On the August 12 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh said of former Sen. John Edwards' recent disclosure of an extramarital affair: "I've got a theory about the motivations. Well, I don't know that I could -- I don't know that I can put this one on the air."

But he did put "it" on the air..read below the fold

http://mediamatters.org/...

No scandal gossip here. Press coverage of Elizabeth Edwards' metastatic breast cancer has me kind of steamed and as a sister cancer patient, I want to say something about it. My story with breast cancer parallels Elizabeth's. I want to tell you how I am LIVING with this disease, with a treatment plan much rockier than Elizabeth's; I want you to know that Elizabeth Edwards and I are both living with cancer. We are alive!

My first occurrence of breast cancer happened back in July '04; I had surgery, then chemo started the day after Kerry/Edwards lost to Bush II. What a gloomy day in the chemo lounge at UC San Francisco! The next day Elizabeth Edwards announced she, too had breast cancer. My surgeon was on the local news, explaining Mrs. Edwards' treatment. My heart went out to her as we coped with chemo at the same time.

(cross posting to Dove's Eye View. More on my beef with press coverage of EE's treatment after the jump)

It’s getting worse, and it can cast a pall over the Democratic convention and our nominee.

If there’s one thing we learned about John Edwards watching Rielle Hunter’s video of the candidate reveling in his belief in himself as bullshitter-par-excellence, it’s that this man has no problem lying - even when he’s "leveling."

This diary is inspired by one that Markos wrote in reaction to Elizabeth Edwards recent diary. In it, he applauded us for our warmth towards Elizabeth. And there was a lot of warmth. But to cleanse myself of this whole affair, I'd like to close my own personal book on EdwardsGate by shining a light on the...less than warmth.

If you're game, to the fold...

Excuse me a moment of pride, but I'm really proud of you guys.

Last week was a tough one for the Edwards clan, and ultimately led Elizabeth Edwards to write this sad and tragic diary. Further down in the thread, she wrote this comment:

Thank you, all

When I wanted to make a statement, I had to decide where to make it.  I chose here. And I can see that my decision was the right one.

Thank you all for your support and affection, your understanding that we all have days we wish we could take back, and for making this hard, hard day a little bit easier.

I'm often happiest when I'm on the warpath, engaging the enemy head on with brute force. That's generally my contribution to this place (besides keeping the lights on, of course). It's actually you guys who have created and nurtured this incredible community, one that made it easier for one of the most amazing people on this planet to deal with the roughest of times.

If evidence was ever needed that this place has long since grown beyond me, it's Elizabeth's comment above. I'm not a "warmth" and "affection" sort of guy. But I don't need to be -- you guys exist, and you provide lots of things to this site (warmth and affection included) that I never could. I'm happy that you are here to offer your help and empathy to whoever might need it, and I couldn't be more honored that you have chosen to make this site one of your online homes.

We don't have television (network or cable) but we can often watch short clips on yahoo.com.  This morning there was an ABC News video story titled, Living Strong After Betrayal.  Featuring an introduction by Diane Sawyer and reporting by Deborah Roberts, the six-minute clip was a discussion of women dealing with the pain and aftermath of their husband's affair.  What snapped me to attention was this voiceover, and what wasn't mentioned:

We all have our feelings about the latest devastating News regarding John Edwards. And many of us would be lying if we said we weren't secretly  paying attention to this story before Friday hoping for a different outcome. It was out there , and we were following it privately while openly ignoring it . This did not hit us by surprise.

However, despite Elizabeth Edwards call to leave this alone and despite the fact that we all , regardless of whom we supported in the Primaries, have a favorable view of the Edwards Family , we need to understand that many of his supporters may not be ready to just say, "Oh, okay. Well, that settles it. Moving on".

When John Edwards withdrew from the presidential contest at the end of January, many people wrote or spoke to me - wondering how I felt about it. Some did so to gloat, but most were curious and/or sympathetic.

With a long alleged extramarital affair, now confirmed, much in the "news", some of these folks will probably have the same question for me, so I thought I'd share my reaction.

I'm very disappointed in John Edwards.

You may find that statement puzzling. I do need to put it into context.

It isn't very important in the scheme of things to focus on a leader's moral lapses, or to commiserate with the betrayed wife and family.

Rielle Hunter/Lisa Druck has stated through an attorney that she won't participate in a paternity test, as is her right. Her decision, offered alongside pretty reasons of privacy for herself and her child, leaves a major loose end in this sorry spectacle dangling. Edwards says he's not the father; both Hunter/Druck and former campaign aide Andrew Young have said that Young is the father; but a percentage of skeptical, Maury Povich-addicted Americans will now continue to believe the worst: that Edwards continues to lie, that Edwards is the father, that surrogates are paying baby-mamamony dearly to Hunter/Druck and Young to maintain the ruse. So long as the loose end dangles, so does the dark cloud hang over Edwards's head.

Once again a great man has been brought down by the collective schizophrenic attitude this nation has towards sex.  It's kind of funny to see all the angst people walk around with when it comes to this very normal aspect of being a human being.  There is confusion, fear, guilt, shame, stress, and all manner of complexes associated with it.  And a lot of it can be directly traced to the very strong history of puritanical influences that still afflicts this country.

And because of this internal struggle we collectively carry around about the subject, like rabid hyenas we collectively go into a feeding frenzy of accusations, finger-pointing, and hand-wringing; like piranhas we, collectively, flock to the latest body who falls in the water.

Yesterday I found out about the Edwards affair. I was sad to see a fellow human mess up like this, just as I was when it happened to President Clinton. My first reaction was it would be hard to support him but I soon realized that my not supporting him anymore was silly. While he did make a mistake he still is a great champion for the poor and working class in this country. I was talking to several friends of mine, who are also Democrats, and they think that if Edwards was on the VP short list he is not anymore. But we do think that he should be considered for a cabinet spot for his views on the poor and working class. I think Labor would be the best spot for him, that or maybe if they created a Poverty Czar position. He doesn’t really have a criminal law background so I think Attorney General may be out of the picture. Whatever the case I think he could help lead in the new Democratic Administration. I also got to give a shout out to the Elizabeth Edwards and the Hillary Clintons of the world. For standing by their man after that act of betrayal I have a deep respect for them.

Upgrading my comment on Elizabeth Edwards' message to a diary.  I hope she sees this, I hope he sees it, I hope Barack sees it.  I think John Edwards should speak at the convention.  It's not about him.  It's about us.

I just don't.  I don't care about their personal lives.  But I'm still mad at him, and I think I'm justified.

I care about the millions of people, at home and abroad, who are going to be affected by the policies of these people.  And what I know, is that after all of the catastrophe that of the last 8 years (so well chronicled by clammyc, in a diary whose point I ultimately dispute), not just us bloggers, but literally hundreds of millions if not billions of people around the world for whom the future of our planet is at stake, NEED a Democratic president THIS YEAR.  The alternative is unacceptable.  

So, those of us who are pissed at John Edwards aren't necessarily moralistic, hypocritical, or puritanical.  I could give two farts in a gale-force wind about John Edwards' private life.   However, I'm smart enough to know, and anyone who's been alive in the last couple decades is smart enough to know that OTHERS will care.  The traditional media will care.  And even though it shouldn't be a candidacy-killer, and affair would most certainly BE a candidacy-killer.  So...

This will be a short one. I was truly disappointed yesterday when I heard Sen. John Edwards' announcement. I feel sorry for Elizabeth Edwards and the Edwards' family. However, there is a part of me that would have stood up and cheered if Elizabeth Edwards had announced that she was leaving him. Why do politicians keep doing this?

Yep. It was John Edwards's choice, so the blame rests with him, regardless of what may be found out to be Rielle Hunter's/Lisa Druck's history, her motivations and intentions. John could have drawn the line, and he didn't. It's entirely true that John's at fault for what happened between him and the woman. He's guilty of personal sins, and now he's admitted his guilt. He's guilty of professional poor judgment, and he's admitted that guilt, too.

I will get yelled at for this diary but here goes...

We got played.  Yes. I. Said. It.

We got played and we got played good and it is still going on.

The Edwards are not victims to be pitied.  If anything they are victims, yes, but of their own ambition.

They played us real good.

Jump...

I'm serious.  It's a slam dunk.

There is probably no better-liked woman in the country right now than Elizabeth Edwards. She gets the votes for courage AND for sympathy.  She has shown such grace and dignity in the face of multiple tragedies, and her statement here yesterday (still on the rec list) is proof of her profound integrity.

In addition, she may be the only female veep candidate that could quickly satisfy the Hillary hangers-on that still want Hillary and may see any other female choice as an insult rather than a testament.