Strollerderby : John Edwards

Morning News: Obama Says 'I Screwed Up'

Madeline Holler — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:30:00 GMT

President Barack Obama took full responsiblity for the latest embarrassment to his new and still forming administration. He told CNN's Anderson Cooper last night that though he thinks Tom Daschle was the man for the job, ignoring the former senator's tax mistakes would send the wrong message to Americans.

Politico has a whole list of Plan Bs (not that Obama had a Health and Human Services secretary Plan B). But the good president is right: none seem quite the perfect fit that Daschle was (except for that damn tax thing ... is it really so hard?) In case you're out of the loop, Daschle surprised everybody by withdrawing his nomination for the top HHS job yesterday.

Sending the right message to many Americans, Obama set a salary cap for executives of the banks and companies getting bailed out by taxpayers. Sure, you hear that there are loopholes galore. But there shouldn't be. The cap is set at $500,000 a year. Come on, people, live with it!

Be careful what you reveal in your 25 Random Things About Me note on Facebook. MySpace deleted some 90,000 known sex offenders' accounts and word on the virtual street is that they're all moving over to Facebook. Of course the entity putting that word on the street is the company that was hired to clear MySpace of the perverts. Still. Maybe it's also time to change your Flickr settings to friends and family only.

Here's an uplifting-yet-makes-you-hate-the-world story: the world's youngest divorcee through a snowball and did other childish things in Paris last week. The 10-year-old (!) Yemeni managed an escape from her husband (who is three times her age) and found a judge who granted her the divorce almost immediately. She's now back in school and getting to be a girl. Not sure why the Time interviewer took her to a dimly lit bar in Paris to do the interview. The first line kind of creeps us out.

Have you ever thought about why organ recipients might reject a transplanted kidney, but pregnant women's bodies don't reject a fetus (which is not genetically identical to the mother)? Us either, but it's a great question! And researchers may have found a reason. Maternal cells seep into the fetus at a very young age, boosting the baby's regulatory T cells, which in turn tell mom's body to not reject the baby. Kinda sweet.

The latest in octuplets news: their mom has filed two worker's compensation claims in the past -- one in 1999 and another in 2001. What does this tell us? Not sure. But since her oldest child is 7, at least one of the claims was filed before she had been pregnant with him.

The publicist for Elizabeth Edwards's forthcoming book, Resilience, tells us that the wife of former presidential candidate John Edwards will make reference to her husband's affair and the woman who says he is her daughter's father. The book comes out in May.

Let's leave on a high note: Obama will sign into legislation this very minute an SCHIP bill, which will extend healthcare benefits to low- and moderate-income worker's children. Now, lawmakers of yore, was that really so hard?

Video: CNN

Dirty Diaper Stinks Up John Edwards’ Day

SunnyChanel — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:00:00 GMT

The National Enquirer was the first to break the story that John Edwards had an affair with the ‘filmmaker’ Rielle Hunter. That was just their main course, now they want dessert and it’s coming served up in the form of an old dirty diaper.

The tabloid says that it has acquired one dirty diaper during their stake out at the Beverly Hills Hilton a while back. This is where Edwards went to visit Hunter and the baby that is speculated to be Hunter and Edwards’ love child.

When the scandal broke, Hunter refused to any provide any DNA samples of her child, even though, perhaps strategically, Edwards was willing to give his. But with the baby’s DNA on hand via the soiled nappy, according to the Daily News, the National Enquirer is now alledgedly waiting to get some kind of DNA-ish evidence acquired from Edwards to make a comparison. “All they need is a cup he drank from” said the source of the story.

Why is this coming out now you might wonder? Word on the street is that Hunter may be about to publish a tell-all book and that the ever competitive Enquirer is trying to break what they think is the true paternity of the baby before Hunter makes some sort of announcement herself.

They should all just go on Maury and just get it over with, don’t you think?

Via: Gawker

Elizabeth Edwards slammed for keeping hubby's affair a secret

Brett Singer — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 20:15:00 GMT

Fans of Superman should be familiar with Bizarro World, a square planet called Htrae (Earth in reverse – get it?) where everything is backwards. "Bizarro am sad," would mean that Bizarro was happy. That sort of thing.

Reading that Elizabeth Edwards is catching flak for not disclosing that her husband John was having an affair with filmmaker Rielle Hunter made me think that, perhaps, Earth had become Htrae while I was sleeping. How else to explain the fact that, as CNN put it, "a woman with incurable cancer wronged by a cheating husband," would somehow be blamed for, well, anything.

But that's exactly what happened. CNN reports that, "some former [Edwards] followers have questioned the recklessness of [Elizabeth Edwards] keeping the affair under wraps even though her husband…said he confessed the affair in 2006, before the campaign began in earnest the next year."

Now, if someone wanted to say that this damages their political capital, I suppose I would have a hard time arguing otherwise. On the other hand, how is her not disclosing his affair somehow a worse sin that him having the affair and covering it up? At worst, she was "complicit" (that's Brad Crone's words, described as "a Raleigh-based Democratic consultant") in the "cover-up." But does that mean that Mr. Edwards somehow had some political capital left after the affair became public, and it was doomed by the fact that his wife didn't admit that she knew about it? Typing that sentence actually makes my head hurt, it's so stupid.

image/source: CNN

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Political Nanny: Edwards' Statement on Admitted Affair, 'I Have Been Stripped Bare'

Madeline Holler — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 21:49:00 GMT

John Edwards released a statement today regarding his admission that he cheated on his wife Elizabeth in 2006 and lied to his family and the public.

In the statement, he also says he will take a paternity test to prove he is not the father of Rielle Hunter's baby, Frances Quinn.

An excerpt (from The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder blog):

... 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.

Political Nanny: Edwards Admits He Cheated on Elizabeth

Photo: Guardian

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Magazine Releases Photos of Edwards and Alleged 'Love Child'

Madeline Holler — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 23:01:00 GMT

The National Enquirer has released photos of what appear to be John Edwards holding a baby at a Beverly Hills hotel. The magazine, which made a fortune creating stories and running photos about alien babies and a frazzled Liz Taylor, respectively, says their spy photos are irrefutable proof that the once Democratic presidential candidate and Political Nanny alumn has fathered a child out of wedlock.

The Enquirer ads these photos to its growing list of speculations that the former senator from North Carolina has cheated on his wife Elizabeth, who is fighting cancer.

Says the magazine's website:

“These photos are damning proof,” said a source close to the situation.

“He’s been caught lying about his affair with Rielle and their love child for many months – and now the proof against him is piling up.

“His elaborate coverup is unraveling at the seams.”

Political Nanny: Did John Edwards Father a Love Child?

Image: National Enquirer

Who's on the Birth Certificate of Edwards' Alleged Love Child?

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 20:45:00 GMT

It has been discovered that there is no father listed on the birth certificate of a baby who, according to the illustrious reporters at the National Enquirer, is John Edwards’ love child. Frances Quinn Hunter is the daughter of Rielle Hunter, who worked as a videographer on Edwards’ presidential campaign. Andrew Young, Edwards’ campaign finance director, has claimed that he is Frances’ father, but the tabloids smell a rat.

Edwards has denied the allegations that he fathered Hunter's baby. Whether or not this is true, the National Enquirer's claim has already done serious damage to Edwards’ political reputation. It was assumed that Edwards would play a leading role in helping Obama secure North Carolina in the presidential election, but now Edwards will probably be forced to keep out of the limelight—and spend most of his time not working out policy issues, but fighting allegations that, while upsetting, really have nothing at all to do with the voting public.

Photo: Emulsion Compulsion

Did John Edwards Father a Love Child?

Magazine Releases Photos of John Edwards' Alleged Love Child

Political Nanny: Did John Edwards Father a Love Child?

Madeline Holler — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:34:00 GMT

Although it pains Political Nanny a bit to jump in on rumors about politicians' illicit affairs, she's interested to see where this one goes.

The National Enquirer is reporting (grain of salt, grain of salt) that they've finally uncovered evidence that the only plausible white, male Democratic candidate for the 2008 election -- John Edwards -- has been cheating on his dying wife with a sort of member of his now defunct campaign, Rielle Hunter. Not only that, the two made a little baby together. Awwww. Wait, ewwwww. Political Nanny is confused.

From Gawker:

Vice Presidential candidate Sen. John Edwards was caught visiting his mistress and secret love child at 2:40 this morning in a Los Angeles hotel by the NATIONAL ENQUIRER.

The married ex-senator from North Carolina - whose wife Elizabeth continues to battle cancer — met with his mistress, blonde divorcee Rielle Hunter, at the Beverly Hilton on Monday night July 21 - and the NATIONAL ENQUIRER was there! He didn't leave until early the next morning.

From the Enquirer:

Edwards denied the affair and that he was the father, and in a bizarre twist, a close friend of his, Andrew Young, said he was the father. Young, 41, was married at the time with three children. The NATIONAL ENQUIRER has learned he still is married.

Will the allegations stick? The last 2008 candidate accused of an affair was John McCain. Seems a press conference, a cozy relationship with reporters, a little distraction called "the Democratic Primary" and, maybe even, the truth took care of that.

Political Nanny will keep you posted. (She knows, you feel sick in your stomach right now, huh?)

Photo: Gawker

Political Nanny: Moms Asked, Obama Answered

Madeline Holler — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:02:00 GMT

So it's true then? It's going to take a pack of moms -- not the likes of Charlie Gibson -- to get down to business in this campaign? Political Nanny kind of suspected this. Luckily, so did the group blog MOMocrats.

Just posted are answers to five questions these bloggers -- who launched MOMocrats in an effort to get John Edwards elected -- submitted to the Obama campaign after the disastrous April Philadelphia "debate," in which Gibson and sidekick George Stephanopoulos tackled such hard-hitting, end-of-the-world scenarios as lapel accessories and guilt by association (in this case with a member of the Weather Underground).

Here's a peek at what they asked. Go here to read more about the mortgage crisis, affordable housing, family leave, torture and the economy.

MOMOCRATS: What do (Obama and Clinton) plan to do about the horrifically family unfriendly policies of corporate America? How can we better support working moms and working families with paid maternity leave, affordable childcare, etc. Does s/he see these issues as a priority for his/her administration?

... OBAMA: We also need to change a system that is stacked against women. Forty percent of working women do not have a single paid sick day. More and more women are denied jobs or promotions because they've got kids at home. As the son of a single mother, that is not the America that I believe in. I'll be a President who stands up for working parents. We'll require employers to provide seven paid sick days each year. We'll enforce laws that prohibit caregiver discrimination. And we'll encourage flexible work schedules to better balance work and parenting for mothers and fathers. That's the change that working families need.

Oh, and since the moms are getting the job done with respect to asking substantive questions, how about Babble readers (moms, dads, nannies, mannies, grannies -- whoever our readers are!) pipe up with THEIR questions for any of the candidates. Political Nanny see if we can't get a few more answers to questions our reps in the media don't think to ask.

Photo: daylife.com

Political Nanny: Elizabeth Edwards and Hillary, BFFs?

Madeline Holler — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 21:18:00 GMT

Didn't Elizabeth Edwards famously dislike Hillary Clinton? Apparently, Edwards can separate the woman from the policy wonk. In terms of universal healthcare, the two couldn't be better BFFs.

Which makes it all the more mysterious why she hasn't come out and endorsed Hillary. Voters in North Carolina seem to want Elizabeth, or her husband John Edwards, to pick someone already! Even if they pick different sides.

From NYTimes.com

Elizabeth Highfill of Wilmington said: “People are waiting to see what she says. In North Carolina, Elizabeth is more important. I’m not going to be surprised if she endorses Hillary and he endorses Obama.”

Edwards has apparently insisted he won't endorse before the upcoming North Carolina and Indiana primaries. Sigh. We'd sure like someone to pick something.

Does an Edwards endorsement (pick and Edwards, any Edwards) mean something to you? Why do you think they're not endorsing?

Photo: NYTimes.com

6 Ways to Sell Your Baby

Cole Gamble — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 19:00:00 GMT

We've all heard the news and economic reports, this is not a seller's market for babies. That said, you shouldn't be discouraged. There are plenty of ways to prepare your baby for the market and attract buyers, even now.

1) Clean up and repair your baby. We all have those little baby improvement projects we keep putting off. Perhaps the baby you have was your first, back when you could only afford a “fixer-upper.” Maybe your baby leaks or cries too much. You may have gotten used to those charming flaws, but believe me, a new buyer won't. Now is the time to break out the caulking gun and elbow grease.

2) Create the impression of other interested buyers. Nothing motivates a buyer like the idea that your baby is a hot property. While showing your baby to a couple, tell them, “Sorry to hurry this along, but we have another buyer on their way. Honey, what time did you say Angelina is coming by? Oops, I've said too much.”

3) Use “selling” terms. When describing your baby, some adjectives sound better than others. In your advertisements, instead of referring to your baby as “dumpy”, try “cozy.” If your baby is “stinky” that's “traditional charm.” Simple word usage can create an entirely different perception. So remember, your baby is not “stupid” but “whimsical.”

4) Offer Incentives. Nothing can get a young couple into parenthood like the phrase, “Zero percent financing for 24 months.”

5) Give it a new name. Yes, we all applaud you for the courage to name your child Odin or Dogflower, but hipster irony isn't going to move babies off shelves, now is it? A new name is like a new coat of paint on that old lemon of an infant. I'll let you in on a secret, do you know what the most popular car color is? White. Almost quite literally the vanilla of colors. People like what's familiar. Consider changing your kid's name to Michael, or Emma, or if you must spice it up, Austin. A timely name can also woo a hesitant buyer. Why not capitalize on the current political climate? If you see your buyer wavering say, “Oh, did I mention his name is Obama? Obama Clinton Edwards.” Be careful, though. A baby named “Ron Paul” is the kind you talk about buying, one you respect on merit, but would never seriously purchase.

6) If all else fails, how about renting that old baby? Not everyone is ready to buy, and let's face it, your baby has seen better days. Don't call it a wash and throw in the towel. Become a landlord, I mean babylord. There are plenty of vacationing couples who only want a baby while they are in town. Struggling college students are always looking for cost-effective ways to have a baby during those lean years working towards their law degree. You could even time share. Just check out the renter first. Renting to a fraternity only means your baby is going to get a lot of wear and tear. Constant parties and general lack of respect and maintenance to your baby will drive down his or her resale value.

Image: www.scary-truth.com

Strollerderby Playdate: Do Toddlers Belong in the Voting Booth?

Madeline Holler — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 12:14:00 GMT

Sure, there have already been some pretty important primaries and caucuses, blah, blah. But even if you didn't vote yesterday, you have to admit: Super Tuesday felt pretty important and somewhat all-consuming. So it feels appropriate to call a playdate with our favorite parents 'n' politics blogs.

Political Nanny started an election scrapbook (without the cutsie baby bottle and paci embellishments you might find among your civilian scrappers). There are baby pictures and a roundup of the candidates' more interesting kids. She keeps you posted on every tear Hillary sheds and some of the more interesting (questionably relevant) endorsements.

MomMania tackles a question I hope you will also answer in the comments: whether to take kids into the voting booth with you. Did you drag your unpredictable toddler to this teachable moment?

PunditMom has a bit to say about these elections too.

What about you? Who are you inviting to the political parents' Strollerderby Playdate? Drop your favorite personal political blogs' url in the comments.

Photo: Salt Lake Tribune

Two Fewer Young'uns On the Campaign Trail

Madeline Holler — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 18:06:00 GMT

Family man John Edwards and family wrecker Rudy Giuliani are bowing out of the 2008 presidential election. For the latter ... who didn't see THAT coming? For the former, well, it's a surprise. I mean, it was clear he didn't have much of a chance to actually win the nomination. But he kept saying he'd stay in until the August convention, and he sounded believable!

I wonder what Edwards' 8- and 6-year-old, who traveled with him in the campaign, think about this. They were being homeschooled this year and spent much time on the trail with their mom and dad. Do they even get it?

This leaves me wondering, too, what will happen to MOMocrats, the communal blog for parents who are also John Edwards supporters. Will they throw their support to a different candidate? Will Edwards? Can't wait to find out.

As for Giuliani, he's supporting John McCain. What about you? Are you decided?

Read up on the candidates and this billion dollar campaign over at Political Nanny:

Kids Shuffle Down the Campaign Trail

Madeline Holler — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 13:34:00 GMT

Besides a young Chelsea Clinton and Jimmy Carter's little girl Amy, the children of the presidents in my lifetime have been teens or much much older. So it's fun watching this year's campaign, as Political Nanny, as a voter, and especially now as a mother. I know how challenging it can be to take kids to the store -- what new version of hell must it be to drag them all over Iowa and beyond? Yet this election is just littered with little bitty kids! Miss Emma-Claire Edwards and Malia Obama, Hayden Thompson and Mitt Romney's son's son.

Sure, everyone's putting on a good face. And mercifully, reporters haven't run any footage of total meltdowns on the trail (politicians' kids melt down too, right?). It's all happiness and precocious repartee, sledding, eating, pressing the flesh.

So what do you think of this, taking young kids out of school to help daddy stump? Cruel? Selfish? Or opportunity of a lifetime for a two-year-old? What do you think it's like? Do they feel the losses? Stay up for returns? Watch their fathers crumble into a heap on a hotel bed and think people are being mean to him and making him lose? I imagine, from the child's perspective, it's a lot of sweaty adults with bad breath asking you the same questions at every stop.

However, I'm inclined to say that no matter how boring it must get for them, it's got to be better than not seeing mommy or daddy for days and weeks on end. I'm sure the quality face time is also lacking, but who am I to judge? I wave away my kids just to write emails.

In any case, time to say bye-bye to all your new friends in Iowa, young Dodd girls, because that state's history and Daddy's moving on.

Bad Bad Mommy: Elizabeth Edwards' Smack Down

Rachael Brownell (Redsy) — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 19:24:00 GMT

A Silicon Valley Moms blogger had the grave misfortune to imply that Elizabeth Edwards is a terrible mother for taking her kids along on the campaign trail (John Edwards for President!!).

In addition to slamming the Edwards clan for their 28,000 square foot pleasure palace (earned by "ambulance chasing"), Ms. Edwards is called out for dragging her kids along on the campaign trail even though they don't want to go (insert whine).

Elizabeth Edwards doesn't leave self-defense to PR hacks. She responds directly in the comments so articulately the angels of well-spoken mamas everywhere are singing. Here is a portion of her response:

I want to be entirely clear. You don't get to say I am a terrible mother because you think you wouldn't make my choices in my situation. You don't get to say that my children don't want to be with us when you don't know them and when, parenthetically, you know that happy children can be periodically disagreeable.

Take that, you mother criticizers!

[Photo Credit: New York Times]

Hitting the Campaign Trail with Kids in Tow

ChagHolland — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 17:09:00 GMT

Even though we're still over fourteen months away from electing a new President, potential candidates are busy traveling across America, glad-handing possible voters. The candidates are trying to appeal to the common man and there's no better way to do so than showing you're a family man or woman. Certain candidates are turning up for photo ops with their children on their arms, which begs the question: is the campaign trail an appropriate place for young children?

There are five candidates on the campaign trail with young children: Sam Brownback, Christopher J. Dodd, John Edwards, Barack Obama, and Fred D. Thompson. Obama has kept his children's campaign appearances at a minimum this summer and states his that his children will return to Chicago when school is back in session . At the other end of the spectrum, Edwards has taken his children out of school and they travel with him everywhere, along with his wife, Elizabeth Edwards, and a tutor.

I can see both sides of the debate. I would want my kids with me as much as possible. But at the same time, I wouldn't want them living the rock 'n' roll lifestyle from the back of a tour bus. Sure, you're exposing them to people, places, and cultures they wouldn't normally experience, but you're also robbing them of their childhood. So where do you draw the line?

If you were running for President, would you take your kids on the campaign trail? If so, how often?

Elizabeth Edwards' Cancer Returns

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 18:02:00 GMT

Presidential hopeful John Edwards held a press conference today to announce that his wife, Elizabeth Edwards, has cancer once more. Mrs. Edwards is a breast cancer survivor. Her cancer was thought to be in remission, but is has reappeared in her bone. The cancer is not cureable, but it is treatable. Edwards vowed that despite his wife's cancer, his campaign will go on. The Edwards' have four children, Cate, Emma Claire, and Jack. Oldest son Wade was killed in a car crash in 1996 when he was 16. Emma Claire and Jack were born following his death.

This story is a very personal one for me. I had the extreme privilege of meeting Mrs. Edwards last year when she was on her book tour for Saving Graces (a book I highly recommend). She wanted to meet with "mom bloggers" to chat about issues that were important to mothers and I was invited along with other Silicon Valley Mom Bloggers. Yes, she was promoting her book, but there was no ulterior motive. We talked about politics, the state of the nation, medical issues, and health care—not about her book.

Elizabeth Edwards is and will always be one of my heroes. I wish her the best and hope she lives a long life. We need her.

[photo credit: Stefania Pomponi Butler]