Prince John The Smarmy

John Edwards, former Democrat presidential contender, earlier this week admitted he'd had an extramarital affair even as his wife battled cancer - and that he'd lied about it.

Yet Americans didn't have to hear that to know the man is a smarmy sleaze-ball in addition to being an outright fake.

His entire presidential campaign was based on hypocrisy and deception. Indeed, nearly every word out of the former trial lawyer's mouth dripped with insincerity and falsehood. If it looks like a phony, walks like a phony, quacks like a phony . . . it’s a phony!

Now even the most gullible folks know it.

"In 2006, I made a serious error in judgment," Edwards said, acknowledging his relations with 44-year-old Rielle Hunter, who worked for his campaign. It was just on July 23, Edwards denied the recent allegations and called the National Enquirer story "tabloid trash." (The same 'tabloid' that put MainStreamMedia completely to shame!)

Edwards' statement explained: "In the course of several campaigns, I started to believe that I was special and became increasingly egocentric and narcissistic." Ya Think? Is he really past the narcissism bug? In an ABC interview airing August 8th, Edwards took great care to explain that he only cheated on Elizabeth when she was in remission - not when her cancer was full blown.

He admitted he hadn't been fully honest when he denied reports of the affair.

"When a supermarket tabloid told a version of the story, I used the fact that the story contained many falsities to deny it," Edwards said. "Being 99 percent honest is no longer enough."

He had lied, in other words - but only by 1 percent. Which, we suppose, is like being just a little, uh, pregnant.

Speaking of pregnant, by the way, Hunter did give birth this year to a baby girl. Edwards denies being the father; it's his business, of course, and maybe he's not. Ms. Hunter has now, through her paid mouthpiece, issued a statement that neither she nor her daughter will allow a paternity test now or in the future. This guarantees that the “fatherhood question” will not go away. Now, if I were not the cynical skeptic I am, I would say a media blitz and book deal is in the offing for the aggrieved damsel. As always, just follow the money!

But why should anyone believe anything Edwards, former ambulance-chaser, says?

Want hypocrisy? Consider what the two-timing former senator had to say about Bill Clinton's philandering:

"I think this president has shown a remarkable disrespect for his office, for the moral dimensions of leadership, for his friends, for his wife, for his precious daughter. It is breathtaking to me the level to which that disrespect has risen."

Capt. Renault couldn't have been more "shocked" about gambling in Casablanca.

Meanwhile, Edwards' campaign (and maybe career) have essentially been one big con. He played the role of champion for the poor - while raking in mammoth legal fees and spending on himself and his family like a pampered prince.

Who can forget his two $400 haircuts last year, paid for by his campaign?

His home is a 28,000-square-foot estate, sitting on 102 acres, "surrounded by trees and defended by no-trespassing signs," AP reported.

An addition contains handball and basketball courts, an indoor pool and a stage.

Not that anyone should begrudge him that, of course. But it sure makes his rants about income inequality and "the two Americas" sound just a wee bit hollow.

The good news is that Edwards - who once was even being considered as Barack Obama's vice presidential running mate - may be at the end of his political career. Look out John, the ObamaBus is speeding toward you and you are standing too close to the curb!

Edwards, the former trial lawyer, gives substance to the following old saw: Q. What is the difference between a catfish and a lawyer? A. One is a bottom crawling, scum-sucking scavenger . . . and the other is only a poor fish!