John Edwards Defense Team Quickly Rests Its Case

The John Edwards trial will wrap up relatively short on drama: His defense team rested its case today after a little more than two days, opting not to call Edwards himself, daughter Cate, or former mistress Rielle Hunter to the stand, reports CNN. Closing arguments are tomorrow, and jury deliberations should begin on Friday. The AP reads the defense team's move as a "sign of confidence."

For Ruth Marcus at the Washington Post, the verdict is already clear: Edwards is an "egocentric cad," for sure, but he's no criminal. "Nothing in the evidence so far has shaken my view that this case is an unfortunate instance of prosecutorial indiscretion," she writes. The trial is more a reflection of the sad state of campaign finance reform, she adds. Neither Congress, the president, nor the Federal Election Commission is able or willing to fix the law. Instead, all we get is this show trial. "Something is very wrong with this picture." Click for her full column. (More John Edwards stories.)