Friends of the woman involved in the affair say Edwards isn't telling the whole truth.
At the same time some republicans are keeping mum, calling it a private tragedy.
"It was a huge judgment, mistake in judgment," Edwards said.
Edwards has talked about it, his wife Elizabeth has written about it, and his former aides have criticized him for it.
"We got issues we can talk about, instead of personal things we can talk about," Former US Senate Sen. Bob Dole said.
But the longest serving republican leader in history says Edwards' marital affair is nobody else's business, but his.
"I mean there's a lot of angst in the family you must know, particularly for Elizabeth, and I don't know it's something they have to resolve. The rest of us it's none of our business, keep our nose out of it," Dole said.
He's not the only republic leader who feels that way.
"Our hearts and prayers go out to the Edwards' family and our hope is that they can get over the trials of this event as quickly as they can," U.S. Senator Richard Burr said.
But a one-time close friend --Rielle Hunter, Edwards' mistress -- is speaking out and challenging part of Edwards' story.
The Chapel Hill resident told ABC News his affair with Hunter started after she was hired by his political action committee to produce a series of films for the internet.
"The affair began long, long, long before she was hired to work for the campaign almost half a year before she was hired to work on those videos," friend Pigeon O'Brien said.
Hunter hasn't been seen or heard from since Edwards admitted to the affair on Friday.
Edwards continues to deny that he's the father of Hunter's 5-month-old baby.
Hunter's sister isn't commenting on that, but says he sister obviously made a mistake.
"As a mother, she just wanted privacy and a safe environment for her child," Melissa Druck said.
Both republican leaders Eyewitness News spoke with Monday do not think news of the affair will impact either party during the presidential campaign.
