Edwards’ bloggers call it quits amid brewing online controversy

Big developments in N.C. presidential candidate John Edwards’ blog imbroglio: Both of his campaign employees who became controversial last week for their record of raw blog posts have now reportedly resigned, just days after Edwards said he was keeping the two on staff.

Amanda Marcotte, who caught the most heat, resigned yesterday. Now, on Tuesday night, comes the news that another popular lefty blogger hired by Edwards, Melissa McEwan, has quit.

Marcotte mostly stuck to her guns, but explained that the controversy “was creating a situation where I felt that every time I coughed, I was risking the Edwards campaign.” McEwan was quoted today as saying that “This was a decision I made, with the campaign’s reluctant support, because my remaining the focus of sustained ideological attacks was inevitably making me a liability to the campaign.”

The resignations have sparked a new round of debate over whether Edwards should have hired the bloggers — and whether they should have stayed on. So far, this early-in-the-campaign firestorm shows no signs of flaring out.

— Jon Elliston, news editor

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Jon Elliston
Former Mountain Xpress managing editor Jon Elliston is the senior editor at WNC magazine.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.