrong.

[rebel with a cause]

24. I had a rule that I always went by.

Don't fool around with a married man, because you don't do that to another woman. And I had my chances, but I would never even consider it. When I married it was to a man who (unfortunately) was a womanizer. I said then that I blamed him and I blamed anyone who was stupid enough to lay down with him, because he would never leave me for them. He just continued to use me and them until I divorced him.

So I hold Edwards and Hunter on the same level, they are both cheaters. They both betrayed his wife. Him as her husband, and Hunter as another woman. There is an old saying, "What goes around, comes around." Time will tell if this is true for them.

[helderheid]

98. well said. Damn, i just got back from camping and just heard the rumors were true. Damn, damn, damn,

and GODDAMN.

[Kahuna]

143. I'm the same way. If a married man was the last man left on earth I would..

not go after him. I treat people with the same respect I want to be treated. I have little respect for home-wreckers.

[ChiciB1]

2. It Takes Two... They BOTH Made Mistakes... I Hold NO Grudges

against either one! You know that old saying... don't judge unless you walk a mile in another's shoes! It's just that simple for me.

[emilyg]

16. My grudge would be

if campaign money was used to support her.

[question everything]

82. Same here

and the financial backer says that it was his own money.

Buying $3 million home in Santa Barbara for both her and the supposedly father of the child is a lot of money to sink into a campaign.

[1Hippiechick]

202. May you never be the one who is cheated on. You might feel differently. n/t

[lisa58]

3. People have chemistry with other people and sometimes shit happens...

...they're adults and they made a conscious decision - I don't have a negative opinion about either of them - I just feel bad for Elizabeth and the children.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

22. Hypothetical question. If John got the Democratic nomination and this came up, would you feel the

same way? Another one.... it has been reported that he paid $100,000 of his PAC money to her. This is money that had been collected from his supporters. If you donated to him and knew that that donation was used to pay her off, would you/do you feel differently?

[lisa58]

33. If he was the nominee and he didn't come clean before accepting...

...the nomination - I would be pissed at him (the op is about her).

The mess they turned it into is their business - the human frailty of two humans that are attracted to each other I can forgive.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

38. I realize the OP is about her, but you did bring him into it. If he was

John Smith and she was Jane Doe, the mess would be there business. I have had enough of my own attractions/relationships in my life to understand human fraility. Unfortunately his actions have cast a shadow on the Democrats. Not by myself, but you can feel it seething through MSM. Not good.

[lisa58]

41. His actions have only cast a shadow on him...

...the dems wanted him to clear this up before the convention so they wouldn't have to be embarrassed later - he told the truth.

[renie408]

29. Why? If Edwards did nothing wrong and shit just happens, why do you feel bad for his family?

You don't feel negatively about the person who put them in this position, but you feel bad for them.

That makes no sense.

[lisa58]

35. It makes sense to me...

...it was John who should have taken his family into consideration as she should take into consideration whomever she would hurt by this action. Two human beings giving in to an attraction to each other I can understand.

I wouldn't have done what she did, but I understand how you could be tempted to.

[renie408]

37. I get tempted, I don't get acting on temptation when it will hurt so many innocent people.

That just seems wrong to me. But then I have been told repeatedly over the past 24 hours that I am a fundie. So maybe that's why I think people should be able to control themselves.

[lisa58]

42. I agree and I said, I would not have done what she did...

...I still understand and therefore have no ill feelings towards her. It's never the crime, it's always the cover-up that gets you in trouble.

[renie408]

43. Oh, I don't have a problem with her. It's him. n/t

[lisa58]

45. I thought we were talking about her.

[1Hippiechick]

203. Shoulda, woulda, coulda....but neither one did. And that is what created the problem. n/t

[complain jane]

170. I tend to think

That if you're mature enough to get married, you're mature enough to know that if your marriage is a monogamous one, you are agreeing that you will be faithful despite the fact that people have chemistry with other people and you agree not to let shit happen.

[Codeine]

4. She didn't do anything wrong.

She didn't make a vow to anyone had no responsibility to honor somebody else's vow.

[Lisa0825]

7. I disagree. She made a choice to go after 2 married men. That we know of.

She obviously has no regard for other people's feelings or for the concept of a commitment.

[Codeine]

12. I understand what you're saying

but I don't feel like she has any responsibility to another person' "commitment" at all. :shrug: It's all more complicated and contradictory than I would like it to be. A simple world would be easier, wouldn't it?

[Lisa0825]

61. Well, that's where we differ.

*I* believe I have a moral reason to not interfere with the commitment of others when I am aware of them. If I am a willing party to a cheater, it is no different IMO than having cheated on someone myself.

[complain jane]

171. I agree with you.

[PurityOfEssence]

23. That bespeaks immorality

A crime is often only a crime long past morality has been overstepped. One can be an absolute asshole and never strictly break the law.

Admittedly, it's MORE of a misstep for him, since he's breaking a vow, but those of us who live in society are obligated to have some respect for others' bonds, and in doing this, she was definitely deceiving Elizabeth. It's not as if Ms. Hunter didn't know that they had been married for a long time.

If I diddle with another person's spouse, I've morally misstepped, too; as a member of society I have an obligation to have some reverence for the relationships of others whether a law's been broken or not. Technically, he's not breaking a law, nor is she. He IS breaking a bond of RELIGIOUS (as opposed to civil) marriage, but if that's the argument, the Ten Commandments makes no distinction when thou shalt notting "adultry", so she's also guilty of the sin.

People skirt laws and misbehave all the time, but when one thinks that deception without a specific uttered lie isn't deception, then one has a misalligned moral compass, if one at all.

Laws are designed to codify behavior when it's gone WELL PAST the bounds of acceptable behavior, so not breaking laws is not proof of being a decent person.

One learns much about people in times like these, but sadly it's generally a reconfirmation of an ugly truth about humanity: people tend to be much more tolerant of missteps of their own, their associates, or those of their gender (or sexual subgroup) than they do of the missteps of "others".

[Codeine]

25. I'm a guy,

and I find what she did far less obnoxious than his actions.

[PurityOfEssence]

54. Maybe you should talk to some female friends and get some perspective

The term "homewrecker" comes to mind...

I find that people tend to be a bit harder on their own gender when dealing with this kind of infidelity: guys tend to be a bit harder on another guy who cheats with a married woman and women tend to be a bit harder on women who do it.

Whatever. I'm not a fan of it from either perspective: both parties wreak havoc.

[Whisp]

101. homewrecker is an old word worthy of throwing away.

it usually refers to 'the other woman'.
and it excuses the jerk of a man and places the blame more so on the 'temptress' that made poor John, bill, etc., stray. After all, they have feet of clay, they are hostage to their hormones and any woman who would tempt them like that must be the one to be responsible because they have no control over themselves. what's a red blooded guy to do? :shrug:

ugh.
still hearing this crap is a tad disturbing.

[Carolina]

142. no, homewrecker is very appropriate for some women

because they set their sights on successful married men and pursue them RELENTLESSLY.

Sure, the men are not innocent but there are homewrecking skanks out there.

[Name removed]

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[1Hippiechick]

205. Beware, beware, beware....

"someone" has decided to police this thread, and every utterance of "skank" has been deleted,and a cluple of "slut" references including a couple of pretty good posts of mine with the definition of skank. Look throughout the thread. On a self-righteous soapbox, she is.

[King Coal]

214. Men do things like that. It is natural to want some strange. It is wrong, but understandable.

Since I am a man, I can't speak for her.

[LibraLiz1973]

80. I could not disagree more.

It wasn't like she didn't know, for a fact, that he was married.
It wasn't as if she was not aware that his wife was in remission from cancer.
It wasn't like she didn't know he had children.

I think she behaved like a tramp.
Her morals let her have sex with a husband and a father.
Her morals let her accept money for a job she wasn't qualified to do.

The word whore comes to mind.

I think that if you have STRONG CHARACTER, fucking someone elses spouse isn't something you would do.

[Dollface]

97. She broke the "dibs" rule. Elizabeth called it first. It is a form of theft.

[Stuckinthebush]

148. That's a low level of moral reasoning

She made a choice and that choice has consequences. She was foolish and she hurt others by her actions.

[1Hippiechick]

204. "no responsibility to honor somebody else's vow" speaks volumes about character or lack thereof.

[rucky]

5. She didn't make any vows.

Ask again after Playboy offers her a spread.

[1Hippiechick]

67. "Ask again after Playboy offers her a spread." Are you serious? Have you seen any updated pix ?n/t

[rucky]

73. just looked one up.

and I retract my offer on behalf of Hugh Hefner.

[1Hippiechick]

74. LOL. n/t

[johnaries]

6. Nothing, one way or the other. It's so easy for others to judge

someone when they haven't been in their situation. Honestly, none of us knows how we would react or what we would do in certain situations until we experience them.

As the Cherokee say, you shouldn't judge another until you have walked a mile in their moccasins.

[noamnety]

8. I don't actually know her. (nt)

[jwirr]

9. How I feel about her is totally wrapped up in how I felt when my ex

stepped out on me and married the "lady" 3 months before our divorce was final. At that time it was in the years when the womens movement was a everyday thing. What I wondered then and now is when is the sisterhood going to be bigger than getting laid by someone else's husband?

[Frustratedlady]

10. I would highly recommend she not go into filming as a career...

She will starve. Those clips are awful.

Aside from that, I don't have sympathy for either. They are adults and know what they were doing. You play, you pay. Sorry...I'm from the old school.

[Quantess]

15. And, how is she "paying"?

Except for invasion of privacy and a lot of negative attention from the media?

Looks to me as if she's going to be fine when it all dies down.

She's always going to have her miracle baby, probably the ony one she'll ever have, considering her age. Looks like there will always be child support, too. Maybe even a boost in her career, who knows.

[Warpy]

11. Star fucker

and it's the life she chose for herself and really none of my business unless she asks me for advice.

[1Hippiechick]

26. lol...well, that just about sums it up..... n/t

[PurityOfEssence]

13. Most of us have hopes and dreams and wonder what our lives will amount to

Sadly, some wake up one day and realize that their life has been decided. She will be hounded, derided, played and brutalized to no end by the many who have a stake in destroying her, destroying John Edwards and those who just revel in the horror of those in hell. She will go through every day for the rest of her life, like Monica Lewinsky, Donna Rice and others knowing that they will never be more than a prurient footnote in history and their very epitaph will ring with this one fact of their life.

Her story will come out, and conjecture as to what it is tells volumes about those who make their pronouncements.

There's also another family involved here, as well as the friends and lovers of Ms. Hunter; they all deserve some human kindness.

At least for the rest of us we have hopes of someday becoming what we want to be; for her, it's a living hell of picking amongst those who would use her and making cold monetary calculations about things that have to be close to her heart. Even if it was just a casual thing, there's a baby there, and that little being deserves some stability and joy.

Those who would use her and her predicament for personal gain are assholes, and the sadest part about this whole affair is the loud reminder of how endemic assholism is to the human condition. Those who need to destroy John Edwards now are the smallest of the small and should hang their heads in shame. Those who can't pull themselves from the voyeuristic relish of watching a trapped person in a true life-crisis need to at least admit their culpability in the nightmare.

The story will come out, and I hope it unfolds with some shred of calm and dignity.

On the good side, though, although this shows the ugly and prying worst of human creepiness, some will also materialize to help her. Hopefully she's got enough else going on in her life that this doesn't destroy it.

[CTyankee]

21. Your last sentence was interesting!

What is going on in her life? I have to wonder if she hadthought this through. Something tells me that she kinda knew what would happen but that being famous, even just for this, would be worth it. I'm wondering if she's as miserable as you paint her. She may be enjoying the publicity.

We never know what may or may not motivate people, do we? :shrug:

[Name removed]

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[Taverner]

14. She seems like a mammal

Homo Sapien. May I note she also is a blonde. I also think she might be around 40, but I forget.

[CTyankee]

65. Aw, Taverner, you want to take the fun out of everything!

Our uniquely human ability to make complete fools of ourselves, and then to talk about it, is what makes this "human comedy" bearable...:evilgrin:

[Name removed]

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[Tierra_y_Libertad]

18. Love is blind and causes people to do foolish things.

It certainly has in my case.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

179. "Love"?

Didn't they meet at a hotel bar in NYC? My guess is that many trendy cocktails were thrown back, along with ankles later that evening.

Did she also love Andrew Young?

[Lorien]

196. Amen. n/t

[Crunchy Frog]

19. I think she did rather well for herself.

[cobalt1999]

27. I'm actually kind of impressed.

No skills in film making, yet lands a $100K+ gig in a presidential primary campaign.

Full moving & living expenses.

No means of support but living in a multi-million dollar home.

I'm impressed.

[Crunchy Frog]

34. A good job if you can get it.

I'd sleep with a presidential candidate for those kinds of perks. :shrug:

[1Hippiechick]

225. Even Hillary? n/t

[Name removed]

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[katandmoon]

20. She could have at least used birth control. Now she's dragged a defenseless child into this mess.

She slept with the husband of a woman who was struggling to survive cancer.
I have nothing but the utmost contempt for her.

[AlCzervik]

28. so you know for sure that Edward's is the father? Did you do a paternity test?

Maybe she wanted to have a child, maybe Edward's isn't the father, maybe the father is a friend aka sperm donor.

[katandmoon]

57. Of course he's the father. Why would he have a secret meeting with the baby if he wasn't?

[AlCzervik]

59. he had a secret meeting with the baby? Did he say that? I saw him on Nightline last night

he said he didn't know whose baby that was in the picture. Do you have some inside source?

[1Hippiechick]

223. If she has a thread of decency regarding her child, there won't be a paternity test. She'll

continue to get paid off NOT to have a paternity test done, and she wins either way: If she doesn't have the test, Edwards will never know for sure if he is or isn't the father which is to HIS advantage; therefore, he will keep paying her. If she has the paternity test and Edwards IS the father, there will be proof, and this "love child" will inherit whatever equal portion of his estate that his and Elizabeth's children will.

So, what do YOU think Edwards will do? Pay her off for the rest of her life to NOT have a paternity test.

And, why else would he have gone into Rielle's hotel room at 9:45 p.m. and not come out until 2:45 a.m. or so--and the Enquirer crew have it on film with the lights going out in her suite.

Why did he have to see her in person if their relationship is over and has been over for 2 years? OH, I know. They are now "just friends." Ha!

It's not hard to put 2 and 2 together.

[City Lights]

50. He could have used birth control too.

They've dragged a defenseless child into this mess. It takes TWO to make a baby.

[katandmoon]

56. MEN aren't the ones who get pregnant.

[Kahuna]

185. A defenseless child with a very wealthy daddy (if it's Edwards). She'll

be raking in the dough for 18 years. She knew what she was doing.

[1Hippiechick]

224. Absolutely. Rielle wins either way. Edwards pays her NOT to have the test, thus prevening any

"proof" that it's his child. Worth it to him to keep paying her.

Otherwise, if she has the paternity test and it IS Edwards' "love child", not only will there be proof for the world to see, but said child will equally inherit whatever Edwards' other children inherit.

AND, if Edwards ISN'T the father, Rielle has lost her meal ticket.

What do YOU think she will do?

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[OmmmSweetOmmm]

36. My impressions from a short clip of her as well as her pics...she appears to be a woman on the edge.

My first thought was that she reminded me of the runaway bride. Same type of off energy. She should have been a huge red flag to him.

Do I blame her? No. She was free and he was the one who was married. Do I think what she did was right? From my own personal experience, as the other woman (more than once). No. It wasn't right.

If John had an uncontrollable need to have an affair, choosing a single woman was not the smartest thing to do (amongst other defects in his judgment).

I had a married boss years ago that I had an affair with. At the time I was living with someone. He only chose attached women to have affairs with (no I was not the first nor I'm sure close to the last) because it was SAFE. I didn't want exposure as he didn't. The minute I broke up with my boyfriend, my boss dropped me like a hot potato. A year or so later he started an affair with his temp secretary, married of course...... He never had blow back.

I just thought of him as I learned last week that he passed away about 8 years ago. RIP Marty.

[RayOfHope]

39. Her 'unique' spelling of RILEY drives me f*cking insane. Other than that....

what do I think of Rielle? Not much.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

178. LOL "Lisa Druck" just wouldn't cut it for a formerly coked-up wannabe actress.

Pun not intended.

Sleeping with (at least) two married men. One whose wife was in remission with cancer.

Yeah, she's a piece of work.

[UTUSN]

40. As with Monica (& the corresponding male involved): Selfish, SELFISH SELFISH!1 n/t

[azmouse]

44. I think her behavior was disgusting.

She knew Edwards was a married man and still had sex with him. She should learn some self-control and so should he.

[Quantess]

63. Probably.

We can never know what John Edwards whispered into her ear. We can't know whether he encouraged her or not. ;)

[saracat]

232. You think she needed "encouragement" Are you NUTZ?

[Blue Diadem]

46. She seems to have had quite a life.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/08/edwards-mistres.html

Author Jay McInerney told the New York Post that Alison Poole, the protagonist of his 1988 novel “Story of My Life,” was based on Hunter, whom he dated for a few months in the 1980s back when she was Lisa Druck.

"She's a nice girl," McInerney told the Post’s Page Six. "She used to be a real party girl. When she wasn't out at nightclubs, she was taking acting classes. We dated for only a few months, but in that period, I spent a lot of time with her and her friends, whose behavior intrigued and appalled me to such an extent that I ended up basing a novel on the experience. It was narrated in the first person from the point of view of an ostensibly jaded, sexually voracious 20-year-old who was inspired by Lisa. I certainly thought of Alison Poole as a sympathetic and ultimately endearing character."
--------------

After her party days, I read she was married to a lawyer, who just happened to be the son of the DA on the Jon Bonet case.

I'll leave my own thoughts about her out of it.

[Adelante]

47. What she didn't do is break a public trust

I see her more as a private citizen living a private life made public by circumstances she had no central role in. She wasn't running for president or leading a social movement, she had no leadership position in the life of the nation, so I don't see the responsibility in the same light. The affair itself would have been a private matter for the three parties in other circumstances -- shocking to some, mundane to many, more largely nobody's business -- if not for the presidency. She is not a witch; she is a human being with failings. This doesn't mean she is a victim, either. I don't see her that way. But she is not culpable to a similar extent, in my judgment, because, as I said, she did not break a public trust.

[CTyankee]

48. I agree with that. From what I've read she attaches herself to almost celebrities

and that seems she is trying to get into the spotlight, wherever it may be. She sees John Edwards in a restaurant in New York and she's all over him with her flattery. You would think Edwards would be "on to" this type of ploy. Most politicians are vulnerable to flattery and they love attention. So moth meets flame or vice versa.

Public trust, no. Public trust would come into play if Edwards was in office. But it is near enough with the campaign funds to muddy the waters. Color me "not thrilled."

[Adelante]

51. Public trust

The image projected of the perfect family man, the straight arrow, the upstanding specimen of American morality, etc. Most of all taking the gamble with the presidency in such a precarious circumstance at so crucial a time for the party, the country and the world.

But as for Rielle, I see her as a product of her era. I lived in Manhattan in the years she was a young adult. She was a very familiar type. The drugs and alcohol, the men, the nightclubs, New Age experimenting, dabbling in art; a little flaky, maybe, but not evil. She did recover from that lifestyle, to her credit. Still, as you say, seeking the spotlight doesn't seem to have left her.

[1Hippiechick]

70. "she is a human being with failings" - as is JE. You sure are letting her off easy....n/t

[knitter4democracy]

49. I don't think what she did was great, but I don't blame her.

I'm not her, I haven't lived through what she's gone through, and I have no idea why she's done what she's done. Regardless, she has a baby to raise and love now, and she needs to focus on that.

[1Hippiechick]

71. Why not? n/t

[knitter4democracy]

153. I don't think most women intend to become the other woman.

I know my mom didn't. I saw what people can be like to the other woman, and it's mean, and it's nasty. That child will grow up in that shadow, and I know a bit of what that's like, and the best thing for all is if she can love that baby, if the father can love that baby, and the media can move on to some other story.

[1Hippiechick]

184. What do they become when they sleep with someone who is married? Good friends? n/t

[knitter4democracy]

187. Someone in love, usually.

Some women, granted, do it for power or a rush or just because the guy is there. I think most who sleep with a married guy (and know it, rather than he keeps that from them) do it because they think they love the guy. Love is a mucky, difficult thing, and it's really hard to deny.

Others may want to run in with the torches and pitchforks here, but I just see a bunch of people hurting from some really stupid decisions. I worry most about the baby, who did nothing but will pay for those stupid decisions more than the others.

[Lorien]

195. I think that's usually the case

My stepmother never set out to become "the other woman", but she and my father fell in love and both families were torn apart by it. In hindsight, she was a much better match for my father than my mother was. Since my mom became a born again and my father remains an atheist, I think things would have fallen apart one way or another. Sometimes a person's first choice isn't the best one.

I've heard of women who set out to "score" a married man to prove something to themselves-but I've never met anyone like that. I've seen plenty of affairs come and go in my workplace. It always starts with a connection or chemistry between two people. I've rarely thought "oh he (or she) seems like the type to get involved in an affair". I've never known ANYONE who really wanted that except one unhappily married male coworker of mine. Everyone else fell in love (or lust) with someone they never expected to have feelings for. It's a difficult situation, and no one can judge it but those involved.

[knitter4democracy]

222. Exactly. It's darn difficult to fight chemistry.

People feel connections or fall in love, and when that happens, they're not usually very smart about it.

[1Hippiechick]

226. Well I guess Edlwards "fell out" of love. Says he's only loved one woman for 31 years.

[knitter4democracy]

229. Probably not.

People can love more than one person at a time. He's probably not in that just-fell-in-love high with his wife of 31 years, but that doesn't mean he ever stopped loving her. People screw up.

[FlaDem83]

52. She's no better than he and I think she is a vile s**t.

[1Hippiechick]

201. And I think they deserve each other, to boot. Different ballgame if they had waited until he was

available. Love? I hardly think so. Lust? Yes. If he's telling the truth, he tried it and didn't like it, so to speak. Says he has only loved one woman for 31 years.

[Name removed]

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[CTyankee]

58. In a way, I see her as a "type" just meant for a politician, no matter where she's from.

Riele had her Manhatten "sheen", Gennifer had her own charm, Monica had hers. So whatever it took or whatever it was, it worked. I don't callher a "skank" but I do think there was a kind of opportunism at work here. It is all too common with powerful men...

[Name removed]

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[noamnety]

78. sexist/bigoted language is inappropriate on DU

members should avoid using racist, sexist, homophobic, or otherwise bigoted terminology. This includes gender-specific terms such as "cunt," "whore," "slut," "skank," or "pussy," and terms with homophobic derivation, such as "cocksucker," which are often inflammatory and inappropriate. A common exception that is permitted is the use of words like "whore" or "prostitute" in cases where public figures or the media do favors.


Just because you can find a definition online for bigoted slurs does not mean you should condone their use.

[Catherine Vincent]

55. She's just your typical white woman.

:evilgrin:

[laureloak]

198. What in the hell do you mean by that remark?

[SoCalDem]

60. She sure can't say she didn't know he was married..

She apparently lived a footloose lifestyle, and while in Africa and while doing the "commercials", set out to have an affair with him..

Maybe it was just so she could see if "she still had it"..I mean she was 40-something, and Edwards is a famous/handsome guy.. and since he used his family-man appeal as a linchpin of his candidacy, perhaps it was a challenge to her..

Rich men who have dangerous affairs, also tend to be generous.. Maybe she thought his "gifts" could further her career..maybe she decided to try for a baby to connect them "longtime"..and keep the connection to the money-train.

Only she knows..

He wanted the sex, and apparently was willing to "throw it all away", for some sneaky sex.. I hope he enjoyed it, because it will be the first thing that comes to mind about him for a LONG time.... and even if kids say "they have forgiven him", they DON'T EVER "forgive" a man (Even dear old dad) for cheating on a desperately ill mother....Ask McCain's grown kids..

[Kahuna]

186. Henceforth when I hear the word "phony" the image of Edwards will

flash in my mind. He's a world class phony and if he's lying about the baby and the payoffs I hope he gets everything that is coming to him. He's no better than a snake oil salesman.

[1Hippiechick]

216. He didn't have to cheat to be exposed as a phony. Have you seen the cheap vanity films that she did

of Edwards on the road? The first one "takes the cake." Just seeing this film would have turned me totally against him, even if he had not cheated. Disgusting.


Edited to add film clip:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=167571&mesg_id=167571

[NoodleyAppendage]

62. Histronic females and sociopathic males. An instinctual match.

It's long been clinical lore that histronic females and sociopathic males attract each other. One tends to be sexually impulsive (female), while the latter (male) doesn't give a sh*t about anyone but himself.

J

[Name removed]

64. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Phillycat]

66. I think she has a stupid first name.

Also, she fucked a married guy, so she doesn't have much in the way of ethics. :shrug:

[dkofos]

69. Not bad for forty something.

[Mother Of Four]

75. Filth-

That's the very first word that comes to mind.

[renie408]

86. Tres harsh. If you think she's filth, what do you think of Edwards? n/t

[Mudoria]

76. I don't think badly of her at all. She made a mistake

knowingly having an affair with a married man. I'm sure she more than understands that now since he's a well known public figure and has been for quite a few years. Truth be told, I have a feeling she may not be the only one Johnny has poked but time will tell.

[RetroLounge]

77. Well, having read the book about her life

I think she's pretty pathetic too.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51B7MXA8ETL._SL500_BO2,204,203,200_PIlitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_OU01_AA240_SH20_.jpg

Now I understand why all my copies of this book which have been collecting dust sold out today.

RL

[pitohui]

156. i read it back in the day, what a vacuum between the ears she had!

she also appears in some ellis novels, which in my humble opinion at least have the advantage of being well written (he's my preferred of the toxic twins) :-)

[Name removed]

79. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[noamnety]

81. Please review DU rules concerning sexist slurs. (nt)

[renie408]

83. "Filth" didn't bother you, but "slut" does? I am a woman and I think I would

rather be called a slut than filth.

[noamnety]

87. Filth is gender nuetral.

There's no reason to use sexist slurs - which reinforce sexism in a broader sense. There's a reason we see skank and slut tossed around repeatedly to describe the woman in a relationship, but they don't appear as descriptors of the man in the same conversations.

(and no, tossing it in now to say it applies to him as well - now that I bring it up - does not change the dynamics of these conversations.)

The language upholds patriarchal rules of sexual behavior for men and women in this society. That's WHY sexist slurs are offensive. They are not just personal, they are also political.

[Mojorabbit]

115. Everyone in my circle

uses these two words for either sex. Where do you get that it is a slur against women. Most gay men I know use that word for other men.

[noamnety]

118. Count how many times it's been used against the woman here

versus against the man.

Therein lies the reality. Sometimes that varies from theory, as I'm sure you are aware.

[renie408]

120. It's a weird thing. I have taught my kids that when somebody calls you a name, it says more about...

them than it does about you. It just means that they are somebody who needs to call names to feel good about themselves. But then you grow up and suddenly, it isn't your place to ignore them any more. It's up to everybody else to not say things that offend you. Why is that? Instead of wandering around telling people not to use 'icky' words, why not realize that when somebody uses those kinds of phrases, it says more about them than it does either about you or the person they are talking about? Honestly, does calling Rielle Hunter a slut REALLY hurt women? I am a woman and I don't think so. I think that all the people who are calling her a slut and filth are judgmental as hell. What does getting them to change the WORD do about the judgment?

[noamnety]

134. When we hear someone being a bigot

and opt to stay quiet, it also says something about us. It says we are willing to accept that - that it's acceptable to us.

The board here has made a stand (in their rules) against using bigoted language. I prefer that they enforce it, because I don't want to participate in a community that feels it's acceptable to speak as bigots. I don't believe it's an overwhelming burden NOT to use sexist/racist/homophobic language.

The reason it matters is because the way we frame things passes our bigotry from one person to another. It's self-reinforcing. We all recognize that when the right does it.

I have no obligation to act nice and acquiesce while someone here or anywhere else acts like a bigot.

There are rules at DU that I sometimes wish didn't exist, particularly when it comes to independent candidates. But if I cross the line and get called on it, that's on me. It's not the fault of the person who noticed or called me out on it. There's not much point in my getting all indignant because I wasn't allowed to break the rules, or getting pissed off because someone expected me to follow the rules of the community while I'm here. That's like my kids at school getting outraged and pissed at me because they decided not to follow the dress code. Well, shit, whose fault is that? Mine? Or theirs?

[renie408]

136. Controlling someone's language does nothing to change their thinking. It might make YOU more

comfortable, but it isn't going to change them. And THEY are the ones that need changing, right? I think that by throwing rules in their faces and calling them unfeminist (oy, more names) all you are going to do is solidify them in their thinking. I know there is NOTHING that irks me worse than somebody who thinks it's their job to be hall monitor. Even more than somebody who uses an unenlightened turn of phrase.

All you are doing is irritating people. It might be better to make them think than to hound them for not following the rules. And I honestly don't think bigotry is contagious and words are the infective agent. Bigotry is. Simple as that. You are bigoted. We all are. Your biases may not be toward women or people of color, but you have them. The only thing that is going to help move a bigoted person is to get them thinking. You have labeled the people who use the word 'slut' as bigots. More labels. You are doing the same thing to them that they are doing to Rielle Hunter. You stick a label on somebody and you don't have to figure out where they are coming from, what motivates them...they aren't THEM any more, they are the label.

Anyway, I understand and agree with what you are trying to do, I don't think the way you are going about it is very effective.

[noamnety]

140. Bigotry is contagious - I completely disagree with you on that.

We are taught to be bigots, we aren't born that way, and language is one of the main ways we are taught that. I think it was another thread here today where someone was talking about well educated parents getting their (white) child an African American doll and teaching her to call it the N word.

If a person acts like a racist, I'll point that out. If they act like a sexist, I'll point that out, too.

There was that nice video posted a while back about how to nicely tell a racist they are acting that way by focusing on the specific behaviors rather than calling them a racist directly. As I mentioned at the time in another thread, in my experience you can phrase things as delicately as you like, like a gentle butterfly coming to whisper in their ear, and the folks who are racist/sexist will still get bent out of shape. There was another example of that this weekend - without calling out threads or posters, what I basically said was "this euphemism here is offensive" and the response was along the lines of "!#@$!@#! you're claiming all men are evil and all women are saints." Well, no. I said this phrasing right here is offensive.

If you have a problem with me calling people out, you can put me on ignore if you like, I'm really not offended by that one way or another. But I'm not going to sit and make nice while people use slurs, whether it's against immigrants, women, GLBT folks, minorities, whatever.

The tragedy isn't that I call them on it. It's that so many people feel it's appropriate to use slurs in the first place, and so many others sit silently by when it happens.

If they aren't capable of critical thought, perhaps they are capable of understanding when they use racist/sexist language, their point gets lost in the thread derailment that occurs as a result. It's not an effective means of communication, on a practical level, because whatever point they were wanting to make is lost in having to defend their racist/sexist word choices. I'm fine with their thoughts being derailed. Better that than letting them think they can speak like that and be respected by everyone.

If I am irritating them - good. Let that be some negative reinforcement. "If I use sexist language I'm gonna have to deal with people calling me out on it" - maybe they'll think twice. That's how some racists/people on the right get bullied into shutting the hell up - they may be thinking the N word, but they know they can't say it openly cause they will get called for what they are. The word's still in use, but nothing like it used to be, in large part because the public has made it clear it's NOT acceptable.

[renie408]

145. Sweetie, I live in South Carolina. I doubt there is anything you can teach me about bigotry of any

kind. I haven't 'caught' it. My kids haven't 'caught' it. My husband hasn't 'caught' bigotry. And we ALL hear bigoted comments that would freak you the hell out everyday. And every day we have to work with bigoted people. Otherwise good, smart, friendly people who would tell you they love others and try to do the right thing always.

I think we are on the same team, we just have different approaches.

[noamnety]

152. Contagious things aren't caught by everyone.

If they were, the plague would have been the end of us all.

None the less, some things are contagious. Like I said, bigotry isn't given to us at birth, it's taught. I'd consider that contagious.

[renie408]

162. Yes, and I am sure that you threatening everybody with rules because their language

is offensive is going to make somebody raise their kids differently, while actually confronting the thinking behind the words would be a lot less effective.

Yeah, I can see that.

[noamnety]

166. I do a fair amount of confronting the mindset and explaining, as well.

Sadly, some people are determined to act in sexist/racist ways and no amount of reasoning with them is going to change that. Critical thinking isn't always the driving force behind a person when they act that way.

If you can convince others here to think differently using some other approach, please do - I welcome that.

But letting it stand without comment ... that's never an effective way to combat bigotry.

[sendero]

159. Finally..

... exactly what you said.

[1Hippiechick]

211. Standing ovation for your comment. Well said!

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[Mojorabbit]

121. Well the description fits her

from her history and the dictionary description. It was a slur in the 50's. It was used by me and my women friends in a bantering way in the late sixties and since then. It is used by the people I know now to describe both sexes. I really don't care how anyone else uses it. It will be colored by their life experiences and no one can really know where they are coming from. It is like the word fuck. Even in the 60's one hardly heard it. Now it seems to be ubiquitous.

[renie408]

124. Slut is not a word I use because I generally feel sorry for the people being labeled that way.

I am not sure how sexist it is, but I can clearly see how ugly it is. Rielle Hunter might have poor judgment, she might not be the brightest bulb in the box, she might have self-esteem issues...there might be a lot of reasons for her behavior. All of those things make me feel sorry for her. They don't make me want to dig up a nasty pejorative label for her.

Now, if YOU feel the need to label her that way, go team. I don't happen to think it says nearly as much about her as it does about you. But I also don't happen to think it means you are anti-feminist.


Just my take on things.

[Mojorabbit]

135. I don't have a problem with the word

because it has no sting in my life. I don't see it as a pejorative word. I certainly went around the block in the late 60's and 70's when I was single and the description fit me at that time. I was married to a man years ago and the word fit him also. I don't use it nor see it as something that is particularly bad. It's just a description of behaviour to me or else used in friendly banter. It is obvious that it is not that to others on this board.

[renie408]

137. So, when you called Rielle Hunter a slut, it was in a friendly way? With no negative connotation?

Cause I SO didn't get that part. I guess I missed the jolly, friendly bantering bit.

What I find WAY more interesting than what people get labeled is what motivates the behavior that earns them the label. My armchair psychologist's opinion is that she found him to be all the things she would like to be: important, grounded, acknowledged for his intelligence, respected, etc. And she wanted to get close to that.

[Mojorabbit]

139. No

if you read my post it is a dictionary definition of behaviour which I myself fit at one time with no regrets nor shame. It is also used in friendly bantering.
edited to delete an extraneous vowel

[CTyankee]

147. As the OP on this thread, I'd like to say that I do not label Rielle. But I do think she has a

pathetic need going on here. We've seen the pattern with her past, etc., andhow she started with Edwards and drew him in. It seems to me that we are post feminist in our treatment of her. She is not slut, skank, whatever. But what is she? We can't be locked into our "victim" category forever. Rielle seemed to just be who she was and that got Edwards on the hook!So what do we say to that?

If it was that easy to reel John Edwards in as the Big Fish he was what does that say to our politics today? Not much, kiddo...

[1Hippiechick]

206. Count? That's an interest comment. n/t

[renie408]

116. As far as I am concerned, she wasn't the married one. I think her judgment is flawed

because a married man is never a good bet if you are in for the long haul, but I am not sure if she really did anything wrong.

[1Hippiechick]

199. Throughout this thread, you seem to have

set yourself up as some type of "police" for terminology and rules enforcement. Interesting.

[Name removed]

84. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[noamnety]

88. DU rules.

"members should avoid using racist, sexist, homophobic, or otherwise bigoted terminology."

[earth mom]

90. Rielle SOLD HERSELF-as they say, "if the shoe fits" and it does. nt

[earth mom]

91. self delete-double post. nt

[earth mom]

92. Looks like you're on a mission to nanny everyone on this thread. Truth hurts doesn't it?

:eyes:

[noamnety]

93. Generally, I speak out when I see bigotry.

You can refer to that however you like. I see you like to refer to it with yet more sexist language.

[earth mom]

94. Bigotry, ROFLMAO! I'm a woman, how in the hell can you even say that?!

:wtf:

:crazy:

You seriously need to find something better to do than nanny everyone here on DU with total bullshit.

[noamnety]

95. Men have no patent on upholding the patriarchy.

Women many many times play a part in reinforcing gender roles - both in their peers and in the way they raise children.

"I'm a woman, I CAN'T be sexist" just doesn't work. We are ALL affected by messages we get in our culture.

You can opt to react to that defensively, or you can react with critical thinking, but "I'm not affected by gender roles cause I'm female" just isn't believable.

[earth mom]

96. Oh this is funny. Sorry, but I'm a feminist through and through.

Frankly, I don't need YOU OR ANYONE telling me whether or not I can use the word whore because you have put some sort of connotation upon the word for absurd reasons. I draw the line at the N word and other such slurs, but to me the word whore is the perfect word to describe someone who sells themselves or their principles for money. Which, btw, is the actual definition in the dictionary which is also NOT a gender specific definition, because obviously men can be whores too.

So run it by me again how calling someone a whore is a slur against ALL women? Sounds like you need to do some critical thinking yourself.


FYI:
whore (hôr, hr)
n.
1. A prostitute.
2. A person considered sexually promiscuous.
3. A person considered as having compromised principles for personal gain.
intr.v. whored, whor·ing, whores
1. To associate or have sexual relations with prostitutes or a prostitute.
2. To accept payment in exchange for sexual relations.
3. To compromise one's principles for personal gain.

[noamnety]

102. funny kind of feminist you are.

Unable to see that your "gender neutral" slur has ONLY been used against the woman, not edwards. Like I said, trying to slip it in now doesn't negate the actual conversations that have been happening on DU for the last couple days.

Funny sort of feminist it is who reacts instinctively to criticism by equating critics to "nannies" - women held in low esteem because they are 1) women, 2) doing "women's work" i.e. caretaking.

Not sure what sort of women's studies you've been doing, but the whole gendered slur thing is odd.

Are you also one of those people arguing that prostitution should be legal and respected - while simultaneously calling women whores as an insult? Those are my favorite kind of feminist.

[earth mom]

109. Funny kind of feminist you are.

To think you can decide who is a feminist and who is not. Wow, that's some ego you've got there! :wtf:

FYI-I've used the word whore about both sexes. I happen to think most male politicians are whores. How's that for equal time?

As for the word nanny, I used it because it's a common word used on message boards to get across a point when someone sticks their nose where it doesn't belong-like you've done several times in this thread.

As for prostitution, I'm against legalizing it. But I'm sure you think it would be great to legalize it because it would be an important feminist statement or some other such bullshit.


Your type of "feminism" gives feminists a bad name and is the reason why the right wing has trashed the word feminist up one side and down the other.

[noamnety]

127. Relying on sexist lingo like "nanny" as a shortcut

isn't an excuse. It's still misogynistic framing. "Lots of people do it" isn't an excuse. Lots of people use all kinds of sexist/homophobic/racist language. As a critical thinker - which should be a requirement for being a feminist - or activist in general - you need to be able to do better than that, and look at the political and social implications of the language you are using.

Can you point to an example where you've used "whore" on the board to refer to a man who has sex for monetary gain?

Do you have any evidence (here's a hint - you don't) that the woman sold her body for sex?

Using it for a man as a METAPHOR to imply he's as shitty as a woman who sells her body isn't evidence of feminism.

Glad to hear you are opposed to legalizing prostitution. So am I. But I don't go so far as to demonize women who are forced into that life by using them as metaphors for corrupt politicians. I don't think that supports women's rights in any way.

PS - the right trashes feminists for a whole other reason entirely - it ain't cause of the likes of me. They like the kind of feminism where women shut up and smile nicely while the men in their lives order them around.

[earth mom]

173. We can argue semantics all day and night but it's not going to change my mind.

FYI, I never said Hunter sold her body for sex. But that she whored herself, her principles, to get her 15 minutes of fame. Just look how she's tried to make it in Hollywood for years to no avail. So she did whatever it took to make herself famous.

I'm not going to go back into thousands of my posts to prove anything to you, but I know how I feel about anyone who sells their principles for money or fame. I've also used the word whore to refer to corporate media whores; people like Limbaugh and O'Lielly who sell whatever the powers that be want them to sell with no regrets or conscience. All for money and fame.

And again, the dictionary does NOT define the word whore as gender specific to women. So that is where your entire argument about the word being disrespectful to women falls flat on it's face. I would never demonize anyone-man or woman-who have found themselves in the life of prostitution because I see prostitution as exploitation. People find ways to justify it and say it empowers women which is a total crock since the exact opposite is true.

[1Hippiechick]

209. Yeah...look back upline at all of the deleted messages.

I had a couple of good ones, I thought, with the definition of skank. However, I didn't know that "skank" was on the disapproved list whereas whore is acceptable. Go figure.

[earth mom]

234. Whore got deleted too. I've always thought skank & slut were WAY worse than the word whore.

:shrug:

[1Hippiechick]

235. Hmmm....and I thought just the opposite! It will be interesting to see if

your message gets to stand. LOL

[earth mom]

236. Yeah, I was thinking it would be gone by now. LOL!

:hi:

[mnhtnbb]

104. Hey, what's sexist about the word 'slut'? It is supposed to be applied

to a sexually promiscuous woman. I mean, c'mon. More than one man is being accused of being the father. In my book, that qualifies for sexual promiscuity.

There are plenty of words to describe men who do the same thing.
Or is that your complaint? That a single man who goes around sleeping with married women doesn't have
an equivalent description?

[noamnety]

106. How's the N word "supposed" to be applied?

How are any bigoted (racist/sexist/homophobic) slurs "supposed" to be applied?

[mnhtnbb]

107. The N word is commonly accepted as a slur. The word slut is not. Case closed.

Now, if you were to suggest the c**t word, that would be a slur.

[noamnety]

117. According to the rules of this forum

you are incorrect. This suggests that despite this being YOUR opinion, which I realize is sacred, it's not prevailing wisdom here.


Is it out of line to suggest you follow the guidelines of a forum you chose to participate in?

[mnhtnbb]

157. If I'm so out of line, why haven't my posts been deleted by mods?

It's your opinion that you are pushing that I'm out of line. I'm using a dictionary word, used
in Shakespeare, that applies to the situation. Methinks you doth protest too much. Could it be you identify with Rielle?

[noamnety]

167. I think some of them might have been deleted by now. (nt)

[davekriss]

85. Who?

[MrSlayer]

89. Completely indifferent.

A non-entity.

[jesus_of_suburbia]

99. I think she's crazy.

And John has VERY bad taste to even have sex with her.

She is nice looking, but she comes off VERY strange.


I have actually been very attracted to people and turned them down when I figured out they were a little bit off.

Edwards should have known better in my opinion.

[Name removed]

100. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[noamnety]

105. sexist, and I reject your argument.

We "CAN" use the N word to insult a white person, but the word is still racist.

You know as well as I do that the word is overwhelmingly (if not exclusively) being used on DU to describe the woman, not the man in this relationship. I assume you are smart enough to understand why.

[mnhtnbb]

108. That's because there's also a word for JE. It's adulterer--and it's used

for the married person who sleeps with someone else outside the marriage.

Rielle Hunter is not the adulterer in this instance. She's the "other woman", commonly
known as a slut, especially when more than one man might be the father of her baby.


http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/slut

[renie408]

122. I have called him a dumbass a few times and haven't had one man object that I was being sexist. n/t

[noamnety]

128. Dumbass is a fine insult. (nt)

[renie408]

132. I like it. It's kind of 'all purpose'. :) n/t

[Name removed]

113. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[tammywammy]

103. I have no feelings about her

She's not the one that was married.

[XemaSab]

110. I feel sorry for her

:(

[pitohui]

111. i think if she's really allison poole she's knocked a few years off her age!

was alison poole always younger than i was? in any case,
she's had way more than 15 minutes of fame over the years and seems to be a classic sociopath/user

at her age, having a kid by any rich dude she can catch is her only way to financial security, there really aren't that many people w. titanium AMEX cards who want to pay for blowjobs from fortysomethings

this is her last chance to put her hands in somebody's pocket

since she doesn't want the child paternity tested, we can be confident it can't be edwards, she'd be suing him for child support for the next 25 years in a HEARTBEAT!

[LostinVA]

112. Senator Edwards is the one who took marriage vows, not Ms. Hunter

So, ultimately, she is not the one who is "to blame," and who had the final responsibility not to fool around, even if I don't really like what she did.


If my wife fooled around on me, SHE would be the one I would hold responsible.

For the record, I have never cheated on anyone, although an ex did cheat on me. It sucks.

[AllentownJake]

163. I disagree

There is no way she didn't know he was married. People who knowingly sleep with married people disgust me not as much of the married person but they still disgust me.

[1Hippiechick]

227. And knowing how that feels to be on the receiving end of cheating, I bet you would never do that to

someone else, either, would you? That's a mark of character that Rielle absolutely has not exhibited one iota of.

[SarahB]

114. Why do women have to have ulterior motives?

Why are women "whores"?
Why are women "opportunists"?
Why are women "seeking fame"?
Why are women "desperate"?

Men can fuck a woman because he thinks she's hot without a bunch of other motivations laid upon him. Maybe, just maybe he's a good looking man and she was attracted to him sexually. Jeesh. Being a married man and if he lied to his wife, obviously that's wrong, but why can't women just sometimes, for once, just want to get laid too without all this bullshit put on them too. Don't worry, I doubt few people even 'get' what I'm talking about. :eyes:

This site is so fucking full of misogyny from people who claim to be progressive (and often women themselves are the absolute WORST offenders), that I'm sickened. Nothing new though.

[noamnety]

123. "This site is so fucking full of misogyny"

Bingo - that's the answer to each of the questions you posed.

And I'd be willing to bet 90% of this shit is from the so-called "sex-positive feminist" camp, that talks out one side of their mouth about embracing sex in all its (wage-labor) forms, while using the other side of their mouth to do exactly what you described when it turns out an actual woman WANTED sex - first thing they do is go into denial, saying she must have wanted money, must have wanted 15 minutes of fame, and after ascribing their own motivations to her, calling her a "whore" for doing it.

With all that talking out both sides of their mouths, it's kinda funny they don't feel a special kind of bond with Edwards at the moment.

[renie408]

130. Did you ever stop to think that maybe that's because men are about as deep as....

something REALLY not deep when it comes to sex and women are given credit for thinking about it a little more? Really, if you look at it that way, it is kind of a compliment to assume she had a motive.

I think her motive may just have been that he was what she was not and she wanted to be near it. But that's still a motive. Not necessarily a bad motive, but a motive.

[CTyankee]

150. Given her background, absolutely yes. She was a determined woman,

a moth to the flame or vice versa as I put it, and that was essentially that!

It was ever thus...

[Lorien]

197. Because it's always the woman's fault

in every affair I've witnessed, the women are always judged far more harshly than the men. The other woman is a "slut, whore, bitch, or gold digger", the wife is sometimes blamed for not doing enough to "keep her man", but men are often given a pass because everyone believes that they are just hapless victims of their own testosterone. Also, I think that our society still can't stomach the idea that it may be natural for women to want and enjoy sex, enough sometimes that they can be seduced by men as easily as men can be seduced by women.

[Blue Belle]

119. I think Edwards could have done better...

If you're going to cheat on a woman like Elizabeth Edwards she better have a brain like a Nobel Peace Laureate and look like Rachel Hunter not Reille Hunter. I mean, if you're going to fuck up your family, career, and reputation, it better be worth it.

According to the recent newsweek article "What Reille told me" ( http://www.newsweek.com/id/151783 ), "At lunch at the Soho House in late spring of '07, Rielle told me that she and novelist Jay McInerney were working on a "genius" idea for a television show about women who help men get out of failing marriages by having affairs with them. She said they wanted to pitch this idea to Darren Star, creator of "Melrose Place" and "Sex and the City." At lunch early that summer, I asked Rielle if she was dating anyone. She answered simply, "I'm in love." I asked, "Who with?" "I can't tell you," she said, "but maybe someday we'll all be friends.""

Sounds to me like she seeks married men out. Maybe she gets some sort of satisfaction out of it, who knows?

[Joe Holmes]

125. Johnny thought she was hot,

so he worked her unit. Later on a baby came out.

[cherokeeprogressive]

126. Personally, I'm wondering what it is she'll be hawking on the Home Shopping Network

Will it be purses? Handmade costume jewelry? Sexy undergarments?

Or maybe she'll make a youtube video critical of McHundredYearsinIraq and then be mentioned as a possible Dem convention speaker by those here are blown like a feather in the wind. :puke:

[IdClaire]

133. you stole my line

I was going to say make purses a la Monica Lewinsky.
Funny.

[IdClaire]

129. I wonder about the pictures and the leaks to the Enquirer

Who gave them all the information? Was it her? They seem to know some pretty detailed information about money changing hands and when he was going to be at the hotel for instance. And those pictures, if they aren't photoshopped were taken inside the hotel room. I wonder if she did it to get money or to get back at him for ending the affair. I believe him when he said the baby isn't his especially now that she is saying she doesn't want a paternity test either. I think it ended in 2006 and the fact that there is a baby kicked this thing into high gear.

[Alexander]

131. She's a spacey, New Age, gold-digging weirdo.

These articles should shed some light on Rielle Hunter/Lisa Druck:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/151783

When I next saw Rielle weeks later, she told me that she'd been fired by the Edwards campaign. She seemed perfectly cheerful about it, but she proceeded to tell me a tale of woe—how the campaign hadn't understood her, how they'd ruined the Webisodes, how they'd impeded her vision and how Edwards himself had failed to defend her. The chief villain in this saga was Elizabeth Edwards. "Someday," Rielle said, "the truth about her is going to come out."

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/sunday/commentary/la-oe-miller10-2008aug10,0,6388212.story

"I am going to be famous," Rielle said. "Rich and famous. I am going to meet a rich, powerful man."

I was by now leaning against the kitchen cabinetry, and the fact that it was holding me up made me almost certain that Harrison Ford's virility had gone into its construction. "Wow," I said. "How are you going to do that?"

Rielle slid a toe out from under the tip of her flared yoga pants and poked me with it, playfully. "I'm going to manifest it," she said.

I couldn't play along anymore. "Good luck," I said. "I just ... I don't really believe in stuff like that."

She backed away from me now, a conspiratorial smile on her face. "You don't have to," she said. "I'm just going to keep using your amazing energy, and you'll see."

[mitchum]

221. She's a walking cliche (n/t)

[Name removed]

138. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

141. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Faygo Kid]

144. Yup. Doesn't excuse Edwards, but "Rielle" is no prize.

I'm terribly sorry, but there is no purity on either gender's side.

There are asshole men. And terrible women.

Those who deny that essential truth become Rush dittoheads (men) or PUMAs (women).

And I want nothing to do with either.

[Carolina]

149. I said upthread

that Edwards is equally culpable and I cut him absolutely no slack. But I have seen women like Hunter in action and they truly disgust me.

They are not innocents, they are not victims, they know exactly what they're doing and they don't give a rat's ass about the family they hurt and possibly destroy.

[Faygo Kid]

151. I married one of those once. All about her.

But my father was an absolute disaster, so I guess I see both sides.

I don't disagree at all with you here. But I'm not sure what to do about it, except never put myself in that position again

I wish John would have done so, too. So does he. I think basically he's a decent person, and she is not, but so what?

It's over now.

[JI7]

146. i don't like her

and that's based on what i know of her outside of the affair with Edwards.

as for the affair Edwards is the one who comes out badly on that. since she wasn't married to anyone, he was. he was the public figure seeking presidency.

[sniffa]

154. Nothing at all save for pity for her being shat on

[GaYellowDawg]

158. I don't.

He did it, she did it, he's not a politician, a nominee, or any kind of government official, so I'd just as soon put the whole sordid mess in the rear view mirror.

[AllentownJake]

160. Same way I feel about the guy who my ex-fiance cheated with

Scum.....

[6000eliot]

161. I feel that it's none of my business to have an opinion on any of this.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

164. Kinda scary...reminds me of the character in "Fatal Attraction."

though Glenn Close is prettier, I think.

[1Hippiechick]

228. LOL....you just stated your opinion....that you feel that it's none of your business. n/t

[sendero]

165. It's been my experience..

... that a sizable proportion of women don't give a rat's ass if a guy is married or not. It's almost like they see it as a simple competition in which they are the winner.

[Dan]

168. Not a thought, one way or the other...but

If John had got the Democratic party nomination as our representative, are we saying that once this came out - it would be better to have McSame because he has been pure (of late)?

Or even worse - is it acceptable to reject a qualified candidate because he/she could not live up to our moral standards, where in all other ways they are perfectly competent for the for position? So, better to go with the unqualified pure of heart than the qualified human?

[mnhtnbb]

169. I think the politically correct thinking police have taken over this thread.

It's a sad day when a term used by Shakespeare can't be used in a DU forum.

Welcome to the androgynous age: star fucker is allowed.

[Name removed]

190. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mnhtnbb]

191. I couldn't believe it.

I called her a slut--a woman who is sexually promiscuous. I mean, c'mon, there's more than one candidate for the father of the baby? What is that if not sexually promiscuous?

Apparently the argument against using the word that describes her behavior is a word only used
to describe women--and that's considered sexist! Well, there are plenty of similar words used
to describe men who can't keep it in their pants. Those aren't going to be allowed either?
It's taking the concept of sexism to the point of ridiculous. We're going to end up with nothing but...whatever...

:wtf:

[1Hippiechick]

213. I could have written your post. I included the definition of "sk*nk" and my posts were deleted, too

[1Hippiechick]

212. But the policer has quoted the rules: "whore" is allowed. n/t

[karynnj]

174. I place more blame on Edwards

This is because he had asked people to trust him, to lead him and follow him. He was in a position to being one of around 10 men in either seriously considered for the honor of being President. More than any of them, in either party, his family was part of the package.

What I see are many people extremely hurt that their trust was violated and that they were lied to before the primaries even started. I didn't trust Edwards, for various other reasons, but I was extremely sad to here this was true - more for the people who loyally supported him than for him. Had he won the primaries - the party would be in chaos.

Hunter didn't have that kind of trust to betray.

[Name removed]

175. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[1Hippiechick]

200. Expect to get your message deleted by

lwfern. Look back up the thread - self-appointed police. :puke:

[itsrobert]

176. Gold Digger

n/t

[woo me with science]

177. She's a fucking nut. New age crystals, energy fields.....

This is getting more embarrassing for Edwards by the minute.

[PurityOfEssence]

180. with rubber gloves,

two condoms and a wet suit.

I hear she'll hoover your chakras right into the seventh house for an eight-ball, and let's not even talk about her midline groove; that's a cusp with some true energy...

[helderheid]

210. !

:spray:

[silverojo]

181. Just your typical two-bit whore screwing a married man

If she wanted "love", she could find it with a single guy. She deserves no pity.

[TheWraith]

182. I don't care that she slept with him. But she's refusing a paternity test...

...which leads me to believe that she's in this solely for her own glorification and/or future earnings, part of which is dependent on the "illegitimate baby" angle.

[1Hippiechick]

230. Bingo!

Rielle wins either way. Edwards keeps paying her NOT to have a paternity test so that is no "proof" that it's his child. Worth it to him to keep paying her.

Otherwise, if she has the paternity test and it IS Edwards' "love child", not only will there be proof for the world to see, but said child will equally inherit whatever Edwards' other children inherit.

AND, if Edwards ISN'T the father, Rielle has lost her meal ticket.

What do YOU think she will do?

[marions ghost]

183. They are equally creepy

I think Rielle Hunter is a stalker and gold digger. Low on integrity and morality. There are many like her out there. They flash around the pond waiting for their prey and think it's much more fun for the sucker to be married.

I think John Edwards is arrogant and stupid to have gotten involved with her. Low on integrity and morality. He's another Clinton, even more stupid because this followed Clinton. I'm appalled at his
lack of vision and recklessness in this political climate. In intelligent men it's hard to witness.

But it's an old story.

Bye bye John.

[ellie]

188. I think she is a horrible human being with

questionable morals. It's pretty easy, actually: you don't sleep with married people, men or women. That's it. She is to blame and he is to blame. They both disgust me. I hope Elizabeth dumps his worthless ass. She doesn't need that stress in her life. I don't care how much money he makes, there is more to life than money.

[1Hippiechick]

231. Plus wouldn't Elizabeth have grounds for alimony? n/t

[AtLiberty]

189. Did you read the new Newsweek article on Reile?

She's into New Age big time. She said that Elizabeth Edwards gave off negative energy. ?!? Maybe that's because she sensed the type of person Reile was...

[mnhtnbb]

192. I think Reille's perception of energy is whacked. Elizabeth Edwards has done

far more positive things for the world than Ms. Hunter ever will.

It just makes what JE did that much worse...to fall for someone like her. Paul Newman said it best,
"Why go out for hamburger when there's steak at home?"

Ms. Hunter = chopped beef--and not even ground round or sirloin. Cheap chopped beef.

[Love Bug]

193. I have no respect for women who pursue other women's men

Everyone is trashing on Edwards but they are both equally at fault. If he's committed to someone else, don't screw him. It's as simple as that.

[WillowTree]

233. I have no respect for women OR men...

....who pursue other people's spouses. She obviously didn't care who got hurt so long as she got her 15 minutes of.......Johnny Boy.......and her comments about Mrs. Edwards are nothing short of reprehensible.

The child I feel terrible for on any number of levels but so far as she's concerned, I couldn't care less what happens to her.

[Bobbie Jo]

194. One word description: Opportunistic. nt

[csziggy]

207. I did not care about her until I saw this about her trashing Elizabeth Edwards

Elizabeth Edwards has "bad energy," claimed the woman who had an affair with two-time presidential candidate John Edwards, according to Monday's online edition of Newsweek magazine.

Rielle Hunter, the mistress at the center of the political storm around Edwards, held the former North Carolina senator in high regard. However, the party girl-turned-healer-turned-videographer was apparently less generous with her former paramour's wife.

"I've only met her once," Hunter told Newsweek reporter Jonathan Darman in late 2006 during a lunch in which she mistakenly cast him as a friend. "She does not give off good energy. She didn't make eye contact with me."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,401324,00.html

Now I think she is a callous space cadet who does not think very much at all, much less think about the consequences of her actions. That John Edwards would let himself get involved with such a shallow person disappoints me. I expected more from him.

[LibDemAlways]

208. I don't know her, but I do know she had an affair with

a married man, one whose wife was coping with cancer. That alone brings her down a notch in my book. And I think it was especially smarmy of Edwards to make a point that his wife's cancer was in remission when he started cheating - like it's not ok to cheat on a sick woman, only a healthy one. WTF?

[lumberjack_jeff]

215. She's no hero. She's no villain.

I don't think she is a glory-seeker, but I don't think her moral fiber is in any way superior to John's.

[opihimoimoi]

217. IMHO...she is a groupie sent over to set him up....lured by big bucks and fame...she sucked for it

[Blu Dahlia]

218. She used code to talk about her and John's sex life

on that Extra interview. She is sleezy and prefers to date married men with kids.

"One of the great things about John Edwards is that he's so open and willing to try new things and do things in new ways," she added.

http://www.usmagazine.com/john-edwards-mistress-rielle-hunter-hes-inspirational

[LibDemAlways]

219. I caught that, too. It was extremely obvious what she

was talking about. She was flaunting it.

[mitchum]

220. When you're number 2 you have to try harder...

and she seems to be very trying indeed

Everything is annoying about her: the stupid spelling of her made up name, her starfucking around with a married man, her vapid Sex And The City lifestyle...
She's just a walking cliche