Edwards remains in the race...

wowza ... how many rum & cokes have you had Kris? I'm glad I was agreeing w/you.

[PrincessFiona]

I'm sure I'll regret this in the morning.

But seriously...how can you guys continue to debate this in front of me...How the hell do you know how SHE feels about HER cancer and what SHE wants from what is left of her life...and how pompous to presume that her husband is the one hurting her.

For all you know, he begged HER to let him quit and she said "no".

Since we don't know these facts, the only thing we have to go on is what Elizabeth herself has said, people...and that is that SHE wants this for both of them. She...the one who actually has cancer...not you...the ones that I hope never will be in the position to actually know how she feels.

[Vanquisher]

Kris, no one wanted to offend you or tried. We admit that we have never been in the situation and never want to be.

I'm sorry if we hurt you.

[Stella]

we're all voicing what WE WOULD DO, to the best of our knowledge NOW, if that were us in the same situation.

I feel like I need to say this a million times. No one knows what they would do we're just discussing what we think we would do based on what we know/do now, if that were us. At least I am. And I don't think that is throwing anything in your face, at all. I don't know how the hell she feels about her cancer nor what she wants from what is left of her life. I am not pompous and I am not presuming anything. I don't know the facts and I'm not making any judgements about Elizabeth nor her husband (at least in this regard, but politically yes.) I never said I could be her, or was her, or had any idea what it was like. I'm sorry if you feel like this was an attack on you, but I can't be sorry for voicing what I THINK I WOULD DO TO THE BEST OF THE KNOWLEDGE I HAVE NOW WERE IT ME. I think those are very different debates. This isn't personal to you, Kris, and I would never ever intentionally say something that is rude or inconsiderate to your situation. I hope you know that.

[Stella]

http://www.people.com/people/article/0, ... 30,00.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/26/us/po ... ref=slogin

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/25/health/25couples.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/25/us/po ... wards.html

Mrs. Edwards — whose decision to push her husband to run for president in spite of her illness provoked an intense discussion across the country about illness, ambition, child-rearing and death — said her husband’s candidacy was not only about his needs and desires. She said it also reflected her own life and her wish to be something other than a woman best known for her illness.

“I expect to live a long time,” Mrs. Edwards said. “I expect us to have lots and lots of years together. I do believe that. But if that’s not the case, I don’t want my legacy to be that I pulled somebody who ought to be president out of the race. It’s not fair to me, in a sense.”

Saying she hoped to be “heavily involved” in her husband’s campaign, she said: “My feeling is, if we gave up what we have committed to as our life’s work, wouldn’t I be getting ready to die? That’s what I’d be doing. This cause is not just John’s cause, it’s my cause.”

ETA:

Some people — as demonstrated by responses to blogs and other forums — believe the Edwardses are stealing time from each other and their children, while others see a couple that has weathered the tribulations and assaults life brings to most families, and could set a national example of coping. Mr. Edwards characterized both points of view as “fair” ones.

“I want the country to understand that people are completely entitled to their opinions on this,” Mr. Edwards said

[madeintaiwan]

For me it really doesn't matter what they do vs. what I would do. The only issue I have with the Edwards is that I really feel like they are reaching for the sympathy vote here. If they decided he was going to run despite her cancer then run. Announcing her cancer and his running despite it just seems like a cry out. And since they decided he should still run, whether she has cancer or not should really have nothing to do with his campaigne. I feel that an announcement of her cancer should have only been made as to why he was backing out. Now he's throwing their personal life (which most try so hard to hold onto and keep private) out there and guess what they're getting attention. People are talking about them. Sympathizing with them. Feeling bad for them. Their contributions are going up. I truly feel for their family. I could not imagine having to go through what they're going through. But I find it a little pathetic that they put it out there the way they did. Look at my strong wife. Look at my strong family. As if his decision to continue with his job and his wife supporting his decision is some kind of anomaly. People are making the same decisions every day, in private. Some things should be personal and between a family. And I'm sure it would have eventually come out and that would have been whatever. The whole press conference just seemed over the top to me. I wish them all the best but I didn't plan on voting for him before and I definitely don't plan on voting for him now.

I personally don't have any political feeligs either way about him...obviously!

I wouldn't entirely agree that it worked 100% in their favour though. I seem to have read more media critizing his decision to run and "abandon" his wife in her time of need than that of sympathy(NOT my opinion, just what I read this morning)....I also see channels like Fox (yep, we get it here too) and they will make anything a scandal...who knows, maybe if they hadn't gone public it still would have been an issue. It would have been portrayed in a negative light.......

[PrincessFiona]

How could they not go public with it...like the media wouldn't figure it out when she lost her hair, was in the hospital etc.....

[MissCrabette]

I think it was mentioned that her type of chemo would not make her lose her hair, but I don't know, I haven't been through it.

I think it's a moot point trying to figure what we'd do in that situation. I do agree with those who've said that some of us have been more judgmental rather than simply stating what we'd do.

Edwards and his wife seem to make a good couple and he didn't get this far without her support. I think it's fairly plausible that she pushed him to continue.

I know some of you have said that you'd want your SO home with you during your last days, but... Wouldn't all that hard work up to that point seem absolutely pointless if he/she stayed home? Wouldn't you feel like all your sacrifices until then were for nothing? And also, who's to say what your last days are? You could live a month but you could also live 2-3 years. Imagine living 2-3 years with that burden, knowing tomorrow could be your last day. What kind of life is that? I understand the need to take a few days off and digest the information, but more than that and you're no longer living your life, you're waiting to die.

If they hadn't disclosed it, it would have been leaked, and then they would have been accused of "hiding" it. It's a no win situation - either they get accused of trying to capitalize on it, or they get accused of hiding something (and the obvious distraction that that would place on his ability to do the job).

[madeintaiwan]

I know it would have come out but, personally I would have understood "hiding" that. There would have been no accusations from me. It's not like hiding doing drugs, smuggling money, or getting happy endings in a hump hump bar, his wife is sick, that's private private and I, as a human, would have understood if he wanted to keep it private.

like i said ... no win.

[Deebs]

I do think it's a very personal decision on what to do when a SO is diagnosed with an illness.

What churns my stomach is that, because John Edwards is a millionaire many time over, his wife will have the ability to go anywhere for her medical care and have incredible access. At the same time, many in his home state of North Carolina won't be so fortunate because doctors have been driven out of state or even out of practice by whom???? Oh yea, that would be John Edwards. Ironically, it is the entire reason he is a millionaire.

I guess the whole thing is kind of karmic. Unfortunately, that doesn't open hospitals that have had to close, reinsure good docs who have lost malpractice coverage, or ultimately deliver better care to those in med malpractice crisis states.

I'm embarrassed to admit this (and it doesn't matter because DH treats everyone who walks into the ED), but I wouldn't want my SO to treat her. With a complicated illness, there are bound to be complications. Do you really think a med-mal lawyer is going to hesitate to sue every doc that treats his wife if and when she has any complications (whether caused by error or not).

Okay, no more ranting. (Sorry, I have a degree in health policy - this stuff is impossible not to weigh in on).