Charting John Edwards' Uncharted Territory

The most famous spouse of a cancer victim met with 40 members of the media in San Francisco today. That's him in the photo, sporting a yellow "Livestrong" wristband.

John Edwards told the reporters he just didn't know how voters will react to his decision to press on with the campaign despite his wife's illness.

"I miss her. I miss her. ...

I think [the political impact of the decision to stay in] is unknowable. We believe that the way to conduct your life, private and personal, is openly and honestly and that's the reason we disclosed the facts. We felt people needed to know. How it will affect the campaign, that probably depends on how America responds. I think this is uncharted territory." (source)

I also think the territory is uncharted, and for good reason: It's marginally OK to run for office if you have cancer, but it's not the least bit OK to subject a spouse who's suffering from incurable disease to the separation, stress, emotions and fatigue that comes with campaigning.

Edwards obviously has been hoping a lot of females will vote for His Cuteness, and now I think we can chart that particularly interesting piece of territory. Most women now will see their ex-husbands in Edwards: A man who talked a good talk, but just isn't capable of living up to it in his actions.

If he really misses her, if he really cares for her and for their children -- and any woman would hope he does -- he would be with them, not on the campaign trail. File the papers, sweetheart, and find yourself another candidate.