John Edwards' daughter speaks on father's affair

Cate Edwards, the daughter of former U.S. Sen. John Edwards, said she was devastated when she learned of her father’s extramarital affair with Rielle Hunter.

In an interview to be aired Friday on NBC’s “Today” show and “Rock Center with Brian Williams,” Edwards talks for the first time about the scandal that rocked her parents’ marriage and ruined her father’s political career.

Cate Edwards, a 31-year old attorney, said she learned of the affair from her father.

“He told me,” she said in excerpts made available by NBC. “I guess he and my mom decided that was, you know, how it needed to be done. So yeah, I was devastated. And I was disappointed. I mean, these are my parents. I had grown up with a lot of love in my family, and it was hard to see them go through this.”

Asked about the unpleasant things that Hunter wrote about her mother, Elizabeth Edwards, she said, “I thought it was a poor choice, I guess is all I can say.”

Since her mother’s death, Cate Edwards has worked to promote the efforts of the Elizabeth Edwards Foundation, a charity that provides educational opportunities for children who have limited support and opportunities.

This story was originally published March 27, 2013 at 8:42 PM.