John Edwards in 1999

What was John Edwards thinking when the National Enquirer story broke?

ABC News has not yet aired its interview with the former Democratic presidential candidate, but a celebrated speech by Edwards during the impeachment of Bill Clinton is interesting to re-read.

Here is Edwards on Clinton on Feb. 12, 1999:

I think this President has shown a remarkable disrespect for his office, for the moral dimensions of leadership, for his friends, for his wife, for his precious daughter. It is breathtaking to me the level to which that disrespect has risen.

Later, Edwards debated whether Clinton intended to obstruct justice when he talked with a White House employee:

We have a man who has just been confronted with this problem, who is political by nature. And do we really believe that the first thing he thought about is, "I'm going to go protect myself legally'"? I suspect the first thing he thought about is "I'm going to protect myself politically.'' He was worried about his family finding out. He was worried about the rest of the staff finding out. He was worried about the press finding out.

Hat Tip: Anne Blythe