What Will The Edwards Effect Be

This will mark my 800th post on Blogger, and I look forward to hitting 900.

I was just reading this piece at Slade, by Christopher Beam, indicating that the
Edwards Effect may not be as damaging to Obama and the Democrats as many
are speculating this weekend, and in fact may hurt McCain the most.

Democrats can’t be pleased with John Edwards’ confession that he had an affair
with Rielle Hunter. It tarnishes the Democratic brand just as they’re gearing up
for their quadrennial coming-out party, and the only thing more conspicuous than
Edwards’ presence will be his absence. And Edwards could have a Mark Foley-like
trickle-down effect in down-ballot races, where negative/positive party
associations matter most.

But the news is not all bad for Democrats. First, Obama is pretty much soaked in
Teflon when it comes to family matters. Second, it could be a lot worse: What if
Edwards had actually won the nomination? And third, it introduces marital infidelity
back into the conversation.

Recall: John McCain returned to the United States from Vietnam in March 1973.
His wife, Carol, had been in a near-fatal car accident while he was gone. She
was overweight, on crutches, and 4 inches shorter than when McCain had left.
McCain ended up divorcing Carol for Cindy Hensley, his current wife. Carol has
remained mostly silent on her marriage to John, except for one notable comment
to a McCain biographer: “John was turning 40 and wanting to be 25 again.”


There were legal complications, too. The Los Angeles Times reported in June that
McCain obtained a marriage license while still legally married to his first wife.
McCain suggested in his autobiography that he divorced Carol months before marrying
Cindy. In fact, that period was about five weeks. He also said that for the first nine
months of his relationship with Cindy, he still “cohabited” with Carol. Social
conservatives were never McCain’s base, but yes, it could get worse.

For the most part, the media have politely skirted around this episode of McCain’s
life. (Not to mention other unflattering moments.) For one thing, it’s long past. McCain
has since developed a reputation for credibility and transparency.
(Post-Keating Five, that is.) And, unlike Edwards, he told the truth about his deviance.
"My marriage's collapse was attributable to my own selfishness and immaturity,” McCain
wrote in his autobiography. “The blame was entirely mine."

But with Edwards’ infidelity front and center, that could change. In recent weeks,
McCain’s ads have taken a turn for the personal, comparing Obama to vapid celebrities
like Paris and Britney. Now Obama is coming under increasing pressure to retaliate. The
Obama camp has never publicly raised McCain’s marital issues, nor would it. But insinuation,
coupled with euphemisms about “trust” and “commitment,” can go a long way. In an
environment filled with personal attacks on both sides, you can bet McCain’s past will become
fair game. The Edwards news even gives McCain’s detractors a convenient pretext to raise
the subject. So you heard about Edwards ditching his sick wife? Wait till you get a load
of McCain.

Seems there may be a "silver" lining to this story for some, who want to cut McCain "off at the knees".
Have a Great Saturday Afternoon!!