Oh John! How stupid for such a smart guy!--but I seem to remember saying that about Bill Clinton who broke my heart as well. Yesterday John Edwards confirmed very publicly what he had been denying very publicly for months, he had an affair. Normally I cast these things off as “none of our business”. I don’t believe that a public figure’s personal “affairs” are a barometer of their ability nor should their human flaws be a part of the judging process…til they lie to us. My anger with Bill Clinton was not because of what he did, talk about stupidity not to mention really bad taste,but that was between Bill and Hillary -not the nation. It only became an issue for most of us who believed in him when he lied and dragged this country through Tabloid Hell while paralyzing such a promising presidency.In his interview with Bob Woodruff on Nightline last night John Edwards was prepped to take the hits. He basically used the same rationale that Clinton had-he did it because he could. He had reached a point of ego that allowed him to feel invincible. I didn’t feel satisfied,however, by what was an extraordinary admission of vanity. I was left feeling there is more... and of course now he has the whole world watching and looking for more, and it will all come out at a time when the Democrats do not need the distraction. We are left simply not trusting a man who framed his whole political career on a higher ground, John Edwards if you remember was one of the most outspoken critics of Bill Clinton’s behavior.
More important than all the tabloid trash talk,however, is that John Edwards in his public life stood for something truly important. He had the opportunity to continue that message and create action to bring change, perhaps even in an Obama administration. Edwards was in a unique position this election year, he had delegates, he had respect, he had campaigned we believed with honor above the fray. He could have carved out an important role even out of politics as someone who would spend his life working for the causes and the people that need a spotlight. His voice for the disenfranchised was a powerful one and that message,that promise,may now be silenced forever—not because of his actions but because of his efforts to cover it up while campaigning as the honest moral candidate.
Apparently the entire 2007-8 Edwards campaign was always only one revelation away from imploding. I did not hear in the interview with Woodruff, who I thought did a good job,any apologies to the people who worked for him and believed in his candidacy, that troubled me as well. He said he didn’t think he had a future in politics anyway or that the Veep job was ever his to have, but we know he wanted it. Clearly John Edwards ego became greater than his beliefs.
Elizabeth’s absence from the interview was like the elephant in the room. She released a statement that took my breath away… “Although John believes he should stand alone and take the consequences of his action now, when the door closes behind him, he has his family waiting for him…Admitting one’s mistakes is a hard thing for anyone to do, and I am proud of the courage John showed by his honesty in the face of shame… I ask that the public, who expressed concern about the harm John’s conduct has done to us, think also about the real harm that the present voyeurism does and give me and my family the privacy we need at this time.” A definition of grace indeed. I wish for the remarkable Elizabeth, and for her children, that her request be granted, I know,however, that this story is not going away and for that there is only one man’s vanity to blame.
