For Edwards, An 'F' In Crisis Management

From Campaigns and Elections by Shane D'Aprile and Doug Daniels

Now that former North Carolina senator and two-time presidential hopeful John Edwards has admitted to an extramarital affair with a former campaign staffer in an exclusive interview with ABC's Nightline, one prominent political strategist, who specializes in crisis management, says Edwards handled the allegations in just about the worst way possible.

"The good news for the Democrats is that [Edwards] isn't the nominee right now," says Hank Sheinkopf, a Democratic strategist who has done crisis management for numerous politicians including former New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey, who admitted to a gay extramarital affair in 2004.

"He really handled this badly," Sheinkopf says of Edwards. "Truth is always the refuge of politicians who want to survive, and he didn't tell the truth."

According to ABC News, in an interview that will air tonight, John Edwards told correspondent Bob Woodruff that he did have an affair with 44-year-old Rielle Hunter, but denied that he is the father of her child. The admission of the affair comes despite repeated denials over the past year, and throughout the course of his presidential campaign.

Last October, the National Enquirer ran a story that Hunter, responsible for producing some of Edwards' presidential campaign spots, had given birth to his child, forcing Edwards to publicly deny any romantic involvement at the time.

According to Edwards, his wife was made aware of the relationship back in 2006, and rumors began swirling within the blogosphere. But the mainstream media, reluctant to put much stock on the Enquirer's unnamed sources, largely avoided reporting the story at all.

The admission from Edwards may very well end the former senator's political career and likely nixes any speaking invitation at the Democratic National Convention in Denver at the end of this month.

Edwards, the 2004 Democratic vice presidential nominee, was rumored as a potential number two for Sen. Barack Obama, but that was probably a long-shot to begin with.

As for what advice Sheinkopf would have given Edwards after the initial report from the National Inquirer some months back: "First I would have found out the truth. Then I would have told him to go public with the truth," says Sheinkopf. "In politics these days, if you lie, you're a dead man."