Edwards admits to affair

The former senator tells ABC News he lied when he denied reports of a relationship with Rielle Hunter, but says he is not the father of a rumored "love child."

Published August 8, 2008 7:16PM (EDT)

In a stunning turn, John Edwards admitted to ABC News that he lied when he denied the National Enquirer's report that he'd had an affair with Rielle Hunter. An interview with Edwards will be broadcast Friday night.

However, Edwards says he did not love Hunter. And he still denies the Enquirer's report that he is the father of Hunter's daughter, who was born in February of this year. He says that could not be possible, claiming the affair ended too early.

Edwards also told ABC News' Bob Woodruff that his wife, Elizabeth, and others in his family found out about the affair in 2006, and he reportedly "made a point of telling Woodruff that his wife's cancer was in remission when he began the affair with Hunter."

Edwards also confirmed the Enquirer's story that it had caught him meeting with Hunter at the Beverly Hilton last month, and said that Elizabeth Edwards did not know about that meeting.


By Alex Koppelman

Alex Koppelman is a staff writer for Salon.

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