Edwards to lie low until after election

Former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards has decided to stay out of public view until after the election, saying he didn’t want the controversy around his extramarital affair to hurt Democratic nominee Barack Obama.

Edwards canceled an appearance at Hofstra University in Long Island New York scheduled for Monday, and then cancelled all other public engagements until the November elections.

“I have decided to avoid any public engagements until after the election in November,” Edwards said in a statement.

“Nothing is more important than electing Barack Obama and Joe Biden,” the statement said. “I don’t want my appearance at these events to be a distraction from the important issues of the election, or from the important purpose of these meetings.”

Edwards' speech at Hofstra was to be his first public appearance since he admitted to having an affair with a woman who had produced videos during his presidential campaign. His wife, Elizabeth Edwards, was originally supposed to appear with him, but she had already canceled.