Flashback: An odd, uncomfortable interview with Silky and Elizabeth
People magazine puts Elizabeth Edwards on the cover this week to spotlight her anguish over Silky’s adultery. We learn that there was much “tension” behind the scenes.
I remember that tension breaking through in public. And it’s interesting to go back and watch it now that everyone knows what John Edwards didn’t want his wife to know and apparently only told her in several, Chinese water torture-like installments.
The odd, uncomfortable interview was aired in December 2006 on Hardball. It caught my eye and ear when Elizabeth joked to Chris Matthews that John Edwards couldn’t tell a joke. Matthews razzed Edwards for letting his wife “bust her balls” and cackled: “Behind every great man, there‘s a woman trying to kill him.” Edwards looked p.o.’ed. The chemistry of the supposedly tight and loving couple was off.
More telling, though, was an exchange that occurred a few minutes later when Matthews raised Elizabeth’s criticism of Hillary. Elizabeth had told Ladies’ Home Journal that she had a “more joyful” life than Hillary because of the choices she had made.
Matthews asked if this was meant as a criticism of Hillary sticking with her cheating husband. The characteristically unflustered Elizabeth Edwards…well, I’ll let you watch the rest. The body language experts should have a field day:
1:19 MATTHEWS: Were you well used by John Kerry?
J. EDWARDS: I‘ll ask—I‘m not—I‘ll let you guys talk about that.
(CROSSTALK)
MATTHEWS: I want to fight here.
What did you think of hi joke about—if you flunk out of school, you don‘t do too well, you‘re not too smart, you get us stuck in Iraq. And it got turned around.
What did you make of that?
J. EDWARDS: I think he just made a mistake.
MATTHEWS: What was he saying?
J. EDWARDS: I think he was trying to say, you better stay…
E. EDWARDS: Don‘t go there.
CROWD: (APPLAUSE)
MATTHEWS: No, no. Come on.
J. EDWARDS: … not the first time.
MATTHEWS: I‘ll tell you one thing. I could tell there was a fight coming because Hillary dumped on him, McCain dumped on him, nobody cut him an inch. He just screwed up a joke. He‘s not a comedian, OK?
J. EDWARDS: Exactly.
MATTHEWS: He‘s just not a comedian.
J. EDWARDS: Too big a deal was made of it.
E. EDWARDS: There are not that many politicians who are actually very good at jokes. John spoke one time and I said I wouldn‘t even go because it was—he was supposed to be funny and I didn‘t think he could carry it off.
CROWD: (LAUGHTER)
MATTHEWS: I love it. You‘re great. Behind every great man, there‘s a woman trying to kill him.
CROWD: (LAUGHTER)
E. EDWARDS: He has great characteristics.
MATTHEWS: What is it? Does she do this? Does she bust your balls like this when you come home? When you get (INAUDIBLE), does she do that?
CROWD: (APPLAUSE)
E. EDWARDS: My children are watching this.
CROWD: (LAUGHTER)
MATTHEWS: What‘s this with the equal marriages? Why do people marry their equals? It used to be different? What happened to the Stepford wives, the good old days? What happened?
CROWD: (BOOING)
MATTHEWS: Oh, how P.C. How—why don‘t you hiss?
Oh, thank you. Finally, the freaking hiss. I needed it. It was the hiss. I needed that.
E. EDWARDS: You know have to know how smart his wife is in order to…
MATTHEWS: Let me ask you this. This is…
J. EDWARDS: He immediately got…
MATTHEWS: … because you know—because Senator—Senator—
Senator Edwards was really—I thought I‘d try to get him at an angle here. He said that, having ran, it‘s like the Super Bowl, they usually win, the team that‘s been there before, or the Final Four, in the case of the UNC, which is always in the Final Four.
CROWD: (APPLAUSE)
MATTHEWS: You‘ve been there before. You have an edge over Mrs.
Obama. Do you have an edge, Mr. Clinton, the first spouse? Do you have an edge over these guys? I‘m mean, you‘ve been there as a candidate‘s wife, you‘ve been there as a candidate.
Can you roll into New Hampshire, Nevada, South Carolina, Iowa with some edge?
E. EDWARDS: What I have in those places is not an edge. I think that there are, among the potential spouses this time, I mean, these are fabulous people with enormous skills. I have a lot of friends. I mean, I don‘t go in and…
MATTHEWS: Well, they won‘t be friends.
E. EDWARDS: I beg your pardon?
MATTHEWS: Once the campaign gets going.
E. EDWARDS: No. No, I mean—actually, I had a good relationship, I think, through most of the campaign with the other spouses. But no, I mean, in Iowa, in New Hampshire, in South Carolina, in Nevada, in those—
I have a lot of friends in those. If John decides to do this, I‘m going—
I won‘t be walking into a room full of strangers.
MATTHEWS: Has Hillary ever called you back after you said you had made happier choices than she has and you have a more joyous life than she does because of the choices she made? Meaning, she let Bill mess around?
E. EDWARDS: Is that what I meant?
No…
MATTHEWS: Isn‘t that what you meant?
E. EDWARDS: That was completely taken out of context.
MATTHEWS: What was the context?
E. EDWARDS: I had said that the choices I had made—I worked as a lawyer for 17 years, and now I get a lot of intellectual simulation from the conversations about policy that I got from work before, I know get from conversations….
MATTHEWS: But he has not caused any trouble.
E. EDWARDS: No, he hasn‘t.
MATTHEWS: So what did you mean when you said—what did you mean by Hillary having made bad choices?
E. EDWARDS: I wasn‘t. I was talking about my choices making me happier.
MATTHEWS: So I‘m been unfair?
E. EDWARDS: Well, and unfair to both of us, honestly.
***
Mickey Kaus asks: How big a victim is Elizabeth Edwards?
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Stepford (ap) WIFE anyone????
Been up since 5 AM to watch dressage..
Stepford Wife …anyone!?
It’s sad, really.
But it goes to show you how you cannot tell how happy a marriage is just by talking or looking at the couple. They looked pretty happy in that interview.
But it is always sad when a marriage is damaged like this. I feel for the kids.
Hunter was probably not the first.
This Edwards stuff is reille’y getting old…. imho of course.
Perhaps she is only a victim of her own ambitions.
I don’t think Elizabeth Edwards was as much in the dark about her husband’s shenanigans as she wants everybody to believe. There are always signs such as Edwards’ late night visit to his lover at the Beverly Hills Hilton. Sometimes people grow complacent in their marriage, assume everything is “okay.” I’ve seen this with my sister-in-laws’ marriage when her husband cheated on her.
I don’t think that Elizabeth Edwards is a victim. I also don’t think it wise to stay in a doomed relationship just for the sake of the children. It does your kids no good. Unless John Edwards is willing to work on his marriage, go to therapy, and stop taking up with Rielle, there will be no “winners” (especially the kids) in this situation.
I am still trying to figure out on how what Edwards has done to his marriage is any worse than what Mc Cain did to his first marriage? Seems like the same thing to me.
I dont know how to really take the issue as a whole.
Here is a guy that lied to the American people about this, all the while asking for their trust, their donations, and their support. He lied to his wife, lied to his supporters, lied to the American people…the man is an adulterer and should be taken to task accordingly.
But on the other hand, i feel a lack of sympathy for Mrs. Edwards. She chose to remain with him, despite the affair, simply for (from what i can see) political reasons. She’s allowed this charade to continue. She’s left herself in a place to be lied to and cheated on again. Rather than take the high road, and leave, she decided to stick it out. I dont know why. I’d like to say because she wanted to see silky do well regardless. but i would be remiss if i didnt consider the possibility that she just wanted to be first lady bad enough, to where morals and character didnt matter.
I find myself unsympathetic to her at this point.
Very interesting to watch those reactions knowing what we know now.
However, this doesn’t change the fact that Matthews is a complete ass. What a pompous jerk.
Agreed. In this respect, i see little difference.
Edwards who?
There’s a quote I’m going to remember.
I never saw Elizabeth Edwards as an opportunist the way I see Hillary Clinton. I actually feel terribly sorry for her.
And, forgive me for being pessimistic, but when Mrs. Edwards does pass away, I give it a year before John marries his mistress.
Cheating on a spouse is inexcusable. Cheating on a terminally ill spouse is disgusting.
What is amusing is that Matthews was asking Mr. Edwards a number of leading questions (I felt a strange compulsion to say “Objection!” while reading this), but in the end, he acts as if he’s being ganged up on.
You already know this, moron, but it’s really simple: McCain didn’t go through 2 years of campaigning lying about it. You see, and I’m typing this slowly so you can keep up, it’s not the fact that he had the affair, which is bad enough – it’s him deceiving voters that he was somehow above Clinton for doing the same thing, and lying to the press and everyone about it.
You have the same intellectual laziness that leftists have about impeachment – it wasn’t about sex, it was lying under oath, suborning perjury, etc. However, I don’t expect you to grow a brain any time soon.
That’s what I got from the clip.
Or in Edward’s case…two women.
I don’t think it’s worse. Edwards’ affair is just fresh. He claimed that he ended it with this Rielle person in 2006. Yet, he was caught sneaking from her hotel room weeks ago. And we learn that there is a baby involved. So, he not only cheated but he potentially fathered another child while be married to a wife who’s battling cancer.
I would say that you have a problem answering questions. You could simply say that cheating on ones wife is not the issue. The issue is lying about the cheating.
Then maybe I can see your point on this as long as it also means Mc Cain didn’t lie about his affair.
Okay, I take that back – it is worse.
be = being
I don’t think one is better over the other. I’m no McCain fan, but he did with honesty step up, admit to, divorce his wife and marry his current wife. Unlike Edwards who is continuing this bad behavior. McCain seems to have spent the past 20 years on the straight and narrow. I think he stepped up and made amends (his ex-wife thinks the world of him still) while Edwards is still lying and denying. It’s easier to excuse someone who “made” a mistake and believe that’s what they did when they’ve changed their behavior.
Too many democraps filling the screen at one time. I just can’t watch the clips.
Edwards espoused family values “my wife is battling cancer, but she is in this race with me” all the while in an affair. How evil is that?
Not a fan of McCain.. definitely not a fan of Edwards..
it’s fun to watch a silk pony being ground up for dog food though..
he’ll make ambulance chasers look good after all is said and done…
Hopefully, Elizabeth will divorce him and John can experience two Americas..
the apartment he lives in and the house that he’s paying for that Elizabeth lives..
This is Alan Colmes big line: “John McCain cheated too!”
The main differences are that McCain did cheat but was already separated from his wife. His wife was not diagnosed with cancer…and McCain was not a candidate for President at the time.
Both incidents are wrong, but John McCain did not want to cover it up and never has.
Trial lawyer. Edwards made his money on the now know false class action case of toxic shock. 25 million dollars for his law firm. The case had no foundation. Edwards has no moral foundation.
HA
I just realized that not only can I not stand watching Mathews, but I can even stand reading his transcripts.
I feel the spittle. Need a shower now.
Christian Soldier (#2),
I stopped watching the Olympics over the years because of the dismal coverage of the equestrian events. I hope you got to really see some.
Misscheryl,
I’m with you on this one. McCain did not turn out to be a repeat offender. Edwards should have come totally clean or told everyone it was none of their business. He learned nothing from Clinton. Denying the truth gets one in deeper and the fallout from this for Edwards is not over yet.
Thank you John Edwards
Second video down.
Adult content warning (and possible spew alert – set your drink down).
This guy is not running for anything. His personal issues are not national issues. And if they were, there is a candidate for President with similar personal issues — McCain.
This is a man who cheated on his wife and divorced her when she was gravely ill. His new wife was far superior to the old one — prettier, richer, connections got him elected to congress.
If MM is to be a political blog rather than a branch of the National Enquirer, it should stay on people running for office.
Only Chris Matthews could lower the bar for greatness too low for limbo.
You know, Soap – John “Two Americas” Edwards. The one where you play the diligent, loving husband for the voters and the other where you cheat on your wife suffering from recurring cancer. That Edwards. Remember now?
The only thing one needs to know is that both of these vermin are LAWYERS!!!
On August 14th, 2008 at 1:15 pm, lgm said:
Why McCain cheated, divorced and married = Traumatic Stress Syndrome, due to five years captivity and torture in Vietnam fighting a war escalated and abandoned by Democrats.
Why Edwards cheated = Because he could.
Actually, he was a candidate in the Dem’s primary and he’s still on the national scene as a Dem super delegate and endorsing Barack Obama.
That would seem to make him “political” and, rather, blog-worthy, no?
lgm, McCain and his ex seems to have worked it out to their satisfaction. Edwards..not so much.
Bwaaahhhhaaaahahahhahahhahaa
So, the next time there is an “issue” about dimocraps, you will stick to the issue? Like the limo’s they are all taking to the DNC and not busses?
Why do you even bother coming here? Are you so self loathing you need others to take up your slack?
That transcript was nearly unreadable. Wow.
Given the Enquirer took on the reporting that the MSM “wouldn’t do,” that’s quite a compliment from you, LGM!
But what about staying in a doomed relationship for the sake of two very young kids because you know your health is very precarious? That’s a completely different animal.
An accident to be sure. He has never thanked her or given her any due respect.
That might make a good book title. Oh, wait. It’s already been used for another Democrat.
Let’s correct the record, shall we, Math Man? Edwards had an affair while he was running for president and lied about it. McCain’s “affair” happened a long time ago, not while he was running for anything, and he never lied about it. Cheaters are still cheaters but let’s at least get the context correct.
Michelle didn’t break the story, the National Enquirer did. She’s simply commenting on the hypocrisy of Edwards’ family values appearance when apparently it was quite different. Character is extremely important in politics and this is more of a recent occurence than what happened with McCain years ago.
It’s nice to see that when you can’t come up with something concrete to hang on McCain, make it up as you go along or use moral equivalency card. If Republicans can’t use Obummer’s drug using past and “ethical dilemmas” than Dems can’t use McCain’s infidelity.
Then again, when Dems commit adultery, it’s no big deal, even if it is a family values hypocrite. If it’s a Republican, it’s already a deal breaker.
Nice to see you keeping this all in perspective there, Math Man.
In both America’s, whats-his-name is still scum.
Certainly no disputing that point from me.
The biggest take away for me is confirming what an a$$ Chrissy Matthews is…
I understand this. I also understand that young children need stability. Perhaps, the Edwards will put the more important things first… if John can rip himself away from Rielle.
There is, however, some question why Elizabeth Edwards is staying. Is it really because of her health? The kids? Or something else?
Kids aren’t dumb. They know when something isn’t right. I don’t know the age of the children but I do know that they’re not babies either. You cannot hide something like this from kids either, just like you can’t hide deteriorating health.
Either way, it is a deplorable situation for Elizabeth Edwards.
If Mrs. Edwards was complicit in keeping an affair, of which she knew about, under wraps in the primary race that is bad. But, I have to agree with Mookie, to some extent. She is likely thinking about her children and her uncertain health issues and what would happen to them.
While I think she should have sent him packing from their quaint little mansion in NC for having at least this extra-marital affair on her, her circumstances do throw a monkey wrench into typical actions, somewhat.
Now this is a fair response. It is also a loser as an issue for Mc Cain, since Edwards is out of the race. He now has to answer about his own “choices” in the past and somehow explain how he is different than Edwards. It is like “Have you stopped beating up on you wife.” You look bad no matter how you say it.
For example can he say. “I wouldn’t have done it if I was running for president.” Can he say. “Well if my first wife had cancer (instead of her accident), then I wouldn’t have cheated.”
On August 14th, 2008 at 1:15 pm, lgm said:
This guy is not running for anything anymore. His personal issues are
notnational issues and are all over the news. And if they were, there is a candidate for President with similar personal issues — McCain.This is a man who cheated on his wife and divorced her when she was gravely ill. His new wife was far superior to the old one — prettier, richer, connections got him elected to congress. But I can’t stay on topic long enough to actually acknowledge there is something wrong with Democrats, so…i’ll use this instead.
If MM is to be a political blog rather than a branch of the National Enquirer, it should stay on people
running for officewho are icons of their party, who make national news, and who are of interest to her reading public.There ya go! Fixed it right up for ya! Was wondering where you’d been old buddy
and lgm, to be completely fair, i dont like mccain either. and js on the other thread is losing points for being a Mccain-bot.
but for just a minute, focus on edwards. Can you see where what he did was wrong? Answer that and then go from there.
I think Matthews was giving out some personal info there. Cry for help?
Mookie, i could see that….but then again, child support works for a reason. I never did buy the whole “stay together for the kids” argument. it just makes people bitter in the end.
I love when lgm tells Michelle how she should be running her blog and what stories are acceptable.
lgm – You can email her tips for the stories you deem acceptable, or you can just start your own blog. But, while you are here, why don’t you just try commenting on the content of the stories that Michelle decides to post. Sticking to the topic has never been your strong suit, but I honestly believe that you can do it if you really try!
John Edwards just happens to be one of three democrats who has pledged delegates in the upcoming democrat convention. His six whole delegates may be of some use to Hillary if she challenges the nomination of ‘The One’.
So once again your blowing smoke lgm.
But, I bet you didn’t inhale, did you, lgm?
abstractmind said (#50):
But are you going to vote for him? You have a choice between a faithful husband (Obama) and an adulterer (McCain).
Yes, Edwards was wrong, and clearly is unsuitable to be President. Let’s put him with Gingrich in the category of downfallen former party leaders.
Now, do you think McCain’s adultery has gotten more coverage than Edwards’? Fox and every conservative blog in the country have been exploding with Edwards coverage. Where is the extreme McCain coverage?
Well, in the first place, we’re not talking about McCain. We’re talking about silky pony. Secondly, honest-to-goodness, I don’t want to hear about anyone’s sexual peccadillos. The more these discussions are mainstreamed, the more the behavior is also mainstreamed. BUT, the press covered for Edwards while outing any ‘Pub on any incident they could scrape up. For that, I hope SP twists in the wind for some time to come – in effigy for the MSM.
Where have you been, lgm? Have you not paid attention to the last, what, 15-18 months of primaries and campaigning?
That’s gonna be a hard choice for you Dems. Cheaters/rapists/killers are the golden rule for Dems. How do you know that Obummer has been faithful? Are you his marriage counselor or priest?
I guess you missed that little thing know as “primary season.” Or how about that NYT hit piece connecting him romantically to a female lobbyist? Is the NYT now the National Enquirer? Say it aint so!
I look at the total package the politician presents. That means anything that suggests they have lousy judgement (cough cough Obummer) or sacrifice people to get ahead in the political season (cough cough Obummer and McCain). However, if I don’t like the policies of an avowed liberal like Obummer, then that pretty much seals the deal for me.
Not that I need voting lessons from a hero worshipper like yourself, Math man.
“Behind every perfect woman, there’s at least one man who’s tired of her $#!&”
MEA CUPLA
“Behind every perfect woman, except for MM, there’s at least one man who’s tired of her $#!&”
Aren’t all interviews by Chris Matthews “odd, uncomfortable interviews”?
*has heart attack*
But thank you for giving me that much.
You said something was…..WRONG.
It took 22 times of asking
To answer:
The answer is, at this time, no..i’m not voting for mccain. I dont think what he did with his wife, in the context of your question, was any less than edwards’ offense. i see them both as adulterers. the reasons why are irrelevant to me.
I’ve been going back and forth with a mccain cheerleader on one of the other posts…its not going well for him.
Coverage…if i had a few minutes, i’d comb thru the archives here…we could pull lots of examples of coverage on him over the matter. the media is picking up on this, in this manner, because….its current and its about someone who is clearly hiding the facts. All the obsfucation on this by edwards and his mistress are propelling this forward. mccain, not alot of mystery. But this has too many questions people want to see answered. until it is, expect the story to linger.
But again, thank you
I agree with several other posters here–what is with Chris Matthews??
He sits & acts like he has a constricted chubby! Is it Edwards’ hair?
A dude who gets some from another dude while sniffing coke is a faithful husband? Oy vey.
What is that obnoxious noise Matthews keeps making?
Wait.. I’m confused..
Are you talking about John Kerry?
(who served in Viet Nam?)
LGM
Little Gestapo Mustache..
that you are aware of..
LGM
Are you just mad that a newspaper is saying something bad about a democrat…for a change?
As far what Mrs. Malkin posts, um, I don’t think you ought to be telling her what to do, see, she gets, well PAID to do this, and I’ll take a guess here and say you don’t?
I’m not sure about revealing his hidden fault here, and I have no idea if it’s just or not. He may not be running for anything, but wasn’t he going to speak at the DNC?
The bottom line with all these folks is they’re simply trailer trash with good vocabularies living in multi-million dollar mansions but insisting the rest of us conserve and continue to be the “hard-working Americans” who will benefit from their largess. What absolute rot!
Another major Democrat and lawyer caught cheating on his wife, lying to everyone, using his most loyal friends and treating them like dirt, and top journalists, refusing to look for the truth, swallowing every lie and twisted half truth like half witted whores. John Edwards always came across as Southern white trash – the journalists that could listen to him and even believe anything he said are remarkable for their extreme allergy to truth, honor and strength of character.