My husband, SJ, said I was getting too fired up about John Edwards admitting that he had an affair (after many on-the-record denials, while his accomplished and attractive wife was valiantly fighting breast cancer.)

Fine.  I can swallow my indignation and strike a positive tone.

Top 10 Nice Things to Say About John Edwards’ Affair

1. Boldness points for lying about it repeatedly on camera.  Looked them right in the eye and lied like a rug; now that’s a man with balls of steel!

2. Creativity points for having a staffer come forward to claim paternity of the mistress’ baby.  I’m still trying to get my head around that one.  Either that guy is really taking it for the team, or he’s got major chutzpa for dating the boss’s ex-girlfriend.

3. The giddy anticipation about what type of excuse he’ll choose.  Will he play the repentant sinner?  Claim that his wife knew about it?  Blame the stress of the campaign and his wife’s illness?  Did he not understand the questions when he repeatedly denied the affair?  I wondered about this with SJ, who, with disturbing speed responded, “Wide stance.”

4. We can pat ourselves on the back, thinking that we always knew he was just too handsome.  A man with hair like that should never be trusted.

5. We’ll have something to talk about besides the Olympics.  Michael Phelps, blah, blah, blah!

6. His lies weren’t under oath, thus sparing us a messy perjury trial.

7. President Bush is thrilled that he’s looking good by comparison

8. Bill Clinton, ditto.

9. At least Edwards met his lover at the Beverly Hilton, which is a major step up from the Quality and Days Inns that NY Governor David Patterson took his “dates”

10. He isn’t president.  Yes, the affair and the lying are troublesome, but the image of Edwards running away from photographers and barricading himself in a restroom like a little girl just isn’t dignified.