From John Edwards:
In 2006, I made a serious error in judgment and
conducted myself in a way that was disloyal to my family and to my core
beliefs. I recognized my mistake and I told my wife that I had a
liaison with another woman, and I asked for her forgiveness. Although I
was honest in every painful detail with my family, I did not tell the
public. When a supermarket tabloid told a version of the story, I used
the fact that the story contained many falsities to deny it. But being
99 percent honest is no longer enough.
I was and am ashamed of
my conduct and choices, and I had hoped that it would never become
public. With my family, I took responsibility for my actions in 2006
and today I take full responsibility publicly. But that misconduct took
place for a short period in 2006. It ended then. I am and have been
willing to take any test necessary to establish the fact that I am not
the father of any baby, and I am truly hopeful that a test will be done
so this fact can be definitively established. 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.