Rielle Hunter's publicist friend says: John Edwards is lying

CBS News did an interview this morning with Pigeon O'Brien, a publicist (this is her firm) who claimed to be a friend of John Edwards' mistress Rielle (pronounced Ree-ELLE) Hunter for 20 years, and who says now that Edwards is "lying" about the timeline of his affair with Hunter.

Well, you saw it coming, didn't you?

The relevant excerpt and video are below. It happened on the CBS "Early Show" with Maggie Rodriguez interviewing her.

Pigeon -- which is the second strangest O'Brien first name I've heard, just ahead of Conan and just behind Soledad -- isn't exactly an insider with Hunter these days. She cut her off when she went to work for Edwards, with whom she'd be having an affair for months (Edwards has claimed it didn't start until she joined the campaign). On the other hand, it's not shocking that a woman carrying on an extramarital affair should be isolated from her friends, especially if her VIP lover is telling her to keep quiet about it.

If you're new here, I've been chiming in for most of the past two weeks urging my colleagues in the mainstream media to pursue this story because, frankly, it's news. Really interesting news. Certainly a lot more interesting than the game of "my celebrity is smaller than your celebrity" that the presidential contenders are playing right now.

• Here I argued that John Edwards is sabotaging his wife's health-care agenda with his extramarital mess.

• And here I weighed in on how John and Elizabeth could spin a positive out of the negative.

That's my angle. For more thorough reporting, Deceiver has lots of details and links, and updates the story constantly.

Anyway, here's the video and the excerpt. Just for fun, I've included a picture of Pigeon O'Brien from the SXSW music festival earlier this year. (She's posing with musician Sam Baker.) By the way, you should watch the video because the excerpt makes O'Brien seem less credible than she appears on TV. I know that sounds weird - basically I'm telling you the image she projects is more persuasive than the actual substance of her message makes her seem. But that's television for you.

RODRIGUEZ: She told you it started in February or March of 2006.

Ms. O'BRIEN: Yes.

RODRIGUEZ: He says it started five months later when his campaign hired her.

Ms. O'BRIEN: Yeah, that's not true. That's not true. It started in the winter of '06. They became involved at that point, not later in the summer when she was hired to work for the political action committee.

RODRIGUEZ: It started in the winter of '06?

Ms. O'BRIEN: Correct.

[...]

RODRIGUEZ: Do you think that John Edwards is the father of her daughter?

Ms. O'BRIEN: I do.

RODRIGUEZ: Why?

Ms. O'BRIEN: I don't see any other explanation. She would not have a child with someone that she didn't love, and she loves him.

RODRIGUEZ: She's still in love with him. Does she think this is going to work out?

Ms. O'BRIEN: I believe she hopes it will. I belive she hopes it will.

RODRIGUEZ: Do you think she will continue to pursue it?

Ms. O'BRIEN: I'm not sure that she has pursued it. I think it's been mutual. I can't stress that enough. I think she will continue to have love for this person and feel that she is in a relationship with him as he has led her to believe.

RODRIGUEZ: Despite the fact that he has a wife? Has she even mentioned Elizabeth Edwards?

Ms. O'BRIEN: Yes. Mm-hmm.

RODRIGUEZ: What are her feelings when she thinks of Elizabeth Edwards?

Ms. O'BRIEN: Well, she knows how committed--it's hard to miss how committed the Edwardses are to one another and how central role Elizabeth plays in Mr. Edwards' life, so she's aware of him as a married man and as a partner in this very profound relationship. And she talked sometimes about those things. She's very aware of it. There are other circumstances--their affair, their connection, their love--that seemed to make it OK and comfortable for her to pursue the make with him. From the outside it doesn't look like we would make those same choices; she was comfortable making those choices and confident in those choices.

RODRIGUEZ: All right, Pigeon O'Brien, thank you.

Ms. O'BRIEN: Thank you.

RODRIGUEZ: Appreciate your time.

Comments

[Rick Maloney]

John Edwards was not brought low by cheating on his wife, nor was have a child out of wedlock, it was the fact that he denied the whole afair up and down the podium for so long that he actualy started to believe it was all a plot. perhaphs it was a plot and he fell for it hook line and sinker. Now a fifth rate film maker has now catipulted herself into the spot lite now just for now but for years to come(can anyone say set up). Someone should have kept better track of his activities and put him on a shorter leash or at least had him fixed.

[Lois Carey]

None of us need friend like this to go to the
media and protect us.
My heart goes out to Elizabeth Edwards ,
and I hope the media will not allow anyone else
to come out and continue this public discussion
of what has to be so terrible hurtful to this
family. Please think of Elizabeth and the
children. I was a supporter of Edwards before
he quit the campaign , but now I don't
believe politics needs him.His family does.
God Bless them all and pleas go back to
taking about Hollywood people who know how
to take it. Elizabeth Edwards certainly was
not prepared for this and has her health
battle also.Leave them alone!!!!!!

[Will]

Its good he isn't in Texas. CPS would come in and take his children away for being a polygamist.

[Norma]

Edwards made it worse by lying about it in the first place. Typical womanizer response. I am glad he is not running for President. What a jerk! If he had been truthfull several months ago, it may have made a difference for Hillary. What a shame and all because Edwards who claims to be totally in love with his wife had to lie about not being able to keep it in his pants. Again, what a jerk!

[luvscoming2usall]

Hats off to a publicist named Pigeon who just redefined integrity. She's the one who should be working for John Edwards, in an actual professional non-sexual capacity, since Pigeon seems to hone in on the perverse craft of PR pretty stunningly.

Wow, I'm still utterly shocked that a man pledged to fighting poverty while living in a 25,000+ sq. ft. home, making money from his non-profit organization poverty speeches turned out to be a hypocrite after all.

[Bart]

It is pretty low of someone to run around on yor wife especially when they have cancer.

[stefi]

Elizabeth is dealing with an addict and must have complete truth and all the horrible facts in order for her healing to begin. John Edwards is still lying to those who love him. I couldn't think less of him. Nothing about him has turned out to be real.

[K. DeYoung]

I know this girl. She did a spiritual "con job" on John Edwards. We had a spiritual healer in common and she used to pursue him, flirt with him, lay at his feet, come to the meetings late and push her way up front; but worst of all, sneak in without paying. He figured her out fairly quickly. She is not enlightened, not a healer; just a plain old opportunist spouting a spiritual philosophy.
This is the oldest game in the world. Find a rich man, get pregnant and be set for life.
Poor John, he is stuck with her for the rest of his life. There is Karma in action.
Maybe in the scheme of things, she did us all a favor. If John Edwards could not see what this woman was up to, he certainly could never handle Putin or the other wily rascals that run the world.

[livegap]

John Edwards acted positively giddy during the debates. I was much taken aback by his behavior and wondered what was up with him. Now we know.

[Observer]

John Edwards is a low down good for nothing has been. And he talked and talked about family and values and the American Way, now we find out he cannot keep his pants zipped when away from home. John Edwards needs to get lost and that smile from ear to ear - his wife needs to knock that off his face.

[Rose]

Yep, it is just horrible when a man runs around on his sweet little sickly wife.

Yet, it is never a big deal if a woman choses to chase a man she knows darn well is married, and should hav some idea has a sickly wife.

It is just so horrible that a man would lie about an affair.

It is no big deal that a woman would take money to keep her mouth shut about that same affair.

Can anyone define "extortion"?

Can anyone define "blackmail"?

I hope that as we pass our opinions on this juciy subject that somewhere someone is investigatiting the several crimes that seem to have been committed here.

If a 42 year old woman does not understand the stakes in such a relationship then the time has come for her to learn.

It would seem that her having a love child at this point in her life would require some very careful planning on her part. Until she makes the effort to establish the father of her child, she is just blowing smoke and acting as the handmaiden of Republicans anyway.

I don't know about anyone else but I am sick of this subject. I am sick to death of hearing about who had affairs with whom and when and how. And the fact that this one is a clear setup is not helping my attitide.

Let us just accept the fact that John Edwards had an affair despite having a sick wife, and John McCain had an affair on his sick wife and Bill Clinton had........ Let's just establish that every one of them had an affair and we will no longer have to worry ourselves or feed the media machine with this gossip.

Either we learn to take such events as a part of so called family life these days, or we exclude from runnung for office all of those persons who have cheated on spouses, taken any kind of drugs (keeping in mind that asprin is a drug), lied in any forum, backtalked their parents, or have a spouse who has done so.

If we do that then any person will know what kind of life they have to lead in order to be elected to an office.

I do not respest John McCain for events in his personal life or his choice of a spouse. I respect him for the duty and service he has given to this country.

I do not respect Barak Obama for events in his personal life or his choice of a spouse. I respect him for the service and duty he has given to this country.

I do not respect John Edwards for events in his personal life or his choice of a spouse. I do not respect him for his choice to have an affair when he clearly had the wherewithal to know it was a poor personal choice. If he had been just another lawyer working in just another law frm, it would have been a poor choice. But he was not just another lawyer. He should have held onto that fact.

I do respect the duty and service John Edwards has given my country and I am sorry more than I can ever express that he and his family has had to suffer this horrible ordeal simply because he dared to what to be my President. All I can hope is that they will now have the closure they deserve after all this torture and that they will heal and grow strong for their suffering.

[avery]

Integrity is holding on to one's own values in the face of adversity. A woman who moves across country with a full name change to hide her identity; has an affair for whatever reason and consequently brings a new life into the sordid mess; then accepts money and another divergent move under the guise of a pseudo-daddy is not a model of integrity. She is the antithesis of integrity and of course, a public relations and lawyer would rise to the occasion to distort the word. Of course, we could highlight the circumstantial evidence of Edward's which underscores his guilt and epic lack of integrity. Appears they both received what they deserved...piercing exposure of their false selves and lack of virtue. Elizabeth, the children, and the new child are the largest victims...the AMerican people grossly underestimated. There is more to this story of deceit and hubris. Sit, watch, and listen.

[nancee]

Pigeon O'Brien and Linda Tripp. Same kind of exploitive people. Cashing in on other people's lives and misery.

Yeah, John was a fool to do what he did and it is a typical response to lie and deny. He should know that when you're a public figure you can't get away with that stuff. Especially not with the National Enquirer in pursuit like a pack of bloodhounds.

I don't think this mistake negates his work and what he believes in. I hope when this is past he can continue to contribute to society. He and his family are in my thoughts and prayers. And you know what, I'd still vote for him.

[Jenny]

Why isn't John McCain's infidelity being reported? HE IS THE ONE RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT... He reportedly had numerous affairs in the years after returning home from Vietnam to a beautiful wife who had been disfigured in a car accident, and ultimately, by his own reports, he zeroed in like a laser on beautiful a 25-year-old heiress upon meeting her one evening in 1979 while he was still married, promptly lied to her about his age, and almost as promptly left his wife for her. We all extol John McCain for enduring 5 years of extreme hardship in Vietnam. But aren't his first wife's circumstances much like Elizabeth Edwards'? After all, the first Mrs. McCain waited in agony (and presumably fidelity) during those five long years for her beloved husband to return from Vietnam, raising their children while he was away and undergoing dozens of painful operations herself, only to be repaid by a philandering husband who ultimately left her for a younger woman.

[massycrk]

Funny how no one listened when people from NC tried to warn the country. We knew he was (and still is) a sleazy ambulance chaser.

[emma]

this woman hardly has integrity. hahahahaha. i mean come on. she has retreated to a fantasy world her entire life to push away past lives that she doesn't want to remember? sexual/child abuse? alcoholism? her father was in trouble for murdering race horses for the insurance money. her background is VERY colorful to say the least. first she used sex, coke, partying to wash away hurt. now she uses new age bullsh*t. she's the same con artist. just one that's into crystals and tarot cards. she sized up edwards easily and meant to run into him at some seedy bar, gave him easy p**** since she knew his wife had cancer (i'm sure she read up on the edwards family), sucked his d***, and let him buy her things and act as his professional assistant/videographer. then she told him at her age, she couldn't get pregnant! then she intentionally got pregnant and knew he'd foot the bill for the baby and her living expenses which are $15000/month and a 3 million dollar mansion. she's a GOOD con artist. she's 44 now and the baby will be well taken care of until it's 22 and she's 66. so her life is set. she'll never have to scrimp for work or use rich men to pay for her lifestyle. she duped the biggest dope of all time, edwards. and he still doesn't even realize he was duped. wow!

[Cydney]

This woman describes Rielle Hunter as a woman of great integrity. That gave me a laugh was enough to make me question Pigeon's judgment about everything. Not excusing Edwards, but integrity is not a word I would apply to a woman who has an affair with a man she knows is married. And....there is a little thing called birth control. Things do slip through, but it's pretty effective most of the time.

[Charlene]

What a low life. I feel so bad for his wife, after all she has done for him. What a slap in the face. Can't the man control himself! What a loser!

[Ken Waters]

Pigeon and Linda Tripp are good public service people. They bring the snakes out from under the rocks. We could use more of them. But at the same time, I am wondering why JFK and others before him who were known womanizers never took it on the chin from the media. Was it just journalistic courtesy to leave them alone in their private lives back then, or was there more to it?

[Zebra]

I always thought Edwards was a two bit phony....this latest episode only confirms what I already knew.

When Edwards talked about "two Americas," I guess he was talking about those who remain faithful to their spouses and those who don't.

Ms. Hunter is just as much of a sleaze as Edwards is. She needs to go crawl into a cave and stay there.

[Steve]

Hypocrisy Central: Edwards says he's "not there yet" about gay marriage, connecting this position to "morality," yet he cheats on his wife, and then brazenly LIES about it. Watch the ABC News video where he says it's "completely false" that he had an affair. It's chilling.

I had neutral to slightly positive feelings about him previously (I respected his wife). I think he's thoroughly contemptible now.

I don't know how credible Ms. O'Brien is, but I won't be terribly surprised if it later comes out that Edwards was lying in the Nightline interview (, too).

[val]

Pigeon and Lisa aka Reille are in Fairyland dancing around the 'truth' and scheming to steal Elizabeth's husband when his wife passes. Extraordinary that with his history of non truths suing doctors and insurance companies staking claims for big dollars by class actions suits whereby the plaintiffs remain poor and only he makes money... there is something ironic that this ultimate wild woman whose use of drugs and drink and other people's credit cards should make all her money from what he took from the aforementioned. And was it a fifty thouand dollar flight she was on last night as she was removed from Montecito, Santa Barbara's multi million dollar compound at whose expense.. John's and Elizabeth's wealth, the caregiver, or slipped in the fairy. Tragic for Mrs. Edwards. Sick as she is, she should dump him. Tragic as well for their children who has a half sister he's spilling all over the news.

[Karol]

This is yellow journalism at its worst. The story broke; the world knows about it. Now stop it! All the media is acting-sounding-writing like the Enquirer.

Have some compassion for Elizabeth Edwards and her family and STOP IT!

[Basab Dasgupta]

John Edwards should do the only respectable thing that a real gentleman would do under the present circumstances. He should acknowledge that the love child is his, divorce his wife in an amicable way (if that is possible) and then marry Rielle Hunter!

[Salamanca]

It is obvious that Edwards is STILL lying about aspects of this affair. He needs to come out with the WHOLE truth once and for all, instead of digging himself into a deeper hole.

This video is spreading all over the web!:

http://www.webcastr.com/videos/news/Edwards-Account-Challanged-Webcastr.html