If anything, the media was incredibly - and justifiably SLOW to go with the Rielle story. Justifiable because of Elizabeth's health and his squeaky clean reputation. ( Even the people I know who were active in the 2004 campaign - and who I met as a person on DU JK, so their allegiance was with JK - who really had a universally low opinion of what Edwards did in the 2004 general election - were telling the rest of us, that as phony and as uncooperative and as unhelpful as he was, there was no doubt that he was faithful to Elizabeth. (As to uncooperative and unhelpful, in a NYT a week or so ago, for the first time I have seen it, when they were speaking of bad vps, they mentioned that JRE was uncooperative - though mentioned that none of the unsavory things had yet happened. However, in 2008, they quoted Edwards extensively about that election - and at the time all of us DU JK people posted quotes that backed what we long said - this was a VP, who even refused to use the campaign's slogan - because he thought his better!) )
Now, if you remember in 2004, with FAR less behind it, the media did cover rumours that Kerry had an affair with an AP reporter (misidentified as being an intern). Both he and she denied it - she had been recruited to work on Kerry's campaign, but she opted not to, partially because she was dating someone working for Kerry. She told how she was harassed by the media - the reason for the whole rumor - spread by the campaign of a Democratic rival was that an officemate of hers commented to someone that Senator Kerry had returned a call the woman made to him. (In Shrum's book, Shrum spoke of how one of Kerry's immediate concerns was for the women thrown into this. (Yet in Edwards' case in early 2006, where we learned later that many people around his campaign - staff and media - were suspicious of Rielle because they saw her with him - nothing was said.) Edwards was until late 2006 or early 2007, a media darling.
At this point, what destroyed Edwards' reputation is that he fathered a child out of wedlock and lied about first the affair, then the extent of it, and then he denied the baby. When you lie in a confession where you are asking people for forgiveness, it is pretty bad. All of those things are proven. As to the FEC based charges, if someone could legally provide nearly a million dollars as a sludge fund that he did not have to report, the campaign finance law is completely useless - which it now is thanks to Citizens United. However, the relevant law for Edwards is what was in effect in 2008. (Saying she was a good friend does not work - in 2004, Edwards was one of the people arguing that Teresa Heinz Kerry could not give her husband millions in the primary election.)
But, that upcoming trial is not media "swiftboating" - although he might be found not guilty, the fact that he will stand trial is news and it has been pretty fairly reported. As to the NYC prostitute charge, it is just that - but the fact that the charge was made back before 2008 actually means that it might be true. (There the possibility is that it was just a Southern who looked like Edwards because she only said that she recognized him.)
In 2004, the attacks on Kerry's service were complete lies - told for political purpose and because some hated him for protesting the war. The fact is the media had Kerry's full records - with complete fitness reports some signed by people who were later SBVT, In doing that, the Republicans repaid a young man, who put his own life at risk - when he could have used his connections as others did - and who was wounded, suffers from some hearing loss and occasionally had nightmares recently enough that Teresa had seen them, by not just giving him no credit for being a genuine war hero, but making Bush (who definitely wasn't ) one and portraying Kerry as anything from a coward to a war criminal to a traitor.
To argue that Edwards' bad press - that was 100% from Edwards' bad behavior is comparable is silly.
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