First Principles: Why Are You Okay With This?

Fred Cole
Fred Cole
27749
 

In another thread, the subject of John Edwards’ affair with Rielle Hunter came up. I said (I’ll admit, rather snarkily), that I suppose Edwards’ big mistake was having an affair with a staffer instead of a pornstar and not paying her hush money. If he had done that, then he would’ve gotten a pass from everybody.

But it does mystify me as to why the revelation of Donald Trump’s affair with a porn star, and then him paying her six figures in hush money a month before the election, is met with shrugs from conservatives.

Let me clarify something, I don’t care about “the media.” That progressives scream about such and such is of no interest to me. What is said on MSNBC is irrelevant to me.  

I’ve spent 20 years listening to conservatives talk about Bill Clinton’s womanizing and what it said about his character and him as a man. I heard John Edwards excoriated for his affair with Rielle Hunter for the same reason. I thought they had a point.

What makes Donald Trump different? Why is this met with shrugs from his supporters?

I’ll admit I’m mystified. So I pose this question to the Trump supporters here on Ricochet, many of whom I know to be good and decent people:  

State your general principle: What made what John Edwards did wrong but makes Donald Trump only shrug-worthy?

Published in General
Join Ricochet!
Like this post? Want to comment? Join Ricochet’s community of conservatives and be part of the conversation. Join Ricochet for Free.

There are 277 comments.

Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.
Join Ricochet
  1. Scott Wilmot Member
    Scott Wilmot
    @ScottWilmot
    10:41 AM EST ⋅ Jan 31, 2018

    rico (View Comment):
    Yes, we are a hung jury.

    You win.

    • #271
  2. EJHill Podcaster
    EJHill
    @EJHill
    11:32 AM EST ⋅ Jan 31, 2018

    Fred Cole: Does that sound like a denial to you? Daniels is obviously intelligent or was well coached or both. But if she wanted to deny it, she could have easily done so.

    She’s a 38 year old porn star. She’s playing this for all its worth. Not even the ladies of The View want anything to do with her. (She was booked for Thursday, now cancelled.)

    Her lawyers said she signed the statement they issued yesterday.

    Remember this is the same woman who asked Larry Flynt to manage a campaign for her against David Vitter. This is your “credible” personality? She does all types of degrading things in front of a camera. Are you okay with this?

    • #272
  3. Instugator Thatcher
    Instugator
    @Instugator
    7:34 PM EST ⋅ Jan 31, 2018

    From the Fox News Story.

    But following Daniels’ appearance on Kimmel’s show, BuzzFeed reporter Anthony Cormier confirmed that the signature was Daniels’, tweeting that her lawyer told him “Stormy did indeed sign both denials,” and that “she was having fun on Kimmel and being her normal playful self.”

    Anthony Cormier✔@a_cormier_

    NEW: Lawyer for Stormy Daniels tells me she signed the statement today, in front of him and her PR rep. “Stormy did indeed sign both denials. … I thought stormy did a fantastic job on Jimmy Kimmel tonight. She was having fun on Kimmel and being her normal playful self.”

    9:24 AM – Jan 31, 2018

    Twitter Ads info and privacy

    Kimmel wasn’t the first person to question Daniels’ signature.

    Some have pointed out differences between a signature on the statement provided to BuzzFeed and a letter previously obtained by Fox News, which also denied any rumors of a romantic involvement between her and Trump.

    Despite the differences, TMZ reported a representative for the adult film star confirmed that both signatures were hers.

    • #273
  4. Instugator Thatcher
    Instugator
    @Instugator
    7:37 PM EST ⋅ Jan 31, 2018

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    Skyler (View Comment):
    Porn star denies having sex with trump. Porn star denies accepting payment for having sex with Trump. Yet Fred insists she did.

    From the interview:

    Kimmel reads statement. Notes differneces in signature between
    Kimmel: Did you sign this letter that was released today?
    Danield: I don’t know did I?
    K: Are you saying this signature was written and released without your approval?
    D: [Laughs.]
    K: Do you know where it came from? Do you have any idea?
    D: I do not know where it came from.
    K: Are you saying this letter was written and released without your approval?
    D: [Laughs.]
    K: Do you know where it came from? Do you have any idea.
    D: I do not know where it came from.

    Kimmel describes a picture of Trump in bed watching the interview surrounded by cheeseburger wrapper.
    D: Ugh. I’m glad I didn’t put food on my rider.
    K: Was it that unpleasant of an experience?
    D: It’s an unpleasant picture you’re painting there.

    K: I know you either do or don’t have a non disclosure agreement. Which .. Do you have a non disclose agreement?
    D: Do I?
    K: You can’t say whether you have a non discluse agreement. But if you didn’t have a nondiscluse agreement, you most certainly could say “I don’t have a non discluse agreement,” Yes?
    D: You’re so smart, Jimmy.
    K: Thank you very much.

    Regarding the 2011 interview with In Touch magazine
    K: Did you do that interview?
    D: [Carefully] Not as it was written.
    K: Not as it was written. But they did release a transcript. Is that transcript incorrect?
    D: I honestly haven’t seen the whole transcript.
    K: You haven’t?
    D: No. I’m too scared to look at it.

    And so on. That’s the first five minutes. She is similarly evasive through the remainder of the interview.

    Does that sound like a denial to you? Daniels is obviously intelligent or was well coached or both. But if she wanted to deny it, she could have easily done so.

    All I see is that she could have a great career as a chatbot.

    • #274
  5. Hank Rhody, Prince of Humbug Contributor
    Hank Rhody, Prince of Humbug
    @HankRhody
    7:42 PM EST ⋅ Jan 31, 2018

    Vis a vis the signature, all I can say is that I was disappointing when I realized it wasn’t, as I first took it to be, a sketch of a helicopter.

    Vis a vis this discussion, I’m unfollowing. Good night, y’all.

    • #275
  6. OccupantCDN Coolidge
    OccupantCDN
    @OccupantCDN
    10:01 PM EST ⋅ Jan 31, 2018

    rico (View Comment):
    We, the jury, having read these transcripts of Judge Kimmel’s court of [lame] comedy as presented by prosecutor Fred, declare that we are unable to come to a conclusion on a verdict. Yes, we are a hung jury.

    and Very well hung at that.

    !! sorry it was the porn star thing, been looking for a spot to make uncomfortable sex pun !!

    Tempest in a teapot… Lets move on, I am sure Trump is spell checking his next tweet to set off Fred, as we sleep.

    Every day in Trump America is like Christmas to the professional offense moderators… They have a dozen things to be up in arms about before lunch… Better than finding a GI Joe under the tree.

    • #276
  7. Bob Thompson Member
    Bob Thompson
    @BobThompson
    4:45 PM EST ⋅ Feb 1, 2018

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    Skyler (View Comment):
    It sounds like someone desperate for attention and willing to use innuendo and questionable methods to be noticed after a career that has taken a down turn.

    And the same can be said of the porn star.

    I’m not sure I catch you meaning. I didn’t think Kimmel’s career was in trouble.

    Wasn’t he supposed to be some kind of comedian before he decided to become a partisan political pundit?

    • #277
Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.
Join Ricochet