Every line of business, including politics, has its favor bank. Others do unto you and expect, in return, a job, a promotion, to get their mother in a nursing home, or access to important networks. Usually it's an efficient and effective systrem. Candidates get elected. And then the favors are granted.
The rub comes when what was promised doesn't come through. That seems at the heart of the fallout between John Edwards and his one time aide Andrew Young. A job and more were said to the in hopper and all that didn't happen. Young turned on Edwards.
We already know that Young published a big seller tell off about how it really was with the Edwards family, both John and the late Elizabeth. Now we're hearing more about Young's disappointment at the trial in which Edwards is accused of funny business with campaign money. Bloomberg reports the tawdy details. Caught in this sort of emotional let down, anyone like Young comes across as a naive creature who doesn't have the right stuff to play the tough game of politics. If he had been a true player Edwards likely wouldn't have jacked him around.
A number of legal experts weighing in on this bit of litigation do not see the government as having a strong case. Edwards might be guilty of being a selfish cad. However, that's not against the law. So much money is being spent on this. Sympathy for Edwards could bubble up. On that he could construct a kind of comeback.
Comments