John Edwards, 55, has finally fessed up to an affair with a 44 year old former campaign aide Rielle Hunter. He sat down for an interview that aired on Friday night with Bob Woodruff on ABC’s Nightline. Savvy move on his part as the rest of the world was focused on the Opening Ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics on NBC.   But no matter - word will get out.

According to Edwards, he admits to an affair but says he does not love the woman nor is he the father of her child. Shades of Bill Clinton here.

The National Enquirer first leaked the story back in October and again in December 2007 but mainstream news sources wouldn’t bite on it. After all, Edwards was running for the Democratic nomination at the time. That was then and this is now. Very recently the National Enquirer splashed it again only this time they reported seeing him meeting Rielle Hunter at the Beverly Hills Hilton hotel and actually have a photo of Edwards holding the baby - though the photo is blurred.

What impact this will have on Edwards career is yet to be seen. His wife of 31 years, Elizabeth Edwards, has been battling stage IV cancer and was instrumental in his campaign bid for the highest office in the land. They have three living children Cate,26, Emma Claire, 10, and Jack, 8. Their oldest son Wade was killed in a car accident in 1996.

Edwards indicates he has not taken a paternity test but will if necessary. A campaign aide, Andrew Young, has reportedly said that he is the father of Hunter’s young daughter Frances Quinn who was born in February 2008. One question that has not yet been answered is why Edwards visited the woman and her baby recently if the affair was over two years ago.

In an interview to be broadcast tonight, Edwards said:

“Two years ago I made a very serious mistake which fed a self-focus, an egotism, a narcissism that leads you to believe that you can do whatever you want.”

The National Enquirer asserts that both Andrew Young and Rielle Hunter were paid hush money, which was funneled by a wealthy colleague with close ties to Edwards campaign.  The money was said to be incentive to get Young to claim paternity to Ms. Hunter’s baby.

Check out family photo below.

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