Lie, survive -- why Clinton, not Edwards?

I am having trouble figuring out the savage reaction in some circles to John Edwards' admission that he had an affair and lied about it.

It couldn't be about sex, and it couldn't be about lying -- because we have had plenty of both in American politics.

According to Edwards, he had an affair in 2006 and told his wife about it, she forgave him, and then he went ahead and announced for president.

When he was later asked by reporters about rumors regarding the affair, Edwards lied and went on with his campaign.

Democratic primary voters found him wanting, and it had nothing to do with rumors of his affair.

Edwards, who had run for president in 2004 and won just one primary (his home state of South Carolina), won no primaries in 2008. In 2004, Edwards promised to carry a whole bunch of Southern states if he got on the ticket, but the John Kerry/John Edwards ticket carried none.

Now I am reading Edwards betrayed the nation and ruined a great political career through his weakness of the flesh.

But haven't we seen this movie before?

Didn't Bill Clinton have an affair with Gennifer Flowers before his 1992 presidential campaign? And didn't he lie about it to everyone? And didn't he have another affair with Monica Lewinsky while he was president, and didn't he lie to his wife, staff, friends, colleagues, members of Congress, investigators and the nation about it?

In fact, Wikipedia has a separate entry titled: "I did not have sexual relations with that woman," and it contains the famous quotation by Clinton from Jan. 26, 1998: "But I want to say one thing to the American people. I want you to listen to me. I'm going to say this again: I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky. I never told anybody to lie, not a single time, never. These allegations are false, and I need to go back to work for the American people. Thank you."

Bill Clinton continued to lie, and only admitted the truth after physical evidence (the blue dress) was discovered. He was impeached by the House and then acquitted by the Senate.

And what happened to him then? He went on to become the most popular Democrat on the planet.

So why is John Edwards such a villain? After all, he ended his affair and got the forgiveness of his wife -- he says -- before he began running for president. And as for his lying to reporters, well, I also hear there is gambling in Casablanca.

After getting caught, Edwards told ABC News: "I went from being a young senator to being considered for vice president, running for president . . . becoming a national public figure, all of which fed a self-focus, an egotism, a narcissism that leads you to believe you can do whatever you want, you're invincible, and there will be no consequences. And nothing could be further from the truth."

I wish nothing could be further from the truth, but I have a feeling a lot more affairs get covered up in politics than get discovered.

Actually, we have an example of how to handle such matters. David Paterson, shortly after becoming governor of New York after Eliot Spitzer got caught going to hookers, announced he had affairs with "several" women during his marriage. He said it was a personal matter and did not violate any laws.

Paterson said he was making the announcement in order to "clear his conscience" and avoid blackmail.

And that was that.

So what are guidelines for politicians?

Have affairs, but deny them to everyone until you get caught?

Have affairs, admit them to your spouse, but keep them secret from everyone else?

Have affairs, but admit them to everybody before the truth comes out?

Or maybe just not have affairs at all.

Maybe some politicians should try that one. Just to see if it works.