McClatchy Reporter Needs John Edwards Reality Check

Scandal? What scandal?

The efforts by the mainstream media to pretend that there is no scandal hanging over John Edwards can cause some rather comical reporting. One such case was a report by Stephanie Davis of McClatchy Interactive which appeared in the San Luis Obispo Tribune. Ms Davis was analyzing the backgrounds of various political figures considered to be possible running mates with Barack Obama including John Edwards:

John Edwards: Former North Carolina Senator John Edwards finds himself in a very familiar position: Will he be picked once again as a running mate for the next Democratic presidential candidate?
Edwards, who ran for president himself this political season, was the running mate of Sen. John Kerry in 2004.
Edwards worked his way through college, and became a successful trial lawyer.
He and his Raleigh law partner earned the Association of Trial Lawyers public service award for their work on a case involving a child in a pool accident. He won millions for the family, who will be dealing with medical bills for the rest of her life.
He chose to leave private practice after the death of his son, Wade.
During his term in the Senate, Edwards served on the following committees: Select Committee on Intelligence and Judiciary.
He is also the former Director of the Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Edwards is more likely a nominee for Attorney General, but that hasn’t stopped the Congressional Black Caucus from suggesting the former senator as a VP candidate.

Hmm... Now what seems to be missing in this report? The fact that Edwards won a Father of the Year award last year? Close but not quite. Perhaps Ms Davis needs to read her own McClatchy newspapers reports such as this one written last week by Lisa Zagaroli of the McClatchy Washington Bureau:

WASHINGTON — Only three weeks ago, John Edwards fielded media questions on his chances of filling the vice-presidential slot on Democrat Barack Obama's ticket or a cabinet position in his administration.

On Wednesday, the former U.S. senator, presidential candidate and 2004 vice-presidential nominee refused to answer questions that took a tabloid turn.

About a dozen reporters and photojournalists attended a speech Edwards gave to an AARP Foundation symposium on poverty and aging in Washington.

Afterward, he avoided a crowd of waiting reporters, at least some of whom wanted to question him about recent reports in the National Enquirer that alleged a sexual relationship between Edwards and a former campaign videographer and an ensuing coverup.

Citing unnamed sources, the Enquirer published a story in October claiming that Edwards was having an affair with a woman who had filmed a series of campaign videos, and that he had gotten her pregnant.

Last week, the Enquirer posted a story online claiming that Edwards had visited the woman, Rielle Hunter, and the child July 21 at a Beverly Hills hotel.

In October, the woman posted an online statement denying the first story.

As to whether Edwards might be picked for Vice President or Attorney General, he would be lucky at this point to be selected as dog catcher. However, to read Stephanie Davis you would have to believe that there are no reports of a major scandal hanging over Edwards and that his future looks sunny and bright as reflected in her laughable analysis.