Rielle Hunter speaks with Jake Tapper for an episode of CNN’s “United States of Scandal”.Photo:CNN
CNN
Jake Tapperis revisiting the infamousJohn Edwards affairfor his upcoming episode ofUnited States of Scandal —rewinding the clock with none other than Edwards' onetime mistress,Rielle Hunter, more than 15 years after she entered the national spotlight.
During their conversation, Hunter tells Tapper it was a “fluke” that she ended up in the same New York City bar as Edwards in 2006. At the time, a very-married Edwards was preparing to launch his 2008 presidential campaign after losing the vice presidency just two years prior.
“He was in a business meeting. I was with my friend. We were at a table and John Edwards was behind her. And he kept looking at me as though he knew me as well," Hunter recalls in the exclusive clip above.
“And then we got up and left and when we were standing on the corner, John Edwards turned the corner and saw me there,” she continues. “And he, like, literally almost jumped into my arms. And my response — what came out of my mouth was, ‘You’re so hot.’”
“And what did he say back?” Tapper asks, to which she responds in Edwards’ voice, “Why, thank you.”
Former U.S. Sen. John Edwards was the Democratic Party’s 2004 vice presidential nominee and 2008 presidential candidate.Sara D. Davis/Getty Images News
Hunter goes on to tell Tapper that she offered to “help” the politician, which prompted him to invite her up to his hotel room.
“So you went to his room?” Tapper inquires. Hunter confirms, saying that she didn’t think the vibe was sexual at the time.
“You didn’t?” Tapper responds with some disbelief. “Because it sounds like there was an attraction. You said, ‘You’re so hot.’ I mean that’s inherently a little sexual.”
“I know, I know, I know,” Hunter concedes.
The scene is one of many in the third episode ofUnited States of Scandalas Tapper explores Edwards’ scandalous affair with Hunter.
As CNN explains, Edwards long appeared to be “a crusading trial attorney and family man” — poised to be the “picture-perfect presidential candidate” — until the news of the affair got out, coupled with allegations of a federal campaign violation.
Instead of revisiting the affair through Edwards' perspective, Tapper aims to get Hunter’s point-of-view more than 15 years after she was thrust into the national spotlight.
United States of Scandalairs on CNN Sunday at 9 p.m. ET.
source: people.com
