John is a public figure. He is a man who had power (or the semblance therein). Women are attracted to this. Some will be out front enough to ask. Hunter is such a woman. Certainly what she asked for was simply and purely wrong and she was wrong to pursue him. However, in the end, it is HIS responsibility to uphold his vows. As much as it is wrong for Hunter to pursue a married man, she had made no promises to anyone. He had. He betrayed his wife. Hunter was under no obligation (other than the implied but unenforceable social contract)to not go after this man.

Why did he do this? The simple truth is, because he could. The pursuit of power has often had, at its core, sex. Men who were powerful and rich could have their pick of sexual partners. In some societies, polygamy was a sign of wealth and power. A harem was also. All through history powerful men have had sex where wedded vows meant little except the consolidation of property (human and real) on an ownership basis.

The rules changed. JFk dallied and everyone looked the other way. FDR, DDE, etc. all had things going on outside of their marriages and it was overlooked. Women were chattel, after all. When women became equal, in law and society, this type of behavior became less acceptable. Gary Hart helped change the rules by challenging the press. Clinton knew the rules had changed but presumably thought the changes didn’t really apply to him. Spitzer knew better than most what was at stake and did it anyway.

So, men are stupid when the little head is in charge: Conceded. However, Elizabeth Edwards is wallowing in the same mire which has sucked so many down in the past. She is blaming the outsider who tempted her spouse. Why? Because she wants to think “if this woman had not come along and done this, all would be well!” It needs to be the fault of an outsider to keep her from destroying them all. She doesn’t want to face the facts. If she does, then she has to question every move he has made over the last thirty years. As angry as she is right now, she doesn’t want to face the thought of what might have been going on under her nose for years.

Most marriages do not survive the loss of a child. Maybe theirs didn’t.

I have to say that I think the concept of faithfulness and fidelity has gotten strange to me. Fidelity, from the Latin fidelis, used to mean a steadfast allegiance. It used to mean a loyal allegiance. Not “don’t have sex or kiss other people.”

Don’t get me wrong, I think JE is pond scum for a number of reasons, but not for the reason that he dipped his wick. A truly faithful husband would have not met her at the Beverly Hilton where paparazzi hang out, for instance. He brought shame on the marriage by not protecting his affair from prying eyes. But he’s a trial lawyer and can’t help but do everything in public.

Tina, I agree with the sentiment, but I think sex was probably the lastthing on Elizabeth’s mind. She deserves a fast recovery and a book deal.