John Edwards Love Child Photo produced by National Enquirer

Did John Edwards, husband of a cancer-stricken wife, really father a love child with former campaign --- err-- filmmaker Rielle Hunter?

Enquiring minds want to know.

The Enquirer has "spy photos" that purport to show Edwards holding his love child.

Radar says the photo is "sketchy" and Hot Air's Allahpundit believes it may be "a photoshop."

The encounter in the hotel allegedly took place on July 21. Here’s an AP photo of Edwards taken earlier that same day in Los Angeles...

Compare the sideburns and the distance between his hair and his right temple. Hmmm. Still not good enough?

Well, the original Enquirer story claims he was wearing a “blue dress shirt” when he entered the building.

...There’s no collar on the shirt in the new Enquirer photo (in fact, in the smaller photo — which clearly is Edwards — it looks a bit like a hospital gown), although I guess he could have changed for whatever inexplicable reason when he got to the room.

Actually, he could have stripped off his oxford... revealing his t-shirt underneath to allow the baby to burp and spit up on the t and not the $300 Burberry oxford.

DBKP, one of the original blogs covering the story, has more info.

Update: Coulter with another instant classic:

The MSM justify banner coverage of the smallest malfeasance by any Christian or conservative, with or without independent verification, with the lame excuse of "hypocrisy." Hey, why didn't you say so! If all it takes to get the Edwards story into the establishment press is a little hypocrisy, boy, have I got a story for you!

Based on information currently saturating the Internet: (1) The entire schmaltzy Edwards campaign consisted of this self-professed moralist telling us how much he loved the poor and loved his cancer-stricken wife; (2) the following was Edwards' response to CBS News anchor Katie Couric's question about whether voters should care if a presidential candidate is faithful to his spouse:

"Of course. I mean, for a lot of Americans -- including the family that I grew up with, I mean, it's fundamental to how you judge people and human character -- whether you keep your word, whether you keep what is your ultimate word, which is that you love your spouse, and you'll stay with them. ... I think the most important qualities in a president in today's world are trustworthiness -- sincerity, honesty, strength of leadership. And -- and certainly that goes to a part of that."

There you have it, boys: Go to town, MSM!