Filed under: Sex, Scandals, Katie Couric, John Edwards, Elizabeth Edwards, Rielle Hunter, Lisa Druck
In a pre-taped interview set to air on tonight’s CBS News, Katie Couric will ask Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards about the importance of marital fidelity. His answers were recorded before the National Enquirer published its expose regarding his alleged love child with former campaign staffer Rielle Hunter. In the following exchange, note how he artfully weaves and dodges her questions:
KATIE COURIC: Harry Truman said, “A man not honorable in his marital relations is not usually honorable in any other.” Some people don’t feel comfortable supporting a candidate who has not remained faithful to his or her spouse. Can you understand their position?
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS: Of course. I mean, for a lot of Americans– including the family that I grew up with, I mean, it’s– it’s fundamental to– how you judge people and human character– whether you keep your word, whether you keep what is your ultimate word, which is that– you love– your spouse, and you’ll stay with them.
KATIE COURIC: Do you think– what– what about people who use that as a way to evaluate a candidate? In other words, there have been a number of fine presidents according to some analysts-
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS: Right.
KATIE COURIC: –who have certainly not been sort of exhibited the greatest moral character–
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS: Right.
KATIE COURIC: –when it comes to infidelity–
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS: Right.
KATIE COURIC: –I guess is what I’m getting at.
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS: Yes.
KATIE COURIC: So how important do you think it is in the grand scheme of things?
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS: I think the most important qualities in a president in today’s world are trustworthiness– sincerity, honesty, strength of leadership. And– and certainly that goes to a part of that. It’s not the whole thing. But it goes to a part of it.
KATIE COURIC: So you think it’s– an appropriate way to judge a candidate?
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS: Yeah. But I don’t think it’s controlling. I mean, I think that, as you point out, there have been American presidents that at least according to the– to the stories we’ve all heard– that were not faithful, that were in fact good presidents. So I don’t think it controls the issue. But I think it’s certain– something reasonable for people to consider.
comments (13) | 
digg this | 
reddit | facebook | 
del.icio.us | 
stumble | 
permalink
Viewers of MSNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews have no doubt witnessed the fantabulous reporting of David Shuster, a perennial favorite in Fishbowl DC’s all-too-regular media hottie polls. Like us, he graduated from the University of Michigan and always has a twinkle in his eyes. Unlike us, he’s known to hate on his former employer FOX News and loves, loves, loves Matthews, although he’d never been invited to guest host. When the Reliable Sourcettes reported on his recent engagement to Julianna Goldman, we wished him well. And then we wouldn’t leave him alone until he’d do an official interview. We got on our knees (to beg), and here’s the result: