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'I Made a Serious Error in Judgment'

By M. Morris,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 8, 2008 6:40 PM CDT

(Newser) – John Edwards released a statement late today acknowledging that he had an extramarital affair and inviting "people who believed in me" to beat him up, saying, "You cannot beat me up more than I have already beaten up myself." The ex-senator said he "started to believe that I was special and became increasingly egocentric and narcissistic," the New York Times reports.

ABC News broke the Edwards admission, after the story had been simmering for months in the National Enquirer and on numerous blogs; the network will broadcast an interview with Edwards tonight on Nightline after airing an excerpt on World News Tonight. "I was and am ashamed of my conduct and choices," the Edwards statement said, "and I had hoped that it would never become public."

Elizabeth Edwards applauds her husband's remarks during a town hall meeting at the Prairie High School Gym in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Tuesday, April 3, 2007.
Elizabeth Edwards applauds her husband's remarks during a town hall meeting at the Prairie High School Gym in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Tuesday, April 3, 2007.   (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
John Edwards speaks at a gathering of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Wednesday, May 16, 2007, in Washington.
John Edwards speaks at a gathering of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Wednesday, May 16, 2007, in Washington.   (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
In this undated image rendered from video and provided by Extra, Rielle Hunter is shown during an interview.
In this undated image rendered from video and provided by Extra, Rielle Hunter is shown during an interview.   (AP Photo/Extra)
North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley, right, applauds as Elizabeth and John Edwards are introduced by Barack Obama (not shown) Monday, June 9, 2008, at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh.
North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley, right, applauds as Elizabeth and John Edwards are introduced by Barack Obama (not shown) Monday, June 9, 2008, at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh.   (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
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