I admire her strength. To go through cancer, the death of a child, and an affair by her husband. She is a remarkable person. I respect her and do not condemn her for staying with John. Her goal was to preserve the family. I wish her much success in her life. God bless you.

Why should have Mrs. Edwards stayed committed when her husband obviously didn't?

It's one thing to "preserve" the family, but it's another thing to teach your children (young and old) that you have the self-respect and independence not to stay.... giving them an example/role model to look up to if it ever happens to them in their lifetimes.

Read the statistics on single parent homes and the impact of divorce on children; then, ask, why should she stay. Those children did not ask to be born and they deserve to have a mom and a dad that stays together, despite the fact that one has strayed. Besides, John apologized and is still with Elizabeth. As for John's mistress, I don't know where she is...probably taking more photos of married men, if you ask me.

Hillary stayed with Bill and Monica is nonexistent. Family is more important than any affair.

I was a staunch supporter of John and Elizabeth Edwards and admired their marriage and family as an ideal. Was so disappointed in John when the affair info was admitted. I felt so sorry for Elizabeth and the family having to face the scrutiny. But, beyond that, I felt duped and misled. Being unemployed, I gave small contributions to his campaign, because I believed in the integrity of John and Elizabeth. I believed he could repair the nation's problems. He was soliciting funds under false pretenses, projecting himself to be what he was not, knowing that the affair could not be hidden and his candidcy would end. Or, he was so narcicistic that he thought he'd get away with it without the newsreporters finding out. So, I have great disdain for him now. My heart still goes out to Elizabeth, but I wish she had refused to continue the campaign, misleading their supporters. She is one strong woman to present a united front after such a blow.

As for staying with him, Elizabeth knows her cancer will not be cured. The most she can hope for is to live with cancer. She chose to stay with him for the sake of their young children who were going to need their dad and strong family support if God forbid, she dies before the children are grown. And, with God's help and committment to change, their marriage can be saved, and they can weather any storm.

Looking forward to the interview with Elizabeth on Oprah and maybe I will change my thoughts on the subject..

They deserve to have a mom and dad that stay together?..... even at the expense of either parent's dignity?

If daddy slaps mommy around - she should stay together just for the sake of the kids?

Isn't that teaching the kids it's OK to get walked on and abused?

Lets be clear on one fact....Elizabeth Edwards aided and abetted her husband in hoodwinking democratic voters.

She is a smart woman....accomplished and greatly supported. She knew of her husbands affair and knew that campaign money was being used to support his mistress. Together they continued to project a lie to supporters and speak of their strong union strengthened even more by the terrible tragedies that have happened to their family.

Now she has written a tell all and again is a victim. She rails against the mother of her husbands baby as "pathetic" As if her husband was a victim too..not a willing participant.

The whole situation is creepy...

I don't think anyone should say what Elizabeth Edwards should or should not have done. Until you have been in her shoes, you really don't know what you will do and how you will handle it. Everyone's situation is unique and individual and I don't think anyone should judge her or condemn her for staying in her marriage-thats between her and her husband. I do feel for her and the pain she is living with and I hope that they are able to find something good from this horribly painful experience.

I agree with Nickyjule's comment above. But, of course, if John was physically abusing Elizabeth, she should do what is best for her safety and if that means leaving, then leave with the children.

I don't believe an affair should dissolve a marriage. I know a woman, who caught her husband in an affair, and she got a pleasurable revenge. He cheated, she cheated and they supposedly wear condoms in the marriage relations. I don't know. The kids seem happy. I am not condemning them, just like I'm not condemning the Edwards.

I still believe family is stronger than an act of discretion. Get counseling, if you want. Get revenge, if you want. Or leave, if you want. But, if you leave, just understand how your actions will impact your current standard of living and the children's happiness.

But, to each his own.

A couple has the right to their privacy UNLESS they are running for president and their indiscretions can ruin the chances of their party and millions of supporters and contributors. Mrs. Edwards says "He shouldn't have run" and yet she stood beside him, time after time, supporting his run. If she had withheld her support, and she had 2 good reasons: her cancer and his infidelity, his campaign would have died. As it deserved to.

What is unconscionable is that in a year when the Democrats HAD TO WIN (for the sake of the country, the world and the planet) they took this ENORMOUS gamble that no one would find out about his indiscretion EVEN THOUGH THE NATIONAL ENQUIRER HAD ALREADY REPORTED IT.

We would be run by McCain and Palin if he had gotten the nomination.

Can you imagine?

Mrs. Edwards, I love you forever and pray for your healing but sister, you let us ALL DOWN when you enabled his run.
I also do not agree with airing the dirty laundry now. For the sake of your children you shouldn't have written this book.

I don't question her decision to stay with him. Also, if John and Elizabeth Edwards were private citizens, the affair would be nobody's business. The minute they decide to run for the higher office of the land this becomes EVERYBODY'S business. There's no point in saying it shouldn't be this way. We have to face reality: This is America, where a president was impeached for just that, this is not France were nobody cares if the president is faithful or not . You don't have to agree with that but need to understand reality here. The minute Elizabeth revealed she knew of the affair days before announcing his run for office and going along with him she became an enabler in this mess. That's why both the Edwards were selfish in going ahead with the campaign knowing full well that they were gambling with the democratic chances of electing a president. They were selfish and irresponsible and Elizabeth should not have played along this big lie of a big happy family. Thank God we had our fantastic powerhouse Obama this time. If we didn't and had they won the democratic nomination we would be crushed and lose the election when the scandal broke. They knew the Enquirer was on with this scandal.

Can I imagine being run by McCain and Palin???
Yes...then we would not be in debt by trillions of dollars !!!
I don't see that we are any better off and resent Democrats and other Obama/Biden supporters making comments about McCain/Palin as if they were morons, but then those same people have shown disrespect to President Bush after our country was protected from other Terrorist attacks during his last term - he must have done SOMETHING right!
I don't see that Biden has come across as anything but a buffoon so far!
I hope whoever reviews my opinion tolerates posts from Oprah admirers who happen to be Republicans instead of liberal Democrats.

I am one of those people who can tolerate a republicans opinion. Barely, but I can. I mean that's what makes America so great -right? We get to have an opinion. However I do have to ask 'are you kidding me'? McCain and Palin.? Ummm first of all the debt we are now in is a direct result of our impulsive last president (Bush) a republican. Second your name indicates that you are a woman? You really believe that having a flirty politically ignorant female as VP of the country is a good idea? I ask this with all sincerity and respect for your opinion.

I disagree with you. If you check out the statistics of adult children whose parent's stayed together for the sake of the "family" you will find that most of these adult children wish their parents had divorced while they were young. Many have said that the tension in the home was unbearable and that it ruined their childhoods. Many also have negative outlooks on marriage as a result of their parents feeling obligated to stay in the marriage for the sake of the children/family. Give the children some credit, they know what's going on in the home even if they can't verbalize it.

Children deserve to be happy. Trouble free. They deserve to have two parents who respect each other. They deserve to have a father who doesn't think of stepping out of his marriage as a form of therapy.

To minimize an affair by comparing it to the importance of family is to be a fool. And it's a lame attempt at making ones self feel superior to those of us who have chosen to leave the man if he disrespects us. While Monica may be nonexistent, the pain it caused Chelsea is far more than we will ever know. The fact that she is reminded of it constantly is painful I'm sure.

I admire both of these woman for many reasons. None of them have to do with their ability or choice to stay with their husbands who betrayed them. I'm not sure what your point is about the affairs no longer being around. Is that supposed to make the woman 'feel better' somehow? The bottom line is these men betrayed their wives and children. The focus should be on them and the woman they had the affair with -not on Hillary or Elizabeth's character. I would still have the same admiration for these women if they chose to leave their husbands.

I'm with you on this.

Yes it is. I agree with you again. Cheating is a form of abuse. It's just a form that one can choose to do or not do again and one that a victim of this behavior can choose to stay or not stay.