Can John Edwards rehabilitate his image after this?

[cynatnite]

23 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Yes, because he deserves a second chance
	4 (17%)
	Not just no, but hell no. He's a shamed man for all time
	18 (78%)
	I don't know
	1 (4%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
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[rocktivity]

1. You forgot to add

AWW, HELL, NO!


rocktivity

[cynatnite]

7. Done. n/t

[cali]

2. highly unlikely.

He should focus on his kids.

[H2O Man]

3. No.

His best option is to remain out of the public eye.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

4. He's a lying adulterer

The way you rehabilitate that is to go the fuck away. He got what he wanted today. Now he can go the fuck away.

[RZM]

5. That ship sailed four years ago n/t

[Not Me]

6. I never thought Michael Jackson would be able to step foot on the stage again,

but he did.

[Liberal Veteran]

8. Not in my book.

He could very easily have screwed over the entire country if he had gotten the nomination or picked as vp.

[hollysmom]

9. I think so

Not in public office, but anyone can do some good if they try.

I am not going to block someone from try to help anyone. He can never become what he once was, but he can become something else.

[cynatnite]

10. It's possible that he can reinvent himself...

I agree that he should most definitely stay out of politics.

Welcome to DU

[Uncle Joe]

11. It all depends on what he does and how much time he has left to do it.

Thanks for the thread, cynatnite.

[Motown_Johnny]

12. He might star in next season's "The Bachelor" but beyond that...

.... forget about it.




Toast.

[2on2u]

13. That you John?? n/t

[obamanut2012]

14. No, but he doesn't have to

What he can do if live a good life for the time he's still here, dedicating his life to those less fortunate, and not "all over the world." In in own back yard. In the inner cities of Charlotte, Durham, Raleigh, the economically devastated textile counties in the west, the kids in Appalachia, the dirt-poor people in the east descended from slaves and wreckers, the Lumbees. That's who he can help.

He can try to mend his relationship with, especially, Cate, and try to be a good father to her and his other children, and a good man to everyone else. He can, maybe, do something to affirm the time Elizabeth Edwards was here.

He is educated and a hard worker. There is nothing wrong with a life of penance and charity. It can be uplifting.

[cali]

15. he doesn't give a flying fuck about those less fortunate

now that he can't use them to fuel his political ambitions. It was always clear that he never did.

[RZM]

18. I never bought what he was selling either

Always seemed like an opportunistic empty suit to me.

The affair revelations came as something as an anti-climax. While I was surprised at the specific nature of the scandal, I wasn't surprised that he'd been exposed as a fraud.

[Spike89]

37. Yup, he didn't even really try to rehabilitate his voting record

I'm sure there is a chance he could get past the adultery thing with a significant portion of the public, especially without his former wife around to get in the way. It would take time, but in a few years it becomes "the past" and the "old John Edwards. I really don't care.
What I was disgusted by and won't ever let go of was his cynical attempt to be the "poverty" candidate without repudiating his prior voting record (particularly the anti-bankruptcy bills he got behind). He also was a co-sponsor of the Iraq war, but ran as being against the war without adequately explaining (admitting) his serious error. It was obvious to me that his "getting in front" of the Iraq invasion was calculated to help him politically, but when the public became disenchanted with the war, he just flopped to the other side.
I do not have a problem with candidates changing their positions if they can show/convince me that THEY have changed. It only makes me angry when they change their position because the POLLS have changed. John Edwards has never shown conviction on any issue that wasn't a slam-dunk politically. I could never support that sort of person.
Socially, John Edwards can "save" his reputation somewhat, politically, he is toast.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

16. Edwards is done

I'd consider changing my name and moving to another country.

[Scuba]

17. Sure. He can become a Republican. They'll love him.

[cynatnite]

19. Probably the only chance he'd ever get in politics again. n/t

[Johonny]

20. ask Gary Hart

[GoCubsGo]

41. And, Eliot Spitzer.

Granted, neither of them cheated on a dying wife. I think Edwards' political career is over. If he does a whole bunch of really super-duper Jimmy Carter-type things for the next decade or two, then perhaps he can salvage his reputation.

[grasswire]

21. Bill Clinton did. n/t

[JoePhilly]

23. Bill didn't father a child while cheating on a wife dying of cancer.

As other note ... if Edwards wants to return to public life, he'll need to turn to the GOP and join Newt and Limbaugh.

[tabbycat31]

31. Newt cheated on a wife with cancer and ran for president

Granted he did not father a child, but he came back.

[JoePhilly]

33. Newt "came back" only if we count making an ass of yourself as "coming back".

In reality, Newt never went away. His career as an elected official ended, and he became a pundit. And he ran as a pundit. And now he is again, a pundit.

Maybe Edwards could find a place on TV. But he is not going to get elected to anything ever again.

[Arkansas Granny]

22. Other politicians have managed it. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

[Baitball Blogger]

24. Who the fuck cares.

Cut him loose to wander in the desert.

[Pyrzqxgl]

25. THink with your brain, not your emotions

Certainly, we live in a country where forgiveness is a virtue. We all loved Elizabeth & we suspect,
hell we know, she was wronged but John Edwards as a politician had a lot to contribute that was
on our side & we need idea people. Lets see how his family (his kids) react over the next few years & what & how John acts & reacts. He was one of us who let those close to him down. Let those still close to him be the judge. I wouldn't even presume to be judging without knowing all the details.
I feel those of us angered would still agree with the man's politics. I'm sure there's a place for him
on our side somewhere.

[SoutherDem]

26. Others have done just that.

It depends. So far on DU I have seen those who wish he would disappear and those who want him to be the next AG. If he handles the aftermath correctly he might just be back.

[loyalsister]

27. Not sure exactly what "rehabilitate" entails

I don't think he will be trusted as a candidate for political office. His risky behavior was a blatant betrayal of his supporters.
As a private citizen, I expect he'll figure something out.

[ecstatic]

28. I think so but it will take time

My opinion of him is really low, but if he works really hard for the next 10 or so years and puts his millions towards a good cause, I'm sure people would be willing to respect him in the future.

[magical thyme]

29. enough decades go by and he'll be a senior statesmen

if he chooses. Events happen and people forget.

On the other hand, if he continues with the bar scene and 20 year olds...yech.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

30. The real question is, "Do you want a politician with this in his baggage?"

I'm not sure, even if he rehbilitates his image, that many would want to have him.

[jenmito]

32. No way. Watching him give his self-serving speech after the trial brought back all my dislike for

him (to say the least). "I don't think god is done with me yet..." "I love my daughter (that I had while cheating on my cancer-stricken wife) more than you'll ever know." And he didn't even MENTION Elizabeth.

[sabrina 1]

34. Yes, but he will have to work very hard to prove he has changed and learned from all the pain he

caused by his actions. If he marries his mistress though, that would make his chances of rehabilitating his image a lot harder.

[jorno67]

35. he's done...

But I wish someone would pick up the "two Americas" torch and run with it.

[LiberalEsto]

36. Who cares?

I sure don't.

[Fumesucker]

38. Who cares?

John Edwards is beyond having a major effect on politics in the USA other than as a distracting loose cannon, the sooner he goes away as a public figure the better, entirely too many people will forever not unjustly see him as a phony and cheat forever and ever amen.

Which is of course why the M$M will now spend hundreds if not thousands of more hours blathering about John Edwards and his cocky penis.

[Raine]

39. No and I hope we never hear from him again

he should stay out of the public eye and concentrate on him family and do some charity work.

[northoftheborder]

40. He should lead an entirely private life the rest of his days.

[morningfog]

42. No chance in hell.

The best he can hope for from here is a talk show in 10 years.

[undeterred]

43. I don't think so.

[cherokeeprogressive]

44. Can? Will. And NOT because he deserves a second chance. n/t

[chieftain]

45. I doubt seriously that he can rehabilitate his image

but he can add a new chapter to his story. If he actually thinks he has a political or public future and acts accordingly, he will be humiliated as he would deserve to be. But if he dedicates himself quietly to the cause of the poor and uses his money and contacts to improving the lives of the people, I believe he, at least once upon a time, cared about, then a more balanced view of the man will emerge. His courthouse steps speech suggests the former course rather than the latter is more likely. I hope I am wrong.