OF COURSE THERE'S VIDEO: The least surprising thing that Andrew Young, former close aide to John Edwards, had to say in his book proposal: there's a sex tape. A year ago, that news might have been shocking. But a sex tape now fits comfortably along the downward trajectory Edwards' public image has been following since he begrudgingly acknowledged an extra-marital affair. Of course, we don't think Young visited the federal courthouse this week to talk about film.

BERGER UNLEASHED: Senate minority Leader Phil Berger ran wide open this week. He blasted North Carolina Democrats at home in the usual outlets, and then let 'em have it in the Wall Street Journal. We're not sure, but we think Berger wants people to know he's unhappy with the majority party.

THAT WAS CLOSE: The House and Senate agreed at the last minute to a bill to keep the state running while they wrangle over the budget. The House got its way and the temporary bill sets a two-week deadline for the chambers to agree. Gov. Beverly Perdue says to hurry up.

IN OTHER NEWS: House Republicans don't like the way Democrats name important bills. No charges will be filed in a case where a Blue Cross and Blue Shield lobbyist was accused of attempted bribery. Former auditor Les Merritt has launched a foundation to expose public corruption. The Republican Party is gearing up to go after freshman Democrat U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell in 2010. And the recession has prompted a drop in the prices of premium liquor, so at least there's some good news.

A former aide to John Edwards who claimed he fathered a child born to the mistress of the two-time Democratic presidential candidate spent Wednesday in a federal courthouse.

About 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, with his lawyer at his side, Andrew Young walked into the building in Raleigh where a grand jury was meeting. Young simply smiled as he went by and declined to comment about the investigation into his former boss. His attorney, David Geneson, did not return repeated calls from the AP.

A few months before the crucial 2008 presidential caucuses in Iowa, Young publicly declared that he was the father of Rielle Hunter's baby. Edwards placed second to Sen. Barack Obama, who went on to win the presidency. Edwards later admitted having an affair with Hunter that he says ended in 2006. (AP)

A former Aide to former U.S. Sen. John Edwards has made a tell-all book deal in which he says Edwards promised to financially take care of him if he falsely claimed to be the father of Edwards' mistress' baby.

Andrew Young, a former campaign finance director for Edwards, issued a statement last year claiming to be the father of the baby born to Rielle Hunter, the campaign videographer with whom Edwards had an affair. Edwards denied paternity in a television interview when he confessed to the affair.

The book, though, quotes Edwards as begging Young to confess to being the child's father and promising to take care of him for life, the New York Times reports.

As if that weren't enough, the book also alleges that Edwards, his party's 2004 nominee for vice president and twice a presidential candidate, participated in making a sex tape.

UNPOPULAR POLS: Gov. Beverly Perdue's approval rating has slipped to a new low: 30 percent in one poll. Her solution: barnstorm the state calling for higher taxes for everyone. The good news for her is that she'd have a long way to fall before matching the unpopularity of former Gov. Mike Easley, who is apparently the target of a wide-ranging federal investigation. Meanwhile, former U.S. Sen. John Edwards declared to the Washington Post this week that he isn't paying attention to his reputation. We noticed.

COMMANDMENT 11: Now that the candidates to lead the state Republican party are finished beating the stuffing out of each other, the new chairman, Tom Fetzer, turned his attention to the real enemy — Democrats. Fetzer launched a broadside against a fundraising reception for Democratic lawmakers calling the event inappropriate. Democrats mostly ignored the attack, but it probably felt good for the GOP to go after the other guys for a change.

BUDGET: After a lengthy, public and at times painful budget debate in the House last week, the actual budget can now be written by the select few in the conference committee. Big changes, particularly to the House's proposed taxes, are in store.

IN OTHER NEWS: former state Rep. Cary Allred, wearing his pajamas, was stopped for reckless driving with the smell of alcohol on his breath six days after he quit the legislature. The state Revenue Department held up tax refunds for big families because it wants proof. Newly graduated teachers and lawyers are both having a hard time finding jobs.

Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards says he is spending his time with his family at their home outside Chapel Hill and volunteering in some anti-poverty efforts in Latin America.

But he has no plans to push to restore his name like former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, Rob Christensen reports.

His reputation, Edwards says, "is not something I’m focused on. The only relevance of it at all is my ability to help people. That's the only reason it matters. I'm not engaged in, or interested in, being in a P.R. campaign."

Edwards gave his first extensive interview to The Washington Post since he announced last summer that he had an affair with a former campaign worker.

More after the jump.

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In case you were wondering, Elizabeth Edwards isn't interested either.

On tour to promote her new book "Resilience," the wife of former Sen. John Edwards answered the slightest of hints that she might be a candidate for Senate, according to U.S. News & World Report's Washington Whisper's column:

There's an upcoming North Carolina race that needs a fresh Democrat, but Edwards says that when it comes to politics, she's been there, done that. "I was president of my junior class in high school. It was a pain in the neck," she says. "It should cure anyone of any desire to run for office."

Edwards was included on a test of seven different matchups against U.S. Sen. Richard Burr by Raleigh Democratic firm Public Policy Polling last month.

Others who have said no: Others who have said no to a run on the Democratic side: U.S. Reps. Bob Etheridge and Brad Miller, Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton, Attorney General Roy Cooper, State Sen. Malcolm Graham, state Reps. Tricia Cotham and Grier Martin and Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker.

U.S. News' headline: "Sen. Elizabeth Edwards? Even She Isn't That Resilient."

Hat Tip: Taegan Goddard

A retired Maine reporter filed a grievance with the N.C. State Bar over former Sen. John Edwards' law license.

Ted Cohen, a longtime reporter for the Portland Press Herald who now drives long-haul trucks, filed the complaint in August.

In it, he argued that Edwards' statements to the press about his affair with former campaign staffer Rielle Hunter were "unbecoming" to the legal profession.

"He has brought shame and dishonor to the bar," he wrote.

A spokeswoman for the bar would not confirm the complaint as a matter of policy, but a letter sent to Cohen by Deputy Counsel Jennifer Porter said they would investigate the matter.

Edwards' license was put on inactive status on April 14, 2000. He does not have any public record of disciplinary actions.

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Gene Nichol will be on The State of Things today.

The former dean of the UNC-Chapel Hill Law school, Nichol helped found the controversial Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity and hired John Edwards to run it.

He then left to be president of the College of William and Mary in Virginia, where his tenure was also controversial.

"He's back at UNC now," say the program notes. "So, what makes a legal academic a lightning rod?"

Hosted by Frank Stasio, the show airs at noon on 91.5 FM in Chapel Hill, 88.9 FM in Manteo and 90.9 FM in Rocky Mount.

It can also be downloaded after it airs here.