McClatchy DC Logo

John Edwards' statement | McClatchy Washington Bureau

×
    • Customer Service
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Contact Us
    • Newsletters
    • Subscriber Services

    • All White House
    • Russia
    • All Congress
    • Budget
    • All Justice
    • Supreme Court
    • DOJ
    • Criminal Justice
    • All Elections
    • Campaigns
    • Midterms
    • The Influencer Series
    • All Policy
    • National Security
    • Guantanamo
    • Environment
    • Climate
    • Energy
    • Water Rights
    • Guns
    • Poverty
    • Health Care
    • Immigration
    • Trade
    • Civil Rights
    • Agriculture
    • Technology
    • Cybersecurity
    • All Nation & World
    • National
    • Regional
    • The East
    • The West
    • The Midwest
    • The South
    • World
    • Diplomacy
    • Latin America
    • Investigations
  • Podcasts
    • All Opinion
    • Political Cartoons

  • Our Newsrooms

Politics & Government

John Edwards' statement

    ORDER REPRINT →

August 08, 2008 07:27 PM

In 2006, I made a serious error in judgment and conducted myself in a way that was disloyal to my family and to my core beliefs. I recognized my mistake and I told my wife that I had a liaison with another woman, and I asked for her forgiveness. Although I was honest in every painful detail with my family, I did not tell the public. When a supermarket tabloid told a version of the story, I used the fact that the story contained many falsities to deny it. But being 99 percent honest is no longer enough.

I was and am ashamed of my conduct and choices, and I had hoped that it would never become public. With my family, I took responsibility for my actions in 2006 and today I take full responsibility publicly. But that misconduct took place for a short period in 2006. It ended then. I am and have been willing to take any test necessary to establish the fact that I am not the father of any baby, and I am truly hopeful that a test will be done so this fact can be definitively established. I only know that the apparent father has said publicly that he is the father of the baby. I also have not been engaged in any activity of any description that requested, agreed to or supported payments of any kind to the woman or to the apparent father of the baby.

It is inadequate to say to the people who believed in me that I am sorry, as it is inadequate to say to the people who love me that I am sorry. In the course of several campaigns, I started to believe that I was special and became increasingly egocentric and narcissistic. If you want to beat me up - feel free. You cannot beat me up more than I have already beaten up myself. I have been stripped bare and will now work with everything I have to help my family and others who need my help.

I have given a complete interview on this matter and having done so, will have nothing more to say.

SIGN UP

Related stories from McClatchy DC

politics-government

Edwards admits affair, but says he didn't father child

August 08, 2008 03:08 PM

  Comments  

Videos

President Trump makes surprise visit to troops in Iraq

Trump says he will not sign bill to fund federal government without border security measures

View More Video

Trending Stories

Cell signal puts Cohen outside Prague around time of purported Russian meeting

December 27, 2018 10:36 AM

California Republicans fear even bigger trouble ahead for their wounded party

December 27, 2018 09:37 AM

Sources: Mueller has evidence Cohen was in Prague in 2016, confirming part of dossier

April 13, 2018 06:08 PM

Hundreds of sex abuse allegations found in fundamental Baptist churches across U.S.

December 09, 2018 06:30 AM

Ted Cruz’s anti-Obamacare crusade continues with few allies

December 24, 2018 10:33 AM

Read Next

Cell signal puts Cohen outside Prague around time of purported Russian meeting

Investigations

Cell signal puts Cohen outside Prague around time of purported Russian meeting

By Peter Stone and

Greg Gordon

    ORDER REPRINT →

December 27, 2018 10:36 AM

One of Michael Cohen’s mobile phones briefly lit up cell towers in late summer of 2016 in the vicinity of Prague, undercutting his denials that he secretly met there with Russian officials, four people have told McClatchy.

KEEP READING

MORE POLITICS & GOVERNMENT

Lone senator at the Capitol during shutdown: Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts

Congress

Lone senator at the Capitol during shutdown: Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts

December 27, 2018 06:06 PM
California Republicans fear even bigger trouble ahead for their wounded party

Elections

California Republicans fear even bigger trouble ahead for their wounded party

December 27, 2018 09:37 AM
Does Pat Roberts’ farm bill dealmaking make him an ‘endangered species?’

Congress

Does Pat Roberts’ farm bill dealmaking make him an ‘endangered species?’

December 26, 2018 08:02 AM
Ted Cruz’s anti-Obamacare crusade continues with few allies

Congress

Ted Cruz’s anti-Obamacare crusade continues with few allies

December 24, 2018 10:33 AM
‘Remember the Alamo’: Meadows steels conservatives, Trump for border wall fight

Congress

‘Remember the Alamo’: Meadows steels conservatives, Trump for border wall fight

December 22, 2018 12:34 PM
With no agreement on wall, partial federal shutdown likely to continue until 2019

Congress

With no agreement on wall, partial federal shutdown likely to continue until 2019

December 21, 2018 03:02 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

McClatchy Washington Bureau App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Newsletters
Learn More
  • Customer Service
  • Securely Share News Tips
  • Contact Us
Advertising
  • Advertise With Us
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story