John Edwards, the third-placed, left-leaning former Democratic Party presidential candidate, was in the running for the VP slot with Obama, now he is in disgrace. Tonight he will admit in an interview to be broadcast on ABC News that he had an affair with a staffer. Edwards denied the truth until now:

“I’ve been in love with the same woman for 30-plus years,” Edwards added, about his wife Elizabeth, who is suffering from incurable cancer, “and as anybody who’s been around us knows, she’s an extraordinary human being, warm, loving, beautiful, sexy and as good a person as I have ever known. So the story’s just false.”

The most interesting aspect of the matter is the craven attitude of the U.S. press. No major newspaper touched the story for weeks, the National Enquirer was the only national paper to touch the story for a long time and Fox News the only broadcaster to report the truth. Bloggers ran with the story whilst the New York Times and Washington Post remained silent. A shameful conspiracy of silence. Elizabeth Edwards has cancer.

The mistress has a baby, which he still denies fathering, despite photos of him cradling the child being in circulation. Just as well or he might have to return his 2007 Father of the Year Award.

See also Gawker and Hitsville.

UPDATE : He laundered hush money to the mistress from his campaign funds as payments for her producing YouTube videos. A twist we haven’t had before.