If you were running for President....

[MobBoss]

And your wife got diagnosed with untreatable malignant bone cancer would you:

A. Withdraw from the race in order to spend time with your wife while dealing with her illness?

B. Continue to run for President.

Well, apparently, Edwards is choosing option B. http://today.reuters.com/news/artic...01357_RTRUKOC_0_US-EDWARDS.xml&src=rss&rpc=22

I dont know, call me silly, but if this were me, I would want to spend as much time with my wife as I could with as little stress on our lives possible. Why on earth would someone think winning the election more important than spending time with their terminally ill wife? I just couldnt see myself making Edwards decision that he has. What is your opinion?

 

[Fifty]

I agree. Some things are more important than stinkin' politics.

 

[MobBoss]

I suppose I should also have asked do you think this will:

a. Get him more votes since he is seen to soldier on bravely despite his wifes illness.

or

b. Get him less votes since he is seen to be a cold hearted politico who has already written his wife off and seeks to exploit her illness as much as he can.

 

[Fifty]

I suppose I should also have asked do you think this will:

a. Get him more votes since he is seen to soldier on bravely despite his wifes illness.

or

b. Get him less votes since he is seen to be a cold hearted politico who has already written his wife off and seeks to exploit her illness as much as he can.

I 'spect CFC's resident lefties will ignore this question in lieu of claiming that his running will have no affect on his ability to be with her, or that this is what she would want, or something.

 

[Pontiuth Pilate]

This thread is a huge troll.

Elizabeth has been involved with John's effort every step of the way and wants him to be President. She is an incredibly good speaker, she's intelligent and correct on all the important issues and is basically the reason why I started paying attention to Edwards back in 2003 at all. Compared to the Stepford wives of certain other politicians, Elizabeth is practically a reason to elect John president. Frankly, I look at her as the next Eleanor Roosevelt waiting to happen.

Exploiting her illness to score political points - Edwards must be "a cold hearted politico" to keep running despite her having said repeatedly that she doesn't want her cancer to cause him to pull out! - is beyond the fricking pale.

Even the slime at Free Republic has more honor than this. They managed to confine their comments to prayers for her and her husband. You should learn from their example.

Reported, hoping this gets locked soon.

 

[Grisu]

Personally, I would not keep on running, but then I wouldn't leave my wife/gf either to fight in a foreign war or other, in my view, similar 'sacrifices', so....

 

[Truronian]

If your husband was running for President, and you discovered that you had untreatable malignant bone cancer, would you want him to keep running?

 

[IglooDame]

Worth noting, she has beat cancer before. That may give a completely different perspective than where we're coming from.

 

[El_Machinae]

What does she want me to do. If you were sick, would you want your spouse to give up a fairly important opportunity?
Do I believe that I'll get an eternity of time with my wife in Heaven?

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Well, what does she want him to do? What did they together, as a couple, decide? No one else has an opinion that is the least bit relevant.

 

[Azale]

This thread is a huge troll.

Your one to talk I will agree this thread is a little trollish with how the choices are worded, but I think we can keep it from devolving into fullblown troll mode. It's definately something people are wondering about so it's worth it to ask.

I gotta say, I doubt John Edwards just decided "Well, screw my wife, I wanna be President!". He probably talked a looong time with his wife about this. Who am I to question thier motives?

Now whether this brings sympathy votes...I don't know. It shouldn't. Just like Hillary should not recieve votes for being a woman, Obama should not recieve votes for being black, and Romney should not recieve votes for being a Mormon.

 

[PrinceOfLeigh]

Well, what does she want him to do? What did they together, as a couple, decide? No one else has an opinion that is the least bit relevant.

In relation to Edwards this is true.

If it was me, I would step down. Family above anything else and all that.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Wording option a. as: "The sympathy vote is just too much to ignore!" is really rather sad. But not unexpected.

I agree with Eran.

 

[MobBoss]

This thread is a huge troll.

No...its not a huge troll....its asking a legit question.

Elizabeth has been involved with John's effort every step of the way and wants him to be President. She is an incredibly good speaker, she's intelligent and correct on all the important issues and is basically the reason why I started paying attention to Edwards back in 2003 at all. Compared to the Stepford wives of certain other politicians, Elizabeth is practically a reason to elect John president. Frankly, I look at her as the next Eleanor Roosevelt waiting to happen.

Fine. You like her. I am sure she is a wonderful woman. Now, would you stop campaigning to spend time with her in her illness, or not?

Exploiting her illness to score political points - Edwards must be "a cold hearted politico" to keep running despite her having said repeatedly that she doesn't want her cancer to cause him to pull out! - is beyond the fricking pale.

She says that because she is a nice woman. I have been married a long time. Even if my wife said this, I would still pull out. Why? Because just like its the right thing for her to say what she is saying, its also the right thing as a husband to make her a priority.

Even the slime at Free Republic has more honor than this. They managed to confine their comments to prayers for her and her husband. You should learn from their example.

The 'slime'? Lets make it clear. I think its tragic that the woman has cancer. They have small children, I wouldnt wish that on anyone. But the situation is there because the choice has been made. That puts it into the public realm and thus should be legitimately debated.

Reported, hoping this gets locked soon.

Its a legit question. What would you do? Besides complain about the thread?

 

[MobBoss]

Worth noting, she has beat cancer before. That may give a completely different perspective than where we're coming from.

Well, that was breast cancer...it is now into her bone marrow. Listed as 'untreatable'.

I dont think she is going to beat this one sadly.

 

[Che Guava]

I think that to really understand the situation, you would have to put yourself in both of thier places. If my wife had a real chance of becoming a world leader, and I was losing a long batle with cancer, I would sure encourage her to continue on her campaign; life is for the living, after all, and as much as I would miss her, I don't know if I could feel ok about taking such a great opportunity from her, especially if I really beleived in her leadership and vision.

Given that, if I was in Edward's position, I would immediately offer to drop out of the race and spend as much time as possible with my wife, but I would have to hear her opinion too.

 

[skadistic]

Would not running save her?

At some point you have to move on with your life why bother stopping in the first place?

If he feels that strongly that he can better Amerioca he should try. I know my girl would hate it if I gave up my dreams because she was terminaly ill.

 

[warpus]

Ever stop and think that maybe, just maybe, she asked him to run anyway?

"Do it for me"

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

"Both of us are committed to the cause, we're committed to changing this country that we love so much and we have no intention of cowering in the corner," Edwards said.

"I don't expect my life to be significantly different," Elizabeth said. "You can see I don't look sickly, I don't feel sickly. I'm as ready as any person can be for that."

Allthough they choose a different path then I would at first, it makes sense. It seems she has also put a lot of effort in the campaign, and after a bit of tought, I think I might have gone the same route after all if I were her. (I voted no by the way) Would you want your last days on earth to be meaningless and spend them pining away or make the best of it and try to get something accomplished?

 

[IglooDame]

Well, that was breast cancer...it is now into her bone marrow. Listed as 'untreatable'.

I dont think she is going to beat this one sadly.

That too, but I was also thinking that the both of them have probably come to terms with her eventually losing a battle (if not that first one) to cancer.

And there's also the element of heroism, given a certain amount of hubris - if one (and, one's wife) truly feels like they would be a significantly better President than any of the other candidates, then the luxury of spending "final months" with the wife might be sacrificed for the good of the country.

Such would certainly cross my mind were I in that circumstance, anyway. It's not like Edwards is charging a machine gun nest or something.