Rielle Hunter

Rielle Hunter is the woman John Edwards admits to having an affair with while she was on his campaign staff in 2007 and 2008. The paternity of Hunter's daughter, born in 2008, has not been established, although there has been speculation that she may indeed be Edwards' love child. The former senator, who originally denied having an affair with Hunter, acknowledged the relationship in an August 2008 interview with ABC's Nightline.LA Times: John Edwards denies affair with campaign worker (October 11, 2007) National Enquirer: Senator John Edwards Caught with Mistress and Love Child (July 22, 2008) ABC News: Edwards Admits Sexual Affair; Lied as Presidential... (August 8, 2008)

Hunter reportedly demanded a paternity test in May of 2009 to confirm that Edwards is the father of her child.Perez Hilton: John Edwards' Babymomma Wants A Paternity Test! (May 6, 2009) That news was followed by the announcement of an alleged sex tape between Edwards and Hunter that supposedly contains footage of the two discussing how they'd marry in the event that Edwards' wife Elizabeth succumbed to cancer.

In the April 2010 issue of GQ Magazine, Hunter gives an exclusive interview with author Lisa DePaulo, and they touch on a wide-variety of subjects.http://www.gq.com/news-politics/politics/201004/rielle-hunter-john-edwards-exclusive-interview Among the highlights:

• About Edwards: "I love Johnny and I love my daughter more than anything in the world. We love each other very much. And that hasn't changed"
• On Andrew Young: "...cover-up was Andrew's idea"
• On current relationship status: "...not engaged... not living in any house owned by John... not my landlord."
• First time she went out on date with Edwards: "...he said 'falling in love with you could really (expletive deleted) my plans for becoming president."

The wife of John Edwards, Elizabeth Edwards, wrote a memoir that will be released May 12, 2009. Although Elizabeth Edwards does not discuss the paternity of Hunter's child in her book Resilience, Edwards does reveal she "threw up" after learning of her husband's affair with Hunter.Extra TV: Elizabeth Edwards: Affair Made Me Puke (April 30, 2009)

On August 13, 2008, the National Enquirer ran a story claiming Edwards' affair with Hunter resumed after he confessed the indiscretion to his wife, Elizabeth. The tabloid quotes a source as saying Hunter became pregnant "after the affair was rekindled."National Enquirer: Sex, More Lies and Videotape (August 13, 2008)

In an interview for ABC's Nightline, which aired on August 8, 2008, Edwards admitted that he had an affair with Hunter and lied about the relationship during his presidential campaign. However, Edwards denied that he was the father of Hunter's child, Frances Quinn Hunter, and stated his willingness to take a paternity test. Hunter has declined to participate in DNA testing, citing privacy concerns for herself and her daughter. Hunter made the statement through her lawyer, Robert Gordon, on August 9.ABC News: Edwards Admits Sexual Affair; Lied as Presidential... (August 8, 2008)

On July 22, 2008, photographers from the National Enquirer reported that they had caught former Senator John Edwards visiting Hunter at the Beverly Hilton hotel on the evening of July 21. According to reports, Hunter had reserved two rooms at the hotel under the name of a friend, with whom she had traveled from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles.

Sources from the Enquirer say that one of the rooms was for the friend and Hunter's baby, Frances Quinn Hunter, and the other room was meant for Hunter and Edwards.National Enquirer: Senator John Edwards Caught with Mistress and Love Child (July 22, 2008) At 9:45pm, Edwards appeared at the hotel and entered from a side door. At 2:40am, the paper reported that he attempted to sneak out of the hotel.

Reporters from the Enquirer allegedly emerged and questioned Edwards who immediately ran up the stairs and into a nearby restroom. Security staff later escorted Edwards out of the hotel.National Enquirer: Senator John Edwards Caught with Mistress and Love Child (July 22, 2008)

The two National Enquirer reporters, Alan Butterfield and Alexander Hitchen, filed a criminal complaint against the Beverly Hilton saying that, amongst other things, a security guard threatened to break their camera. The two reporters were registered guests at the hotel. Edwards was not.National Enquirer: John Edwards Affair: Criminal Complaint Filed (July 24, 2008)

Mistresses and alleged mistresses have played an unwitting role in American politics but the repercussions of extramarital affairs have varied. Some of these relationships have ruined careers, while others have had little effect.

• Maria Halpin: During his 1884 campaign for president, Grover Cleveland admitted to an extramarital affair and "love child" with shop clerk Halpin. Cleveland won, despite his opponents' attacks over the matter. Career impact: Minor

• Marilyn Monroe: Monroe is alleged to have been one of many women involved with John F. Kennedy before and during his presidency. These rumors were not widespread until well after Kennedy's 1963 assassination. Career impact: Minor

• Donna Rice: Colorado Senator Gary Hart's 1988 presidential aspirations were quashed after photos emerged of his tryst with 29-year-old model Rice on a yacht called "Monkey Business." Career impact: Major

• Monica Lewinsky: Although it became a national obsession, Bill Clinton's dalliances with 21-year-old intern Lewinsky in 1995 did not materially effect his political career. Clinton was formally impeached by Congress, but served out his second term. Career impact: Minor

• Judith Nathan: While serving as mayor of New York City in the late 1990s, Rudy Giuliani began an affair with Nathan, a pharmaceuticals sales manager in her 40s. The pair later married. The Nathan affair was only one of many aspects of Giuliani's bio reported to have hurt him with conservatives in the 2008 Republican presidential primaries. Career impact: Moderate