Senator John Edwards announced on Thursday that his wife Elizabeth’s cancer had returned. She was first diagnosed with cancer in 2004 and doctors revealed last week that she now has stage IV cancer in the bone which is not curable but treatable. Edwards announced in a press conference with his wife that the campaign will continue. He stated that they had been through tough times before and have no intentions of cowering in the corner now.
There has been an overwhelming response from the public about his decision. Many think he should quit and dedicate his time to caring for his wife, while others feel his decision shows dedication and the will to continue with everyday life despite the illness. Elizabeth showed great optimism during the press conference stating that she did not feel or look sick and that she would continue to fully support her husband during this time.
What do you think of his decision to continue with the campaign?
We’ve discussed in class that many have criticized McCain for his health issues and his ability to serve the country with these problems if elected president. Do you think that if Edwards is elected president, his wife’s illness will have an effect on his ability to run the country? How do you think the other candidates will treat Edwards now? Will there be less “shots” taken at him and will other candidates be hesitant towards criticizing him during debates?
Many have also said that now Edwards will receive sympathy votes. A man wrote into the Cafferty File news segment that he’s a republican who now has decided to back Edwards because he’s been in his position and feels that Edwards’ decision shows how much personal character he has (Click on first link below and then Cafferty video on left hand side).
Finally, do you think that with this announcement Edwards will win enough support from the public (including the large amount of cancer survivors and family members of them) to put him in greater competition with Clinton and Obama?
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/03/22/edwards.2008/index.html
Click on “Watch the couple explain future plans” posted in the article to see the press conference
Related article: http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/03/22/schneider.edwards/index.html
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18 comments:
I am not sure what to make of the Edwards decision. Life is so precious and in a blink of an eye loved ones are taken from us everyday. I think Mrs. Edwards cancer will take a toll on Mr. Edwards campaign. I think he is expecting to much of her. She needs him more than she has probably ever needed him. Its time to hang up the tie and make her his priority, at some point your family/wife has got to come first in my opinion.
And then there is the question, what if he was elected, would her cancer affect her duties as the first lady?
The more I think about this, I have to agree with what many others have said. "...he should quit and dedicate his time to caring for his wife, while others feel his decision shows dedication and the will to continue with everyday life despite the illness".
As far as the votes go, Edwards might be able to use his wife's illness to gain more votes but I am not sure that is the right thing to do. Edwards is in the same boat as McCain and honestly I have no idea how it will all play out.
When a first read this blog I was disgusted thinking that John Edwards would continue to run for the Presidency, even though his wife is terminally ill. Then I began to think about my grandfather's experience of cancer. Like Elizabeth, my grandfather's form of cancer was treatable, but not curable. My grandfather didn't let cancer prohibit him from keeping busy and I think that is what kept him going for so long. So maybe having her husband run for President will be a good thing. It will keep her active and not really allow her time to sit back and sulk. I think that she realizes this and she also looking at the bigger picture in that, she feels her husband can do a lot of good for the country. And by thinking this, she is being selfless by not letting her sickness stop her husband from reaching his dream. I think that supporting one's spouse is something to admire in a couple and they are both doing that for one another.
I think that this whole experience makes the Edwardses 'real people' with real problems. I think many people can identify with this. However, even though many people can relate to their experience, I don't feel this should be a deciding factor when people go to vote. This does make him relatable and it also illustrates his character, but it is such a small part of his overall campaign. People who are giving him sympathy votes are only hurting themseleves by electing a canididate who may not otherwise be fit to president. It is important to pay attention to the issues and not to worry about a canididates personal life.
There has been a lot of talk about John Edwards decision to continue running despite his wife's illness, and there is no question that this is an extremely tough decision, and one most people would struggle with if they were placed in their shoes. That being said, I don't think there is a right or wrong decision in this matter. I think it depends on the individuals involved. In this case, I think John Edwards made the right decision for himself. His wife fully supports him and I personally think it shows great courage for the two of them to stand up and fight not only in the campaign but against her illness too. I think this shows resilience in both John and Elizabeth Edwards, especially amidst all the tragedies they have already experienced in life. As long as she feels up to it, I think they should continue to campaign.
As far as the sympathy votes go, I think they will receive some but I think they will gain more support because a lot of people support the Edwards' strength and character throughout this ordeal, and that has gained them respect. I believe they went about this in a classy manner, and in my opinion, it never came across as them trying to obtain sympathy votes through this announcement. I think he has also gained respect from his peers, but everyone knows this is too big of a race to base on this one thing.
As far as the McCain comparison goes, it is not the same. I don't mind that McCain is running at the age he is, however, I do wonder how a man at 70 can handle the stress of being President if elected. This is different because the illness is in the spouse, not the candidate. That being said, it is tough to say how this is all going to pan out, if Edwards is elected and she passes away while he is in office, you wonder how that will affect him and his family. But they have been through so much and have showed so much perseverance and courage that I think he would be able to continue, especially because that seems to be what she wants. Either way, whichever happens, I think that both John and Elizabeth have shown that they can stare adversity down and beat it, so I don't think they are going to let this overtake their campaign.
I find Edward's decision to be really interesting because it puts him in a tough position. Not only will his candidacy be keeping him very busy but also because it is going to cause him to receive a lot of media attention, both good and bad, for this decision.
As hard as it may be that his wife is very ill again, I think that in his deciding to continue running really shows a strong sense of character. Not only will he be working hard to win over the Presidency, but he will have to be strong and supportive for his wife as well. I feel like if he can make it through the campaigns, then he has a really good chance of being able to make it through the presidency as well even with the hardships he and his family are dealing with.
I think it will be difficult for the media or his critics to bash him throughout the campaign because what can they negatively say about Edwards when he is dealing with such a difficult situation? I don't beleive that it is going to change who people vote for though. I still beleive the public will want someone who they know will be a good fit for running this country. I do however, feel that the public may idolize him more for his strength which will be a help in running against Hilary and Obama.
I think that it is great that he is still running for president, and it goes to show how supportive his wife is and how good of a marriage they must have. I do think there will be people out there who will give sympathy votes, but there will probably also be people who will choose not to vote for him because they might think he won't be able to fully focus on his job as president if he has to also take care of his wife. The negative part of the situation is thinking about how much time he is going to be spending on his campaign, rather than taking care of his wife and that is really sad, but she is obviously a selfless person if she wants him to run regardless of her health. It is certainly a win-lose situation and there will be both positive and negative media put on Edwards. Either way, he is going to be gaining a lot of attention due to her sickness.
Prior to today, all i had heard in the news about Edwards wife was that she was terminally sick. However, today while i was watching the view they discussed Edwards wife and his decision to continue on with his political plans. What got them talking about this topic was the Katie Couric interview with Edwards and his wife. They drew on the parallels of Courics’s history (her husband had a disease that ended up taking his life and she continued with her career). Some women on the panel didn’t agree with her questions or the way she asked them.
I think the Edward’s are handling the media attention quite well for just receiving the tragic news. They have been through and handled situations similar to this before, and my opinion is the decision to continue conveys strength and perseverance.
I however don’t think that this will solely be what will enable Edwards to become President in the next election. There are so many strong Democratic candidates that hopefully other issues such as their views will really be the deciding factor.
-R.ShIff
I think that like many decisions a candidate makes, the decision to continue to run with his wife having 4th stage cancer can be seen as positive and negative.
Although Mrs. Edwards is terminally ill, I think that she will play a great role model to many being terminally ill and seeing what she can still accomplish as a first lady. She can become a mentor and someone for others suffering to look up to to help motivate them.
The Edwards family has gone through so much already (having a son die years ago and Mrs. Edwards already battling cancer), I think that they would know what they can handle, and I trust John Edwards decision to continue to run. I think that other candidates will respect the family and support them as well as competing as usual. I definitely do not think that there will be less "shots" taken at him because of his wife battling cancer.
I do not think that any candidate up for presidency should be given sympathy votes, however, yes, this battle with cancer just might be the key to win over some possible constituents who are dealing with cancer themselves or within their families. I do believe that there is also more one thinks about before voting (hopefully), like how competent a candidate is in running the country in regards to experience and intelligence-not solely because their wife is battling a terminal illness that say their mother might have as well.
The recent news out of the Edwards camp has political aspirations written all over it. Elizabeth Edwards knows that dealing with her illness and the presenting a certain character during the primaries will help his campaign no matter what. The Edwards campaign was in a distant third before this and now they are starting to creep up on Clinton and Obama as slow as it may seem. The media also had a field day with every major talk show giving it some degree of attention. As we have seen with the early campaigns, any publicity is for the most part good publicity.
The other candidates probably wont feel bad hitting Edwards on the issues and eventually they are going to have to go after him the same way they are going to go after each other, but one place they cannot touch Edwards is in family issues. While Guliani and Gingrich are on their second and third wives, Edwards family record is almost flawless and will only work to his favor.
Finally, if his wife is telling him to keep on campaigning, then for the time being its fine. However, stage 4 cancer is serious and she could get worse quickly. If it comes to the point that shes looking like she might be heading for the worst, most people will agree that he will have to bow out and deal with his family issues. It is too difficult for a person to juggle the two, and he will only look worse if he leaves his very sick wife in bed while hes running around the country trying to get sympathy votes.
I also think that it's good that he is still running. Although his wife is very sick, if she is supportive of him, than I admire that. I also think that it is a smart move to keep moving forward and not stop everything because of it. If they both dwell on her illness, then where is that going to get either of them? If he can handle running while aiding his wife through this, then that is respectable of him as a leader. As far as sympathy votes go, I think that is a pretty low blow; you need to find a better reason than that. I also agree that this shows alot about their marriage, both supporting eachother. If their marriage is strong than that will help them now through his running, and afterwards especially if she does get worse. The fact that they can juggle this issue at such a crucial time for him makes me more interested in him as a candidate. Unless she gets worse, I do not think right now his continuance of running is an issue.
I think that Edwards decision to continue running is probably a well educated one. I dont think he would endanger his wife if things were very grave. Im sure that they have talked about it and decided together. When her health improves again she might even be able to become a advocate for cancer research.
-Suzy Filardo
Kristin Perry
I feel that Edwards had no choice but to continue on and run. If he were to back out of the election just because he is facing some hard times in his personal life it makes one wonder if he would have been able to handle being the president where he will face numerous problems. Or to take it a step further, what if she had gotten sick once he was in office, would he have been less dedicated to our country and spent more time with his wife? I'm sure he considered dropping out and I'm sure his wife talked him out of it. His decision to continue with his campaign will also help his wife in my opinion. They are showing that this illness isnt going to stop them. It will also be something to occasionally take her mind off of her problems and focus on something else.
And yes he will get a few sympathy votes, but good I think they deserve them.
I feel that the decision for Edwards to continue his campaign with the support of his wife is what's right for them. If they thought that they couldn't handle being out on the campaign trail and the cancer, I trust that Edwards would know to take care of his family. I also think that Edwards' decision to continue shows how strong both him and his wife are. I hope that if it does get to be too hard for them, that he recognizes this and steps down.
I do think that this could have an effect on him if he was to win. A terminal illness impacts everyone, no matter how strong of a person or family you are. I don't think that people should take that into consideration when voting. He should be allowed some grieving time.
With this announcement, I think that Edwards will gain more support from people who are in his situation or have been. I do not think this is the sole reason someone should vote for a candidate. It is inevitable that people will give "sympathy votes."
I think that Mrs. Edwards cancer will definitely take a toll on Edwards, to what effect we will have to wait to find out. I think with today's election it was a good thing and a bad thing that he came out public and told of what was happening with his wife.
We will have those people who say that, "Oh why did he come out and tell the public. It is a matter of privacy and he should have kept quiet and dealt with it on his own." I think in the same sense there will also be those who think that he is crazy for continuing to run in the upcoming election with his wife battling cancer. I think many will question his moral and family values of what comes first, his campaign or his wife.
I think others will come out and say that it is a good thing he told the general public of what is going on. Many will feel that they could connect with him and know what he is going through and he may even gain voters his once may not have had.
I think that either way with whatever his decision was he was going to be questiond for it and one way or another the story was going to come out.
Whether it helps or hurts it yet to be decided.
-Mike Kytoski
I was home when the news was first announced of Mrs. Edwards returned cancer, and the fact that it is now stage IV, and while it can be treated, it will still ultimately mean her demise. What I found more shocking, however, is that during the Edwards' very personal press conference (on the same location in Annapolis where they were married) the couple exuded a great strength and happiness that is pretty damn admirable. This is not her first fight with cancer, and while this fight she will not win, she is still determined to lead her life and stand behind her promise to continue to support her husband in his campaign for the presidency.
Several bloggers have mentioned the fact of the value of life when one is dying, but I believe that Mrs. Edwards is taking advantage of the life that she has left by helping to place her husband in the Oval Office so that he, and she as well, can spread the beliefs and policies that they stand for for their country. They have been a political couple for years, and reaching the presidency is not just the ultimate dream for her husband, but also for herself, knowing that all the work, time, and sacrifice that she has put in will pay off, and what she can do for the American people.
I think that Edwards decision to move on with the campaign is the right one, so long as his wife's health is not affected further, and as bad as this may sound, realistically, it will benefit his campaign. More people will be able to sympathize with her situation and their situation as a family, a family who has faced hard times before with her first bout of cancer and the death of their teenage son. It will indeed win them some votes and some sympathy votes, but ultimately a vote is a vote and people do not need to justify why they voted for someone.
If Edwards were to be elected to the presidency, I do not really think that his wife's illness would impact how he could run our country. Obviously he would still have to pay attention and time to her, but he is not the exception to any other loving husband to his wife. This may be a point that the other candidates will exploit during their campaign, also questioning his love for her because she is continuing to campaign while dying of cancer. I'm sure they will try to make him appear selfish, and with this said, it answer the question of whether or not people will ease up on the "shots" fired towards him. Nothing could stop these people from winning the campaign, even if it is a family that is suffering a great ordeal.
I think Edwards will appear to have more of a shot of making it a more even presidential run because I do think people will start to pay more attention to him, thus he may receive more votes- but it is at a terrible cost. To receive attention because of an illness is nothing new, but everytime it is always scruntized. Mrs. Edwards now has so much more to deal with and the stress of being involved in campainging wil not help her. It does seem strong of Edwards to want to continue- but you always have to think of what if these men and women running for election had regular jobs? They would still keep plugging away at them regardless of family illness and tragedy for the most part. Yet to me, it does seem kind of cold hearted of Edwards to not take some time off to help his wife cope with the bad news and future medical procedures she will need. Edwards need to assess how much of a shot he truly thinks he has, and if its worth the well being of his wife to go after the presidency. I think, if he is elected, he will be critizied for not being able to put 100% into his term because of the fact his wife is terminally ill. Whatever hypothetical mistakes he makes, people will probably end up blaming his wife and her disease for them.
kate ryan
I think Edwards' wife cancer, if anything, will inspire Edwards to go on. In this day and age, people admire dedication and the ability to continue working under such difficult circumstances. The American people will see him as a powerful being, capable of campaigning for office and performing the duties necessary.
It is also important to note how emotion sells to the American people. If Mrs. Edwards uses her cancer as a way to show her husband dedication and aspiration to succeed in office, his campaign will be all the more successful. The American people love heart warming stories that people endure and overcome, thus this example will help Edwards during his campaign.
Although we talked about this last week in class, it seems that John Edwards isn't necissarily using this to his advantage. In some ways, this tragedy has helped him, in the sense that Edwards, who previously had received little or no attention compared to Obama or Hillary. Now, he is receiveing sole attention of the media spotlight, and not only that but I feel it is positive. He asked Americans not to pitty him, but it is almost impossible not to feel bad for him, his wife, and his family. This attention he is getting good because it isn't really "bad." What i mean is that Hillary and Obama have received "bad" publicity in some regards because of their campaigns squabbles. The Edwards campagn sat back and watched, now with the dust settling on the alleged fight, Edwards owns the media, and in a sad way, His wife getting cancer is really helping him.
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