Beyond that, I don't really care. We don't know what goes on behind closed doors.

It is between the Edwards, unfortunately society won't let that be.

I understand where you are coming from in terms of the general public. I do agree our society gets too caught up in the personal lives of very public people.

I think that for people dealing with sex addiction in their own lives there is going to be a personal interest attached to the story. It's going to resonate with us. For me, it is a window to possibly understand more about how we deal with sexuality in our country and perhaps sexual addiction.

I don't think we can tell for certain unless it is a pattern and that remains to be seen with John Edwards. I think there are many people that have one time affairs.

Not sure about others but I have only spoken about the situation with my husband and interacted with blogger's connected to sex addict's about it. Since discovering my husband's sex addiction I would be less likely to discuss it publicly. I think it is a feeling that I wouldn't want my own life to be public chatter.

junky's wife,

You should have nabbed him while you could so you wouldn't have had to work so hard! He would have paid the bills and covered the cost for your yoga classes.

margaux,

He made a point to say that he had the affair while his wife's cancer was still in remission. I found that annoying, personally. Like that made it not as bad.

I can see why it would matter to Elizabeth Edwards (and count me in on that care package). But I don't see why it matters to us, the general voyeuristic scandal-sucking public.

Whether or not he's an addict, he owns the behavior and is responsible for it, and should bear the consequences. Whether or not he's an addict, he deserves our empathy and compassion as much as anyone else. Whether or not he's an addict, there's way too much prying into the Edwards' personal life going on right now.

What will I do differently with this information? Not a thing. Whether or not he's an addict, I will still ache for his family. I didn't and wouldn't vote for him, so that wouldn't change either.

Why does it matter?

Hugs to Elizabeth. Hugs to all who need them.