John Edwards Love Child

Guide Note

During his 2008 presidential campaign, tabloid magazine the National Enquirer reported that John Edwards had an affair with a secret mistress—later revealed as former campaign worker Rielle Hunter.¹ In December, the National Enquirer further reported that Hunter was pregnant with Edwards' illegitimate child.²

Fast Facts

1. Story broke on December 19, 2007³
2. Reported by the tabloid magazine, the National Enquirer
3. Claimed that presidential hopeful John Edwards had gotten a former campaign worker pregnant
4. Woman identified as Rielle Hunter
5. Hunter was hired to produce promotional videos for the Edwards campaign
6. The Edwards campaign and Hunter both officially denied the claims⁴
7. Hunter confirmed that she was pregnant, but claimed the father was another former Edwards campaign worker, Andrew Young

Despite firm denials on both sides of the scandal, the John Edwards affair and love child story remained in circulation amongst various news outlets. Critics highlighted irregularities in Rielle Hunter's financial relationship with the Edwards Campaign,⁴ analyzed vague statements John Edwards made on television soon after the scandal⁴ and doubted the veracity of the claims that Andrew Young was the true father of Hunter's baby.⁴