In politicians’ philandering, from JFK to Bill Clinton and beyond, “love means never having to say you’re sorry” (to quote the soupy 1970s movie) until your enablers run out of ways to keep you from getting caught.

Few have gone as far as Andrew Young, who tried to take a bullet for John Edwards by claiming he was the father of Rielle Hunter’s baby, but greater love hath no man than…you know the rest.

In her coming-out interview in GQ, Hunter says casually, “Andrew was in love with Johnny…Beyond. And I believe he loved Johnny more than he loved Cheri [his wife].”

In their Oprah appearance last month, the Youngs confirmed their unconditional devotion. “We did everything,” Mrs. Young said. “Both of us…It was extreme. We never, never said no,” her husband adding, “Any time he got into any kind of hot water and needed something, he called me.”

Now, with Edwards in permanent publicity hell, the quadrangle survivors are doing considerably better than their love object. Elizabeth Edwards is suing for divorce and her share of the family money, the Youngs are profiting from a best-selling book after escaping jail for possession of the infamous sex tape, while Hunter surfaces posing with their baby for a long New-Agey interview about their “profound,” “till-death do us part” passion.

MORE.

This cartoon by John Cole, The Scranton Times-Tribune, is copyrighted and licensed to appear on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.