Report: John Edwards' ex-lover Rielle Hunter going ahead with paternity test

Oh geez, here we go. The source is the Enquirer, but they were right the first time about this story so I'm posting it.

http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2009/05/07/2009-05-07_edwards_exlover_is_testy.html

-snip-

And you thought the John Edwards sex scandal couldn't get seamier.

The ex-senator's former lover - furious at being portrayed as a stalker in his wife's media tour - reportedly is taking revenge and will allow a paternity test for her baby after all.

Rielle Hunter previously refused to allow DNA testing on baby Frances, born in February 2008. Edwards, even after the admitted affair, insisted he wasn't the father.

-snip-

More at link.

So John has an affair, willingly, and the wife makes it out that only the woman is at fault?

Elizabeth - you should know better.

Sorry this is a bit off topic for this thread, but I haven't been keeping up with old faker poor populist liar-man since he dropped off the scene, thankfully, months ago.

because he was John Edwards and went up to him and introduced herself. So it isn't so off the wall.

celebrity to get an autograph or introduction or picture made with, etc.

Stalking is far more sinister than following a celebrity out of a restaurant to say "Hi - nice to meet you." Unless you're leaving something else out.

but I really dont remember the details so i dont wan tto get into it. It wa splaned and purposeful accoridng to the story. they didn't meet on the campaign trial. anyway the story i read (huffingotn psot?) is not far from stalking. Looks like the lady had decided she wanted to sleep with john Edwards and was "in love" with him.

Rielle wanted him and there was nothing he could do.

What could he do but lay down on top of her? He thought he could be the leader of the free world and he was led by his dick.

after that nothing could stop him. :puke:

:wtf:

I think he's hot. Apparently, he now has to have sex with me.


I like your rules!!

John Cusack, you are HOT!

(I'll be in my bed, waiting...) :evilgrin:

Men are so easy...................

mean he suddenly becomes mindless and gives permission for that to happen.

Lookit - he's a celebrity. I'm sure women throw themselves at him often - it's his job to say "No. I'm married and I love my (sick) wife."

I guess I'm missing how chasing after a celebrity for an affair is stalking. Unless she was boiling rabbits in his kitchen or not talking "no" for an answer, it's not really stalking - or JE would have called the police.

It is a fine line, for sure - but most celebrities know that fans will follow them and request of them anything from an autograph to an affair - but most of these cases never rise to the level of the problems John Cussack and David Letterman had. In any case, JE could have stopped it, either by politely saying "no" or, if it persisted after his refusal, by calling the police. Instead, he chose to participate.

:thumbsup:

they engage you. They get you to participate in their craziness. There is a difference between someone who is interested, someone who is somewhat persistent and a stalker. Stalkers are manipulative as hell.

whether restraining orders do anything more than keep the delusional connection going even more.

Doug had a stalker that showed up to berate him at Comedy Day for announcing our marriage.

I had a stalker who had told his family we were engaged and who finally "broke up" with me after I married someone else.

They were both manipulative as hell and the "not leaving someone alone" took many forms.

What I'd say about manipulative, isn't that a matter of degree?

Wearing a tight mini-skirt and make-up and stiletto heels is kind of manipulative :)

Asking your prospective beaus friends what his favorite perfume is would be considered manipulative.

giving them any kind of attention at all just keeps it going.

has nothing to do with stalking. You are utterly clueless about this. And stalkers are rarely manipulative.

there's some truth to it. i don't know, or care. He could have been an amazing president. I voted for him. The whole thing is really sad for our country. I don't care whose fault it was, nor profess to know what happened. I wish for the sake of our country, that affair had never happened. Edwards would have kicked ass with the banks right now. HE would have strengthened unions, and would probably have the guts to bring single-payer forward. It was stupid and irresponsible of him, and all the other Dems before him. gary hart, Clinton, over and over Dems lose power because they have affairs. At this point as a Dem in a presidential race you HAVE to know it will go public and you will be removed from politics.

As for Elizabeth's and John's personal issues, whatever she wants to say or do is fine. I would not be able to stay with a husband who did that, personally, but I know many people do. I reserve judgement.

I don't care much about his cheating. I cared a lot about his war cheering, his hedgefund slimy job and investments his votes against working people and the environment. Edwards kick ass with the banks? laugable. his Fortress record and record in the Senate makes it clear he was the most corpoarate candidate in the race. He suckered a lot of you. Sad.

that Rielle didn't know who John was and where he'd be! And he, of course, walked right into it.

hasn't dallied since?

Serial cheating is probably more like it, I think...esp. with those who think they can get away with it just because they think they "can".

Nothing came of them that I've ever seen, but I remember one was that he had a mistress in one of the Carolinas. The story went that she blackmailed him and the K-E campaign paid her off. I never believed it, because Edwards had enough money to pay off his own mistresses, so why would the campaign have even considered something like that. I also have a vague recollection of unease among staff over a young woman on the road with the campaign, maybe Michigan or Minnesota? I'm not sure. But it was talked about here on DU at one point.

Even those whose power isn't that great, often feel that they are somehow deserving. It is one of those things...strange, but true...

The K/E campaign was thoroughly audited and this would have been found. I never saw anything like that on DU. I also doubt that Senator Kerry would approve paying off blackmail.

1) Say no.

2) Call the police.

3) Hire her to follow you around and take video footage, and father her child.

Guess which approach John Edwards took? :shrug:

Really. (They're also capable of deciding to use a condom.)

There is no double standard there, IMO.

There are a few guys I'd like to umm, encounter. I'd rather they believed they MUST do it, simply because I want them to.

I'll thank you to not tell them they are capable of not fucking me!!

I was on a business trip. Dropped into the gift shop of my hotel and heard two kids trying to get their grandmother to buy them something to give their mother. The grandmother had an awfully distince and familiar British accent. When I saw her I approached her and said something inane about thanking her for the gift of her artistry. She was a bit shy but she did thank me.

I felt kinda stupid actually, as tho I was gushing...

I'd have stuttered, curtsied and kissed her hand I think. While trying to think of something deep and profound to say (because the british are so very deep and profound, I think). Then I would have fainted, and maybe soiled myself.
So I think you probably handled yourself very well.
Lucky!

Generally, you don't have an affair with the stalker AFTER they stalk you.

It's obvious from looking at that baby whose she is.

Elizabeth, IMHO, will have no other option than to leave him when she discovers that he lied. Again.

In the meantime, Ms. Hunter sucks, too. To bring a baby into this is beyond irresponsible.

Elizabeth's book and interview made Hunter's action, if it actually happens, a foregone conclusion. In any case, the little girl has rights, too, and I consider one of them knowing for sure who her father is.

It's a shame all this garbage is being played out in the media. It's a shame nobody's got the class and integrity to suggest questions about their private lives are off base.

I'm talking about all three participants in the farce.

This affair is old news and I see no purpose for this except to sell the book. I understand Elizabeth is ill and angry but someone showing some class would have been nice.

and let the millions who accused Hillary Clinton/Mrs. Spitzer/Mrs. Condit/ on and on and on of being a "doormat" do the same to her?

>I understand Elizabeth is ill and angry but someone showing some class would have been nice.<

So, what would the "class" have been in this matter? In a way, I'm glad she's standing up for herself. It's clear who the villain is here, and it's not Elizabeth Edwards. She's also made sure that her husband is going to have to find something else to do with his life, and that's a good thing.

Nice?! :wtf:

What kind of "class" is caving into the social pressure to play the silent wife in this triangle? That's not "class", that's passivity.

God forfend that Elizabeth Edwards has her own viewpoint and ****GASP***** talks about it in public!

President". I thought she was out of her mind at the time to make that connection. We're talking 1990s, remember.

EE is making it all about her. When you have kids, it's NEVER all about just you.

I would always take the high road but that's just me. Her greatest revenge is something she didn't even have to do, he did it to himself. People have a long memory and his political career is in the dumper.

Do you have press camped outside your front door on a daily basis?

>I would always take the high road but that's just me.<

Good for you. Again, you're not her.
When you have cameras in your face round the clock, when journalists have written about every aspect of your family life, when you're dying of a terminal illness and your husband, the Presidential candidate, has just been caught playing "Hide the Sausage" with another woman, then you can say Elizabeth Edwards is "classless".

Here's her choices. Say nothing, and be called a "doormat", or worse. Speak up, defend herself, and have others intimate that she's just "moneygrubbing", she's "classless", etcetera. It's a no-win for her.

Sometimes the price you pay for fame, just isn't worth it. You and I can agree to disagree.

feels so compelled to oppose Elizabeth Edwards' choices.

Apparently, there are many posters here who know better than this very gifted woman not only what happened in her relationship but how she should conduct herself in response to the situation.

And the very creepiest thing about it is that most of these anti-Elizabeth taking matters into her own hands posters are women. Holy cow and middle class morality, Batman.

made by every woman everywhere?

bullshit

Not only is she dying, her relationship of 30 years is, essentially, dead. Should she check her every reaction with those here to make sure it's "appropriate"? Hell, I give her a lot of credit; I would be a sobbing mess.

I read yesterday that the one thing she asked John Edwards for when they got married was that he be faithful. For that alone, I hope he feels crushing guilt every day for the rest of his life.

I'm betting she had no intention at all of coming forward until she found out about that baby. That's when she started writing the book.

puh-leeeeeeze

she should have stood up for herself by not participating in his lies and deceptions, and divorcing his sorry ass.

>divorcing his sorry ass<

I'll bet Job One for her is making sure he never runs for public office again.

Job Two is making sure those kids are in the same house with their father. He is a cheating dog, but hopefully, this will spur him to be somewhat responsible.

and your main supporter goes off the rez, get back to us and tell us how you do.

Doormat? I can't believe the incredibly stupid and cruel sh!t I read here sometimes.

join the crowd sweet pea

oh, and it's spelled s-h-i-t ... but i guess you are too delicate for such crudeness

i can't stand people who are too prissy to say "shit" if someone's trying to feed them a mouthful of it.

:eyes:

Maybe you can find women on DU that you can put down or intimidate with that kind of thing.

I'm not one of them.

appalling to hear Elizabeth Edwards blame the woman. Elizabeth is smart...but John was part of this equation.

I cannot see how injecting herself with hormones was a good thing medically. I think it led to her cancer.

I cannot see how her acceding to JRE's campaign imperative after she learned of the affair was a good decision.

She was betrayed horribly by her husband, the father ofher children and that was bad enough. He probably also lied to her about how long the affair went on. She has every reason to be outraged.

I am not going to judge her for writing this book. She is a gifted writer and can tell her story well. More power to her.

JRE had been and will be judged by the American people. AFAIC, he can rot in hell.

Who wants to bet, now that the cat is out of the bag, she is no longer getting paid any money, so she is cashing in the insurance policy to be set up for the next several years?

If it's proven she is the mother of his child.

And he knew it could come back to bite him in the ass, or in his case, his wallet. Never said she isn't entitled, if it is and she does come after money. He will have nobody to blame, except himself.

Pay the piper, as they used to say.

She's his baby. Time he supports her.

:shrug:

this family has been through enough.

recently has Hunter allowed child to be tests. My bet is that test will clear Edwards and that Hunter's earlier refusals came on ex-husbands legal advice that her gravy train and celebrity would end if tests proved Edwards wasn't father.

the hush money that Johnny's friends were giving her. Now that they've stopped paying her that money, she'll need a test if she wants to make Johnny pay child support.

Honorable, honest and true.

I can see him convincing a besotted woman, especially one who's given birth to his child, to protect him from scrutiny. Even without the money angle. Baby, you know I'm going to marry you once this all, um, dies down. And I promise not to come in your mouth!

he was "honest" and "true". Any politician, or human being, is neither of those. Now, "honorable" is more likely due to the anti-poverty work.

if Hunter agreed not to allow it - is another theory. My bet is he is the dad.

:hide:

poor Elizabeth "let herself go" which is nonsense. I don't find Rielle to be any great shakes in the looks department.

Sometimes I wonder what anguish daughter Cate must have been through during all this. :(

It's up to Elizabeth to decide John's fate in marriage, but it's up to the public to decide his fate in politics. I had great respect for him, and still respect many of his positions, but he failed his supporters terribly, and that I do not forgive.

But Rielle Hunter, by any name, is a sleazy person.

IMO, holding off on the test was just another way for her to torment Elizabeth. If the baby is JE's, prove it and get it over with.

I took it as pre-arranged that she would say no. Maybe you're right and we'll find out, but I still think Rielle was going along to protect Edwards.

Many people already believe it's his kid. His political career is ruined. Her holding off on the test was IMO, especially cruel toward Elizabeth. Dealing with an affair is one thing, a child born of that affair means a permanent connection and IMO, would be much more difficult to overcome. Elizabeth has been left for how long now with not knowing which one it is.

Notice that now that Elizabeth supposedly trashed her in the book and she feels that JE lied to her, that now she'll have the test done, almsot like using it as a weapon to inflict further damage.

And why not? Elizabeth didn't "supposedly" trash her; she did trash her. I think Rielle is right to confirm paternity for the sake of her daughter. She should have done it back when John was claiming he wanted one done, certainly, but she may not have wanted to hurt him. She's a dumb cluck in love and generally a flake who hasn't made good decisions in her own life. There's just been so much covering up, I guess I'm skeptical that all of a sudden John Edwards straight up wanted a paternity test to clear his name. He wanted to say it and couldn't without her cooperation.

but that doesn't absolve her going after a married man. Sorry!

he's the married one, he committed adultery, not her.

they are both guilty, but he's done more damage to his karma by committing adultery.

who go after married men and then act like it isn't their fault.

She was married to nobody. She was not running for president. What two consenting adults choose to do in their sex lives is not my concern. It's between him, his wife, and herself. This is not to say the behavior is admirable, but deceiving a nation in the most critical election of our time, in my opinion, is a whole lot more serious. John, a public person, did that; Elizabeth, a public person, did that. Rielle, a private person, did not.

If you're sleeping with a public person, you become a public person.

Any deception involving her was in her personal life, not in the life of the nation. Hunter wasn't running for public office. Hunter wasn't out on the campaign trail deceiving the American voting public and putting the nation at risk for another Republican administration. Sleeping with a politician doesn't make you a politician. Sleeping with a public figure doesn't make you a public figure. Sleeping with a dentist doesn't make you a dentist.

conditions that come with it into account and how those conditions will affect my life. If he/she is an oral-maxillofacial surgeon on call, I should expect to have our plans and trysts interrupted on occasion.

If I sleep with a very married, very public politician whose wife is dying of cancer and I get knocked up with his love-child, I should expect that I forfeited my privacy when I unlocked my knees.

To my way of thinking, in regard to this particular matter, the public person is the one who stands on stage along the campaign trail in the course of running for public office and tries to sell me, say, health care in exchange for my vote. As I've said, I don't care about the private lives and consider them not my concern. My concern is the person running for public office.

I don't care about other people's sex lives. I care about this story ONLY in that it involved a political coverup that set out to deceive American voters and put the Democratic Party and the country in jeopardy. That's my business. The Edwards' marital problems are their business. Idealizing Elizabeth and demonizing Rielle into stick figures in some simple-minded fairy tale of good witch/bad witch, virgin/whore, dehumanizes both of them. Honestly, this oh, so high-minded, bourgeois moralizing is fucking tiresome.

because of his sanctimony, his pose of unrelenting high-mindedness. It's well for us on the left that he's done in elective politics.

That's what it seems to be, given the timing and the source's words. She should be doing it for her daughter and only her daughter.

I also don't think she is dumb or a flake. She seems to have done well for herself from what I remember reading. IMO, she's manipulative and conniving. I don't remember the figure but for someone unknown she sure made a lot of money filming. Understand that I don't excuse JE for anything. He could have just as easily kept his pants zipped.

I've been one myself a time or two, and I'm not otherwise dumb, either.

LOL!

...

...why does she dye the roots black?

:shrug:

Egads...what the hell did JE see in her????

What did JE see in her, all right.

But her calculated pursuit of him, her lack of concern for anyone else involved, her way-beyond-flattery and her Pygmalion-like tendencies make her damn close to being a relational psychopath. And that's uglier than any dye job:

(from saferelationshipsmagazine.com)

{W}hen a psychopath picks his mark... he focuses all his resources on making his victim think he is something he is not. He specially tailors his manufactured persona to your specific traits, behaviors, and anxieties. In other words, he makes it personal, projecting the image of your fantasy partner, perfect in every way.
... But how does he begin to do this? How does he convince us of his perfection, even if others can see he’s dangerous? This is where his special ability to exploit emotional weaknesses begins: the initial con. ... In this stage of his con, he exploits our positive emotions. He gives us the pleasure of telling us everything we’ve always wanted to hear, giving us what we want, and fulfilling our long-held fantasies. The psychopath can be the perfect friend, the perfect lover. He likes the things we like, reads the same books, has the same views on the world, and he accepts us completely and with no conditions. He is always there for us and is considerate to our every need. The psychopath protects us from the dangers of the world and lets us bask in his perfection.
... It is this process that makes the psychopath go from just being some guy whose opinion we could care less about, to someone we trust and look to for love and guidance; from an outsider, to a member of our family. He conditions us to need him. He “hooks” us via our emotions so that it hurts not to have him.

Elizabeth would have seen her tendencies right away. But John might not have, because he was right in the middle of them. People who are caught don't always recognize they're dealing with a psycho/sociopath.

But he SHOULD have known how to recognize and deal with people like that before he let himself be sucked in. He likely encountered them quite a lot in his law practice. What, was he never the direct target of a manipulator before? Did he think that stuff ONLY happened to other people?

I doubt Elizabeth used that moment to diagnose Rielle as a psycho/sociopath.

It doesn't sound like she even properly met RH face-to-face, come to think of it. Sorry I worded that rather clumsily. I mean that if she'd spent any time talking with her, she very likely would have heard alarm bells ringing.
WHY didn't JE wake up sooner? :banghead:

Looks like JE kept the two of them very separate. To the point where his wife didn't even know her name until later. (Also, that ought to clue the deluded mistress in on, quite possibly, NOT being a potential life partner, but just a lay. Real potential life partners, you introduce to the kids on a superficial basis and try to get them to trust her as a family friend.)

How on earth did he even have time for an affair, except on his road trips without Elizabeth?

people with less money it would be on Jerry Springer.

he was not.

father and sues for child support.

not permit the child to be tested.