Sad about his wife, but playing the sympathy card is pretty low. It may help him in the democrat primary but not in the general election. His statement that "enduring this kind of pressure is what it takes to be President" was especially sick. Typical liberal opportunist.
I hope that Mrs. Edwards recovers too, but that's not going to happen. She is apparently in Stage Four, the final stage. She is dying and her husband has shown himself to be the self-centered, soulless, compassionless individual he is. Anyone who cannot be there for his terminally ill wife and his children certainly will not be there for the country in times of crisis. To Breck Girl it's all about himself and how much money and power he can accrue to himself.
This may sound cold, but it would be better for the Edwards family and the country had the announcement been that Breck Girl has terminal cancer and his wife and family were going to be there for him in the little time he has left.
This is going to be very dirty.
Yes, many of us can identify. We know that cancer along with its treatment, emotions, and fears, is awful. During all this, Mrs. Edwards will have to take care of her two children (with the assumption that her days with the kids are numbered), suffer the agony of cancer, all while standing by her husband and smiling pretty on cue - a husband who is preoccupied with his own ambitions that take him away from the family.
My very lib husband thinks it's wonderful that they (the Edwards) came to a decision that works for them. He thinks the joint decision makes the statement about his character, not that he got her to go along with a choice that was good for himself. Libs are different.
Why can't people just say it without having to preface it with platitudes...Edwards should not be running. Edwards should be with his family for this struggle. It is just naked ambition without a rudder.
As her condition, she will become a distraction.
America will not elect a man knowing he will not by his own admission be able to devote full mind to the job.
I hope she has good years left. But I do not understand their desire to stay in this race. It's not like he is a frontrunner. Imagine if you will - he becomes the president, we are at war, another attack on our soil, and Mrs. Edwards condition goes into it's final days - what happens? I swear I think he would hang onto the Oval Office.
My Dad has stage IV cancer. Some people with Stage IV, can live for several years, depending on the type of cancer. It is handled like living with a chronic disease. You are monitored, treated, etc. and the hope is that you can stay alive long enough to be enrolled in a clincial trial (which Bush is cutting funding for and I am very disappointed about, btw) or for a new drug to hit the market.
It's hard to say what you would do or wouldn't do until you are actually in this situation. But Stage IV does not necessarily mean that you drop everything and go on a death watch. Life goes on. For some patients, it is very comforting to have life continue as normal. It sounds like Elizabeth Edwards has always been very involved in politics. It is quite possible that she has encouraged her husband to continue on because she also believes in their cause.
Through my Dad's illness I've become acquainted with a lot of cancer patients and their caregivers. Most caregivers are still working, at least part-time, if they can. And most of the cancer patients totally support their decision to do so. None of us actually know how or why the Edwards family arrived at their decision to continue campaigning so it is useless to speculate.
I certainly don't agree with their politics, but I do offer prayers for the Edwards family on the difficult journey ahead.
Isn't it "brave" of Silky to be tough and continue to pursue HIS goals when it is Elizabeth who is dying?
The whole thing is surreal. For the Breck Girl, when the going gets tough, bail out and just for fun, go run for President. That's a Dem for you!
As much as I sympathize for the Edwards family, that statement above infuriates me.
Ten of thousands, hundreds of thousands, of family members each year give up everything to stay with a terminal spouse or family member. They give up jobs, their own lives, etc., to comfort and care for terminal spouses or or family members. According to Edwards, these people are cowards for not "continuing on". Disgusting.