Gazizza.Net

I was surprised to see that Edwards was staying in the race despite his wife's diagnosis. I was really stunned by that. I couldn't imagine why he wouldn't try to be there with her throughout her struggle against the cancer. Especially since he's not earning a salary in run for President, so he can't say it's about the money. (Not like he needs it anyway.) Amy Welborn made a point that helped me understand it, though: "[S]he probably very much wants him to go on. It may be just the kind of focus that is needed, or it may end up being something Edwards regrets very much as he looks back at time he could have spent with his wife instead of on the campaign trail."

Rod Dreher makes similar points:

She was quite noble and brave at the presser, saying -- and saying convincingly -- that she strongly believes her husband should remain in the campaign. She said that as hard as it is for her to deal with this, traveling around the country on the campaign has brought her into contact with lots of people who face worse situations -- situations she believes her husband would be able to alleviate if he became president. Therefore, she said this morning, she believes her husband should continue his campaign.

On its face, that's incredibly noble and self-sacrificing. I suppose you could be cynical about it, and you might be correct. I take her words at face value, and in charity, don't see any reason not to. But I must say that as a husband, I do find it difficult to imagine putting my ambition to be president over being wholly and unreservedly available to my wife in her struggle (and to be fair, John Edwards said that when his wife needs his presence during the campaign, he will drop whatever he's doing and rush to her side). Anyway, this is a decision they've made together, and I think the right thing to do is to respect them and pray for them.

Maybe that's it. Perhaps she believes so strongly in him and feels that he needs to be President, maybe she's willing to make the sacrifice of time with him to do what she thinks is best for the country. Maybe the campaign will be the distraction she needs to keep fro slipping into depression over her sickness. Maybe it's both and other things I can't think of.

I'm not a husband, so I can't imagine what John Edwards is going through right now, and with luck I never will. I'm not particularly inclined to criticize this decision, even though I really understand it.

Dreher raises another issue that, as voters, we have to take into account, though:

According to the NYTimes story, Stage 4 breast cancer patients have only a one-in-four chance of living five years from point of diagnosis. So if John Edwards were to be elected president, the American people would likely watch their First Lady die. What a thing to think about.

Again, I can't imagine what it's like for a husband to watch his wife die. It can't be easy. It must be hard and virtually all-consuming. I can't imagine anyone being much use with that weighing on them. Given the troubled times we live in and will likely continue to live in for the next Presidential term, it's probably not a time when we need a President who can focus fully on the job. Thanks to the 25th Amendment, there are provisions for a President to take a leave of absence, so this is not as big a concern as it once was, but Edwards should make sure to deal with this issue forthrightly prior to the election, but make especially sure, if he wins the nomination, to select a Vice-Presidential nominee who could step in as President should the need arise.