35 Comments From Other Members
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| 8/9/2008 |
Suzanne Caplan from PA wrote:
There is a slippery slope when we compare what John Edwards did to what Bush and Company has done. It is like giving them the Clinton excuse again. To be personally deceptive is sleazy, to be humanly dismissive of the very rights of all others is a criminal act......forgive me if I think that human beings are weak and I can understand that. Forgive if I cannot understand these massive acts of abuse of the constitution.
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| 8/9/2008 |
Susan Terbay from Dayton OH wrote:
I just know there will be a lot of judging and condemnation. We expect our leaders to be above human in their sexuality and yet remain silent when our young people were thrown into a war that had nothing to do with 9/11, remained silent as our constitution is ripped apart and continue to remain silent while watching it all play out before us. Why? I'm not siding with anyone but I do know that lies destroy. Some more than others.
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| 8/9/2008 |
J Peak from Plymouth MI wrote:
There will be a lot of judging and condemnation. What Edwards did was wrong, plain and simple. We wouldn't want our sons to behave like he did. Nor would we want our husbands, brothers, fathers, son-in-laws, etc. to behave like him. We have to stop pretending that it doesn't matter because it does! We can muddy up the discussion with Bush but that doesn't help our society create honest, faithful men. Keep being angry about Bush and don't discuss any other issues, and no other issues will be fixed. Edwards was a liar and a cheat......his bad behavior stands alone.
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| 8/9/2008 |
abigail lewis from west hills ca wrote:
Why do we keep getting our knickers in a twist when politicians drop theirs? What bugs me is when they're publicly outspoken against, say, equal rights for gays and are caught in gay activities; or condemn others, like the loudmouths who came out so self-righteously against Clinton and were having affairs of their own, and even children with other women. If someone is cheating, yes, I think it's sleazy, but it is literally his affair, between him and his partner. Making a huge spectacle drags his kids into it, which is so destructive. At least this guy never called his wife a cxxx.
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| 8/9/2008 |
Susan Terbay from Dayton OH wrote:
There is a lot of hypocrisy in our society. My dad always warned me about those who parade into church on Sunday mornings and sit in the front pews. He told me they tend to lack Christian practices during the week! Was that judgemental - probably but more than like true! Lies destroy life - and it begins with our own.
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| 8/9/2008 |
J Peak from Plymouth MI wrote:
Watch the video that was on Nighline last night. Edwards is laughing it up, talking to the tramp, because they're discussing the speech he's about to give on morality. Why do we think it's ok for these kind of people to be in office? Why aren't women madder than hell that this stuff goes on? When are we going to stop feeling sorry for ourselves and stand up and say "no more" ? Where are the women's rights groups taking a stand against infidelity...one of the biggest destructors of family and marriages? Why are we so complacent about this? Ok, got that off my chest. All better now.....
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| 8/9/2008 |
Susan Terbay from Dayton OH wrote:
As far as women standing up against such men - where are the role models for young women? Hill - stood by her man - and continues to do so. I'm sure Elizabeth will do the same. And why isn't McCain's wife angry at him for his sweets words to her? I don't know other peoples' reasons but I know mine. Sometimes rationale goes out the window in relationships and people accept what the loved ones accept. I'm glad you are feeling better J - this has been a good 'conversation' because life is not black and white - lots of unknowns out there! :)
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| 8/9/2008 |
J Peak from Plymouth MI wrote:
I guess I wasn't done...one more thing. Abigail...at least he didn't call his wife a _____??! No, instead he treated her like one. Is that better? And he gave his college age and 9 yo old daughters, and his 7 year old son the message that their mom wasn't deserving of respect, that marriage really doesn't mean anything. Yes, it'll be their private hell but publicly it's about time we got angry about this kind of behavior before there's a generation of boys who act like that as men. And women will just say "oh well. men can't help it because that's how they're wired sexually". Baloney!
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| 8/9/2008 |
J Peak from Plymouth MI wrote:
Amen Susan! (guess we're both at the computer at the same time). Women need to provide role models for girls, too, so that this will stop. I believe in tolerance but not like this.
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| 8/9/2008 |
Susan Terbay from Dayton OH wrote:
I agree Edwards hurt his family - but it is his family who has to deal with all of this and my heart aches for them because he lied to them - he dishonored his wife and he failed as a father - but he has to make that up to them. They have to make the choices to stay or leave. While people may be screaming 'leave the sob' - it isn't anyone elses choice. He has destroyed his life with his children - the press doesn't have to do that - he did. He lied - and lies destroy life.
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| 8/10/2008 |
Suzanne Caplan from PA wrote:
But the press needs to decide what is worth a minute and what is worth an hour. This is not the way I want to see any man act but it is the history of McKain that is not brought up. He had a long suffering wife who waited for him when he was in Nam and he started dating CIndy before her left her. Does that tell you something about the Maverick?
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| 8/10/2008 |
J Peak from Plymouth MI wrote:
Why bring McCain up in this discussion? Are you saying that what Edwards did is no big deal so let's talk about McCain? Sounds to me that if what you're saying about McCain is true (I've never heard that story about him) then he AND Edwards are dogs. One doesn't cancel out the other. Regardless of what McCain did, Edwards is still a jerk and doesn't deserve to be in office.
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| 8/10/2008 |
Suzanne Caplan from PA wrote:
Are we both up in the middle of the night? Care to play cards?
Edwards is not in office and not running for office. He is a cad but a private cad as far as I can tell. My docus is on the ethics of those who wish to be king. And the story about McKain is true.
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| 8/10/2008 |
Suzanne Caplan from PA wrote:
Any one else up who cares to have a cup of coffee......I'ii warm up the coffee cake.
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| 8/10/2008 |
Susan Terbay from Dayton OH wrote:
Darn, I guess you all went to bed - I have my coffee but no coffee cake! This has been a good discussion and it is tough doing it on-line. We basically are all in agreement - just presenting it a different way. Lies of this magnitude destroy loving good people and it is wrong.
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| 8/10/2008 |
J Peak from Plymouth MI wrote:
Too bad we all didn't live closer. I was eating banana bread that I had just made when I was blogging that response. I would've like to have shared it! Anyway, Suzanne...Edwards was the presidential candidate in running just a few short months ago. He was considered the top contender for Barack's VP slot. So when he couldn't be King he was going to settle for Queen (ok that's just a play on words but yoiu know what I mean). Now they're not even going to consuider him and he's not going to the DNC.
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| 8/10/2008 |
Susan Terbay from Dayton OH wrote:
Augh! I love banana bread. We need to also find a way of not only sharing our thoughts and writings at this site but the food as well!!! I find such discussions healthy - I hope everyone does. Eating coffee cake and banana bread would make it even more healthy!
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| 8/10/2008 |
Susan Terbay from Dayton OH wrote:
This will continue in the tabloids I'm sure - the parties want it to go away - they can't handle the truth!
I'm all for the coffee klatches - what a cool idea!!!!
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| 8/11/2008 |
Rebecca Fishel Bright from Crafton PA wrote:
Frankly: I'm all for it going away. THIS is NOT what we need to be talking about at the moment. We have a war, no healthcare, a rotten economy and the chance to make a fundamental change in how we proceed with our country.... and we are all getting hung up on John Edwards' infidelity.... I'm sorry, but I think this is just another way for the corporate media to shift our focus away from what they don't want us to pay attention to.... more slight of hand.... YES he is a douche-bag - so is McCain - so is Bill Clinton - so was Kennedy - so was Gingrich... and SOOO many more I can't recall.
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| 8/12/2008 |
Suzanne Caplan from PA wrote:
We can talk about the issues of truth all we want but if the media obsession with these distractions keeps down the discussion, will we have time to get all of the facts about the concerns that better matter to us. Blame part of it on too much media with too much time to fill and part of it on America'a puritanical view. We need to demand better coverage and make our voices heard about that.
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| 8/12/2008 |
Susan Terbay from Dayton OH wrote:
We do have power to make a difference - unfortunately for many years we have been told we do not! It is time to take off the invisibility cloak!
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| 8/12/2008 |
J Peak from Plymouth MI wrote:
Suzanne, I sure don't know where American's puritanical view is, or what it is. It seems to me that we've lost our values including morality, modesty, ethics, honesty, etc. Maybe your yardstick of what is acceptable is different than mine, and in a lot of ways I consider myself pretty liberal. I think it's actually a loss of values that makes the media behave the way they do. They sensationalize trivia because that's what Americans drink up. But I will say that some of these "distractions" you're referring to are things we needs to be aware of. Some of them matter.
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| 8/12/2008 |
Susan Terbay from Dayton OH wrote:
Values begin at home and when families are torn apart by war, by poverty, by lack of social justice and equality, and by lack of respect for each other, then society reflects that. It begins at home - always.
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| 8/13/2008 |
J Peak from Plymouth MI wrote:
I wonder what values Edwards' (and other fathers like him) have now learned from their dad's behavior. This is what young kids are being subjected to in their own homes. Little wonder that they grow up without a good idea of committment and honor. Lucky the child who sees the parent's folly and doesn't follow in their footsteps.
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| 8/13/2008 |
Susan Terbay from Dayton OH wrote:
I would hate to think that all of us believe that our children will turn out fine if we are all perfect - and that includes dads and moms. After a certain point in time - children decide what they choose to believe and follow or choose not to believe and follow in their parent's foot-steps. When such moments as this happens within a family - how the family deals with it is more important than the act itself. At least that is what I believe. We cannot predict or judge what Elizabeth or the children feel/decide, etc. nor should we.
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| 8/13/2008 |
J Peak from Plymouth MI wrote:
We have a pretty good idea what happens to the kids. Tthis scenario gets played out in a lot of homes these days. If we sit back as a society and say "it's not for me to judge" then there's no peer pressure and no change. Our opinions and actions shape our society. Just as you shouldn't sit back and say you're not going to judge this war. We need to be active participants in how our society is. We've seen the statistics on how this type of behavior affects families and the results aren't good most of the time. Some families survive, more than a majority don't survive emotionally
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| 8/13/2008 |
Susan Terbay from Dayton OH wrote:
I tend not to judge others for their weaknesses of the flesh because we all have that tendency - some more obvious than others. The family unit suffers when no one learns from the experience and work together and love unconditionally and forgive. Forgive doesn't mean the action never happened - it means the action no longer controls the family/person.
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| 8/13/2008 |
J Peak from Plymouth MI wrote:
I'm very willing to forgive, but I will still have the opinion that such behavior is wrong and I'll say so. To turn away and act as if it doesn't matter is a lie and not helpful to our society.
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| 8/13/2008 |
Susan Terbay from Dayton OH wrote:
Such behavior is wrong - and I don't believe anyone at the site here is condoning it. The family is certainly not turning away from it - they are facing it head on. What should society do about it? Bring out the big "A" to wear? Send him to jail? What should be done? there are laws on the books somewhere I'm sure. Do we constantly condemn others' weakness or do we ask, how can we help you. Forgiving is part of that and many many people cannot find that in their hearts for him or anyone like him - what if it was 'her' that had the affair?
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| 8/13/2008 |
J Peak from Plymouth MI wrote:
He doesn't need forgiveness from me. However, in social conversations I'm not going to say "oh, poor guy, he made a mistake because he's human". If that's the case then we should stop locking people up in jail. And to suggest that the nation shouldn't be aware of the behavior of elected officials is ludicrous. If you stop expecting/requiring good behavior, you stop getting good behavior. And I'm sorry, it does say something about the man regardless of whether it's his personal life or not. If personal lives didn't count they wouldn't be showcasing their families in their campaigns.
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| 8/13/2008 |
Susan Terbay from Dayton OH wrote:
So what about McCain - he's running for the highest office in the country - just because his affair and destruction of his marriage happened years ago doesn't make it less painful to his first wife and his family. In my other blog I speak against war - this blog I spoke against lies. Both destroy lives. McCain falls under both categories. So should we not then expect and demand his behavior to be challenged? And yes, the nation should be aware of the behavior of their elected officials - especially those in this administration which many seem to ignore and hopes just go away.
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| 8/13/2008 |
J Peak from Plymouth MI wrote:
I think McCain was a dog for what he did, no doubt about it. And if he's still acting like that then I'll think he's a dog today, too. And yes, absolutely his behavior should be challenged. And I'm challenging Obama's as well because his treatment of women and women's issues has me concerned. I'm glad you agree that we need to be aware of their behavior. It's appalling that everyone just wanted to ignore Clinton's and hoped it would just go away. Remember, there were more illicit women than just Lewinsky in his life. But because he was charismatic women, and men, let him off the hook.
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| 8/14/2008 |
Suzanne Caplan from PA wrote:
I just read the LHJ issue online and I do not see any of what you saw in it. Obama had an independent grandmother who achieved on her own as well as took care of him. His mother was a role model and he and Michelle seem to be raising very independent girls. The more self esteem women have, the less likely they will accept demeaning behaviors towards them. And so it goes. Let's go out for a Latte
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| 8/14/2008 |
Susan Terbay from Dayton OH wrote:
And coffee cake?!?!?
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| 9/3/2008 |
abigail lewis from west hills ca wrote:
Whew, missed this entire firestorm! There is no question that disrespecting women either in words or actions is deplorable. Clinton and Edwards both paid; McCain still owes. But I'm not sure the penalty was for the crime any of us feel was committed. Were they vilified because they were hurtful to women, or was it a gotcha? As to why the men lied, certainly for personal gain, but I'm sure there was also some misbegotten idea of protecting their families from pain. But lying to start a war brought pain to hundreds of thousands of people. It's a whole different league. Still, a liar is a liar.
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