Even though the LA Times, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, etc., etc., did their absolute best to protect him, John Edwards, a man who was reputed to be in the running for Barack Obama's VP slot, was battered so heavily by the National Enquirer, the blogosphere, and talk radio that he felt compelled to publicly admit to having an affair,

In an interview for broadcast tonight on Nightline, Edwards told ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff he did have an affair with 44-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.

A former campaign aide, Andrew Young, has said he was the father of the child.

According to friends of Hunter, Edwards met her at a New York city bar in 2006. His political action committee later paid her $114,000 to produce campaign website documentaries despite her lack of experience.

Edwards said the affair began during the campaign after she was hired. Hunter traveled with Edwards around the country and to Africa.

Edwards said his wife, Elizabeth, and others in his family became aware of the affair in 2006.

Edwards made a point of telling Woodruff that his wife's cancer was in remission when he began the affair with Hunter. Elizabeth Edwards has since been diagnosed with an incurable form of the disease.

Wow, that is just riddled with fascinating little nuggets, isn't it?

First of all, there are two people who got thrown under the bus there (Andrew Young voluntarily got himself into this mess by claiming, probably falsely, to be having an affair with Hunter). One of them is Rielle Hunter, whom Edwards is painting as a whore because she apparently slept with two different married men on the Edwards campaign. Then, even more impressively, there is his cancer stricken wife who he says has known that he has been boffing another women since 2006. Whatever else you might say about Elizabeth Edwards, does she strike you as a mousey "stand by your man" type who knows her man is out cheating on her and says nothing about it? Me? Not so much. However, could I see her letting her wimpy husband claim that publicly so that he could deflect criticism (How can you people get mad at me when Elizabeth has known since 2006 and doesn't mind)? Yeah, that seems more likely.

Then, there is this incredible line,

"Edwards made a point of telling Woodruff that his wife's cancer was in remission when he began the affair with Hunter."

Ok, let's say that's true. Let's also assume this is true,

"Edwards told ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff he did have an affair with 44-year old Rielle Hunter, but said that he did not love her."

What the heck? Let's even say this is true,

"Edwards said he knew he was not the father based on timing of the baby's birth on February 27, 2008."

So, the affair has long since been over, the baby isn't his, and he doesn't love Rielle Hunter. Ok, that all makes sense...oh, wait a second. If all three of those things are true, why the hell was he meeting her in a hotel room? Just to catch up on old times? Oh, he could have done that over the phone, couldn't he? Well, gee, let's think about this: why does a married man usually have a covert meeting in a hotel room with a woman?

Hmmm...enquiring minds still want to know, but does the mainstream media want to find out?

PS: Once again, this story just proves that if you want to be informed, you've got to read blogs because the mainstream media just isn't going to tell you the whole truth if it hurts "their side."

PS #2: I wonder how dumb they feel at the Daily Kos after banning liberal blogger Lee Stranahan for discussing this?