john edwards

John Edwards and his new daughter

At nearly two years old, Frances Quinn Hunter isn't "new," of course. But for the first time, former presidential candidate John Edwards has admitted he fathered the child during an affair with videographer Rielle Hunter.

According to the Associated Press story, it appears that Frances -- known as "Quinn" -- was conceived "during the middle of 2007." That would be close to July 2007, when Edwards and his wife, Elizabeth, renewed their wedding vows in honor of their 30th anniversary.

But the most interesting thing about today's story, to me at least, was this quote from Elizabeth Edwards, who reportedly urged her husband to acknowledge his paternity of the child. She has said that whether or not he fathered the child didn't matter to her..."that would be a part of John's life, but not a part of mine."

rielle hunter

John Edwards Admits Fathering Rielle Hunter Love Child; No One Surprised

John Edwards has finally admitted what we have suspected for years - that he is indeed the father of a 2-year-old daughter with his mistress, Rielle Hunter. The former U.S. Senator and Democratic presidential candidate said today in a statement that he’s taking responsibility for the child, Frances Quinn Hunter:

“I am Quinn’s father. I will do everything in my power to provide her with the love and support she deserves. I have been able to spend time with her and trust that future efforts to show her the love and affection she deserves can be done privately."

"It was wrong for me ever to deny she was my daughter and hopefully one day, when she understands, she will forgive me. [I've] been providing financial support for Quinn and have reached an agreement with her mother to continue providing support." "I understand that to all those I have disappointed and hurt, these words will never be enough, but I am truly sorry.”

Edwards is not speaking publicly on the subject, in part because of an ongoing federal investigation into whether campaign money was used to try to cover up the affair.

He has denied wrongdoing, but then again, he also denied the affair with Rielle Hunter, and fathering the child with Rielle Hunter, so who knows with this guy! Edwards' attorneys say he's been seeing Quinn and providing financial support for about a year, and just signed a new child support agreement with Rielle. A spokesperson for John's cancer-stricken wife, Elizabeth Edwards, says she learned last year that Quinn is John's child. Yet this is the first formal admission. John Edwards’ personal and political troubles began after the National Enquirer began reporting in late 2007 about his affair with Hunter, which he denied.

In 2008, after his failed presidential bid, Edwards was caught visiting Hunter in a hotel and eventually confirmed to ABC News that he had an affair with her.

Still, he vehemently denied on the air that he was the father of her child. Dude lies a lot and will only come clean when his hand has been forced, basically.

Today's admission comes on the heels of the political expose Game Change by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin, which sent shock waves around D.C. A portion of the book about the 2008 election, which ran in New York Magazine, dealt with details of Edwards’ affair and his relationship with Elizabeth.

The admission also comes in advance of a tell-all book by Andrew Young, a former Edwards aide who originally claimed to be the father of Hunter’s child. Basically, he would have kept on denying it if he had any choice, and had no interest in actually coming clean for morality's sake. Pretty typical, John.