The American Spectator

Reader Mail

Ben and John

8.19.08 @ 12:01AM

(Page 2 of 5)

I might also add that while it's commendable that Ben is willing to give Rielle Hunter the benefit of the doubt for reasons of keeping the baby, her motives might also be to insure her future is spent with Edwards, a man of great means.
-- John Nelson
Hebron, Connecticut

I normally agree with and admire just about everything Ben Stein writes. Regarding his "Whacked Priorities," however, I have to disagree, vehemently. He is right in that Edwards is no longer a viable candidate for the Presidency nor sits in high elected office but he did hope to play a role in the upcoming Democratic convention, have influence within the party and a future Obama administration. And his detestable acts took place while he was running to lead our nation through perhaps it's most perilous times. Times that will demand clear-eyed understanding of good from evil. Most of all, Edwards billed himself in seeking our support as a holier-than-thou moralizer sermonizing from the pulpit of the Left's Church of What's Happening Now on everything from "global warming" to America's evil warmongering to how we tend to our "poor."

Besides, it is always gratifying to see his ilk, left or right, get their comeuppance. The Left does it to our guys of the same type all of the time making the Edwards case especially sweet for it exposed the double standard hypocrisy of the leftist media, which is to say "mainstream" media. Perhaps if they had taken on the story earlier it would not have devolved into the screaming tabloid blitz that it did. A surprising lapse on their part, for they are generally more astute as to whether news damaging to their team is better managed or ignored. They made the wrong call this time and so watching our adversaries hoist themselves on their various petards makes it all the sweeter. And, unmasking their indifference to the wrongdoing by one of their own, yet again, is no small reminder of their priorities nor morally inconsequential.

The other major difference here is much of our side is truly dismayed and chagrined by our bad boys' hypocritical behavior and more often than not the miscreants are drummed out of our ranks or shunned at the least. The Left, on the other hand, the "smash monogamy," "open marriage" and "alternative values" crowd, really doesn't mind at all but rather cries crocodile tears for such waywardness as a cynical sop to normal Americans whose votes they hope to win. If they have any regrets at all it is for themselves and their electoral chances but unfaithfulness, double dealing, betrayal, untrustworthiness, lying, scheming, duplicity and all the sins of omission and commission that conspire in pursuit of "doing your own thing" troubles them not. After all, is that not what they are about these 40 past years and are they not the "means justifies the end" folks, especially regarding sex? But I would certainly expect such private means of a public man to whatever ends to trouble Ben Stein.

Lastly, out of his great and generous heart, Ben signs on to the oldest moral obfuscation of the secular and atheist Left, to wit, conflating judgment of the behavior with judging the man. God will judge John Edwards the man and mete out His final justice. Ben is right, that is not for me, Ben or any other in this world to presume. But Edwards' behavior is rightly condemned by any decent person who can put themselves into Elizabeth Edwards' and their daughter's shoes for even a split second. No Ben, cry not for John Edwards for the public consequences he suffers here and now are a sort of rough justice guaranteed to transgressors in this world that is as old as history. It's all in the same book you quote at the end, you can look it up.
-- Mark Shepler
Jupiter, Florida

Were we deprived of news of the Russian invasion by editors, or by the calculated choices of Edwards?

How is it Hunter and Edwards were noble in not aborting a baby, when it is far more likely this was no accident at all; rather the calculating laying of hooks into power and wealth by a woman passing her prime for that game. Abortion was never an issue, and Edwards never had a choice to make.

That Elizabeth Edwards would be caused distress in her marriage and terminal cancer is a cause indeed for Sam Adams maxim that the public can never be to cautious about the character of public men. Is there nothing this man will not do?

Let us not ignore Elizabeth as a full partner in this cover-up. She had a hand in planning the intricate details. Perhaps she can write the book for Bill and Hillary so they may come to a less contentious understanding.

We are told Edwards was not running for anything, when he has never stopped running for everything. As if he could.

If Edwards was a eunuch, there is no possibility he could be a great public servant. Socialism destroys the fabric of the public character. I'm telling you this?

Ben Stein's great mind illuminates all the better the ancient Greek maxim that we do not see things as they are, but as we are. But here's a more modern cure for this condition courtesy Will Rogers: When you are in a hole, stop digging. Please.
-- James Wilson

I like Ben Stein, but occasionally he goes Malibu on us, wanting to hold hands as one big happy political family singing "kumbaya" while being blind to the fact that his thinking has become cluttered by too much green tea. Yes, of course, the neo-Soviet invasion of Georgia is more important than a lying philanderer. But, when that philanderer has a power base still able to effect national policy; when that philanderer has a near-psychotic separation from truth telling; when that philanderer has built his entire political reputation on being a great defender of "fair play;" and when that philanderer is still young enough to have a viable political career in the future, then all the tawdry lies, deceits and fundraising manipulations of John Edwards need to be researched, documented and shouted from the highest rooftops. Edwards is a political cancer: he invades healthy political areas, mutating reason with hateful class warfare in order to take over those regions for his own political ends. He brings dysfunction to the nation. Any opportunity to remove him permanently from the body politic should be grasped with clear moral foresight. The Edwards/Hunter affair/pregnancy should be faithfully reported because of its power to reveal, document and codify the consumptive fundamental hypocrisy of the adulterer John Edwards.
-- Robin Wilkenson
Collegeville, Pennsylvania

Let's deal with Ben's position that this story "broke" after John Edwards was out of public service and not running for anything. This is false. And, if the MSM had even casually pursued this story, the "tabloid press" would not have had to do so.

Now let me address Ben's point that this was just natural behavior on John Edwards' part. While it is true that men are not monogamous by nature, women usually are; polygamous behavior is not an uncontrollable addiction. Now I do not have personal knowledge of the Edwards' marriage vows, but if they were in any way traditional, then he violated a sacred promise to his wife, at a time when she was dealing with a tragic illness. So much for honor and nobility.

Letter to the Editor

topics:
Taxes, Bill Clinton, Business, Abortion, Law, Iraq, Russia, NATO, Socialism