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 the telephone interview, the former Democratic vice presidential nominee refused to address his affair with Rielle Hunter, the paternity of Hunter’s child, his wife Elizabeth’s memoirs, or the federal investigation into his 2008 campaign, according to the Post.
But he did not rule out a return to politics, although he said it was more likely to be an advocacy role rather than another try for elective office.
He said he thinks every day about what sort of public role he might have, but he said "right now, a lot of that is unanswerable."
"Sometimes you just keep your head down and work hard and see what happens," he said.
Edwards said President Barack Obama is a doing a good job, but he worries that there will be too many compromises made in reforming health care and whether there will be a strong voice for the poor.
Besides spending time with his family, Edwards said he has done volunteer work in Haiti and in El Salvador.
"The two things I’m on the planet for now are to take care of the people I love and to take care of people who cannot take care of themselves," Edwards said.
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Re: Edwards: Reputation not his focus
I'm curious, what is your opinion of Edwards indictment chances?