Andrew Young, John Edwards Trial | featured news

As prosecutors head into the final week of their case, the issue of John Edwards’ mindset looms large. During week two of the trial, Cheri Young, wife of former Edwards’ aide Andrew Young, along with former Edwards staffers, described a reckless, feckless Edwards who -- thanks to his extramarital affair with campaign videographer Rielle Hunter -- imperiled his campaign, destroyed his marriage and nearly ruined another, that of the Youngs. Time and again, the testimony brought to mind one phrase: What was he thinking?!

The wife of a former campaign aide for John Edwards takes the stand Monday in a federal court in North Carolina where she is expected to detail her role in helping conceal the one-time Democratic presidential hopeful's affair with a videographer.

A former campaign aide of John Edwards will face more questions Thursday, a day after he was quizzed about his motives and asked whether he made up stories about how Edwards allegedly concealed contributions from campaign donors.

Under questioning by prosecutors, Andrew Young painted a vivid portrait of the frantic final months of a cover-up that ended John Edwards’s political career.

Andrew Young was once much more than an aide to John Edwards.

FILE - In an Oct. 27, 2011 file photo, former U.S. Sen. and presidential candidate John Edwards, left, speaks to the media with attorney Abbe Lowell, right, as he leaves the federal court in Greensboro, N.C.