Venceremos

John Edwards just held a press conference to announce that his wife is dying of cancer. I think. What he actually said was something like, "he and his wife recognized that it was no longer curable, though it could be managed with treatment."

Maybe there's some strange non-lethal cancer that I'm unaware of (cytologists plz. let me know) but I doubt it. Psoriasis can be managed with treatment. Cancer is a war. No, this is political talk. At the same conference, Edwards said, "Both of us are committed to the cause, and we’re committed to changing this country that we love so much and we have no intention of cowering in the corner."

"The cause?"

Then he and his wife gave big smiles.


It is not necessary to be upbeat if you're going to die. I feel like I shouldn't have to ask this, but don't most Americans find it creepy to give a big, dying grin? Of course, most Americans, the ones who care, are paralyzed with grief, and aren't really interested in the content of the press conference, so is this just a case of Edwards internalizing the "always be smiling" mantra of presidential candidates? I don't know about anyone else, but I like my candidates pathetic.

You coulda had my vote, John Edwards. If you had cried, even just a little, you could have had my vote. You blew it.