Little more needs to be said about John Edwards, the former presidential hopeful who likely will never be on a ballot again, nationally or in his home state. Nothing to say except perhaps for this: When will men in public life learn it's not always the transgressions that get them but the lies?

Clinton likely would not have been impeached if he had not looked at the television cameras, wagged his finger and said what he said about not doing anything with Monica Lewinski.

Years before, the case was different and much more grave, but Nixon might not have had to resign if he had said right at the start: "Yes, I authorized those guys to see what they could learn from the Democratic headquarters, or at least I knew about it and should have put a stop to it before it happened. It was wrong and stupid, and I'm sorry I screwed up."

Oregon's Bob Packwood might not have been forced to quit the Senate if he had said right away: "When it comes to women, I have behaved like an absolute jerk and a clown. I'm sorry."

In Edwards' case, when he was asked about an affair a couple of years ago, he might have admitted it and gone on with his campaign, or he might have said: "Look, ladies and gentlemen of the press, my private life is none of your business, and I won't talk about it with you or anyone else, so don't ask me about it again."

Instead he said there was absolutely no truth to the stories that he had a girlfriend in addition to a wife. He also paraded his family in front of the country and even stood silently by as his wife, despite her cancer, campaigned for him.

When politicians use their families to their advantage, their private life becomes public, and when questions are raised, their personal business becomes the public's business.

If Edwards had been truthful with the press and the public, he might still have ended up as an also-ran for the Democratic nomination this year. But at least he would not be remembered mainly for an audacious lie. (hh)