The Saddest Part

of this story is that it offers Mickey Kaus an opportunity to gloat.

John Edwards repeatedly lied during his Presidential campaign about an extramarital affair with a novice filmmaker, the former Senator admitted to ABC News today.

In an interview for broadcast tonight on Nightline, Edwards told ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff he did have an affair with 42-year old Rielle Hunter, but said that he did not love her.

Edwards also denied he was the father of Hunter's baby girl, Frances Quinn, although the one-time Democratic Presidential candidate said he has not taken a paternity test.

Edwards said he knew he was not the father based on timing of the baby's birth on February 27, 2008. He said his affair ended too soon for him to have been the father.

He was at the Beverly Hilton, as the National Enquirer suggested, too.

This has been a really bad year for the personal lives of candidates that I respected and admired. First Eliot Spitzer and now this. But I can't say that it's much of a surprise. Politicians, power, sex; it's always been part of the stew. This is true on the left and true on the right (McCain's first marriage, anyone?). The difference is that only one side consistently attempts to legislate morality.

I really feel bad for Elizabeth Edwards and the family, more than anything.

UPDATE: Reading Edwards' statement about this, the phrase "increasingly egocentric and narcissistic" jumped out at me. If you're a Presidential candidate, you run around the country in limousines and airplanes. You are greeted warmly to cheering thousands wherever you land. You give speeches and people clap and cheer. It's probably not hard to get a full head. I don't understand how someone could be so stupid but I've never been in that position. And in addition, unless you're inside a marriage you have no idea what goes on.