Thu, 22 Mar 2007 16:35:00
Edwards not dropping out over wife’s health issues
Elizabeth Edwards’ cancer returns
Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards said Thursday his wife’s cancer has returned but his bid for the White House will continue.
“The campaign goes on,” the former senator from North Carolina said at a news conference, contradicting earlier media reports.
John Edwards said tests this week had shown his wife, Elizabeth, had cancer in a rib on her right side. He said the cancer is treatable but not curable.
“We are very optimistic about this,” he said, noting that the tumor is small in size and has a “relatively minimal presence.”
Elizabeth Edwards, 57, said she was “incredibly optimistic” and said her expectations about the future were unchanged.
“I expect to do next week all the things I did last week. And the week after that, and next year at the same time,” she said.
And she wanted her husband to continue his run for the presidency.
“From our perspective, there was no reason to stop,” the candidate said. “I don’t think we seriously thought about it.”
He said, “You can go cower in the corner and hide or you can go out there and stand up for what you believe in. We have no intentions of cowering in the corner.”
Two things. First and foremost, good wishes to Elizabeth. Cancer is the one thing you never wish on another human being unless they are made of pure evil, and even then you have to really think about it. It can be horrifyingly debilitating, and I hope she kicks it’s ass a second time.
Secondly, the first time either of them (or anyone else) uses this as a campaign issue or to garner sympathy, I would hope that ALL sides of the political sphere will condemn it and summarily dismiss John Edwards from serious consideration for anything, ever again.
Actually, a third thing - I could not imagine continuing to travel and jet around the country talking endlessly about how great a person I was while my wife stayed home and went through chemo without me. But then, I’m not running for President am I? I suppose that’s just one more example of the two Americas John is always talking about. In my America, a spouse wouldn’t leave their significant other to battle something like this alone, and in my America staying by your spouse every moment through something like this would never, ever be called “cowering in a corner.”
I’m glad I don’t live in that other America.
Hat tip: Wizbang
*UPDATE*
Genius. Ace highlights Andrew Sullivan’s hypocrisy. 22 minutes for a complete flip-flop. That has to be some kind of record.
Posted by JimK at 04:35 PM on March 22, 2007
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Comments:
#2 Posted by JimK 
on 03/22 at 06:22 PM -
Hasn’t that already been done though? With holding a press conference about this event?
Yeah, in a way. I gave him the benefit of the doubt for this though, because it is newsworthy and he did have to let people know what is going on. There’s campaign staff, volunteers, loads of money on the table...while I personally would have simply issued a statement through a rep, he chose to do it this way. Loud, maybe a bit manipulative, but I’m going to count this as a “gimme.” If he uses it again, or she starts to make “I’m sick, pity my husband” public appearances...all bets, and gloves, should come off.
#3 Posted by Rann Aridorn on 03/22 at 07:35 PM -
I don’t think either of them’s going to have to, though. The news networks are going to be doing it for them, without even being asked; that’s not even counting all the lefty bloggers who will be shouting “How dare you call him the Breck girl?! His wife has CANCER!”
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#1 Posted by Buzzion
on 03/22 at 06:04 PM -
Hasn’t that already been done though? With holding a press conference about this event?