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John Edwards "Baby Daddy" to Tell All
Another player in the John Edwards love child drama is speaking out, telling editors he feels betrayed by the once-friendly Edwards family. Campaign worker Andrew Young—who claimed to be the father of Rielle Hunter’s child and was paid to take her into his home for eight months—is shopping a tell-all book proposal dishing about the sex scandal.
Elizabeth Edwards’ memoir may not be the only book John Edwards has to worry about. Last week, Andrew Young, a lifelong friend of Edwards and a longtime aide, began shopping a book to New York publishers; according to his proposal, represented by David McCormick at McCormick Williams, the book would chronicle the tale of his long friendship with the Edwards family, his attempt to help Edwards by taking a pregnant Rielle Hunter into his home to live with him and his wife, Cheri, and their three children, and the fallout when the press (and Elizabeth Edwards) caught wind of the plan.
View Our Dream Casting for John Edwards: The Movie
Young submitted a 20-page proposal and began a round of visits to New York publishers the week of June 15.Included in the proposal are photos of Edwards with the alleged love child. Under pressure, Edwards admitted to having an affair with Hunter but has denied paternity;it was originally reported that Hunter would submit baby Frances to a DNA test to determine her paternity, but she quickly rescinded that offer. The space for “father” on Frances Hunter’s birth certificate was left blank.
According to editors who saw the proposal, Young went along with the plan—for an undisclosed sum of money—and took Hunter in for eight months. Aided by the late Fred Baron—the Texas lawyer who was an unofficial “uncle” to Edwards and who admitted paying to move the Youngs-plus-Hunter to Santa Barbara, California—Young wanted to help his friend, he says. But the situation became too much for Edwards, Young’s proposal alleges, when the National Enquirer outed the senator for his affair with Hunter, and when Elizabeth Edwards became aware of the financial arrangement. But when Young voiced his concerns to Edwards, he was cut off by the candidate, and has had virtually no contact with him or his family since. (Young could not be reached. David McCormick declined to comment on the project.)
When initial reports of Young-as-baby-daddy surfaced, he was portrayed as a clean-cut campaign worker, but in the intervening year, reporters found a history of arrests (for check forgery and burglary) and convictions (for driving while intoxicated). Young told editors he has met with that he feels his reputation is in tatters, and that he wants to “set the record straight.” He sees himself as a victim of the press and of the Edwardses, whom he once thought of as among his closest, personal friends.
Young told editors he feels that his reputation is in tatters, and that he wants to “set the record straight.” He sees himself as a victim of the press and of the Edwardses, whom he once thought of as among his closest personal friends.
In her book, Resilience, Elizabeth Edwards refers to her husband’s infidelity but does not mention Hunter or Young by name.
So far, there have been no takers for Young’s book, which one editor estimates could bring up to $1 million.Some have said that publishers won’t touch it both because it is unseemly and, more likely, because of public sympathy for Elizabeth Edwards. “You don’t want to release this book the week, God forbid, Elizabeth Edwards’ cancer returns,” one said editor. Still, book publishers, in the past, have paid high prices for scandal books—St. Martin’s, likely to be in line to consider this book—published Monica’s Story, Andrew Morton’s book with Monica Lewinsky. But the likeliest publisher for this as yet untitled tell all is, however, no longer in the business.Judith Regan built an entire imprint on this kind of book—including Amber Frey’s tell-all about her relationship with Scott Peterson—and was fired from HarperCollins in 2006 shortly after an uproar over her intended publication of If I Did It, O.J. Simpson’s mythical confession. Her division, ReganBooks, was also among the most profitable in BookLand.
Given the financial drought in publishing, there’s hardly a house that wouldn’t welcome some of those profits today.
Plus: Check out Book Beast, for more news on hot titles and authors and excerpts from the latest books.
Xtra Insight: The Mystery Man of the Edwards Affair
Sara Nelson is a critic for The Daily Beast and the former editor in chief of Publishers Weekly. She is the author of the bestselling So Many Books, So Little Time.










Stories about Edwards venality and selfishness and stupidity are so horrifyingly funny they can almost make you forget about the dismal economy.
We are the only civilized country that sees politician's sexual behavior as news. Any problems between John and Elizabeth Edwards are their personal and private business not ours. Books, personal interviews and other activities to make money are shameful. It's worse when it's just a pissed off wife.
Are you kidding? If you were married for 34 years, bore 4 children, endured the loss of one, played a large part in your husband's successful career due to your intelligence, then played a large part in your husband's political aspirations, again due to your intelligence and likeability while fighting incurable cancer, would you not be a little angry? Elizabeth has been wronged, big time, not just by John but by this Lisa Druck chick (white trash whore) who set out to do just this. No doubt about it. She's never had a real job, no education, lied to men that she was pregnant and needed an abortion, coke whore slut. I'm sorry but there is no forgiving this kind of woman, or man. Elizabeth was incredibly kind, gentle, and wrote like a lady in her book "Resilience", she is wonderful.
It's going to be a scandal if Young confess that Hunter's child belongs to John Edwards.
This story lost its legs a while back and hard to believe any publisher would pay 'up to a million' for a re-hashed version.
Guess Andrew Young has blown through all the money Fred Baron gave him for his part in this unethical deed. At least he didn't blow through the big bucks as fast as the Rielle chick. Geez, what a group.
These two, at least, have lied so many times already who would believe anything they said now??! And, who cares what they think? They are disgusting.
"Young told editors he has met with that he feels his reputation is in tatters,"
What's in tatters? His history of burglary, check fraud and DWI arrests. I wouldn't put it past the former trial lawyer and Breck Girl (Edwards) to pay this low life to act as if he were the illegitimate child's father. But who knows. The mother left the father's name blank on the birth certificate. Maybe she was involved with both men.
so, the mainstream publishers are all too classy to touch this book? Isn't it pretty to think so. See you at Barnes & Noble.
Not at all. Just a question of which one will be willing to take the heat -- and the profits.
I believe that the Rielle (Real) Hunter a.k.a had sex with multiple parteners, including Andrew, John, Fred, Bob and others. That's why there will be no DNA testing of the baby. Which of these guys had the most money? Well, it was Fred Baron. That's why he became the first blackmail target of the Hunter and Andrew. I believe Andrew, the Hunter, and their friend from late night hotel National Enquirer set-up guy, Mr. Bob McGovern, are a nest of con men. I should write the book, and star in the movie.
In any case, I am thankful John and Elizabeth Edwards and the remaining Baron Family, who are good and decent people were able break all ties with these con artists.
There is no DNA testing because they are STILL protecting John Edwards from all reponsibility for his sleaziness in importuning this nice girl, impregnating her, and then abandoning her.
While you're correct about the DNA testing not being done, to protect Edwards, referring to Rielle Hunter as a "nice girl" is just a bit of a stretch.
Oh people, please!!!!
Everybody in America and Half of Mainland China
knows the Rielle (Real) Hunter has a baby that she is claiming to be John Edwards'. There is no reason for John and Elizabeth Edwards to pay this whore to keep her mouth and legs closed. She has already opened them both multiple times.That's why the Rielle (Real) Hunter, herself, does not want a paternity test. She just wants John and Elizabeth to not be at peace. Well Lisa Druke a.k.a. the Rielle (Real) Hunter your 15 minutes is up.
Good bye!!!!!!
I agree Cherubim. This real fortune Hunter needs to leave married men alone. Make your own life Rielle Fortune Hunter, and try to do it with your legs closed for a change. She is complete trash.
Ummmm, most "good and decent" people I know wouldn't agree to fund such arrangements. Most "good and decent" people would speak the truth from the beginning. Edwards has failed to do that.
Good for you to nail it.
Most "good and decent" people would also not stalk a married man with 4 children and a wife with cancer. Is that good people to you?
I am also not saying John is good people, he is not, but let's call the whore a whore.
The Inquirer will get to the bottem of it and we can read it while waiting to check out at the grocery store!
I don't care about John Edwards he leaves a greasy low water mark on American National Politics. He used class warfare to get as far as he did- an unscrupulous trial lawyer...who would have guessed. Just about everyone paying attention.
Politics make strange bed fellas.
"and we are not saved..."
The book might float, but a movie? Even a made for Lifetime? Which one of the Two Americas would go for that? I say neither. How many times do you have to flush before John Edwards goes away?
This guy: Young and the comment about him "he feels his reputation is in tatters" is a bit of a joke really. If he is as scummy as he sounds, his reputation was already in tatters before this whole thing. Shopping a story like this on the back of a baby is pretty obnoxious in itself...
I swear, Cherubim has GOT to be Elizabeth Edwards. All she does is posit that Rielle slept with multiple guys and paint Brecky as a saint. We KNOW he's the father, cherubim, and sorry, but women aren't sluts, they're people.
Publishers, buy this! We'd love to read it!!!! Better insider-campaign stuff than "All the President's Men," seriously.
I actually disagree. I don't think cherubim is making John out to be a saint but I completely agree the slut is a slut. Lisa Druck, aka Rielle the Huntress, aka Jaya James Jumbalaya or whaqtever she calls herself now is a SLUT and was out looking for a vulnerable (wife with cancer), powerful ( politician), rich man. She set her sights and stalked and took hormones or whatever to get pregnant at the infertile age of 44. Could it be anymore clear?
You were right! The NY Daily News has just today outted Cherubim as Elizabeth Edwards!
Time for Cherubim a/k/a Elizabeth Edwards to get some mental help and stop the trashing of her children's half sister's family.
Oh, Goody!!!
"I believe that the Rielle (Real) Hunter a.k.a had sex with multiple parteners, including Andrew, John, Fred, Bob and others".
Quite the little trollup...what does the kid do for Fathers Day?
The actor in the picture above can't play John Edwards in the movie. He's not sexy, while, John Edwards is sexy as Hell.
See what I mean. Put the link below into your address bar.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20500385/displaymode/1107/s/2/
Hola Elizabeth, shocking to see you still think John's got the magic after all this. What he's done combined with his looks makes me gag.
Unbelievable how people are interested in this sort of stories. John Edwards story is one of the mostly disgusting scandals.
This whole situation is getting ludicrous. I think Edwards should own up to being the baby's father. As Shakespeare wouls say, the truth will out. Eventually, it's going to become pretty clear that he is Frances's father. I'm sure that once Frances gets older and learns more about this story, she's going to be horrified that her father denied he was her dad. Edwards is just such a jerk-I blame him, not Rielle and certainly not Elizabeth, for this sordid mess.
I wouldn't own up to anything until there were results of a DNA test. I just can't think of any good reason why Ms. Hunter is refusing to allow this.
Were you there in the room when the deed was done if not shut up who cares about that whore. She doesn't even know who the kid's father is that is the only reason she won't have a test done. I agree that John shouldn't slept around and certainly should have picked a better professional whore, this cow looks like a man.
This story gets more sickening the more publicized, very distasteful. Enough already. Please Americans, don't spur it on with more media, books or interviews.
Get real! Sleeze sells and Elizabeth Edwards did what few can with her pathetic book tour, lost the sympathy generally given to a terminal cancer patient. Resilience was that last thing she conveyed. So if there are no takers for Young version, there must be concern regarding exposure to legal consequences.
John Edwards has a campaign aid named Josh who was given a speeding ticket in Iowa from the Iowa Highway Patrol between December 20 and December 27, 2007 for going 84 in a 70 mph zone between Des Moines IA and Le Mars, IA and paid $102.80. File a public records request on this and you will blow this case wide open.
Oh, God, spare me another shill looking to make money off the fact that he willingly participated in a three-train disaster.
Good grief.
You don't want to be part of someone's personal implosion, don't sign on to help cover it up.
And don't whine to make money off it later.
Young was a willing participant, not a sucker.
His problem is: he didn't get cut in on the profits, such as they are.
right you are!
Looks like both Andrew and Rielle are looking for the payola. Johnny should have just told the "truth" when he admitted his affair but he's a narcissistic ba**ard who thinks his personal follies will go away on their own. Get used to it - I guess everytime you give an interview or speak publicly, someone - RH or AY are going to contact the tabloids.
Prediction:
Andrew Young will reveal in his book.
That he Andrew Young is the father of
the Rielle (Real) Hunter's baby.
He and the Hunter are going to do a
reality show.
I wish Elizabeth, with help from every decent friend and family member to support her, would somehow just extract herself from all this toxic waste and try and regain some peace and dignity in her life. In the end that's all you have. This whole tacky story, along with the awful "film roles," including her kids for god's sake, just makes me squirm inside. Gack!!!
She unfortunately made herself just as tacky with that book of hers, she should have dropped him way back.
Another slew of poor role models. Cheating husbands and the wives who enable them.
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great logic...comparing an idiot who took us from a national surplus to mondo debt with a sham of a war, where thousands of lives have been lost, to two self-absorbed dunderheads who simply can't keep it in their pants. nice.
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Problem is no one wants any of the conservative men most of the conservatives are not men they are just bullies and whimps. You got mccann old; gangich old; and then you have the pasty dough boy limpberg and bill oreilly who couldn't get a date with street corner hooker but all them look like that man ann coulter.
Thank you.
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