'Kept Woman' Kept Secret

The distinction between "journalism" and "entertainment" was made clear in the recent interviews of Elizabeth Edwards by Oprah Winfrey and Larry King. Mrs. Edwards, currently on a whirlwind "wonged woman" book tour, has set as a precondition for any sit-downs, a promise by the interviewer not to mention by name Rielle Hunter, with whom failed presidential candidate and former Sen. John Edwards engaged in an extramarital affair before, and during his run for the Oval Office in 2008. Thus far, no newspaper has accepted the terms that were agreed to by talkmeisters Winfrey and King. Rehabilitating a marital relationship tarnished by infidelity is a private matter between a husband and wife, except for when the unfaithful husband sought the highest office in the land and the wronged wife endorsed his election and now seeks to benefit financially from a tell-all novel. She should not be allowed to set the terms regarding any interview about the content of her book, particularly in the face of a public inquiry into the Edwards campaign's use of campaign funds. Real journalists need no proxy to ask about the doxy.