The National Enquirer Strikes Again

[realtraveller]

NATIONAL ENQUIRER WORLD EXCLUSIVE: JOHN EDWARDS LOVE CHILD SCANDAL! - Celebrity News | Gossip - National Enquirer

Do Iowans believe what they read in the Enquirer? Will they care? Could be crucial questions for Edwards in the next few days just when one poll shows him leading.

[pippadaisy[$]]

You don't actually want to know how often the Enquirer is actually RIGHT about things. It's sad, but true. If that was running in, say, Life & Style or Star, I'd ignore it, but with the Enquirer.. you never know.

[theworm[$]]

Next thing you know they'll claim that Edwards killed Jon Benet.

[realtraveller]

The thing is that it doesn't matter if it's true or not. If it's people believe it's true. And whether they care. If he dispels this quickly, (somehow, DNA?) it could backfire. But if there's truth in it, cheating on a wife with terminal cancer, will be inexcusable to most people.

[theworm[$]]

Kathy, I agree with you except for the terminal cancer part - Elizabeth Edwards has a controlled cancer that is not now terminal. My SIL has lived with the same cancer for over ten years and her last tests were clean, so while Mrs Edwards does have cancer, and while cheating on your wife (cancer or not) is not generally accepted, let's not jump to the word "terminal".

what I find sad is that the headline is intentionally provocative. The article itself says that someone else has claimed paternity - that could be true or false, but there is no proof that Edwards is the father. The headline will be seen by gazzillions of people in the check out line who won't buy the paper or read the article. It's sending a false message.

[drmomentum[$]]

theworm said

The headline will be seen by gazzillions of people in the check out line who won't buy the paper or read the article. It's sending a false message.

Yeah, but it's a false message about Edwards, so it's all good. Librul media.

[realtraveller]

drmomentum said

Yeah, but it's a false message about Edwards, so it's all good. Librul media.

Or by a media that supports another candidate. Ron Burkle who owns the Nat'l Enquirer is supposed to be a good friend of the Clintons.

[erik_kosberg]

It's Elvis's love child. John Edwards was getting a haircut at the time.

[drmomentum[$]]

realtraveller said

Or by a media that supports another candidate. Ron Burkle who owns the Nat'l Enquirer is supposed to be a good friend of the Clintons.

Oh, of course. It's the other conspiracy theory about the Clintons being behind everything. I guess I got the wrong one that time.

In any case, if Edwards tanks, who's to say those votes won't go to Obama? As conspiracy theories go, this is one of the thinner ones.

[realtraveller]

If you own a newspaper (using the term loosely) and you are an ardent supporter of a candidate, what stories do you print?

The press has a lot of power in what they choose to investigate and report and information they choose to sit on.

"Journalistic ethics" is an oxymoron.

[erik_kosberg]

The press has a lot of power in what they choose to investigate and report and information they choose to sit on.

*cough* Gangsters in the White House *cough*

[erik_kosberg]

Meanwhile, the Enquirer pulls the story from its web site: the story that never was.

[mtomm[$]]

No, it is there.

UPDATE: NATIONAL ENQUIRER WORLD EXCLUSIVE: JOHN EDWARDS LOVE CHILD SCANDAL! - Celebrity News | Gossip - National Enquirer

[erik_kosberg]

Interesting. Two SLIGHTLY different URLs.

[frazzledspice]

Considering the delicate state of Mrs. Edwards' health, and their obvious devotion to one another, the Enquirer's report is beneath contempt.

Especially since both the expectant mother and Andrew Young (former mayor of Atlanta?) claim that Young is the father.

Let's stop poking into the personal lives of ALL the candidates.

[pippadaisy[$]]

Andrew Young is also married. And has two young children. That's pretty damn ballsy if he moved his pregnant girlfriend into the same neighborhood as his family.

[realtraveller]

Not the same Andrew Young. The former mayor is in his 70's.