Why Can't Powerful Men Use Their Super Powers To Keep Their Pants On?

I was working this afternoon. All right, if I'm going to be completely honest I was e-mailing and trying to figure out what the heck to get my daughter for her birthday next week. I'm completely stymied.

Anyway... I had CNN on in the background and all of a sudden I start hearing all this chatter about John Edwards coming forward and admitting that he had an affair with a filmmaker who worked on his campaign.

You would think after living through the Monica/Gennifer/Paula Years I would be shock proof, but no, I am naive and keep coming back for one more kick to the head.

During the early stages of the primaries I liked John Edwards and his family values very much. I thought he was one of the good guys. Maybe it was the Southern accent, his boyish good looks or his lovely and smart wife, Elizabeth.

I hate that I keep getting sucked in to believing these guys are decent and who they appear to be. I'm kind of a take people at face value kind of gal. In some ways that tendency has served me well, and in others - like believing that New Coke would taste better than old Coke? Not so much.

My heart truly goes out to Elizabeth Edwards. Not only has she been dealing with the biggest betrayal a spouse can endure, she doesn't even get to do it in private.

Life isn't fair, we all know that. But this woman has lost a son, overcome cancer only to have it recur and now this. That seems beyond unfair. Yes, she may have material wealth, but whether you are wealthy or poor, you feel pain.

I truly do not understand why people cheat on their spouses, part of that naive thing perhaps. If you're unhappy, leave, but show your partner the respect they deserve by keeping everything above board and between the two of you.

I hate the fact that this will now cease to become what it really is - a hurtful event in a private relationship. Pundits will analyze and pontificate about the impact on Edward's career, the Democratic convention and the possible effect on the national election.

What will only be mentioned here and there is the pain of four innocent people who did nothing wrong other than trusting the man who was supposed to put all of them first and love them more than himself.

Maybe that's what this is all about. Power makes you think you're so special that you are above the rest of us. That you can get away with things we mere mortals can't. The thing is, those super powers have their limits and come with great responsibility.

I think maybe John Edwards just got that memo, who would have thought it would be delivered by the National Enquirer?