John Edwards Reacts To Not Guilty Verdict, Mistrials On 5 Other Counts: VIDEO

A North Carolina jury found john Edwards not guilty on one count of campaign finance fraud today and a mistrial was declared for the other five charges, all of which stemmed from accusations that Edwards' 2008 presidential campaign knowingly took illegal contributions to hide a pregnant mistress from his terminally wife.

The jury originally told the judge they were hung on the 5 counts, but she ordered them back into deliberations, leading to the 5 mistrials. Edwards, a former senator and White House hopeful, expressed both relief and shame during his post-verdict remarks.

"While I do not believe that I did anything illegal, or even thought I was doing anything illegal, I did an awful, awful lot that was wrong," he said. "There is no one else responsible for my sins."

"I am responsible. And if I want to find the person who should be held accountable for my sins … it is me and me alone."

After thanking daughter Cate for her ongoing support and declaring his love for all of his children and his parents, Edwards told the gathered reporters, "I don't think God's through with me. I really believe he thinks there are still some good things I can do."

Watch Edwards' remarks AFTER THE JUMP.

Al Franken to Be Certified Winner in MN; Coleman to Challenge

The Minnesota State Election Board tomorrow will announce Al Franken the winner in that state's contentious Senate race against incumbent Norm Coleman:

"The canvassing board on Monday will say a recount determined Franken won by 225 votes, Secretary of State Mark Ritchie told CNN. However, Coleman's campaign, which contends the recount should have included about 650 absentee ballots it says were improperly rejected in the initial count, has indicated it will challenge the certification. Coleman campaign manager Cullen Sheehan said his team believes the recount process was broken and that 'the numbers being reported will not be accurate or valid.'... 'The effort by the Franken campaign, supported by the secretary of state, to exclude improperly rejected absentee ballots is indefensible and disenfranchises hundreds of Minnesota voters,' Sheehan said. After the results are certified, Coleman's campaign will have seven days to file a challenge."

Senator Chuck Schumer indicated that the Senate should seat Franken: "With the Minnesota recount complete, it is now clear that Al Franken won the election. The Canvassing Board will meet tomorrow to wrap up its work and certify him the winner, and while there are still possible legal issues that will run their course, there is no longer any doubt who will be the next Senator from Minnesota."

It's doubtful that will happen easily: "Sen. John Cornyn, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, called Schumer's comments premature and troubling, since Schumer is the new chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, which has jurisdiction over contested elections."

CNN's announcement, AFTER THE JUMP...

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Obama Sought Out Gay Bishop Gene Robinson During Campaign

London's Times Online reports that Barack Obama sought out gay Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson three times during his run for President:

"Bishop Robinson, in London as a guest of the gay rights group Stonewall for its annual 'Hero of the Year' awards dinner at the Victoria and Albert Museum tonight, said that Mr Obama’s campaign team had sought him last year and he had the 'honour' of three private conversations with the future president of the United States last May and June. 'The first words out of his mouth were: ‘Well you’re certainly causing a lot of trouble’, My response to him was: ‘Well that makes two of us'.' He said that Mr Obama had indicated his support for equal civil rights for gay and lesbian people and described the election as a 'religious experience'. Bishop Robinson described his conversations with him as part of Mr Obama’s 'extraordinary' outreach to all religious communities, not just Christian groups. Mr Obama, although not a member of The Episcopal Church to which Bishop Robinson belongs, is a committed Christian with the United Church of Christ."

Added Robinson: “He is impressive, he’s smart, he is an amazing listener. For someone who’s called on to speak all the time when he asks you a question it is not for show, he is actually wanting to know what you think and listens...We’ve had eight years of someone who has listened to almost no one...To see the tears in the eyes of African-Americans, it’s just been a profoundly, I would say religious, experience, very exciting."

Robinson said they also discussed the place of religion in the state: "He and I would agree about the rightful place of religion vis-a-vis the secular state. That is to say, we don’t impose our religious values on the secular state because God said so. Our faith informs our own values and then we take those values into the civil market place, the civil discourse, and then you argue for them based on the Constitution. You don’t say to someone, you must believe this because this is what God believes."

Secret Service Blames Palin for Spike in Obama Death Threats

The Secret Service is now blaming this on a surge during the campaign in death threats against Obama.

"The attacks provoked a near lynch mob atmosphere at her rallies, with supporters yelling 'terrorist' and 'kill him' until the McCain campaign ordered her to tone down the rhetoric. But it has now emerged that her demagogic tone may have unintentionally encouraged white supremacists to go even further. The Secret Service warned the Obama family in mid October that they had seen a dramatic increase in the number of threats against the Democratic candidate, coinciding with Mrs Palin's attacks."

Palin seems to be taking the heat for this, but McCain was equally at fault.

A look back at the attacks which America soundly rejected, AFTER THE JUMP...

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